A PIC NIC. 65 



give a pic nic. Mrs. Eglantine will bring Lord D., and you 

 must ask the other officers from B. barracks." 



" I '11 see B. barracks and all the officers at the " 



"For shame, for shame, Mr. A. ! " interrupted his helpmate. 



" I '11 be hanged first ! " proceeded honest John, out of all 

 patience ; and his helpmate was silent ; " and I '11 write by this 

 day's post to Lord D.'s guardians ; and I '11 tell them what I 

 think of the widow Eglantine ; and I '11 speak with my dear 

 Adey my own self," — and slap went the door. 



" Stop, stop ! " roared his helpmate ; but her far better half 

 was far beyond her voice, or deaf to it. " Go, then," continued 

 she, " for an old obstinate fool, with your stupid, troublesome 

 honesty. I 'm not afraid. The guardians are both abroad : 

 France — Italy. — My pic nic ; — I '11 hurry it. — Sir James Burton 

 — not married yet ! — here — Adey! — Maria ! — where are you? — 

 ^ Get some pink note-paper and blue sealing-wax directly — out of 

 the perfumed case, — and come to my boudoir to write invitations." 



And so the pic nic was launched. And there 's the first half 

 of my story. I have an invincible repugnance to a long story, and 

 therefore I have given a long dialogue, which tells the story 

 rather more glibly than I could have done. But what remains 

 must needs be narrated in the style called the pure historical; — 

 heaven help me ! 



Now might it not be reasonable to conclude that the good man's 

 objections were treated with a little respect in the course of the 

 arrangements — that the widow and the young lord, at least, and 

 perhaps a few of the officers from B. barracks were surrendered, 

 however reluctantly, as a peace-offering to the master of the 

 feast ? Not a bit of it. Mrs. AUington was one of those strong- 

 minded ladies who act on principle, and who owe it to their 

 consciences and to themselves (and very punctual they are in 

 those payments), to do to the full all that their strong minds tell 

 them ought to be done, at no matter what sacrifice of others* 

 feelings, to mark their discountenance of opinions they disapprove. 

 So the invitations were sent, and accepted. Few could refuse 

 Mrs. AUington. Mrs. Eglantine was consulted daily, hourly; 

 Adelaide was sent backwards and forwards with hints and 

 suggestions; and, on more than one occasion, it was voted a 

 wonder by the widow that Miss AUington had been allowed to 

 walk alone from AUington Park to Eglantine Bower, and so 

 Lord D. walked back with her from Eglantine Bower to AUington 

 Park. I saw the whole game. I watched Mrs. Allingiou with 

 VOL. v.— 1835. I 



