286 

 SWAMP HALL ; 



OB, THE FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. 



THE Penny s lived at Richmond. They were of that happy class de- 

 nominated the respectable, but made themselves continually miserable, 

 in their anxiety to be fine. Happiness was very well, but then, fashion 

 was something. They had a snug house a beautiful garden, sloping 

 down to the Thames, two " fair daughters," and three promising sons. 

 Add to this, ten thousand pounds in the 3 per cents., with the best of 

 health, and you have a brief summing up of the possessions and advan- 

 tages of the family of the Pennys. No, we have forgotten one treasure 

 they had a family friend. He was the oracle of the house, by virtue 

 of his threescore years, a broken constitution, and an estate called Swamp 

 Hall, in not the most fertile part of Lincolnshire. Mr. Solon such 

 was our (f friend's" name gave the law to the Pennys; although we 

 cannot disguise the fact, that his dicta were, at times, not uncomplain- 

 edly allowed by Mr. Penny himself, who, animated by some extraor- 

 dinary prejudice, wished sometimes to guide the interests of his own 

 family. It needed all the arguments of Mrs. Penny, to contend against 

 this wrong-headedness of the father of her children. 



" My dear Mr. Penny," Mrs. P. would exclaim, when desirous of 

 effectually silencing any rebellious scruples of her husband, " I should 

 not persist in my opinion, were it not, as I have told you before, the 

 opinion of Mr. Solon." 



<e Nor, my dear," would reply Mr. Penny, in the mildest of tones, 

 " should I, were I not certain that when Mr. Solon heard my argu- 

 ments '" 



They had one morning pursued thus far, when Mrs. Penny, with 

 more than usual energy, retorted " Nonsense! Mr. Solon never hears 

 arguments ; 'tis enough that he advises. Is he not " And here Mrs. 

 Penny called up one of those looks which we are apt to assume, when 

 we would knock down opposition with a self-evident truth, te Is he not 

 the family friend ?" 



What could Mr. Penny do ? what could he say to this ? Why, 

 nothing but press his hands gently together, raise them nearly to his 

 chin, incline his head, slightly elevate his shoulders, and reply 

 " Unquestionably." 



Mrs. Penny felt her vantage ground, and followed up the attack with 

 merciless vehemence. We do not think she had ever read Aristotle 

 though, by the way, she had received her education at the best board- 

 ing-school in Kensington and yet she knew the full force of argument 

 by interrogation. Thus, when Mr. Penny had allowed her premises, 

 that Mr. Solon was the family friend, she continued, with a growing air 

 of triumph " Can any thing be done without him?" 



The question went to Mr. Penny's heart. Nevertheless, he replied 

 " Certainly not." 



" Have we a secret from him ? Does he not read the confidential 

 letters of our dearest friends?" 



Something of the most delicate tint of a blush rose to Mr. Penny's 

 cheek, as he satisfied the query " Every line." 



" Has he not stood for the three last children P" 



" Every one of them." To which Mr. Penny might have added, 



