The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 297: what you’re looking at

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280 promise most lavishly at the very moment he was least able to ° « Woli—well,” said Meagles, in a tone of appe- rent indifference; “ we will talk about that another time. Iam now off to Windsor.” Thus speaking, he shook hands with the Prince and'took his departure. CHAPTER LXXX. THE MEW LIGHT TRACT DISTRIBUTION SOCIBTY. We must now inform our readers that when the message which his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales sent up to Jermyn Street, requesting the imme- diate attendance of Mr. Meagies at Cariton House, was delivered to that gentleman, he was sitting at a late breakfast in company with his bosom friend the Amason. This beautiful, eccentric, and profligate woman was clad in her male garb, as usual; and the early scam- per which she had taken on horseback, left upon her cheeks so ruddy a glow and so rich a bloom of health as to give her the appearance of all the virgin fresh- ness of that youthfulness the plump charms and firm contours of which she had so well preserved. At the moment when the message from the Prince of Wales was delivered in Jermyn Street, Tim Meagles and his lovely companion were enjoying a hearty laugh in anticipation of some capital. fun which they had promised themeelves that noon; for the Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Sneaksby had presented them with platform tickets for a grand meeting of the New Light Tract Distribution Society, which was to be holden at inid-day precise in a large hall somewhere in the Strand. But the message from the Prince suddenly appeared to put an end to this project, until Meagles suggested that Lady Lade should divert herself by repairing to the meeting where he might join her the moment he had ascertained what his Royal Highness wanted with him. This arrangement being accordingly settled, Meagles ordered his gig—drove the Amezon to the place of assembly—escorted her to a seat upon the platform —and then, taking a temporary leave of her, hastened to Carlton House, where he had that interview with the Prince which has been recorded in the preceding chapter. The body of the hall was crowded to excess. Sanco- timonijous-looking gentlemen of middle age, pious elderly ladies, and demure old maids, were the prin- cipal specimens of animated nature: a great number of bald heads and white neckcloths were visible ;— and, amongst the various odours which saluted the olfactory nerves, that of brandy decidedly prevailed over the eau-de-cologne, lavender-water, musk, and perspiration. The platform was very well filled, but not incon- veniently crowded ; and its occupants were chiefly of the female sex, consisting of the wives, mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, aud daughters of the reverend gentlemen connected with the New Light Tract Distribution Society. When the Amazon made her appearance, in her jaunty attire and with her riding whip in her hand, those pious ladies elevated their eyes and their hands in an awful manner—while a subdued groan, as if of concentrated bitterness, passed through the assem- FRE MYSTERIES. blage : but emoothing her shining tresees, and step. ping over the benches with her admirably symmetrical limbe, Lady Letitia wore a bland and affable expres- sion of countenance as she proceeded to settle hersel: in a nook where she could hear and see all that was going on, bat where she might to some extent escape a degree of observation which it was desirable to avoid even by one of her masculine character and bold disposition. Scarocely had she thus taken a seat which suited organist, who was of course a member of the Society, had been up all night at a “ free-and-easy” and we now considerably disguised in liquor, he was not over particular as to the aceuracy of the harmony which he thus sent forth to the audience. This little circumstance was not however noticed by the great majority of the assembly ; and as for the tipainess ot the individual himself, that is a little secret which was not even suspected, but which we have ventured to record for the behoof of our two hundred thousand readers. The organ had been playing for about five minutes, when a small low door opened at the back of the platform ; and thence came forth six or seven demare, sanctimonious, and mournfal-looking gentlemen, amongst whom were the Rey. Mr. Nathaniel Sneaksby and Mr. Ichabod Paxwax. A tremendous clapping of the hands and stamping of the feet instantly commenced the hall: the organ ceased—and when the applause had finished aleo, Mr. Ichabod Paxwax vociferated at the top of his voice, “ Christian friends, I beg to move that Brother Sneaksby do take the chair !” The motion, being seconded, was duly carried— and the reverend gentleman took his seat in the pre- sidential chair with as awful a ceremony and a2 miserable an expression of countenance as if it were the rack or some other frightful engine of torture For be it remembered that the “saints” always look as wretched aad unhappy as possible—just for all the world as if it were a sin to be cheerful, merry, and contented. Renewed applause accompanied the taking of the chair; and when the clapping of hands and stamp- ing of feet had again subsided, the secretary, who delighted in the euphonious name of Gotobed Tump- kins, gave out a hymn. Then the whole audience, alike in the body of the hall and on the platform, rose up—the organ pealed forth the wrong tane—and a thousand roices combined their nasal twangings in euch harmony that would have driven Saint Cecilia crazy had she been alive and present to hear it. The hymn, which by the bye was of the Secretary's own composing, having been brought to a conclusion, ~— not, however, without soine danger of cracking the Amazon's ears, unaccustomed as she was to such peculiar melody,—the Rev. Mr. Sneaksby rose and addressed the meeting at great length. He said that this was the second anniversary of ibe New Light Tract Distribation Society, and that be was overpowered with feelings of holy ecstacy on finding that such a numerous, respectable, and godly assemblage had met to celebrate the occasion. The Secretary would presently read his Report, from which interesting document it would appear that several lost sheep had been redeemed from the darkress in which they had long been floundering, and were now amongst the miost savourv vessels of the Lerd. eee. ee COMNGOOOKS COMM