"Champagne," replied the youth.
"Champagne!" they both uttered at once; "that is a novel way of serving champagne."
"Oh, father said it was humbug to open a bottle and hand it round in mouthfuls to the people," replied the youth; "so, you see we opened a lot, and turned them into this jug, so that everybody can take a drink of it."
This idea considerably amused our friends, and they laughed heartily at the champagne service, as they called it; but were checked suddenly in their mirth by the "charming and accomplished" Mrs. Jones warbling forth her desires for a suitable match in the matrimonial way. We need not repeat her song but merely state that her desiderata were centred in a young digger with plenty of gold, and a good hut, which was to be possessed of a brick chimney; and not a slab "humpie" with a hole in the bark roof, containing a tub or other cylindrical vessel to carry off the smoke. And the desired one, should he present himself, was to go down on his knees, and conscientiously swear that he "had left no wife at home." When the lady had finished her song the plaudits of her enraptured hearers rang through the house, and the woods outside. The company were enchanted, and no doubt imagined she had far surpassed even the efforts of a Grisi (did they but know such a being existed). The fair creature herself was equally satisfied with her performance, which she considered exquisite; though our friends were rude enough to think otherwise, notwithstanding that they were profuse in their praise to the lady and her husband. Dancing was then resumed, and the young men, having seen enough to afford a fund of amusement to themselves and their respective family circles, waited for an opportunity to slip away unmolested. The fortuitous event was not long in presenting itself; and at a moment when the majority of the men were engaged "fast and furious" at their wassail, the two young men saddled their horses, mounted, and returned to Fern Vale.
END OF VOL. II.
EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY THE CALEDONIAN PRESS
MR. NEWBY'S
NEW PUBLICATIONS.