On the occasion of the marriage of our junior partner to Ethel Mary,
only surviving daughter of William Hubblestead, Esq., J.P., of
Banlingbury, by the Canon of Blockminster, assisted by the Rev. Eugene
Hubblestead, cousin of the bride--on this occasion the office was
closed for the whole of one day, and the staff had a holiday without
deduction of salary.
The staff had presented six silver (hallmarked) nutcrackers, and a
handsomely bound volume of Cowper's Poetical Works. The latter was my
own suggestion; there was a sum of eight shillings over after the
purchase of the nutcrackers, and I have always had a partiality for
Cowper. The junior partner thanked us personally, and in very warm
terms; at the same time he announced that the following Thursday was to
be treated as a holiday.
* * * * *
The weather was glorious, and I have never had a more enjoyable day.
The girl laid breakfast overnight, and we rose at half-past five. By
half-past six Eliza had cut some mutton sandwiches and placed them in a
basket with a bottle of milk--the milkman having obliged with a
specially early call by appointment. A brief journey by train, and by a
quarter-past seven we were at Danstow for our day off in the country.
Danstow is a picturesque little village, and looked beautiful in the
hot sunlight. I was wearing a fairly new summer suit, with brown boots.
As I remarked to Eliza, it would probably have created a feeling of
surprise among the villagers if they had learned that, as a rule, my
professional duties took me to the city in the morning.