The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-12-27
THE BELLE OF BLOOMSBURY:
A New Years Story.
CHAPTER I.

lT was New Years Eve-the snow
fell fast and thick on the frozen ground.
In Bloomsbury Square the trees and
lawns were white and crisp with frozen
snow. The crimson curtains and the
blazing fires made the dining-rooms OF
the handsome old-fashioned houses OF
the square seem earthly paradises to
the houseless. bare-footed outcasts
whose rags of wretchedness'' were
blown aside by the keen east wind. The
cruel wind drove the snow-flakes in
their pinched, blue faces, and covered
their tattered garments and lean, s;llow
flesh with what was ut one moment a
white overcoat, and the next an icy
bath.
With what wolfish eyes those SILVER.
ing furnished step-children of fortune
glarcd first ut the dining tables, covered
with the snowy damask, and glitterine
with glass. china and silver, on which
the freight was reflected like rubies
and topazes. and then ut the clean, coy
: kitchen. where before the noble fire the
turkey. the saddle of mutton, or the sir.
loin was roasting.
One of the houses in question belonged
to Mr. Ponlfret, a solicitor with Il fair
business in the city. He had a snowy,
handsome wife. Il very proud, preten-
tious and pcndantic woman, and subtle
and sly. withal-a tyrant where she
dared, and ruling Mr.. Pomfret, who
dotted on her, but who had great idea
of mans supremacy, by pretending to
obey him. always the while craftily
managing to have her own way in
everything. They had six children
two boys and four girls. The eldest, a
boy. was fourteen; the youngest, girl,
was four. One poor, pale governess-
Miss Moss-educated the four girls, and
had charge of the two mischievous
boys-Master Wellington and Master
Nelson-during the holidays.
Mrs. Pomfret was of a warlike spirit,
AMI was very fond of heroic names.
Her father had been Captain in the
Marincs-and she had herself dubbed
him Colonel after his decease-and
she was equally attached to both the
Army and Navy. However, the great
boasting-piece of the family was MIR.
Pomfret's younger and only brother,
Sir Henry Pomfret.
He was barrister in good practice,
had written a law book. which had be-
come an authority, and was SO lively
and gentlemanly and popular that he
made friends wherever he went.
He was SO bright, SO genial and so
lovable that even those clients who
had weak causes he could not gain re-
tanned him still as friend, and con-
tinued their refreshers" in the shape
Of good dinners and choice old wines.
On the other hand, those clients for
whom he gained by his eloquence and
learning all important verdicts posi-
lively idolized him.
One among them, a nobleman of
political influence, obtained for Harry
Pomfrct Colonial Judgeship with the
honor of knighthood, and "our brother,
Sir Harry Pomfret, the Judge" became
Mrs. Poalfret's favOrite bOasting-piece,
i'm conjunction with "nly father, the
Colonel"
Sir Harry had been abroad three
wears at the time of which we are writ
ing, and was about thirty-five years of
age. 1t was, as we have said, New
Years Eve, and showing fast. Mrs.
Pomfret was in full dress. Mr.. Pomfret
had promised to return from his office
at five to dinner, in order to take her
self and the children to the playa
great treat this, for Toole, the comic
genius of the age, was to delight the
audience with two of those rare con-
ceptions of mingled mirth and pathos,
fun and feeling, which made him the
acknowledged genius of the grotesque
and graceful, grand master of the
sources Of smiles and tears.
Mrs. Pomfret was hungry, cross, and
was watching for her husbands cab
and scowling at the ragged wolf-eyet
outcasts glazing at the roasting turkey
ut the Kitchen fire, when suddenly
from an upper window a few pence
wrapped in paper, fell at the blue fee
Of the outcasts.
Mrs. Pomfret Redeemed with anger
and rushed upstairs. The school
room was on the second floor. Sh,
suspected Miss Moss of the offense tina
had exasperated her. She wanted t,
vent her ill-humor on some one-th
safest person in the house was Mis-
Moss.
Miss Moss was q second cousin q
MIR. Pomfret's, an orphan and quit
destitute, she had only been received b
Mrs. Pomfret, boarded, lodged and pal
twenty pounds year, at Sir Harry
request, on condition that the relation
ship was to be kept secret, and neve
.lluded to. Another cousin of MI
Pomfret' s-Delia, commonly Gale
Dahlia DOmvile-also lived with th
Pomfrets. She had been SO named b
an Irish sutton, who naturally PR
nounced Della Dahlia, and her style {
beauty and her gorgeous velvet dresst
gave her a close resemblance to tn,
splendid flower, the Dahlia. The Irisl
mans blunder was universally adopte,
Miss Domvile also lived with the Pom
frets. Mr.. Pomfret was her guardial
She had some fortune, and paid E1(
per annum for her board and lodging
She was a great belle and q great fir
and having high spirit, Mrs. Pomfr'
was as obsequious to her as she ws
overbearing to Miss Moss.
On the landing of the second foe
Mrs. Pomfret met Masters Wellingto
and Nelson giggling.
"Who dared to throw pence out
beggars, against all my rules and o.
ders?'' asked Mrs. Pomfret. " Not yo
am sue, my precious loves?''
81 know-it was Miss Moss. man
ma" said Master Wellington.
"She's always giving to beggars,
said Master Nelson.
Mrs. Pomfret, red with wrath, Ell
tered the schOOl-r0Om.
"Who has been throwing pence o.
of the window to beggars?" she aske,
II did, said Miss Moss. ''Tl
poor creature seemed starving wit
cold and hunger"
II have soup tickets ct Your servic
and indiscriminate charity is the speci
aversion of Mr.. -Pomfret and mysel
BY encouraging street beggars, ali
robbers, Miss Moss, you risk our beir
murdered in our beds. Pray do n