SWAMP HALL. 287 



te and given them names, most of them borne by the now dead and 

 buried members of the family of the Solons." 



" Do we not allow him to pay for the education of Jemima and Pe- 

 trarch ? Was he not once horsewhipped, in mistake for yourself? And 

 did he not take your place in a duel you remember how I scolded 

 him for it with a murdering ensign, from the north of Ireland?" 



Mr. Penny hesitated to answer this latter question. Mrs. Penny, 

 however, thought ingratitude a heinous sin, and again enforced it. 



Mr. Penny still shrunk from the thrust. He could only return to his 

 wife's first interrogatory >" As you say, Mr. Solon is the friend of the 

 family." 



" Say ! I know him to be so. Well then, is Mary to be married off, 

 before Mr. Solon makes his decision ?" 



" Decision ! " For once Mr. Penny ventured to ask, ' ' Am I not her 

 father ?" 



" Father ! What of that ? Isn't Mr. Solon the family friend ?" 



Mr. Penny ventured to lower his brow. " Humph ! It's a pity so 

 much friendship is wasted on strangers. I wish he'd a family of his 

 own." 



" Then it seems you forget Mr. Solon's Lincolnshire estate (that 

 Mecca of Mrs. Penny's hopes) " you forget Swamp Hall, that fertile 

 and fashionable retreat/' 



This was a subject on which, spite of the frowns of his wife, Mr. 

 Penny would, at times, venture a jest. " Fertile and fashionable ! 

 why, nothing grows there but rushes and no one ventures there but 

 geese and they, only as visitors." 



" Rushes and geese !" retorted Mrs. Penny, with a contemptuous 

 glance. " I vow, I have heard Mr. Solon declare that his grounds 

 produced for the London tradesmen." 



Yes for London chair-menders, and London poulterers. I forgot. 

 in seasons of great plenty, he has an acre or two of wild water- 

 cresses." 



" This, Mr. Penny, is all idle. You know that he has willed his 

 estate to our boy. We must n't neglect the dear child's interest. I'm 

 sure " (here Mrs. Penny cast a look of consolation at her husband) 

 " Mr. Solon can't live long. Doesn't he break every winter ?" 



" Yes but, hang it ! he mends every spring." 



" Mr. Penny, look at his face/' 



f( Haven't I watched the coming of every wrinkle into it ? Had I 

 studied the stars, as I have studied his features, I had got more money 

 by almanack making, than ever I shall gain by Swamp Hall." 



Mrs. Penny was shocked. ' ' This of the friend of the family ! One 

 who gives his advice " 



" Faith, he ought to give it," quickly retorted Mr. Penny, " else 

 'twould often be dear indeed. Didn't he make me speculate, and lose 

 in hops, when I wanted to invest in camphor ? Didn't he foretell a 

 hard winter " (It was now Mr. Penny's turn to act the querist.) 

 " I suppose the geese were early at Swamp Hall and make me buy 

 up bear-skins, when the currant-trees conspired to bud in January? 

 I always lost by his advice but once/' 



Here was a straw of comfort for Mrs. Penny, and her drowning hand 

 snatched at it. " Well, I am glad you own so much. Once, then, his 

 advice did serve you ?" 



