TOM Bellamy's adventure. 205 



and said—* I'll tell you what it is, Misther Bellamy, you have not 

 been firing into the inimy this time ; but, by the powers, the inimy's 

 been firing into you.' I must now infonn you that, in accordance 

 with the plan of O'Haggerty and his friends, Mr. Springbok, my 

 Julia's father, had been informed of the proposed elopement. It 

 seems that they had intended to have informed him earlier than he 

 received their communication, but through some accident their 

 epistle was delayed until the old gentleman had been some time at 

 a dinner party, where he had just amved at that comfortable point 

 of intoxication when a man imagines himself to be the happiest 

 person in the world ; all his cares softening down into things of little 

 moment. There sat the old gentleman, at the house of his friend. 

 Dr. Snookdragon, enjoying the good things of this world, with his 

 face as rubicund as could possibly be ; his eyes sparkling, the tip of 

 his nose particularly red, and his whole manner betokening excessive 

 enjoyment. He had just offered to delight the company with a 

 song, (it being a gentleman's party) which proposal being highly 

 approved of, he commenced that charming one of Lord Byron's — 

 ' The Maid of Athens.' 



* Maid of Athens, ere we part, 

 Give, oh ! give me back my heturt.' 



Here the old gentleman committed a violent assault on his white 

 waistcoat, about that part where his heart might be supposed to be ; 

 during this operation a footman silently entered the room, and after 

 waiting patiently until Mr. Springbok had completely finished all 

 the numerous shakes and turns which he contrived to introduce into 

 this song, he handed him a letter. During the clapping of hands and 

 rattling of glasses, which followed his vocal entertainment, he opened 

 the letter, and read as follows: — ["Mr. Springbok. — Sir — Knowing 

 your estimable character as a father and a Christian, (quite right, 

 murmured the old gentleman) and being possessed of certain facts, 

 I cannot refrain from informing you, that it is the intention of your 



daughter Julia to elope this night with Mr. Bellamy, of the 



regiment, now stationed here, — (why curse his impudence, said Mr. 

 Springbok) ; you will find the carriage waiting for them near the 

 three oak trees in the ' Ladies' Walk ;' ( the devil I shall, growled 



