Our hero lost no time in visiting Rosebud Cottage. On his entrance he was welcomed by the father of our heroine with no common sort of ardour; but, on his being ushered into the presence of Mary Rosebud, he felt confused, nay, ashamed; her looks, although accompanied with a smile, nevertheless told him that he had been neglectful towards her, during his residence in London, and she gently chided him for his want of attention. “I am afraid, Sir,” said she, “it has been with you like most professed lovers, ‘out of sight, out of mind.’” Jerry could not reply; his excuses were lame and impotent; indeed, he was aware that he was in fault, and, therefore, sensibly threw himself upon the mercy of the Court, and sued in the most persuasive manner for pardon. The good nature of Mary, aided by a little of something else—perhaps, love—could not resist the application; and she generously admitted that some allowance might be made for him, when surrounded by the attractions of London. “Generous girl!” exclaimed Jerry, “the remainder of my life shall be devoted to your happiness.”
Jerry being now perfectly established in the good opinion of Miss Rosebud, became doubly attentive in his visits; when the minutes, the hours, the days, nay, the weeks almost appeared to fly, so fascinated was Jerry with the company and attractions of our charming heroine. In truth, the time of Jerry was completely occupied with hunting, dinners, card-parties, assemblies, &c., accompanied by Tom; and his life appeared so happy, that he congratulated himself on his return to the seat of his father, also upon the hair-breadth escapes he had met with, during his Day and Night Scenes in London.
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During a walk one fine evening, and Hawthorn Church appearing in view, Jerry was determined to make the best use of the opportunity which offered itself, by soliciting Mary Rosebud to name the day that was to complete his happiness. “I have always promised my father,” replied Mary, with the utmost frankness, “that he should name the wedding-day; therefore, gain his consent, and you will have no complaint to make against my decision.” “I will be your father upon that joyful occasion,” said the Corinthian, “if you will permit me, my dear Miss Rosebud, as I am very anxious to bestow on my friend Jerry one of the greatest treasures in this life,—a most amiable companion and virtuous wife.” Miss Rosebud blushed at the remark, but nevertheless felt pleased with the compliment paid by the Corinthian; and the subject was dropped until they arrived at Rosebud Cottage. The father of our heroine, on being made acquainted with the wishes of the young folks, observed, “I am quite content; and I sincerely hope they will prove one of the happiest couples alive. Therefore, let the settlements be drawn immediately, the licence procured without delay, the dresses made offhand, our friends invited in good time, and Old Jollyboy requested to hold himself in readiness. Now, having settled this marriage business to my mind, let us have a jolly evening together, before we part; and to-morrow, Jerry, what do you say to a day’s hunting? And your cousin, Tom, I have no doubt, will make one of the party.” “It will afford me great pleasure,” replied the Corinthian; “and we will be in time to start with you.” The evening was spent in great jollity.—“The single married, and the married happy,” were toasted over and over again by the party, until Jerry became as lively as a lark, Old Rosebud roaring out the view halloo! The Corinthian quite merry and facetious, and Old Jollyboy rather above par, hiccoughing, every now and then, with an attempt to pun, that he was “fond of (a) good living!”
Our heroes were ready at the appointed time to take the field with Old Rosebud; the latter fox-hunter was in high glee with the excellence of the day’s sport, Jerry equally delighted, and Tom had just declared he had not been so pleased for a long time; but, unfortunately for him, in his bold endeavour to clear some high palings, his horse fell with him, and he was thrown some distance. On being raised from the ground, it was discovered that his neck was dislocated, and he expired instantly. Upon Jerry’s ascertaining the fate of the Corinthian, his feelings were so completely overcome, that he fell down in a fit quite senseless.
To describe the wretched state of mind which Jerry suffered for several days, at the unexpected accident and melancholy death of his dearest friend in the world would have baffled the poet’s skill and the painter’s talents to pourtray—the shock was so sudden, and the loss to our hero so great, that it was impossible to have been otherwise; just at the moment when happiness appeared to be within his grasp, and he was also slowly recovering from the serious effects which the death of Logic had also made upon his feelings, to have met with such an immense blow—the death of Corinthian Tom—shattered his nerves all to pieces, and anything in the shape of consolation appeared to him officious, troublesome, and unavailing! Ultimately, by the soothing attention of Miss Rosebud, the friendly interference of the old fox hunter, her father, the unremitting kindness of his parents, and the cheering, good advice of Old Jollyboy, by degrees he was restored to a state of convalescence.
From “Gay to grave,” was now the reversed scene for the contemplation of our hero, and the old proverb verified to an awful extent, “that many things happen between the cup and the lip;” the marriage rites were now suspended to make way for the performance of the burial service. The remains of the Corinthian were conveyed to town with the utmost solemnity, and interred in the family vault, with all those obsequies due to his rank; and although Jerry remained extremely ill, and scarcely able to stand upon his legs, yet he was determined, at all hazards, to pay the last respect to his most valued friend and relative, Corinthian Tom, by his appearance at the funeral in the character of chief mourner. Jerry did not quit the Metropolis until he had settled every thing to his satisfaction respecting the interment of the Corinthian. Upon the return of Jerry to Hawthorn Hall, several days elapsed before anything like pleasure occupied his mind; he positively refused to quit the house, and he also shunned the society of his acquaintances. “It requires no common fortitude,” observed Jerry, to Old Jollyboy, “to bear up against the loss of two such invaluable friends as Tom and Logic, snatched, as it were, in an instant from me, when I stood most in need of their assistance, and to whom I am principally indebted for the knowledge of mankind which I now possess. In Logic, I have lost a model of experience, a fund of talent, and a heart overflowing with the milk of human kindness. By the death of Tom, I shall heavily miss that urbanity, discernment and liberality, which highly distinguishes the polished, and thorough-bred gentleman. I am now left to decide for myself; but, nevertheless, I hope I shall sincerely profit by their example. Appearances, I am perfectly aware might be against both of their characters with the fastidious part of society, yet hypocrisy, cant, humbug, or dissimulation, never disgraced their conduct: a love of honour shone conspicuously throughout their actions, and, by an acknowledgment of their own errors, displayed a noble generosity towards the faults of others. They taught me not to spend time in regretting any mistakes that I had made, but to exert myself upon every occasion to repair them. This maxim shall be my guide through life—I will not repine, but struggle with fortitude against unavoidable calamities, and endeavour to make myself happy under all circumstances of my existences.”
Jerry immediately gave orders for a very handsome stone to be placed in the most conspicuous situation near to the spot where Corinthian Tom lost his life, with the following inscription engraved upon it:—
Near to this Spot of Earth,
Lost his Life by a Fall from his Horse while Hunting,
CORINTHIAN TOM,
One of the highest-bred creatures in the Universe, and who got
over the ground like nothing else but
A GOOD ONE:
In the walks of fashion, he was a Corinthian;
Amongst the Bloods, a bon vivant;
On the Turf a real Sportsman; in the Chase, an Out and Outer;
And in his deportment to every person
A PERFECT GENTLEMAN!
If he could not put in a positive claim to the title of
The Rose and Pillar of the State.
No man in the world ever possessed the Suaviter in Modo
and Fortiter, in re
In a more eminent degree than
Corinthian Tom.
This Remembrance has been erected by his Relative and
sincere Friend
JERRY HAWTHORN, Esq.,
Under the hope, that when he hears the Last View Halloo!
His Pedigree may be found sound; his Race complete, by
Winning the Happy Stakes; and nothing against him
Noted down in the
Steward’s Book.