Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/66

Rh person of their owner worthy of being looked at but themselves. A lady at length loomed splendidly before the vision of Mr. Jenkins, and he concluded the period of his probation was over. He looked at Miss Rosemay again and again, until he was satisfied that she was the heaven-sent messenger of love to his heart. Now then the dream that had followed him for years was to be verified-for he had met the prettiest, loveliest, and exquisitest being, who had ever been reflected on the retina of a lover's eye- one who was only kept out of heaven because of the jealousy she would have occasioned among the angels. Against this lady, he commenced a regular siege. He stormed her breast-works with a whole battery of sighs, moonbeams, and smiles ; he opened a brisk cannonade of sonnets, albums, and notes ; until the enemy of his heart's peace, being unable to stand the fire longer, held out a flag of truce from the besieged citadel, in the shape of a celestial smile. A treaty was entered into,the leading stipulation of which was, that the lady should be a prisoner at the discretion of the besieger for ever, after two months, in futuro, had thrown their drops into the swelling ocean of past ages. John Jenkins was overjoyed : indeed, his heart was so full of bliss, that if he had not suffered it to leak out, it certainly would have rendered him most uncomfortable. He therefore communicated the secret of his success to a score of his dear friends, under cover of the strictest injunctions of confidence. The consequence was, that before three days had passed, half the town was aware that he was about to become the " happiest fellow in the world ." Its propriety was the town's talk ; the ladies started at it, and the gentlemen wondered at it, just as if nothing strange had ever taken place in that line before. A groomsman is a sine qua non on such occasions as that momentous one which was about to happen to Mr. Jenkins. He pitched on Will Landsmore, as the most suitable person to be his right-hand man. Will was much better looking than Jenkins, but he had not a tithe of his wit. He was introduced to the bride that was to be, when just two weeks were wanting to the consummation of her happiness. They were all three forthwith got together-sprightly and romantic, although their aggregate years would have outnumbered a century. But love makes old age forget his crutches, and causes decrepitude, like some peach-trees, to resume its bloom when the sere of autumn is on its foliage. From their conversation, you would not have supposed them capable of their wisdom and experience ; it was so light, so joyous, and so full of promised happiness.