Worcester daily spy., 1861-09-20
NOrtester @ailp Spp.
From All the Year Round.
WHO CAN HE POSSIBLY BE?
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

adopt Dld he keep gig !-was it possible
he could come on horseback ?-or would he
patronize the stage These and various
other conjectures of equal importance, engross
ed the attention of Mrs. Maderton and her
daughters during the whole morning.
"Upon my word, my dear, its a most an
noying thing that that vulgar brother OF yours
should have invited himself to dine here to-
day" said Mr.. Maderton to his wife. ''On
account of Mr.. Sparkins's coming do wn,
purposely abstained from asking any one but
Flamwell. And then to think OF your brother
"a tradesman-its insutferable ! declare |
wouldn't have him to mention his shop before
our new guests, no, not for thousand pounds
] wouldn't care if he had the good sense to
conceal the disgrace he is to the family, but he
is so fond OF his horrd business, that he will
let people know what he is"
Mr. Jacob Barton, the gentleman alluded to
was large grocer so vulgar, and so lost TO
all sense OF feeling, that he actually never
scrupled to avow that he wasn't above his
business "he'd made his money by it, and he
didn't care who know'd it,"
"Ah Flamwel my dear fellow, how dye
do?" said Mr.. Malderton, as little spofiisll
man with green spectaces entered the room.
"You got my note 2"
qucncc,"
YOU don't happen TO know This Mr.. Spar
kins by name You know everybody"
Mr.. Elamwell was one o: those gentlemen of
remarkably extensive information, whom one
occasionally meets in society, who pretend TO
know everybody, but in reality know nobody
AT Malderton's where any stories about great
people were received with a greedy ear, he was
an especial favorite, and knowing the kind OF
people he had to deal with, he carried his
passion of claiming acquaintance with every
tn fl1p
rather of singular way OF telling his creates
lies in parenthesis, and with an air of self.
denial, as if he feared being thought very
egotistical.
"Why, no, don't know him by that name,"
returned t.amwell, i'll a low tone. and with an
air OF immense Importance. 81 have no doubt
know him, though Is he tall %
"Middle sized, said Miss Teresa
"Wih black hair 2" inquired Famwell,
hazarding a bold guess.
EYES," returned Miss Teresa eagerly.
Rather snub nose 90
''No," said the disappointed Teresa, ''he has
Roman nose"
81 said a Roman nose, didn't | 2" inquired
Flamwell. Giles an elegant oung man"
"Oh, certainly"
"And with remarkably prepossessing man.
ners 90
"oh. yes p said all the family together
" lou must know him..
"Yes, thought you knew him, if he was
anybody" triumphaniiy exclaimed Mr.. Nal.
derton. "Who dye think he is z"
"Why, from your description" said Fam.
well, Illuminating, and sinking his voice almost
to a whisper, che bears strong resemblance
to the Hon Aagustus Ftz Edward Fitz John,
Fitz Osborne What name to be elegantly
engraved upCa two glazed cards, tied to-
gether with piece of white satin ribbon -
"The Honorable Mrs Augustus Fitz-Edward
Fitz-John, Fitz Osborne" The thought was
transport.
"It's five minutes to five," said Mr. Malder
ton, looking at his watch =: 81 hope he's not
going to disappoint us.
"There he Is p exclaimed Teresa, as loud
double knock was heard at the door Every
body endeavored to look-as people when they
particularly expect visitor always do--aS if
they were perfectly unconscious Of the ap
proach Of any body"
The room door opened-"Mr. Barton, j" said
the servant.
"Confound the man." murmured Nader
ton. "Ah my dear sir, how dye do Any
news ?''
"Why, no" returned the grocer, in his us
ual honest, bluff manner. "No, none partick-
lar. None that am much aware of. How
dye do gals and boys ?-Mr. Famwell, sir
glad to see you"
Here's Mr.. Sparkins," said Tom, who had
been looking out at the window, "on such
black horse p There was Horatio, sure
enough, on a large black horse, curveting and
praneing along like an Astleys supernumerary
After great deal of refining in and pulling up
with the usual accompaniment of snorting,
rearing and kicking, the animal consented to
stop at about a hundred yards from the gate,
where Mr.. Sparkins dismounted, and confided
tp Ia of
The ceremony of introduction was gone
through i'll all due form. Mr. FIamwell
looked from behind his green spectaces at
Horatlo with an air of mysterious importance,
and the gallant Horatio looked unutterable
things at Teresa, who tried in her turn to ap
pear uncommonly lackadaisical.
SIS he the Honorable Mr.. Augustus-whats
his name 2" whispered Mrs Maderton TO
Famwell, as he was escorting her to the din
ing room.
"Why, no-at least not exactly" returned
that great authority exactly"
"Who is he then ?'
Hush, . said Flamwel noddng his head
with grave air, importing that he knew very
well but was prevented by some grave rea-
sons Of state from disclosing the important
secret. 1t might be one of the ministers
making himself acquainted with the views of
the people
MIR. Sparklns, Salu the dellghted Mrs.
Maderton, "pray divide the ladies' John, put
a chair for the gentleman between Miss Teresa
and Miss Marianne" This was addressed to
man who, on ordinary occasions, acted as
half groom, halt gardener; but who, as it was
most important TO make an impression on Mr..
Sparkins, has been forced into white neeker.
CHIEF and shoes, and touched up and brushed
TO look like second footmar
The dinner was excellent; Horatio was
most attentive TO Miss Teresa. and every one
felt i'll high spirits, except Mr.. MaIderton,
who knowing the propensity OF his brother in
law, Mr. Barton, endured that sort of agony
which the newspapers inform us is experience
ed by tile surrounding neighborhood, when
pot boy hangs himself in hay loft, and which
is 'much easier to be imqgined than de
scrbed."
''Have you seen your friend, Sir Thomas
Noand, lately, Flamwell ?'' inquired Mr. NAL
derton, casting sidelong look at Horatio, to
see what effect the mention OF SO great man
had upon him.
"Why, no-not very lately. l saw Lord
Gubbleton the day before yesterday"
"Ah hope his l0ldship is very well,
said Malderton, in a tone OF the greatest inter
est 1t is scarcely necessary to say that until
that moment he had been quite innocent OF the
existen ,e of such person.
why, yes he was very well-very well,
indeed. He's devilish good fellow met
him in the city and had long chat with him.
Indeed, I'm rather intimate with him.
couldn't stop to talk TO him as long as | could
wish, though, because was on my way to a
bankers, very rich man, and a member of
parliament, with whom am also rather in
deed, may say, very intimate
81 know whom you mean" returned the