THE MERCHANT OF BRISTOL.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 29, 20 April 1878, Page 4

THE MERCHANT OF BRISTOL.

A TALI. (" Chambers's Edinburgh Journal.") In the reign of the good Queen Anne. I Bristol was neither so large as it is now, nor was it so much devoted to business ; but still it was both a large and prosperous city. Its merchants were active and wealthy ; and, as rich friends are generally in high request, we hope the reader will not decline Rn introduction to one of them, Mr. John Duddlestone. This personage was not in the highest order of Bristol traders ; but his industry had gained him a respectable place among them, and earned for himself a handsome competency. In person lie was stout and round, as beseemed a man to be who possessed an abundant portion of the good things of this world, and did not scruple to enjoy them. With the exception of some little peculiarities which will obtrude themselves by and byo on tho reader's notice, he was n good-natured, hospitable', and benevolent man, with which encomium we shall leave him for the present to pursue his walk to the Exchange, whither he was going when we stopt him to draw his picture and introduce him to notice. In a parlor in our friend Mr. Duddlestonc's house, sat, during the merchant's absence on 'Change, his wife and daughter, together with a young man, on whose countenance, as well as those of the two ladies, a mixture of anxiety and sadness was apparent. " Children," said Airs. Duddlestone, " you are exceedingly young, and you have acted imprudently in allowing your affections to be ongaged so deeply, when you were aware of the strong objections against your union, which Mr. Duddlestone is likely to entertain. Indeed John Evelyn, were Anne's father even to consent to the match, but deny you at the same time his further assistance, what would you, what could you do ? " " Dear mother," said Anne Duddlestone, " I know my father's disposition, and his love for me. He is besides fond of Evelyn, and will either give his consent and assistance together, or refuse both at once." 'And, indeed, Anne," said the mother, " I think the latter is by far the most likely result. But, children," continued the kind-hearted woman, on perceiving the depressing effect of her last words, " you have a long term of years before you, if it please heaven ; and whatever happens now, ere many of these pass over, 3-our prospects may be more favorable." Somehow or other, Mrs. Duddlestone's words did not produce the consolatory effect she anticipated, probably from the natural reason that a prospect of happiness to be enjoyed at the end of many years to come is by no means so agreeable as the idea of immediate happiness. " Oh' " cried John Evelyn, " how small an advance would enable me, and in how short a time, to fight my way to a station more deserving of the hand I aspire to ! Mr. Duddlestone has always shown kindness to me, though more, I confess, as a patron than as a friend ; yet I cannot think, that, if otherwise favorable, ho will refuse his aid." " I know my husband well," said Mrs. Duddlestone ; " and though I will make tho application to him which both of you desire, still 1 havo very little hope for you. Yet do not be cast down ;I am your friend, and will be always, since I perceive that the happiness of both of you is in the matter. My husband, though he refuses just now, may relent in time." With this the lady rose, and left her daugther and Evelyn alone. Anne Duddlestone was a fair sweetlooking giri of seventeen, with a slight and rounded form, and an eye that on ordinary occasions was full of laughing brightness. Evelyn was a fine intelligent young man, of excellent character, but poor, having only a small salary to -depend upon for his support. The tete-a-tete of the lovers did not continue long; for after a promise from his fair mistress, which will be mentioned again, Evelyn took his leave, and in a short time might havo been scon strolling ou the shore of the Avon, ruminating on ways and means of improving his circumstances in life.

Whilo this had been passing in his domicile, John Duddlestone was pursuing his way to the Exchange. Before he reached it, however, he was detained nearly an hour by a circumstance, which, as it explains un important trait in his character, may bo detailed. The cause of this detention was his being informed of ■ a bankruptcy, by which ho should lose a considerable sum, though not to an extent that at all affected his fortune. Now, if there was a deeidely bad feature in our nieruhant's character, it was the rooted dislike, approaching even to injustiecand unchantableiicss, which he entertained for all unfortunate bankrupts. The irigid inquiry which he set on foot into the one which now occurred, occupied him, as we said, for a considerable time, so that, on reaching tho Exchange, all his fellow-merchants were immersed in the business of the day. Tho rule to which John Duddfestone attributed all his success in life, was, always to prefer business to pleasuro; therefore to transact this was his .first object. Afteiwards, according to custom, he walked about, chatting to his friends and fellows on the state of trade, and the affairs of the great deep. While engaged in an interesting discussion of this kind, a buzz circulating among the assembled magnates of commerce reached his cars, and put on end to his colloquy. Stepping hastily up to ono of his friends, who oppearcd to bo explaining to another tho cause of tho stir, he was informod of the reason. " It is tho

prince," said this individual, in answer to our friend. " Prince '." said John, " what prince > " " Why, our good Queen Anne's husband, to be sure, Prince Geergc. Ho missed his footing on the bank of the Avon a short time since, and might have been drowned, had not a young man leaped into the water and extricated him. The prince is now on his way to the I Exchange." As this was spoken, the eyes of all were directed towards one part of the Exchange, and in a short time the queen's husband made his appearance, leauing on the arm of another gentleman, and dressed in plain clothes. The princo walked for some time around the place, bowing graciously in answer to the respectful obeisances of the merchants but speaking to no one, probably from his imperfect command of the English language, which, even after a long residence in the country, he never fully acquired. John Duddlestone, who was. as we said, of a hospitable turn of mind, and moreover very loyal, gave his first thoughts to the means by which the prince was to be best entertained. He was scandalised to observe the backwardness shown by the great men of the city, in not addressing the prince, and inviting him to an entertainment. On hinting this to others, he found that some were of the same opinion with himself j nevertheless, every one hesitated to address the loyal visitor. At last, when the business hour expired, John was shocked to perceive the leading merchants moving away, while the prince still continued perambulating the place with his single companion. An idea then nrose in Duddlestonc's mind, which grew stronger and stronger every moment, as more and more of This fellow traders slipt away, that, unless he himself made some exertion to avert it, indelible disgrace would fall on the proud city of Bristol. The worthy man conld not bear the thought of this; so assuming confidence, he approached the prince and made a respectful bow. " Have I the honor," said John, " of addressing Princo George of Denmark I" " Yes," said the personage before him, " I am Prince George." " I hope it will not be considered presumptuous in me to speak " " Speak freely," said the prince, observing John's hesitation. " 1 was about to say that I was sorry to see that none of my fellowcitizens had been bold enough to offer some refreshment to your royal highness during your stay in Bristol. Believe me, they are loyal men, and grateful for the honor of your visit, and possibly it may be over-boldness in me that iuduces me to do what bashfulness alone has prevented them from doing. If your highness would honor my poor house with your presence to dinner, I should feel all my life both pride and gratitude. My name, an't please your grace, is John Duddlestone, an humble and loyal subject of her majesty, and a merchant of the city." Prince George said something smilingly to his companion, and then turning to the merchant, expressed in his broken English his sense of the courtesy —" But I fear, Mr. Duddlestone," said he, '• that I should give too much trouble." " No trouble at all," exclaimed John joyously; " no trouble at all, if your highness will condescend to excuse our humble fare." " I beg, then," replied the prince, " that nothing but your usual fare may be prepared; in which case I shall do myself the honor of dining with you." Duddlestone then asked permission to announce to his household the honor they were about to receive; after which, it was arranged that John should return for the prince, who had an intention of seeking out the young man who had saved him from the waters of the Avon. It may be supposed ' that Mrs. Duddlestone was thrown into a ' considerable flutter at the news her ' husband brought her, as the best of ' housewives would have been, at the prospect of such a visitor to her table on so short a notice. The transactions of the morning fled even from the mind of Mistress Anne, who assisted her mother to superintend the hasty preparations for the approaching entertainment, with spirit and good will, joining her parent in evory domestic task except that of scolding the flurried servants. When John Duddlestone walked along the streets of the city, with the husband of the Queen of England leaning upon his arm, he felt that he had reached the highest—in short, to use a familiar, but never enough to be repeated expression, he felt that " that was the proudest moment of his life." He was conscious that he would have been the better of some one to remind him, during every minute of that honored walk, that he was but a mortal. His royal companion was most condescendingly gracious to the merchant, conversing freely with him on the trade of the city, and asking many questions relative to it. On reaching the house, Mrs. Duddlestone and her daughter were presented by John to tho prince, who, after a goodly royal fashion, now extinct, saluted their fair cheeks. After the first little flutter was past and gouo, Mrs. Duddlestone, who was a woman of a calm equable temper, was soon restored to a state of perfect ease by the plain, unaffected mauners of the prince, who gratified her further by expressing his nigh satisfaction with her substantial and homely fare. Every thing was to tho mind of the honored guest, and the merchant was for the moment happy. The princo related to them the particulars of tho accident that had befallen him in tho course of tho morning. The person who had so gallantly leaped into tho water was a young man, whose merit, tho princo said with a smile, wits tho greater, as tho act was the impulsn of pure humanity; for tho youth eould not be aware that tho

individual in danger was a person of rank, or likely to reward him. "My preserver," continued the prince, "shall be rewarded, however, for his courage *nd humanity; and though ho disappeared unperceived, while 1 was Burrounded by the crowd, I have given orders that he may be found and brought to my inn for that purpose." Mrs. Duddlestone and Anne congratulated their royal guest, and hoped that no injurious effects would arise from the immersion, as ho had immediately laid aside the wet garments. Soon after, the prince drank a glass of wine to the health and prosperity of his host and his host's family, and rose to withdraw. John Duddlestone was bo far charmed with the open manners of his visitor, that he proposed a bumper, for the second time, to the health of Queen Anne, for which the prince thanked him heartily. Before leaving the room, the prince addressed Mrs. Duddlestone — " Madam," said he, " I shall not lustily forget the hospitality of your hatband and yourself. I trust we shall meet again. Farewell."

Tho prince found, on arriving at his hotel, that the young man whom lit had sent for had been waiting for some time. 'Die youth was conducted to the prince's chamber, and, after an interview which lasted for some time, he retired, leaving his royal highness to prepare by repose for his journey next morning to London ; an expedition which, even so lately as Queen Anne's time, was a matter both of fatigue and of danger. The young man who had done the prince the good service, did not, however, retire so immediately to rest, and indeed the hour was not a very late one. We may as well make a merit of telling tho reader at once, what indeed cannot be kept from him much longer, that the youth in question was John Evelyn, who, while ruminating on financial matters on the banks of the Avon, was fortunate enough to save the prince, from the waters. Evelyn did not retire to his home, because, before laying his head on the pillow, he expected to hear the result of Mrs, Duddlestone's application to her husband in favor of himself and his fair mistress. The application failed entirely, because one of the honest merchant's strongest prejudices took the field against it. Evelyn was the son of a poor merchant who died a bankrupt; a blot on a family escutcheon never to be wiped out in the eyes of Anne's father, and which had more weight against the young lover than e\en his poverty. We have anticipated some part of what was communicated by Anne to John Evelyn, because the young lady's regard for his feelings led her to suppress the true cause of their joint disappointment. Not being certain whether the old merchant would permit his visits after the announcement of the mutual attachment between Anne and himself, Evelyn had persuaded his mistress, with some difficulty, to promise, at their last meeting, to speak to him in private, and inform him of her father's sentiments. Anne, though lively, was prudent; and it was only from the consideration that it might be long ere she saw her lover again, that she consented to this. Evelyn, then, stood in the garden, in tho clear moonlight, within a short time after he had left the prince, and the fairy foot of his fair mistress soon struck upon his ear. " How kind this is, dear Anne ! " he cried, hastening to meet her, and lifting, unforbidden, her little hand to hia lips. " John, you must be gone," said she ; " my mother has told all to my father, but has made no impression in our favor; on the contrary, he is both angry and violent on the subject, and has just now forbidden me to speak to you for a long time." " A long time!" said her lover ; " then after that time he may consent." " No, Evelyn, no ; that is not his meaning. He thinks—he says that I am so young"—here the fair speaker cast her eyes on the ground, and oven in the imperfect light a slight change from white to rosy red might have been seen on her cheek —" I am so very young, that mine may be a girlish affection, that will soon perish in absence of its object." " And will it be so, dearest Anne ?" " No, Evelyn, my affections were not lightly or hastily given away, nor will they be lightly or hastily withdrawn. But wo must part for the present. I will break no promise with you, but I will also keep that which I have made to my kind parent. My mother is our friend, Evelyn, and time may befriend us also. Farewell!" " Stop, Anne, for one moment. I will not seek to see you till time change our firospects for the better. Indeed, I will eavo the city for n short time." " Why, John, where will you, where can you go to ; do not be so hasty," said the young lady hurriedly. " Oh, fear not, dearest Anne." I am going to expose myself neither to dangers by sea nor to dangers by land. Farewell for a while." A teatwas by this time on the fair girl's cheek ; regarding which tear, we shall only say that no handkerchief had the felicity to wipe it away. From this period, all was quiot and monotonous, lor many weeks, in the home of the honest Bristol merchant. He himself pursued his ordinary avocations with his usual diligence and success, and nothing occurred to disturb Ms domestic comfort oxcept his wife's occasional hints about their daughter's low spirits. John Duddlestone still hoped that tho objectionable attachment would wear away from her mind, and ho redoubled his kindness to Anne, which had tho effect of increasing her hopes from her father's love, and of keeping her spirits always cheerful in his presence. The whole family, however, wore soon

aroused from this quiet state, bv the arrival of an invitation from Prince George of Denmark, requesting the presence of the whole family at court, to be presented to the Queen. Unlimited surprise was the iirst feeling of the objects of this unexpected summons, but as the invitation of princes are commands, they prepared to obey immediately, with a mixture of pride, bashfulness, and other feelings pervading their bosoms in such a way, that it was impassible to say which was predominant. This was the case at least with Mis. Duddlestone and her husband ; but though Anno hud the usual endowment of curiosity, which oynias say is the ruling passion of all females, a stronger feeling drowned all others, to a great extent, in her breast. Evelyn had not only left the city as ho hail said to her, but no one knew where he had gone to ; no letters had come to herself or to any of his friends; and, in short, his disappearance was beginning to cause alarm, not only with Anne, but with all who knew him.

On reaching London, and announcing their arrival, the Duddlestones were conducted to St. Jnme's Palace, where at that time the Queen and Prince resided. The gentleman who acted as their guide led them into the wardrobe apartments of tho palace, where John Duddlestone was to choose, by the queen's desire, a court dress, previous to being presented. The honest merchant obeyed without hesitation, and made choice of a suit of crimson, which, whether it fitted him or not, made him, externally at least, like a denizen of the place. After this matter was satisfactorily terminated, with a sword by his side for the first time in his life, Mr. Duddlestone joined his wife and daughter, who had waited his attiring in an antechamber. An usher speedily appeared with a message, stating that her majesty desired their presence, and with beating hearts they entered an opened folding door, leading into the appartment where the sovereign of the three kingdoms sat alone with her husband.

It is not our purpose to describe the queen, her husband, or the grandeur that surrounded them ; this was no public or splendid occasion, and the prince and his spouse were only anxious to be gracious arid kind, not to be dazzling and grand. The queen received her visitors with the utmost courtesy and condescension, and the prince met them as if they had been old friends. The Duddlestones had the honor of partaking of a private entertainment, in requital, as the prince said, of that given to him. When it w;is ended, tho queen, with a significant smile to her husbadd, asked tho merchant if he had no favor to request ? The worthy man replied, that he had abundance of this world's goods, and wished for no increase. Her majesty then, turning to the ladies, put the same question to them in succession ; to which the elder replied in much the same terms as her spouse. But what caused the deep blush and hesitation that preceded a similar response from the younger '. Of a certainty it was observed by the queen, who gave another significant, and, to the visitors, unintelligible smile, to Prince George, who replied in a similar way to it, and left the apartment. The queen then, addressing Anne Duddlestone, asked if the young lady could remember no dear friend to whom the government patronage might be serviceable ? The fair girl blushed still more deeply, but still responded tremulously in the negative; though that negative, we are bound in truth to affirm, belied her real thoughts. " I will find such a friend for you, then," said tho queen, as Prince George entered tho room, leading John Evelyn by the hand ! " This'" said her majesty, " is the preserver of my husband's life ; and though no one here," glancing at Anne, " would speak in his favor, fortunately for him bis own merits are sufficient to recommend him. He is, by this document," continued the queen, presenting him a paper, " appointed to one of the most valuable crown offices in the city of Bristol. It is not my nature, nor, though a queen, it is my right, Mr. Duddlestone, to interfere with family affections, but this young gentleman has been in attendance on the prince since his visit to Bristol, and is, I am assured worthy of your daughter, to whom, as he has informed the prince, he has been long attached, and it would give my husband and myself great pleasure to behold them united." The old merchant respectfully and gratefully gave his assent, and her majesty placed the hands of Evelyn and Anne Duddlestono in each other.

To this long tale we have only to add, that the family of tho Bristol merchant did not return to their native city for some days, during which time the queen, at a public levee, related tho kindness and hospitality of the merchant to the prince, and commanding the object of her encomium to kneel down, placed on his neck the honor-giving sword, bidding him arise Sir John Duddlestone.