s given out that she was dead, by
mistake: this brought things to a sad crisis for my poor master. One
of the three ladies showed his letters to her brother, and claimed his
promises, whilst another did the same. I don't mention names. Sir Kit,
in his defence, said he would meet any man who dared to question his
conduct; and as to the ladies, they must settle it amongst them who was
to be his second, and his third, and his fourth, whilst his first was
still alive, to his mortification and theirs. Upon this, as upon all
former occasions, he had the voice of the country with him, on account
of the great spirit and propriety he acted with. He met and shot the
first lady's brother: the next day he called out the second, who had
a wooden leg, and their place of meeting by appointment being in a
new-ploughed field, the wooden-leg man stuck fast in it. Sir Kit, seeing
his situation, with great candour fired his pistol over his head; upon
which the seconds interposed, and convinced the parties there had been
a slight misunderstanding between them: thereupon they shook hands
cordially, and went home to dinner together. This gentleman, to show the
world how they stood together, and by the advice of the friends of both
parties, to re-establish his sister's injured reputation, went out with
Sir Kit as his second, and carried his message next day to the last of
his adversaries: I never saw him in such fine spirits as that day he
went out--sure enough he was within ames-ace of getting quit handsomely
of all his enemies; but unluckily, after hitting the toothpick out of
his adversary's finger and thumb, he received a ball in a vital part,
and was brought home, in little better than an hour after the affair,
speechless on a hand-barrow to my lady. We got the key out of his pocket
the first thing we did, and my son Jason ran to unlock the barrack-room,
where my lady had been shut up for seven years, to acquaint her with the
fatal accident. The surprise bereaved her of her senses at first, nor
would she believe but we were putting some new trick upon her, to entrap
her out of her jewels, for a great while, till Jason bethought himself
of taking her to the window, and showed her the men bringing Sir Kit
up the avenue upon the hand-barrow, which had immediately the desired
effect; for directly she burst into tears, and pulling her cross from
her bosom, she kissed it with as great devotion as ever I witnessed,
and lifting up her eyes to heave