hand, when his wife was in the provinces, he was
the most attentive of husbands; made all her bargains, and received
every shilling before he would permit her to sing a note. Thus he
prevented her from being cheated, as a person of her easy temper
doubtless would have been, by designing managers and needy
concert-givers. They always travelled with four horses; and Walker was
adored in every one of the principal hotels in England. The waiters flew
at his bell. The chambermaids were afraid he was a sad naughty man, and
thought his wife no such great beauty; the landlords preferred him to
any duke. HE never looked at their bills, not he! In fact his income was
at least four thousand a year for some years of his life.
Master Woolsey Walker was put to Doctor Wapshot's seminary, whence,
after many disputes on the Doctor's part as to getting his half-year's
accounts paid, and after much complaint of ill-treatment on the little
boy's side, he was withdrawn, and placed under the care of the Reverend
Mr. Swishtail, at Turnham Green; where all his bills are paid by his
godfather, now the head of the firm of Woolsey and Co.
As a gentleman, Mr. Walker still declines to see him; but he has not,
as far as I have heard, paid the sums of money which he threatened to
refund; and, as he is seldom at home the worthy tailor can come to Green
Street at his leisure. He and Mrs. Crump, and Mrs. Walker often take the
omnibus to Brentford, and a cake with them to little Woolsey at school;
to whom the tailor says he will leave every shilling of his property.
The Walkers have no other children; but when she takes her airing in the
Park she always turns away at the sight of a low phaeton, in which sits
a woman with rouged cheeks, and a great number of overdressed children
and a French bonne, whose name, I am given to understand, is Madame
Dolores de Tras-os-Montes. Madame de Tras-os-Montes always puts a great
gold glass to her eye as the Ravenswing's carriage passes, and looks
into it with a sneer. The two coachmen used always to exchange queer
winks at each other in the ring, until Madame de Tras-os-Montes lately
adopted a tremendous chasseur, with huge whiskers and a green and gold
livery; since which time the formerly named gentlemen do not recognise
each other.
The Ravenswing's life is one of perpetual triumph on the stage; and, as
every one of the fashionable men about town have been in love with her,
you may fancy what a pretty charac
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