One awful truth this simple tale endeavours to unfold, Shakspeare Lodge. P. G. BENJAMIN STOTT. THE ODD FELLOW. A TALE. WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE ODD FELLOWS' MAGAZINE, CHAPTER III. Ingratitude thou marble hearted fiend, More hideous, when thou shew'st thee in a child, Than the sea-monster! KING LEAK. LOVELL, whose bumanity was equal to his benevolence, now disregarding the eager gaze of the lookers-on, with the assistance of the tall fellow in black, bore Mrs. Willmot into the house, where, to his surprise, she was received by the young female he had rescued from the libertinism of Eglamont. He recollected, however, almost at the same moment, that the widow must have been the "aunt" to whom allusion had been made during their interview; and perceiving signs of returning animation in the poor woman, and satisfied that he left her in good hands, he hastily pushed his way through the crowd, and ere many minutes had elapsed had reached his inn. Here, in the course of half-an-hour, he was joined by Mr. Wintown, who brought with him the oft-repeated thanks of the desolate creature he had so opportunely relieved, whose sense of propriety alone prevented her from pouring out the oblations of a grateful heart at her deliverer's feet. Towards the close of the evening, which the gentlemen devoted to social conviviality, a note was handed to Lovell, which upon inspection proved to be an invitation to the Odd Fellows' dinner, upon the occasion of their anniversary. "Do you dine with us to-morrow?" asked Lovell, tendering the paper to his friend. "I undoubtedly intend so doing," replied Wintown: "I have not failed these ten years, I think; and am, besides, an honorary member." "I am heartily glad to hear you say so. You approve, then, of the Institution ?" "I do!" answered Mr. Wintown; 66 I approve of every institution which tends to improve the moral development of the great body of the working public; and I am especially glad to find that the higher classes begin to take an evident interest in its welfare. Indeed, I do not see but that this is a necessary effect; for the Order is undeniably worthy of their patronage; and worth and perseverance conjoined never yet wanted advocates and supporters among the intelligent and refined. They cannot help seeing that the men, cut off, as it were, by their position in society, from the privileges, nay, the hopes of their more wealthy and prosperous brethren, have united to effect that for themselves which circumstances have denied them; and what feeling heart but must be touched to perceive, that however long, however arduous the struggle, they are silently, yet surely, achieving ends greater than they had dared even to promise to themselves." 66 "You are right!" replied Lovell, with enthusiam ; they are indeed accomplishing mighty things, and the end is not yet. It is the germ of a tree whose branches shall cover the world, and whose fruit shall hang within reach of every hand. But it is getting late," continued the old gentleman giving a portentous yawn; "and I see you are anxious to depart. Your groom has been waiting with the horses some time, I know." And the two gentlemen parted, after repeated and mutual assurances of friendship. In the morning Lovell was up, dressed, and had taken a walk, before John, somewhat to his surprise, had made his appearance, he being usually very attentive. Breakfast passed over, and still no John; till at length the old gentleman, out of all patience VOL. 6- No. 8-3 E. rang the bell, and requested the waiter to see for him and send him up; a demand which was answered by that personage with the usual sharp Yes, sir!" and an evident titter. 66 In a few moments there was a lumbering upon the stairs, as of three or four persons coming up, accompanied with sounds of whispering and smothered laughter. At last the voice of John became distinctly audible, exclaiming, though in a low tone, Hurry no man's cattle! If you're in haste, I'm in none; for I shall catch it, I know." An observation accompanied, as before, with the noise of stifled though hearty merriment. What's afloat now, I wonder?" thought Lovell, who listened, in amazement, to the foregoing expostulation on the part of his attendant. "Och, murder! Misther John!" now responded a voice, which he had no difficulty to recognize as the Irishman's; "arn't you, now, a pretty baste of a sarving-man, to be sarving your masther in this way, and he wanting you, and you so nate and rispicthable, too, that you're fit to be seen by any one,-a thing which, I take it, never was your good luck afore? Arrah! isn't your masther the bist frind you've got in the world? so in, frind John, in! and face the inimy at once." This advice, if the fact might be judged by the sound, was strengthened by a hearty slap on the shoulder, by way of encouragement; the door was at the same moment thrown open, and John walked, or rather was thrust, into the middle of the room; a feat which was rewarded by a simultaneous burst of laughter from without, when the door was pulled to, and all was again silent. Great, indeed, was the astonishment of Lovell when he surveyed his attendant. The sober snuff-coloured suit had given way to a superb suit of livery, consisting of a coat of pea-green, profusely covered with worsted lace; a drab waistcoat, and a pair of scarlet plush smalls, with white silk stockings and gloves, while a smart beaver, with a broad belt of gold lace, hung dangling in one hand, and a long clouded cane in the other. Neither spoke; though John was evidently preparing to justify himself for the change. "Good morning, sir!" remarked Lovell, at length, a little drily, and suffering a smile to light up his face. "I presume you have a new master, by your new livery? "Master!" returned John, drawing his breath hard, and involuntarily clenching his fist, till the brim of his new hat was turned completely up; "I have no doubt you are angry, but I can't help it,-I couldn't stand it no longer.' Stand what?" asked Lovell, staring. "If you are really serious in leaving "Master!" exclaimed John, hastily; "don't talk nonsense! you knows better nor that,-what I means is, I couldn't stand the toggery no longer. It was only yesterday afternoon I got sich a whopping as I ar'nt had a good while through it; and last night's job was a clincher." 46 Toggery!-Last night's job!-Clincher!" repeated Lovell, in amazemeut. "Perhaps you will be kind enough to explain what you mean?" "Oh, as easy as possible!" answered John, who felt comparatively at ease, from the unexpectedly mild manner of his master. 'I had been treating the constables and the sodger as you ordered me; and, after a time, the sodger must get me to go with him to see an old friend of his. We had'nt got far, when we meets a parcel of chaps, and a long, tall fellar at their head, all a hollaring wonderful. 'Sodger,' says I, 'them fellars are all either drunk or mad,'-for there was nothing to be seen that could induce them to hollar, and we'd better get out of their way.' But he wouldn't; and uncommon surprised was I, when I found they were shouting out, 'Lovell for ever!'-' The Odd Fellow for ever!- and jist then they catches a sight o' me. Well, master, you never heerd sich a row as they made at this in the whole world. 'Lovell for ever!' again sings out they, and several ragged women screams out- Bless him!' 'Bless his old countenance for we shall never see sich another!' and one old woman swore she would hug me, but the sodger prevented her; 'cause he saw the cretur was old, and had frightened me; and then, all of a sudden, they was as quiet as mice. Well, master, the tall man comes up, offs with his hat, and makes me a low bow, saying, 'I was a beauty-spot upon the cheek of human natur,' and a deal more of the same sort of thing; and every time he left off, then they all shouted again, like mad. • One more cheer !' says the long fellar, and then we'll chair him; and with that, in he goes to a shop, and brings out a chair, and afore I was aware, I was popped into it, and hoisted on to the shoulders of four men. 'You fool!' says I to the tall man, (for I was aggravated out of all manners, and it doesn't do for a fellar, sitting in the air, to stand upon ceremony.) 'You fool!' says I, 'can't you see I am three inches taller than Mr. Lovell?' • What does that signify?' says the tall man. 6 'Doesn't every babby in this town, of two years old and upwards, know, that the consciousness of doing a kind action to a fellar-cratur will make any man three or four inches taller?' and then they all hurraed; and off they sets with me, walking round the town, singing out, as before, Lovell for ever!' and the boys hollared, and the women hollared, and the men hollared, you never heerd; but I was most savage with the sodger; for, instead of setting 'em right, and telling 'em I was not Mr. Lovell, hang me, if he didn't hollar as loud as any on 'em." When John arrived at this part of his tale, Lovell, who had listened with all the gravity he could command, could resist no longer, and burst into a hearty fit of laughter. "Master!" continued John, "you may laugh, and I can now, but I couldn't then, for they so scrowdged round me, I expected to be down every moment, especially as there was no arms to the chair. You may laugh, if you like," continued John, perceiving that the old gentleman's risibility was rather upon the increase than otherwise; " you may laugh if you will, but I don't think you'll laugh when you knows all." "I can't help it, John! I can't help it! I can't indeed!" said Lovell, again indulging in a hearty burst of merriment, which was echoed from the party outside, who were evidently as much tickled with the tale as the old gentleman, "I must laugh, if I pay for it." "Then, pay for it you must!" drily remarked John, "or it must go unpaid for." "What must I pay for ?" queried Lovell, still laughing. "The barrel of beer that's stuck up to you at the 'Cock and Bearskin,'" answered John, in the same tone. "What! you treated your friends, then?" exclaimed Lovell, apparently more than ever diverted by the unlooked-for misfortunes of his adherent. "In your name," interrupted John. The tall man said I was Lovell,-the hollaring fellars all said I was Lovell,-and what was worse, the sodger said I was Lovell ; so there was no gitting out of it. So I told 'em, as soon as they would let me speak, that I didn't mind standing a gallon or two; when up comes the landlord, and says, Your honour can't think o' standing less than a barrel!' A barrel of ale,' says the long fellar' his honour, Mr. Lovell, says he doesn't mind standing a barrel of ale!' and then they all hollared again, as before, Lovell for ever!' So, as soon as they was quiet, I axes the landlord if he was satisfied I was Mr. Lovell? Perfectly!' says he. Then bring 'em out the beer,' says I; and away I runned; for I knowed that a barrel wouldn't be much to two or three hundred fellars that had all hollared themselves hoarse, and I knowed, too, if I staid long, they'd want me to stand another." 66 "Then, I have ONLY a barrel of ale to pay for?" quietly asked the old gentleman. No, only ONE!" answered John; "but what savaged me most, master, was, that when I'd got in and sat a little while, who should come in but the tall man and the sodger; and the first thing they does was to slap me over the shoulder, and tell me that I was bit. And, would you believe it,-they confessed that it was all a trick made up between 'em! You should ha' heerd the laugh that was set up against me. Lawrd! I was never so ashamed in all my life." "It was this, then, determined you to change your apparel ? "Yes, the sodger had me out of bed pretty early, and away I went to the tailor's yonder, who happened, luckily, to have several suits of livery by him. It was the sodger that chose the things, because, as he says, in choosing a livery, the contract's everything." "Contract!" exclaimed Lovell: "contrast, I suppose, you mean; and you have chosen a contrast with a vengeance, pea-green, drab, and scarlet,- -a pretty mixture, upon my word." "Yes," returned John, innocently: "the red breeches are very pretty, arn't they? The sodger said, being scarlet, they'd give me a milentary air. I can't say I so much favours the green coat; but he said, anything green suited my complexion. He would ha' powder'd my hair, and made me a tail, but I would'nt have that at no price." 66 Really," remarked Lovell, "this sodger, as you call him, is a most invaluable ally to you. And I presume you have ordered these things on your own account?” "I have not only ordered, but paid for 'em!" was the answer. "Then you have done very wrong," said the old gentleman, though mildly. you were dissatisfied with your dress, you should have applied to me, and not to the sodger; who has not only been making a fool of you, but dressed you like one; for, "If whether you know it or not, (and the tailor should have known it, at least,) you have adopted the livery of Mr. Wintown. My reason for dressing you as I have hitherto done is, that, perhaps from false delicacy, I was unwilling to set a mark upon one, who, though the artificial distinctions of society have made him my servant, is, nevertheless, my fellow-man." "Master," replied John, "you often says I'm wrong; and, no doubt, I am oftener even than you says; but for once I think you are, what you says I often am. If a man is a sarvant, why should he be ashamed of it, so long as he's a honest one? and if he is a sarvant, if you dress him like a gentleman, he's still but a sarvant in disguise. For my part, I'm contented in my present situation in life; and those who thinks rightly, wont think none the worse of a poor fellar, because it's the custom for him to have a thing like a harlequin's jacket stretched over him; and those who does not, why it's o' no consequence what they think. As far as I'm consarn'd, I'm not ashamed of wearing a livery; but I never did feel comfortable in the snuff-coloured suit; and that's the truth on it." "For once, then, John," answered Lovell, smiling, "I will allow that I am wrong. I forgot that my clothes were in themselves remarkable, and it was my intention, on the first opportunity to have amended your appearance; but I did not expect that in the meantime you would have arrayed yourself in such a coat as that, which, being considerably too small for you, looks more like the fancy jacket of a showman's monkey, than the livery of a gentleman." "Bother that sodger then!" exclaimed John; "I told him it cut me under the arms, and I felt as if I was in a straitwaistcoat; but he stuck to it it fitted me better than if it had been made for me.' "John," said Lovell impressively, and speaking loud that the Irishman, who, he knew was listening outside, might hear him, "John, this is the fault of half the world! Have you no sense-no discrimination ? You have dressed yourself most ridiculously; not, I believe, because it was your wish to do so, but to please another. You have accommodated yourself to the low humour of a person, whose only intention was to laugh at you, and cause you to be laughed at. And why is this? In the first place, because you had not the sense, or, perhaps I should say, the resolution to think and act for yourself; and in the next, because you had the weakness to suppose that a stranger would advise you better than the master you are, by the laws of man, bound to serve,— and who is, in turn, bound by the laws of God and his conscience, not only to support you, but to protect you by his advice, from the snares of the world, and the dangers of your own simplicity or ignorance. Learn, John, to consider your master as your friend, and be assured you will never find a better, or a firmer. With respect to the ale, it shall be paid for; the suit of livery must be changed." To this John, though with a look of regret at the scarlet smalls, assented, assuring his master that the Irishman had expressly bargained that the clothes were to be exchanged, if he did not approve of them. This entirely altered the face of the delinquency on the part of the corporal. Lovell's good nature seeing no more in the prank that had been played on his attendant, than the usual working of his country's humour, readily forgave a jest in which there had evidently been no malice shewn, and in half an hour John was re-arrayed in a comfortable but sober suit of livery. The time having now arrived for the processiou of the Odd Fellows to church, Lovell took his place among them. The worthy and respected Vicar preached a most excellent sermon, and explained the nature of the Institution by demonstrating the good effects which were sure to arise from a judicious application of its principles; and concluded by assuring them, that as Heaven's minister, he did not hesitate to pronounce a blessing upon their exertions, while the spread of the Order was sure to encourage the growth of charity, that goodly plant whose seed was sown in every heart-whose fruit was an offering the most acceptable in the sight of the Almighty, and without which, the divine Apostle, St. Paul, had assured them, all other virtues were but “as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." At the conclusion of the service, the company repaired to the Crown, where they partook of a dinner, consisting of all the delicacies of the season; and as soon as the cloth was withdrawn, the usual loyal toasts were given and received (for there is no body of men upon earth more loyal than Odd Fellows) with an enthusiasm which, though it may have been equalled, has never been surpassed. Mr. Wintown, who had been unanimously called to the chair, now stood up and proposed the health of Mr. Lovell. Lovell rose. "Mr. chairman and gentlemen," he said, "it is one thing to feel grateful for an honour conferred upon me, and another to be able to express that gratitude in set terms-in "good set terms," as our old friend Shakspeare hath it. The fact is, I never was clever at making speeches, especially set speeches; but this is an anniversary of a Lodge of Odd Fellows, and something I must say upon the Order; for truly I love it, as a parent loveth his child, or, perhaps I should better say, with that deferential love and respect which is the duty of a child to its parent. I will not trespass long upon your patience. I do not mean this remark to be, as is often the case, the prologue to a speech of an hour's length; I will be brief, for "brevity (as you all know) is the soul of wit." Gentlemen, many persons have conceived that the name of (dd Fellowship, as applied to the Order, was injudiciously, if not foolishly given; but I think I can undertake to prove that the name is, after all, the most appropriate it could receive. Every person who has mingled with the world, and knows what the world is, has without doubt, been jostled into fellowship with some party or another. And what has been the end of that fellowship? In nine instances out of ten, deception on the one side, and contempt, if not hatred, on the other. Yet that is what is termed "fellowship :" and that there is nothing odd in that sort of fellowship, I think all my brothers will allow. But there is something odd in the maxims of the fellowship which bind us and our Order. It is the maxim of the world, when a man is down, to keep him down; but it is the maxim of Odd Fellows, when a man is down, to help him up. It is the maxim of the world to promise everything, and do nothing; but it is the maxim of Odd Fellows to promise nothing, and do-all they can. It is the maxim of the world to follow to the grave, with slander and detraction, the victim it has persecuted while living; but it is the maxim of Odd Fellows to follow to the grave, with decent sorrow, the brother whose last sad pillow they have helped to smooth. It is the maxim of the world to rob the widow and the orphan; but it is the maxim of Odd Fellows to rob them-of nothing but their tears. Is not this, then, Odd Fellowship? Gentlemen, I could say more, but I have said enough. These are the maxims of Odd Fellowship! These are the maxims which must ensure us a peaceful life here, and the hope of an eternal reward hereafter. This is Odd Fellowship, and may heaven prosper it! Amen!" We must leave our hero to return thanks, while we introduce to our reader a gentleman whose name has been before mentioned, but with whom it is necessary for our tale he should be more intimately acquainted. Sir Charles Eglamont, the father of the unprincipled young man introduced in our first chapter, was, on the afternoon of the Odd Fellows' anniversary, pacing up and down his drawing room, with the air of one suffering under considerable agitation of mind. He was a fine, tall, and still handsome man, whose age could not exceed fifty, and he was dressed with an exceeding attention to the minutiae of the toilet, which seemed to say he was not yet insensible to the advantages of the fine person he possessed. An opened letter lay on the table, which he ever and anon consulted, as though the intelligence it contained was of the utmost import to him. "This is indeed advantageous!" he muttered; "beyond my hopes ! This gives me a chance of redeeming all. And what then?" he said, giving way to an ungovernable burst of fury, "what if I regain all ? What end will it accomplish? I shall sink into the grave with the assurance that the name-the honorable name which I have endeavoured to bear without spot or taint, will become a bye-word for all that is vile and disgraceful. I have watched him-I have warned him! I have tried threatsand I have tried persuasions; and, God help me! there is no chance-no hope of reformation in him. 'Tis hard for a father to believe it of his son, but he is a villainI know it-I feel it! He has no heart; I will not curse him ;-no, I will not curse him. But I have no hopes of him-none-none!" and the wretched father passed his hand across his brow, as if dashing away a tear. His train of thought was here interrupted by the entrance of the young man himself. "You sent for me, sir!" he said, after a moment's pause. "I did, sir," replied Sir Charles, "I sent for you to tell you that you are no longer son of mine,-that you have snapped the last cord which bound me to you. What, sir," he continued, his indignation rising as he spoke, "do you think that I will own for my son, a drunken, ruffianly brawler on the highway?-an assaulter of female innocence?-a ravish? Faugh! It taints my breath to name it. But I have said! You are no longer son of mine!" |