The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-08-14 00:00:00

✓. 7

ilticuaturr.

VARIETIES.

BARKIS'S MARRIAGE WITH PEGGOTTY.

(From David Copperfield, part 4, for August.)

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THE FOGS ON THE Misstsstret.—We had been told
we should reach our destination before night, but we were
scarcely half-way when we cast anchor in a dense fog,
followed, in the course of the night, by much lightning
and rain. We found the temperature of the water to be
46 deg. Fa.renheit, while that of the air had varied, in the
course of twenty-four hours, from 50 deg. to 75 deg.
This difference between the temperature of the water and
the air, often amounting to 30 deg. Fahrenheit, gives rise
to the fogs which prevail at this season. The river flow-
ing from the north, where there is now much ice and
snow, is always much colder, and I am informed by pilots,
that as far as the Mississippi water can be traced, by its
colour, into the Gulf it is commonly covered, in the
spring, with dense fog, while the atmosphere is clear on
each side. These fogs are generated in the same manner
as ordinary clouds, by the mixture of two currents of air
of different degrees of temperature. The river cools the
air in contact with its surface, and this colder layer of air
mingled with the warmer layer immediately over it, causes
the fog to begin to form close to the water. Hence it is
frequently confined to the bed of the river, not spreading
at all over the banks. The upper surface is often as well
defined as if it were in a bed of liquid, instead of vapour,
and the cabin, roof, and funnels of a steamer may be seen
moving along perfectly unobscured, while the hull and
lower parts are as completely hidden as if buried beneath
the turbid water on which it floats. The pilot, too, from
the upper deck, can often see the shore and landmarks
with perfect clearness, and steer his vessel with safety,
while the passengers on the cabin deck can seo nothing
beyond the sides of the boat. The fogs form sometimes
whatever be the quarter from which the wind blows, but
are more frequent when it is from the south, as the air is
then the warmest.—Sir Charles Lyell's Second Visit to
the United States.
A YOUTHFUL WANDERER IN THE UNITED STATES.—
A lad about 13 years of age arrived at Cincinnati by the
cars a short time since. His story, though brief, is an
interesting one, and exhibits a strength of close clinging
affection which it is a pleasure to record. His mother and
sister left Ireland about a year ago for America. and the
boy being then a bound apprentice, was not permitted to
accompany them, although he desired to do so. Some
eight months after their departure, the little fellow, with-
out a penny in his pocket, ran away from his master,
walked to Dublin city, told his story to the captain of an
American ship, and tearfully solicited his aid in taking
him to his mother. The captain told him that the United
States was a very large country, and should he get there
he might not find the object of his search ; but the little
" Japhet" was determined to " try," and finally got the
captain's consent to take him across the ocean in the ca-
pacity of a second cook. The vessel arrived at New York,
and the little fellow, all alone, searched the great metro-
polis throughout—inquiring of the Irish families of the
whereabouts of his mother; but to no purpose—no one'
knew her. During this search, which continued more
than a week, the little fellow met his current expenses by
doing chores in the streets, such as holding horses, &c.,
for a lad of that kind could not be dishonest. Failing in
New York. he worked his passage on a steamer to Albany
—reached that city, and worked his wasito Buffalo, thence
to Sandusky, and on to Cincinnati—making a journey, in
all, of about 4000 miles, in search of his mother ! Upon
his arrival here, ho immediately sought out the Irish resi-
dents, and for the first time heard of the object of his long
and singular pilgrimage. He learned that his mother and
sister lived in Cincinnati, but about a month since had
moved to Vanceburg, Kentucky. The little "Japhet,"
in the fullness of his joy, was determined that an hour
should. not be lost, and went to Captain Grace, of the
Brilliant, and told his story. The captain took him on
board, gave him some money, and provided him comforta-
bly for the passage, and doubtless ere this the little fellow
is in the arms of the loved ones of his search. It is a fact
not unworthy of record, presenting as it does a pleasant
incident in the train of the story, that while on board the
Brilliant the boy was recognised by a gentleman who was
passenger in the same vessel upon which he crossed the
ocean, who fully corroborated his story.—Cincinnati Com-
mercial.

On the very first evening after our arrival, Mr. Barkis
appeared in an exceedingly vacant and awkward condi-
tion, and with a bundle of oranges tied up in a handker-
chief. As he made no allusion of any kind to this pro-
perty, he was supposed to have left it behind him by
accident when he went away ; until Ham, running after
him to restore it, came back with the information that it
was intended for Peggotty. After that occasion he ap-
peared every evening at exactly the same hour, and always
with a little bundle, to which he never alluded, and which
he regularly put behind the door, and left there. These
offerings of affection were of a most various and eccentric
description. Among them I remember a double set of
pig's trotters, a huge pin-cushion, half a bushel or so of
apples, a pair of jet earrings, some Spanish onions, a box
of dominoes, a canary bird and cage, and a leg of pickled
pork. . . . .

Mr. Barkis's wooing. as I remember it, was altogether
of a peculiar kind. He very seldom said anything ; but
would sit by the fire in much the same attitude as he sat
in in his cart, and stare heavily at Peggotty, who was
opposite. One night, being, as I suppose, inspired by
love, he made a dart at the bit of wax-candle she kept for
her thread. and put it in his waistcoat-pocket and carried
it off. After that, his great delight was to produce it
when it was wanted, sticking to the lining of his pocket,
in a partially-melted state, and pocket it again when it
was done with. He seemed to enjoy himself very much,
and not to feel at all called upon to talk. Even when he
took Peggotty out for a walk on the flats, he had no un-
easiness on that head, I believe ; contenting himself with
now and then asking her if she was pretty comfortable;
and I remember that sometimes, after he was gone,
Peggottv would throw her apron over her face, and laugh
for half an hour. Indeed, we were all more or less
amused, except that miserable Mrs. Gummidge, whose
courtship would appear to have been of an exactly parallel
nature, she was so continually reminded by these trans-
actions of the old one.

At length, when the term of my visit was nearly ex-
pired, it was given out that Peggotty and Mr. Barkis were
going to make a day's holiday together, and that little
Em'ly and I were to accompany them. I had out a bro-
ken sleep the night before, in anticipation of the pleasure
of a whole day with Em'ly. We were all astir betimes in
the morning ; and while we were yet at breakfast, Mr.
Barkis appeared in the distance, driving a chaise-cart
towards the object of his affections.
Peggotty was drest as usual, in her neat and quiet
mourning ; but Mr. Barkis bloomed in a new blue coat,
of which the tailor had given such good measure, that the
cuffs would have rendered gloves unnecessary in the cold-
est weather, while the collar was so high that it pushed
his hair up on end on the top of his head. His bright
buttons, too, were of the largest size. Rendered com-
plete by drab pantaloons and a buff waistcoat, I thought
Mr. Barkis a phenomenon of respectability.
When we were all in a bustle outside the door, I found
that Mr. Peggotty was prepared with an old shoe, which
was to be thrown after us for luck, and which he offered
to Mrs. Gummidge for that purpose.
" No. It had better be done by somebody else, Dan'l,"
said Mrs. Gummidge. " I'm a lone lorn creetur' myself,
and every think that reminds me of creeturs that aint lone
and torn, goes contrairy with me."
" Come, old gal!" cried Mr. Peggotty. " Take and
heave it !"
" No, Dan'l," returned Mrs. Gummidge, whimpering
and alatilcing her head. "If I felt less, I could do more.
You Wit% feel like me, Dan'l; thinks don't go contrairy
with you, nor you with them ; you had better do it your-
self."
But here Peggotty, who had been going about from one
to another in a hurried way, kissing every body, called
out from the cart, in which we all were by this time
(Em'ly and I on two little chairs, side by side), that Mrs.
Gummidge must do it. So Mrs. Gummidge did it; and,
I am sorry to relate, cast a damp upon the festive charac-
ter of our departure, by immediately bursting into tears,
and sinking subdued into the arms of Ham, with the de-
claration that she knowed she was a burden, and had
better be carried to the House at once. Which I really
thought was a sensible idea, that Ham might have acted
on. .

Away we went, however, on our holiday excursion ;
and the first thing we did was to stop at a church, where
Mr. Sarkis tied the horse to some rails, and went in with
Peggotty, leaving little Em'ly and me alone in the chaise.
I took that occasion to put my arm round Ere'ly's waist,
and propose that as I was going away so very soon now,
we should determine to be very affectionate to one ano-
ther, and very happy, all day. Little Em'ly consenting,
and alloWing me to kiss her, I became desperate ; inform-
ing her, I recollect, that I never could love another, and
that I was prepared to shed the blood of any body who
should aspire to her affections.
How merry little Em'ly made herself about it ! With
what a demure assumption of being immensely older and
wiser than I, the fairy little woman said I was " a silly
boy"; and then laughed so charmingly that I forgot the
pain of being called by that disparaging name, in the
pleasure of looking at her.
Mr. Barkis and Peggotty were a good while in the
church, but came out at last, and then we drove away
into the country. As we were going along, Mr. Barkis
turned to me, and said, with a wink,—by-the-by, I
should hardly have thought, before, that he could wink :
" What name was it as I wrote up in the cart ?"
" Clara Peggotty," I answered.
" What name would it be as I should write up now, if
there was a tilt here ?"
" Clara Peggotty, again ?" I suggested.
" Clara Peggotty Barkis !" he returned, and burst into
a roar of laughter that shook the chaise.
In a word, they were married, and had gone into the
church for no other purpose. Peggotty was resolved that
it should be quietly done ; and the clerk had given her
away, and there had been no witnesses of the ceremony.
She was a little confused when Mr. Barkis made this
abrupt announcement of their union, and could not hug
me enough in token of her unimpaired affection ; but she
soon became herself again, and said she was very glad it
was over.
We drove to a little inn in a bye road, where we were
expected, and where we had a very comfortable dinner,
and passed the day with great satisfaction. If Peggotty
had been married every day for the last ten years, she
could hardly have been more at ber ease about it ; it made
no sort of difference in her ; she was just the same as ever,
and went out for a stroll with little Em'ly and me before
tea, while Mr. Barkis philosophically smoked his pipe,
and enjoid himself, I suppose, with the contemplation
of his hkpeiness. If so, it sharpened his appetite; for I
distinctly call to mind that, although he had eaten a
good deal of pork and greens at dinner, and bad finished
Of with-% fowl cr two, he was obliged to he.;e cold boiled
• % •

bacon for tea, and disposed of a large quantity without
any emotion.
I have often thought, since, what an odd, innocent,
out-of-the-way kind of wedding it must have been ! We
got into the chaise again soon after dark, and drove cosily
back, looking up at the stars, and talking about them. I
was their chief exponent, and opened Mr. Barkis's mind
to an amazing extent. I told him all I knew, but he
would have believed anything I might have taken it into
my head to impart to him ; for he had a profound vene-
ration for my abilities, and informed his nife in my near-
ing, on that very occasion, that it was " a young Roes-
thus''—by which I think he meant, prodigy.

1 ITHIRD EDITION.

Siandard-office, Two o'clock, p.m.

LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET.—Tms DAY.
The Share market is quiet this morning, and perhaps a shade
firmer than at the worst of yesterday. The dealers are waiting
the effect of the Western and London reports upon country
shareholders. The latter report shows a dividend of 7 per ct.
and £16,000 surplus. The report is not considered a satisfac-
tory one.
We annex the quotations up to one o'clock :—Leeds fifths,
31 d ; Do. pref., 1211; L'pool and Bury, 91 d; London stock,
1261 to l 281; Do. quarters, np; Midland stock. 62; Do.
halves, 15 d ; Royal Assurance, 21 p.

LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET.—Tins DAY.
Augmented arrivals into this port since Friday, added to
those previously inwards, furnish for the week ending yester-
day, a fair quantity of Wheat, Malt, and Flour, Coastwise and
from Ireland ; with a Food supply of Indian Corn, Corn Meal,
and Flour from the United States, and a rather liberal accession
of Wheat, Barley, and Rye chiefly from Mediterranean ports,
and the North of Europe.
Upon a limited demand for all kinds of Wheat the prices
have receded 2d. per 701bs. from the rates of Tuesday last.
Flour, attended with a moderate sale, remains unaltered in
value for the best kinds, but inferior sorts are unsaleable.
In Barley, Beans, and Pease we have little alteration to note.
Malt is. per qr. cheaper, and very dull sale.
For Oats there was a moderate retail demand, on the terms
of this day week. Old Oatmeal nearly without inquiry, and
the turn lower in value. A small lot of Irish New Oatmeal was
sold at 28s. per 240ibs.
There has been a considerable business transacted in Indian
Corn, both on English and Irish account, at an advance of Is.
to 2s. per quarter on the rates of this day se'nnight.
Corn Meal, 148 per brl.

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