Mrs. Kenwigs was the wife of an ivory turner, and though they only had a
very humble home of two rooms in a dingy-looking house in a small
street, they had great pretensions to being "genteel." The little Miss
Kenwigs had their flaxen hair plaited into pig-tails and tied with blue
ribbons, and wore little white trousers with frills round their ankles,
the highest fashion of that day; besides being dressed with such
elegance, the two eldest girls went twice a week to a dancing school.
Mrs. Kenwigs, too, had an uncle who collected the water rate, and she
was therefore considered a person of great distinction, with quite the
manners of a lady. On the eighth anniversary of their wedding day, Mr.
and Mrs. Kenwigs invited a party of friends to supper to celebrate the
occasion. The four eldest children were to be allowed to sit up to
supper, and the uncle, Mr. Lillyvick, had promised to come. The baby was
put to bed in a little room lent by one of the lady guests, and a little
girl hired to watch him. All the company had assembled when a ring was
heard, and Morleena, whose name had been _invented by Mrs. Kenwigs_
specially for her, ran down to open the door and lead in her
distinguished great-uncle, then the supper was brought in.
The table was cleared; Mr. Lillyvick established in the arm-chair by the
fireside; the four little girls arranged on a small form in front of the
company with their flaxen tails towards them; Mrs. Kenwigs was suddenly
dissolved in tears and sobbed out--
"They are so beautiful!"
"Oh, dear," said all the ladies, "so they are; it's very natural you
should feel proud of that; but don't give way, don't."
"I can--not help it, and it don't signify," sobbed Mrs. Kenwigs: "oh!
they're too beautiful to live, much too beautiful."
On hearing this dismal prophecy, all four little girls screamed until
their light flaxen tails vibrated again, and rushed to bury their heads
in their mother's lap.
At length she was soothed, and the children calmed down; while the
ladies and gentlemen all said they were sure they would live for many
many years, and there was no occasion for their mother's distress: and
as the children were not so remarkably lovely, this was quite true.
Then Mr. Lillyvick talked to the company about his niece's marriage, and
said graciously that he had always found Mr. Kenwigs a very honest,
well-behaved, upright, and respectable sort of man, and shook hands with
him, and then Morleena and her sisters kissed their uncle and most of
the guests.
Then Miss Petowker, who could sing and recite in a way that brought
tears to Mrs. Kenwigs' eyes, remarked--
"Oh, dear Mrs. Kenwigs, while Mr. Noggs is making that punch to drink
happy returns in, do let Morleena go through that figure dance before
Mr. Lillyvick."
"Well, I'll tell you what," said Mrs. Kenwigs. "Morleena shall do the
steps, if uncle can persuade Miss Petowker to recite us the
'Blood-Drinker's Burial' afterwards."
Everyone clapped their hands and stamped their feet at this proposal,
but Miss Petowker said, "You know I dislike doing anything professional
at private parties."
"Oh, but not here!" said Mrs. Kenwigs. "You might as well be going
through it in your own room: besides, the occasion."
"I can't resist that," interrupted Miss Petowker, "anything in my humble
power, I shall be delighted to do."
In reality Mrs. Kenwigs and Miss Petowker had arranged all the
entertainment between them beforehand, but had settled that a little
pressing on each side would look more natural. Then Miss Petowker hummed
a tune, and Morleena danced. It was a very beautiful figure, with a
great deal of work for the arms, and gained much applause. Then Miss
Petowker was entreated to begin her recitation, so she let down her back
hair, and went through the performance with great spirit, and died
raving mad in the arms of a bachelor friend who was to rush out and
catch her at the words "in death expire," to the great delight of the
audience and the terror of the little Kenwigses, who were nearly
frightened into fits.
Just as the punch was ready, a knock at the door startled them all. But
it was only a friend of Mr. Noggs, who lived upstairs, and who had come
down to say that Mr. Noggs was wanted.
Mr. Noggs hurried out, saying he would be back soon, and presently
startled them all by rushing in, snatching up a candle and a tumbler of
hot punch, and darting out again.
Now, it happened unfortunately that the tumbler of punch was the very
one that Mr. Lillyvick was just going to lift to his lips, and the great
man--the rich relation--who had it in his power to make Morleena and her
sisters heiresses--and whom everyone was most anxious to please--was
offended.
Poor Mr. Kenwigs endeavored to soothe him, but only made matters worse.
Mr. Lillyvick demanded his hat, and was only induced to remain by Mrs.
Kenwigs' tears and the entreaties of the entire company.
[Illustration: THE LITTLE KENWIGS.
"THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL."]
"There, Kenwigs," said Mr. Lillyvick, "and let me tell you, to show you
how much out of temper I was, that if I had gone away without another
word, it would have made no difference respecting that pound or two
which I shall leave among your children when I die."
"Morleena Kenwigs," cried her mother, "go down on your knees to your
dear uncle, and beg him to love you all his life through; for he's more
an angel than a man, and I've always said so."
Just as all were happy again, everyone was startled by a rapid
succession of the loudest and shrillest shrieks, apparently coming from
the room where the baby was asleep.
"My baby, my blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed baby! My own darling,
sweet, innocent Lillyvick! Let me go-o-o-o," screamed Mrs. Kenwigs.
Mr. Kenwigs rushed out, and was met at the door of the bedroom by a
young man with the baby (upside down) in his arms, who came out so
quickly that he knocked Mr. Kenwigs down; handing the child to his
mother, he said, "Don't be alarmed, it's all out, it's all over--the
little girl, being tired, I suppose, fell asleep and set her hair on
fire. I heard her cries and ran up in time to prevent her setting fire
to anything else. The child is not hurt: I took it off the bed myself
and brought it here to convince you."
After they had all talked over this last excitement, and discussed
little Lillyvick's deliverer, the collector pulled out his watch and
announced that it was nearly two o'clock, and as the poor children had
been for some time obliged to keep their little eyes open with their
little forefingers, the company took leave, declaring they had never
spent such a delightful evening, and that they wished Mr. and Mrs.
Kenwigs had a wedding-day once a week.