The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-10 00:00:00

twig. Then he concludes, coming down fearfully
from his high pedestal:—

" I have given, then, to a friend, the Rev. Marcus Fla-
ther, a draft for two hundred and fifty pounds sterling,
drawn upon you at your-agent's in Calcutta, which sum will
go in liquidation of dear Clive's first year's board with me,
or, upon my woi d of honour as a gentleman and clergyman,
shall be paid back at three months after sight, if you will
draw upon me. As I never, no, were it my last penny in
the world, would dishonour your draft,—l implore you, my
dear Colonel, not to refuse mine. My credit in this city,
where credit is everything, and the awful future so little
thought of, my engagements to Mr. Flather, my own pros-
pects in life, and the comforts of my dear -sister's declining
years all—all depend upon this bold, this eventful measure.
My ruin, or my earthly happiness lie entirely in your hands.
Can I doubt which way your ldnd heart will lead you, and
that you will come to the aid of your affectionate brother-in-
law, CHARLES HONEYMAN."
Miss Martha Honeyman, however, will not suffer
her brother to take sole charge of young Clive. 0,
no ! she is too much of a woman for that. "The
poor boy," she says, " is very affectionate, and al-
ways building castles in the air, and of having
Clive to live with him in London; now this mat
be, and I won't hear qf it. Charles is too kind to
be
a school-master, and Master Clive laughs at him.
It must be mentioned here that amongst the host
Of things the unfortunate Mr. Honeyman tried his
hand at that of a schoolmaster had not been
omitted. - He bought a school ; paid the purchase-
money—at least his sister did for him—but it
turned out badly, and at the end of the first half
year, had but " two woolly-headed poor little
mulattos, whose father was in gaol, in St. Kitts."
Clive Newcome, instead of being given over to the
good keeping and wise governing of the reverend
disciple of the ferula, is committed to the charge of
-Dr. Timpany, who keeps a great school at Marine-
parade. The Doctor evidently, whatever may be
his scholastic attainments and skill as a pedagogue,
bore no character for leniency as a disciplinarian.
" My father," observes Miss Martha, "always said
it was the best place for boys, and I have a brother
to whom my poor mother spared the rod, and who,
I fear, has turned out but a spoilt child."
Lieutenant-Colonel Newcome is surprised one
morning with the following startling letter from his
brother :

"My Drdin BROTHER— I hasten to inform you of a ca-
lamity which, though it might be looked for in the course
of nature, has occasioned deep grief, not only in our family,
but in this city. This morning:, at half-past four o'clock,
our beloved mid respected mother, Sophia Alethea New-
come, expired, at the advanced age of eighty-three years.
On the night of Tuesday—Wednesday, the 12th-13th,
having been engaged reading and writing in her library
until a late hour, and having dismissed the servants, whom
she never would allow to sit up for her, as well as my
brother and his wife, who always are in the habit of retiring
early. Mrs. Newcombe extinguished the lamps, took a bed-
chamber candle to return to her room, and must have fallen
on the landing, where she was discovered by the maid,
sitting with her head residing against the balustrades, and en-
deavouring to staunch a wound in her forehead, which was
bleeding profusely, having struck in a fall against the stone
step of the stairs.
" When Mrs. Newcome was found she was speechless, but
still sensible, and medical aid being sent for, she was carried
to bed. Mr. Newcome mid Lady Anne, both hurried to her
apartment, and she knew them, and took the hands of each,
but paralysis had probably ensued in consequence of the
shock of the fall; nor was her voice ever heard, except in
inarticulate moanings, since the hour of the previous even-
ing, when she gave her blessing, and bade them good night.
Thus perished this good and excellent woman, the truest
Christian, the most charitable friend to the poor and need-
ful, the head of this great house of business, the best and
most affectionate of mothers.

" The contents of her will have long been known to us,
and that document was dated one month after our lamented
father's death. Mr. Thomas Newcombe's property being
divided equally amongst his three sons, the property of his
second wife naturally devolves upon his own issue, my bro-
ther Brian and myself. There are very heavy legacies to
servants and to charitable and religious institutions, of which,
in life, she was the munificent patroness ; and I regret my
dear brother, that no memorial to you should have been
left by my mother, because she often spoke of you latterly
in terms of affection, and on the very day on which she died,
commenced a letter to your little boy, which was left un-
finished on the library table. My brother said that on that
same day, at breakfast, she pointed to a volume of Orme's
Ilindostan, the book she said, which set poor dear Tom
wild to go to India. I know you will be pleased to hear of
the proofs of returning good-will and affection, in one who
often spoke latterly of her early regard for you. • I have no
more time under the weight of business which this present
affliction entails. than to say that I am, yours, dear brother,
very sincerely,

" A. NEwcoMBE'•

The gallant Lieutenant-Colonel, after a lapse of
time, comes back to England hale and hearty, and
with evident disposition to enjoy himself, and
make life as smooth and pleasant as possible. We
shall now introduce our readers to the " Cave of
Harmony," and exhibit to them the renowned
warrior and his son Clive, cutting rare capers.
Mr. Arthur Pendennis, Jones, of Trinity, King, of
Corpus, and a few other gees du bon, after quitting
the theatre, alight at the cave kept by " the cele-
brated Hoskins."

"We enjoyed such intimacy with Mr. Hoskins that he
never failed to greet us with a nod ; and John the waiter made
room for us near the president of the convivial meeting.
We knew three admirable glee-singers, and many a time
they partook of brandy-and-water at our expense. One of
us gave his call dinner at Hoskins's, and a merry time we
had of it. Where are you, 0 Hoskins, bird of the night ?
Do you warble your songs by Acheron, or troll your choruses
by the banks of black Avernus.

" There came into the cave a gentleman with a lean brown

face and long brown mustachois:dressed in very loose clothes,
and evidently a stranger in the place. At least he had not
visited it for a long time. He was pointing out changes to
a lad who was in his company ; and, calling for sherry-and-
water, he listened to the music, and twirled his mustachios
with great enthusiasm.
" At the very first glimpse of me the boy jumped up from
the table, bounded across the room, ran to me with his
hands out, and blushing said, Don't you know me ?'
"It was little Newcome, my schoolfellow, whom I had
not seen for six years ; grown a fine tall young stripling now,
with the same bright blue eyes which I remembered when he
was quite a little boy.
" "What the deuce brings you here ?' said I.
"He laughed and looked roguish. 'My father—that's
my father—would come. He's just come back from India.
He says all the wits used to come here—Mr. Sheridan,
Captain Morris, Colonel Hanger, Professor Person. I told
him your name, and that you used to be very kind to me
when I first went to Smithfield. I've left now ; I'm to have
a private tutor. I say I've got such a jolly poney. It's
better fun than old Smiffie.
" Here the whiskered gentleman, Neweome's father, point-
ing to a waiter to follow him with his glass of sherry-and-
water, strode across the room, twirling his mustachios, and
came up to the table where we sate, making a salutation
with his hat in a very stately and polite manner, so that
Hoskins himself was, as it were, obliged to bow ; the glee
singers murmured among themselves (their eyes rolling over
their glasses towards one another, as they sucked brandy and
water,). and that mischievous little wag, little Nadab, the
improvisatore, (who had just come in,) began to mimick him,
feeling his imaginary whiskers, after the manner of the
stranger, and flapping about his pocket handkerchief in the
most ludicrous manner. Hoskins checked this ribaldry by
sternly looking towards Nadab, and at the same time called
upon the gents to give their orders, the waiter being in the
room, and Mr, Bellew about to sing a song.
" Newcome's father came up and het out his hand to me,
I dare say I blushed, for I had been comparing him to the
admirable Harley in the Critic, and christened him Don Fe-
rolo Whiskerandos.
"He spoke in a voice exceedingly soft and pleasant, and
with a cordiality so simple and sincere, that my laughter
shrank away ashamed, and gave place to a feeling much
more respectful and friendly. In youth, you see, one is
touched by kindness. A man of the world may, of course,
be grateful or not, as he chooses.
"' I have heard of your kindness, sir,' says he, 'to my
boy. And whoever is kind to him is kind to me. Will you
allow me to sit down by. you ? and may I beg you to try my
cheroots ?' We were friends in a minute—young Newcome
snuggling by my side, his father opposite, to whom, after a
minute or two of conversation, I presented my three college
friends. .

" You have come here, gentlemen, to see the wits,' says
the Colonel. ' Are there any celebrated persons in the
room ? I have been five-and-thirty years from home, and
want to see all that is to be seen.'
" King of Corpus (who was an incorrigible wag) was on
the point of pulling some dreadful long bow, and pointing
out a half dozen of people in the room, as R. and 11, and
L., Sce., the most celebrated wits of that day ; but I cut
King's skins under the table, and got the fellow to hold his
tongue.
" Maxima debetur pueris,' says Jones (a fellow of very
kind feeling, who has gone into the Church since,) and
writing on his card to Hoskins hinted to him that a boy
was in the room, and a gentleman, who was quite a
greenhorn ; hence that the songs had better be carefully
selected.
" And so they were. A lady'.s school might have come in,
and but for the smell of the cigars and brandy-and-water,
have taken no harm by what happened.' Why should it
not always be s? ? If there are any Caves of Harmony now,
I warrant messieurs the landlords, their interests would be
better consulted by keeping their singers within bounds.
The very greatest scamps like pretty songs, and are melted
by them : so are honest people."

The greatest possible amusement follows. Nadab
is inimitable in his surprising feat of improvisation,