Gladness is a source of life. It is probable that the joy which filled
Mr Stuart's heart, in consequence of being reconciled to Kenneth, and
having induced his brother-in-law to promise to consider the possibility
of forgiving Bella, was the cause of a favourable turn in his malady.
At all events he did recover, to the surprise of every one, and the
utter discomfiture of the doctors who had given him up!
The sentiments which Mr Stuart had expressed when, as was supposed, in
a dying state, did not forsake him when he was restored to health, for,
whereas in former days all his time, health, and wealth, were dedicated
to himself, now they were all devoted to God. Mr Stuart's face, so to
speak, had been turned south before his illness; after his illness it
was turned north. There was no other change than this. He did not
change his nature, nor did he change his pursuits. Even those of them
which were sinful were not changed--they were given up. He did not
cease to be an irascible man, but he fought against his temper, (which
he had never done before), and so became less irascible. He did not
give up his profession, but he gave up the evils which he had before
permitted to cling to it. He did not cease to make money, but he ceased
to hoard it, and devoted the money made to higher ends than heretofore.
He did not think of the world and its affairs less, but he thought of
his Maker more, and in so doing became a better man of the world than
ever! Gloom and asceticism began to forsake him, because the Bible told
him to "rejoice evermore." Philanthropy began to grow, because the
Bible told him to "look not upon his own things, but upon the things of
others." He had always been an energetic man, but he became more so
now, because the Bible told him that "whatever his hand found to do, he
ought to do it with his might."
In short, Mr Stuart became a converted man, and there was no mystery
whatever in his conversion. Great though its effects were, it was
simply this,--that the Holy Spirit had enabled him to believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Many results followed from this change in the old man. One of the first
was that Kenneth and Lizzie Gordon were married, Bucephalus was not
sold, and Dan Horsey was retained in the service of his young master.
Miss Peppy came out very strong on that occasion of Kenneth's marriage.
She laughed, and then she wept, and then, by way of variety, she did
both at once. She kissed everybody that came within arm's-length of
her, partly because her heart was very full, partly because her tears
blinded her, so that she could not easily distinguish who was who. She
made an effort once or twice to skip, and really, considering her age
and infirmities, the efforts were wonderfully successful. She also sang
a little; attempted to whistle, but failed, and talked straight on for
several days without cessation, (except when asleep and at meals), the
most extraordinary amount of nonsense that ever came from the lips of
woman.
True to their resolve, Dan Horsey and Susan Barepoles were married at
the end of the same week. And it is worthy of remark that mad Haco
danced at their wedding, and by so doing, shook to its foundation the
building in which it occurred.
Strange to say, my son, Lieutenant Bingley, arrived from China on the
morning of the wedding, so that he had the unexpected pleasure of
dancing at it too, and of chaffing Haco on being "done out of his
daughter!"
The "Boodwar" was the scene of the festivities at Dan's wedding. It was
more; it was also the locality in which the honeymoon was spent. Mrs
Gaff had insisted on taking a little jaunt to Ramsgate, with her
husband, son, and daughter, in order that she might give up her abode to
Dan and Susan, who were favourites with her.
Thus it came to pass that when the festivities of the wedding drew to a
close, the bride and bridegroom, instead of leaving their friends, were
left by their friends in possession of the "Boodwar."
It now remains for me, reader, to draw this veracious narrative to a
close.
My son Gildart married Miss Puff, and ultimately became a commander in
the navy. My wife's strength of mind gave way before increasing years,
and she finally became as gentle as she was when I first paid my
addresses to her!
Emmie Graham became a permanent inmate of Kenneth's home. The shock
that she had sustained when Gaff saved her life told upon her
constitution so severely that she fell into bad health, but there was a
sunny cheerfulness of disposition about her which induced those with
whom she came in contact to regard her as a sunbeam. Lady Doles became
stronger-minded day by day, and finally reduced Sir Richard to the
condition of a mere human machine, with just enough spirit left to
enable him to live and do her bidding.
Colonel Crusty forgave Bella, and, as is not infrequently the case in
similar circumstances, he and his son-in-law the major, (for he rose to
that rank), became bosom friends. When the latter retired on half-pay
they all took up their abode in Wreckumoft.
Kenneth retained his old post, for, although independent of its salary,
he would not eat the bread of idleness. As Secretary to the Sailors'
Home he frequently met me while I was going about in my capacity of
honorary agent of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.
Billy Gaff went to sea, and ultimately became captain of an East
Indiaman, to his mother's unspeakable delight.
Gaff and his wife and Tottie remained in the "Boodwar" for many years.
They did not find their fortune too much for them, being guided in the
use thereof by the Bible.
In regard to the state of things that had come about, Miss Peppy used to
say confidentially, to Mrs Niven, that she never knew anything like it.
It beat all the novels she had ever read, not that she had read novels
much, although some of them were good as well as bad, but she felt that
too many of them were hurtful; of course, she meant if taken
immoderately, but people were always taking things _so_ immoderately.
How could it be otherwise in a world where surprise was the chronic
condition of the mind, and events were always happening in a way that
led one to expect that everything would likely turn out in a manner that
was most improbable, if not impossible, which she wouldn't wonder at,
for it was enough to fill the lower animals themselves with amazement to
see the way in which scissors and thimbles and keys worried people whose
whole beings ought to be bent on far higher matters--not to mention
people being left at other people's doors by people whom one didn't know
at the time, but came to know afterwards, as well as--dear! dear! it was
of no use talking; for things had gone on so, no doubt, ever since Adam
and Eve walked about in Eden, and doubtless things would continue to go
on so, more or less, to the end of time.