The Argosy — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

Qu the Wye. 137 “Imperial Tokay, ma’am?” cried the bewildered man. . “I—I really don’t know. But I'll ask the cook,” he added, evidently mis- taking the nature of the article. “‘The cook !” cried she, violently agitating her fan. ‘ Bless the man, what a fool he is! Where can he come from? But there ! it’s of no use consulting that card. Bring me a quart bottle of Bass’s ale, waitar. After that, a bottle of champagne, iced. I’m positively expiring of heat.” “Yes, ma’am,” replied the waiter. ‘“And—and the gentleman?” “The gentleman!” with scornful reproof. ‘ My husband always takes what I take. Now go about your business and obey my orders. Bring the ale in double-quick time ; I’m expiring with fatigue.” Next the lady brought forth a letter from her pocket, broke the seal, and proceeded to read it aloud pro bono publico. From sundry hints it contained, we found the tourists inhabited that portion of the metropolis that lies in an easterly direction from Mayfair, and were now taking their pleasure down the Wye. “Oh, that woman!” cried E., as soon as she had got upstairs. “ How did you all keep your countenances? Let us go out and get rid of the impression.” We sauntered forth in the twilight of the evening, and made ac- quaintance with the town, which is built on the west bank of the Wye, very near its confluence with the Severn, amidst scenery of the most romantic description. At Chepstow the Wye changes its character. Hitherto it has been a river devoted to pleasure-seekers—with the exception of the barges that now and then go up to Hereford ; but from Chepstow Bridge the river is navigable for larger vessels, and consequently it assumes a more commercial and more prosy aspect. The tide here runs in with great rapidity, rises often above fifty feet, and has been known to rise as much as seventy. It is said that in a certain garden there is a well which ebbs and flows inversely with the ebb and flow of the tide. When the tide is at its height the well is perfectly dry, and soon after the ebb the water returns. The well is thirty-two feet deep, and holds frequently fourteen feet of water. The castle on the banks of the river is a ruin of singular beauty, founded, in the eleventh century, by the Earl of Hereford. In the thirteenth century the greater part of the original structure was taken down, and a larger and finer one erected. Here Henry Marten, one of the judges of Charles I., was confined for twenty years. Here, too, Jeremy Taylor was imprisoned in 1656. The castle, equally with the - ruins of Tintern and Raglan, belongs to the Duke of Beaufort. The next morning, as soon as we had breakfasted, we drove to the Wind Cliff The magnificent view from its summit must not be passed over. Unfortunately this morning it was misty, and much of its extent was concealed. The cliff is about 800 feet above the level. of t the river. Even though misty, it was one of the most splendid views to comicbooks.com