The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-03

adventures at the gaming table excepted-and
| you will have about hit mine. never did gam.
BILE; felt too sure could by no possibility win,
to risk my cash thus. had disappointment
in love, too, which also attributed to the loss
OF the guinea. Some of my friends say ii was
not the disappearance of that coin, but of the
number which followed, that did the mischief
and doomed me to old bachelorhood
Well, a. l said, | returned to England; and
though knew Carleton and his family had
long since left Derbyshire, felt great long.
ing to see it again. I resolved to go to the old
place, take up my abode at country inn, and
indulge in long rambles as had done fifteen
years before. 1t was dark when descended
from stage-coach at the hosteldoor, where, il
found the arrangements to my liking, in
tended TO take up my quarters, about four
miles from the town where Carleton formerly
lived. Outside was cold evening in early
spring inside, bright fire, jovial locking land
lord, and q smiling comely landlady. As the
latter hustled about, | could not help thinking
there was something about her strangely fami
lar to memory; but vainly turned over all the
faces ought to remember, and certainly hers
was not atnong them.
Tired after my journey, and allured by the
comfort OF my dormitory, let the sun be high
in the heavens ere l rose the next morning.
|
intention Of making heightened stay, provided
l found things suitable, and prepared for q
stroll. The landlord was lolling by the door
post, and gave me civil "good day" as pass
ed him. In the act of crossing the threshold, my
eye was attracted by q large circular signboard
swinging in the wind, on which was painted
with tolerable accuracy representation of a
golden coin, and encircling it these words
"The Lucky Guinea" The sight of this was
like dagger to my breast. / had never for.
gotten my misfortune how could L? But the
signboard was mockery of my woes an ag.
gravation of the discomfort that recollection al.
ways caused me. l felt tempted to assault the
landlord, who, having reason to remember the
luck guinea had brought him-for doubtless
it was 80, the sign being no common one
must post up haring advertisement of his
good fortune, to deride, in manner, his less pros
porous fellow-creatures. felt aggrieved, in.
dignant and yet curious to know all about it.
l was tempted to ask the landlord why he adopt
ed such an emblem; but l reflected that ]
should do better to inquire when a little &C
quainted with the characters of mine host and
his comely wife. l therefore took long stroll
gazed on the scenery, but remembered little
for thought of my lost guinea.
l returned, dined, and carefully praised the
provisions and cookery to the landlady; the
wine Landed in her husbands presence, there
by winning the hearts of both. Dinner past, ]
begged permission to cit in their parlor rather
than my own apartment, and invited the land
lords aid in consuming some of his excellent
wine. Finally, 1 completed my conquest by
stating, that never considered tea was tea, I'M
less poured out by female hands. and begging
the laudlady to undertake that Office for me-
Having thus got all in trim, artfully alluded
| 10 az ~ - ~. Al
be able to write it, was in possession of the
history of its adoption. could hardly believe
my ears when the comely landlady gave an &C.
count of her having, fifteen years before, re-
ceived guinea as present from gentleman
to whom she had given glass of beer, mis-.
taking him for DR.. Carleton's groom. Suffice
it to say, heard the story have told above,
only she was the recipient, the giver of that
guinea. l now recollected what for fifteen
years had never entered my mind-that on re.
ceiving my godfather's guinea back from Mrs.
Carleton, L did not at once replace it in the
case, but retained it in my hand after the visit
er's entrance. Doubtless, in htof absence, 1
had slipped it into my pocket, and thence trans.
ferred it to the damsel who brought me the beer
in the cleaning. Ia.
"Afser got that guinea" said she, "I don't
know how it was, but began to put a little
money by. l suppose it started me like, for q
servant doesn't often get so much given her all
at once. l told Jim-that is my husband
about l., and the joke the gentleman played on
me, pretending he wanted me to marry him,
and keep a shop. Well, Jim was as cross as
anything he never could bear me to look the
side any other man was On and whenever we
disagreed about the least trils, he would sneer.
| and ask when the fine gentleman was coming
to start shopkeeping with me-"
| "Don't you believe her, sir" interposed the
said Jim. "She used to sneer and turn up
her nose at me, besides flirting and laughing
with all the chaps about, till she nearly drove
me crazy"
"Be quiet now, and let me finish. At last
he made me cross-he was 80 jealous-and !
declared, whoever came, wouldn't marry him
When he thought l was in earnest, and would
neither walk out with him nor let him come to
see me, he 60. quite desperate, and one day he
listed for q soldier, as be had often threatened
to do when vexed him. only meant to pun.
ish him for being so jealous, and never dream.
ed he would take on like that; and fine way
I was in when / knew. This was two years
after first began to save. had tidy bit OF
money, for l had many a present after that
frst-'the lucky guinea, as l used to call it.
/ had lived four years in one place, and the
mistress was very kind to her servants 80, see.
ing me in trouble, and fretting, she asked what
vas amiss. told her, and she said, 'Nover
mind he must be bought off, She gave me a
good talking to for teasing Jim 1; but she saw
] was soEey grieved, and she spoke to the mas
ter. He got to know all particulars for me,
and all the family gave me something toward
taking my sweetheart out of pawn, as they said.
Would you believe it, had just enough, and
that guinea to spare! After that, Jim and
1 -, q, IL.
place, and got married. Jim said, though the
brought us together better friends than ever :
so we would keep it, and call our house the
Lucky Guinea"
| There was little more joking between hus-
band and wife; after which, asked if they still
kept the guinea;
| "Yes," was the answer of my hostess, Z" and
we shall whilst live"
| From all l had heard, could draw but one
| conclusion, viz that had transferred nv god.
fathers gift and its accompanying luck to Jim
Aliens missis, fifteen years before. / was
beyildered at the whole concern. That should,
after this lapse of time, and when all hope of
its recovery had gone by, hear tidings Of my
treasure, was to me little short of q miracle.
sought the privacy of my own room to think
about it. 1t was certainly fortunate had not
| told them OF my former visit to this part OF
England, and l knew could not be recog.
Missed, for not my own mother would have been
able to trace any likeness between the pale stu.
dent of twenty three and the weather.beaten
visage now owned. But what need of con.
cealment2 Simply this; was resolved to re-
gain that guinea, or perish in the attempt. ]
could see mine host and his wife, in their way,
attached as much importance to it as ever. 1 had
done in mine, and would not part with it on any
account However, l argued thus: When the