Colonel James and his lady, after living in a polite manner for many years together, at last agreed to live in as polite a manner asunder. The colonel hath kept Miss Matthews ever since, and is at length grown to dote on her, (though now very disagreeable in her person, and immensely fat,) to such a degree, that he submits to be treated by her in the most tyrannical manner. the prosecution, or indeed, recover the estate. Amelia at last begged the delay of one day only, in which time she wrote a letter to her sister, informing her of the discovery, and the danger in which she stood, and begged her earnestly to make her escape, with many assurances that she would never suffer her to know any distress. This letter she sent away express, and it had the desired effect; for Miss Harris having recei- He allows his lady eight hundred pounds ved sufficient information from the attorney a-year, with which she divides her time beto the same purpose, immediately set out tween Tunbridge, Bath, and London, and for Pool, and from thence to France, carry-passes about nine hours in the twenty-four ing with her all her money, most of her at cards. Her income is lately increased by clothes, and some few jewels. She had, in-three thousand pounds, left her by her brodeed, packed up plate and jewels to the va-ther, Colonel Bath, who was killed in a duel lue of two thousand pounds and upwards. about six years ago, by a gentleman who But Booth, to whom Amelia communicated told the colonel he differed from him in the letter, prevented her, by ordering the opinion. man that went with the express, (who had been a sergeant of the foot guards recommended to him by Atkinson,) to suffer the lady to go whither she pleased, but not to take any thing with her except her clothes, which he was carefully to search. These orders were obeyed punctually, and with these she was obliged to comply. Two days after the bird was flown, a warrant from the lord chief justice arrived to take her up, the messenger of which returned with the news of her flight, highly to the satisfaction of Amelia, and consequently of Booth, and, indeed, not greatly to the grief of the doctor. About a week afterwards, Booth and Amelia, with their children, and Captain Atkinson and his lady, all set forward together for Amelia's house, where they arrived amidst the acclamations of all the neighbours, and every public demonstration of joy. They found the house ready prepared to receive them by Atkinson's friend, the old sergeant, and a good dinner prepared for them by Amelia's old nurse, who was addressed with the utmost duty by her son and daughter, most affectionately caressed by Booth and his wife, and by Amelia's absolute command, seated next to herself at the table. At which, perhaps, were assembled some of the best and happiest people then in the world. CHAPTER IX. In which the history is concluded. HAVING brought our history to a conclusion, as to those points in which we presume our reader was chiefly interested, in the foregoing chapter; we shall in this, by way of epilogue, endeavour to satisfy his curiosity, as to what hath since happened to the principal personages of whom we have treated in the foregoing pages. The noble peer and Mrs. Ellison have been both dead several years, and both of the consequences of their favourite vices; Mrs. Ellison having fallen a martyr to her liquor, and the other to his amours, by which he was at last become so rotten, that he stunk above ground. The attorney, Murphy, was brought to his trial at the Old-Bailey, where, after much quibbling about the meaning of a very plain act of parliament, he was at length convicted of forgery, and was soon afterwards hanged at Tyburn. The witness for some time seemed to reform his life, and received a small pension from Booth; after which, he returned to vicious courses, took a purse on the highway, was detected and taken, and followed the last steps of his old master. So apt are men, whose manners have been once thoroughly corrupted, to return, from any dawn of an amendment, into the dark paths of vice. As to Miss Harris, she lived three years with a broken heart at Boulogne, where she received annually fifty pounds from her sister, who was hardly prevailed on by Dr. Harrison not to send her a hundred, and then died in a most miserable manner. Mr. Atkinson, upon the whole, hath led a very happy life with his wife, though he hath been sometimes obliged to pay proper homage to her superior understanding and knowledge. This, however, he cheerfully submits to, and she makes him proper returns of fondness. They have two fine boys, of whom they are equally fond. He is lately advanced to the rank of captain; and last summer, both he and his wife paid a visit of three months to Booth and his wife. Dr. Harrison is grown old in years, and in honour; beloved and respected by all his parishioners, and by all his neighbours. He divides his time between his parish, his old town, and Booth's; at which last place he had, two years ago, a gentle fit of the gout, from the university, and is one of the finest being the first attack of that distemper. gentlemen and best scholars of his age. During this fit, Amelia was his nurse, and The second is just going from school, and is her two oldest daughters sat up alternately intended for the church; that being his own with him for a whole week. The eldest of choice. His eldest daughter is a woman those girls, whose name is Amelia, is his grown; but we must not mention her age. favourite; she is the picture of her mother; A marriage was proposed to her, the other and it is thought the doctor hath distinguish-day, with a young fellow of a good estate; ed her in his will; for he hath declared that but she never would see him more than he will leave her his whole fortune, except once; For Doctor Harrison,' says she, some few charities among Amelia's children. told me he is illiterate; and I am sure he As to Booth and Amelia, fortune seems is ill-natured.' The second girl is three to have made them large amends for the years younger than her sister; and the tricks she played them in their youth. They others are yet children. have, ever since the above period of this history, enjoyed an uninterrupted course of health and happiness. In about six weeks after Booth's first coming into the country, he went to London, and paid all his debts of honour; after which, and a stay of two days only, he returned into the country, and hath never since been thirty miles from home. He hath two boys and four girls; the eldest of the boys, he who hath made his appearance in this history, is just come Amelia is still the finest woman in England of her age. Booth himself often avers she is as handsome as ever. Nothing can equal the serenity of their lives. Amelia declared to me, the other day, that she did not remember to have seen her husband out of humour these ten years; and, upon my insinuating to her that he had the best of wives, she answered, with a smile, that she ought to be so; for that he had made her the happiest of women. |