I Forbid the Banns! — page 99: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE KISS. 89 sober and put in an appearance at all the tea meetings. It was found impossible to make away with him, so after many years of dishonest industry and strict sobriety he retired from business with an ample fortune. ‘And what did he die of at last ?”’ ‘““Why, he’s not dead yet. After retiring from active buccaneering, he went in for a little farming; but he soon tired of this life. The fact was, he still had a hankering after his old trade. He sold his little property, and was about to buy the usual rakish looking schooner, when he met with a far-seeing friend, who advised him to abandon his project and get on the Stock Exchange instead. He took his friend’s advice, but he didn’t remain on the Stock Exchange. He declared that, though he didn’t mind buc- caneering, still he had something of a conscience left. He was then advised to join some speculators in America who were engaged in making a number of corners. He did so, and he is now happy and contented. He declares that he can scarcely tell the difference between his new and his old business. He has just bought the finest Hol- bein in Europe, and is the most eminent collector of Mazarin Bibles in the world. “T wonder,” said Charlton, “if you would be greatly surprised if I told you that I loved you.” The remark was addressed to Bertha Lancaster. She . had not been sitting with Charlton, but with Mr. Craw- ford, the interpreter of ‘ Alice in Wonderland.” Mr. Crawford had, however, found it necessary to hasten to his cabin for the purpose of jotting down an idea that had occurred to him. ‘“ Why might the Oyster not signify Mr. Gladstone?”’ he had asked Bertha, in the course of his conversation. “Why not, indeed?” she had replied, and with this ienedtrapemect he had risen—as indeed she hoped he would—and hurried within reach of his writing materials. CORNIECLOOOKS (EO)