[ 46 ] [JAN. 



VILLAGE SKETCHES. 

 No. V. 



A Christmas Party. 



THE wedding of Jacob Frost and Hester Hewitt, commemorated in 

 my last, took place on a Monday morning ; and, on the next day (Tues- 

 day), as I was walking along the common blown along would be the pro- 

 perer phrase, for it was a wind that impelled one onward like a steam- 

 engine what should I see but the well-known fish-cart sailing in the 

 teeth of that raging gale, and Jacob and his old companions, the grey 

 mare and the black sheep-dog, breasting, as well as they might, the fury 

 of the tempest. As we neared, I caught occasional sounds of " herrings- 

 oysters ! oysters herrings !" although the words, being as it were blown 

 away, came scatteringly and feebly on the ear ; and when we at last met, 

 and he began in his old way to recommend, as was his wont, these oysters 

 of a week old (note that the rogue was journeying coastwise, outward- 

 bound), with a profusion of praises and asseverations which he never 

 vented on them when fresh, and when I also perceived that Jacob had 

 doused his old garments, and that his company had doffed their bridal 

 favours, it became clear that our man of oysters did not intend to retire 

 yet awhile to landlordship of the Bell; and it was soon equally certain 

 that the fair bride, thus deserted in the very outset of the honey-moon, 

 intended to maintain a full and undisputed dominion over her own,, terri- 

 tories she herself, and her whole establishment the lame ostler, who 

 still called her Mistress Hester the red-haired charity girl, and the 

 tabby cat, still remaining in full activity ; whilst the very inscription of 

 her maiden days, " Hester Hewitt's home-brewed," still continued to 

 figure above the door of that respectable hostelry. Two days after the 

 wedding, that happy event seemed to be most comfortably forgotten by 

 all the parties concerned the only persons who took any note of the 

 affair being precisely those who had nothing to do with the matter ; that 

 is to say, all the gossips of the neighbourhood, maie and female who 

 did, it must be confessed, lift up their hands, and shake their heads, and 

 bless themselves, and wonder what this word would come to. 



On the succeeding "Saturday, however, his regular day, Jacob re-ap- 

 peared on the road, and, after a pretty long traffic in the village, took his 

 way to the Bell ; and, the next morning, the whole cortege, bride and 

 bridegroom, lame ostler, red-haired lass, grey mare, and black sheep- 

 dog, adorned exactly as on the preceding Monday, made their appear- 

 ance at church ; Jacob looking, as aforetime, very knowing Hester, as 

 usual, very demure. After the service there was a grand assemblage of 

 Master Frost's acquaintances ; for, between his customers and his play- 

 mates, Jacob was on intimate terms with half the parish and many jokes 

 were prepared on his smuggled marriage and subsequent desertion ; but 

 he of the brown jerkin evaded them all, by handing his fair lady into the 

 cart, lifting the poor parish girl beside her, and even lending a friendly 

 hoist to the lame ostler ; after which he drove off, with a knowing nod, 

 in total silence ; being thereunto prompted partly by his wife's intreaties, 

 partly by a sound more powerful over his associations an impatient 

 neigh from the old grey mare, who, never having attended church before, 

 had began to weary of the length of the service, and to wonder on what 

 new course of duty she and her master were entering. 



By this despatch, our new-married couple certainly contrived to evade 



