The Fudge Papers:

BEING THE OBSERVATIONS, AT HOME AND ABROAD, OF DIVERS MEMBERS OF THE FUDGE FAMILY.

I SHALL here take the liberty of making an observation upon an individual who may possibly have important relations with the FUDGE family: I refer to Mr. BLIMMER, of Blimmersville. Mr. BLIMMER has a very snug office, full of diagrams of Blimmersville. Indeed, the plots, sites, buildings, and accounts of that prospective town may be said to fill up the office. There is, among other charts, a beautiful lithograph of Blimmersville, very attractive, with a proposed church, and a proposed clergyman's cottage; both of them highly picturesque, and highly flattering to the proposed Christian feeling of the township-much more flattering, indeed, than such buildings are apt to be in earnest.

Numerous choice sites are indicated upon the maps by red lines. I may say that the red lines are very frequent; indeed, scarce any other kind of sites are at all designated. There are large ledgers in the office, with quite infrequent entries; and there is a small boy in the corner, very busy in making copies of circular letters. Mr. BLIMMER himself, with his heels upon the last year's stove, appears, at first glance, to be absorbed with the daily paper.

Mr. BLIMMER Mr. BLIMMER

Mr. BLIMMER

But Mr. BLIMMER is not absorbed with the daily paper. shifts his heels frequently upon the last year's stove. passes his hand in a disturbed manner through his hair. puts on his hat-takes off his hat. Something is disturbing Mr. BLIMMer. There is a paper in the safe of Mr. BLIMMER, which disturbs him; and that paper is the will of the late Mr. BODGERS. I should be doing injustice to the investigating spirit of Mr. BLIMMER, if I did not say that he had perused the paper alluded to with great care. He has found the name of KITTY FLEMING introduced in that paper after a most generous fashion; so generous, indeed, that he recalls the aspect of that young lady (whom, it will be remembered, he had encountered on a visit to the Misses FUDGE) very affably. Indeed, he has taken an early occasion to renew his calls in that quarter. He has entertained Misses JEMIMA and BRIDGET with the exceedingly voluble and vivid manner with which he has recounted the fearful accident, in which he had so near a concern. He has interested the tender KITTY by a pleasant narrative of the assiduous but unavailing efforts which he employed for the rescue of her uncle TRUMAN; and at sight of her white handkerchief and the tears, he

has kindly forborne; making a show, indeed, of a red silk handkerchief on his own part.

JEMIMA and BRIDGET have both remarked that Mr. BLIMMER has 'smarted up;' by which expression they make graceful allusion to a new black coat, and to very becoming plaids. (JEMIMA is fond of plaids, especially large patterns.) They remark that he talks less about Blimmersville than he did, and attribute it to modesty. They remark that he is kind to KITTY; which is very good of him. In the days of affliction,' said JEMIMA to Mr. BLIMMER, 'how pleasant are the visits of a friend! 'Just so,' said Mr. BLIMMER, and saddled his right knee with his left leg in a caressing manner.

How very apt!' thought JEMIMA; and she wondered, in her own mind, if Mr. BLIMMER would ever marry.

Now Mr. BLIMMER on these occasions, which were not infrequent, was revolving very much the same question himself; but not in the same fashion. The truth is, Mr. BLIMMER had allowed himself to form conjectures, from time to time, about the probable age of Miss KITTY; he had allowed himself to admit that four or five more years could hardly have diminished his interest in her; he regarded this as evidence of sincerity. He thought her pretty in black, and interesting, and had remarked as much to JEMIMA, who said she was 'a sweet little pink of a thing; and so young to have affliction!' And then JEMIMA cast her eyes to the ceiling.

Mr. BLIMMER continued the plaids, and the visits. And not only did he indulge freely in the conjectures I have named, but allowed himself to indulge in kindred conjectures respecting his own presumptive age. He might pass, he thought indulgently, for thirty-five. It is possible. Girls of nineteen frequently contract marriages with men of forty. These were sometimes, he had heard, marriages of inclination. He was rash enough to indulge this belief.

Thereupon, Mr. BLIMMER in his office, with his eye upon the cheerful diagrams, drew very delightful pictures of a large family-mansion with · Corinthian columns and wide lawn, in the immediate neighborhood of Blimmersville, and overlooking the entire domain; commanding cheerful views of Blimmersville spire in the extreme distance, and a company of Blimmersville children pleasantly gambolling on the village-green, while a few Blimmer children might, he thought with a blush, be gambolling nearer home.

Now KITTY, like the good girl that she is, thinks that Mr. BLIMMER is very kind to call so often as he does, and to have helped, as he did upon the river, her poor uncle TRUMAN, and to neglect his great town of Blimmersville to talk with a young girl like herself. And this kindness she feels the more, because the elegant ADOLPHE has not latterly been so frequent in his visits, being busied indeed with quite other affairs. However, the mother-very lonely now at Newtown, and knowing little what may come of uncle TRUMAN's property, and fearing lest KITTY may stay too long in the city -bids her come back to the old home once more.

I need not say that this arrangement very much quickens the action and the plans of Mr. BLIMMER, whose reception by the Misses FUDGE is too grateful to be unimproved. He has a fancy too that pecuniary mo

tives may have suggested this change to the poor mother in the country, and a generous impulse prompts him to sound matters with Miss JEMIMA. It would be unwise and uncousinly in me, to attempt to portray the emotions of my poetic JEMIMA, when she learned that Mr. BLIMMER requested private interview. Far be it from me to pry savagely into the recesses of a fond old girl's heart. I have said that she liked plaids; I have said that she wrote poetry; I have said that she has cast her eyes to the ceiling: it is enough.

Mr. BLIMMER did wear plaids; and — cruel man a large pattern! JEMIMA threw herself almost unconsciously into a fauteuil. I should do injustice to her appearance, if I did not say that she had 'prinked' very successfully. Mr. BLIMMER was embarrassed; so was JEMIMA.

Mr. BLIMMER alluded, as was his habit, to recent family afflictions. JEMIMA strove to repress the rising sigh.'

Mr. BLIMMER compassionated them all deeply, tenderly.

JEMIMA did not repress the sigh, and played hysterically with her handkerchief-bordered with thread-lace, and worked in the corner with a harp by Mademoiselle ENTRENOUs, and containing their joint initials, tied together with an embroidered love-knot.

Mr. BLIMMER thought the loss must be a fearful one to Miss KITTY. (He had usually spoken of her as simple KITTY.)

6

The dear thing!' said JEMIMA, glancing at Mr. BLIMmmer.

And yet,' said Mr. BLIMMER, 'being as he was an old bachelor, he could n't be exactly the sort of thing - the sort of protector for KITTY.' 'Bachelors are devoid of proper feeling,' said JEMIMA, poetically. 'Ah, now, Miss JEMIMA, you don't think that?'

And JEMIMA relents with her eyes.

'She seems very much attached to you,' pursued BLIMMER, manfully. 'Ah, Mr. BLIMMER!' and JEMIMA's hand is placed upon her heart. 'Suppose now, Miss JEMIMA, we were to arrange a little plan for her to stay with you between ourselves, as it were?'

'Ah, Mr. BLIMMER!' and the hand continues in the old position.
'Indeed, now, Miss JEMIMA, I feel an interest I can't well express.'
'Ah, Mr. BLIMMER, how can I-'

'You can command my purse for the necessary, Miss JEMIMA.'
'So kind, so generous, Mr. BLIMMER!' and JEMIMA is excited.

'Not a bit, Miss JEMIMA: I think we understand each other now?' 'This is so unexpected, Mr. BLIMMER.

'Of course it is never occurred to me till this morning; but you see I'm a stirring man, Miss JEMIMA - up to the mark.'

'Ah, yes, I feel I know I can rely on you, Mr. BLIMMER.'

To be sure. If it 's an object, Miss JEMIMA, I would n't mind leaving, say twenty dollars in advance.'

The poetic JEMIMA, unconscious of figures, can only sigh, 'Indeed, indeed, Mr. BLIMMER, a true heart is not held by shackles of gold.'

Just so, just so,' said Mr. BLIMMER. But KITTY will stay now: eh, Miss JEMIMA?'

'And so kind to the dear thing! BLIMMER; she must love you!'

'You really fancy so, Miss JEMIMA?

range for her stay?'

How grateful she must be, Mr.

And you think you could ar

Miss JEMIMA fears 'not just now;' but she hopes, nay, she is quite sure, that after

after

'Just so,' chimes in Mr. BLIMMER; and you think the friends won't object to the arrangement?'

'Friends, Mr. BLimmer?'

'Mrs. SOLOMON and Mrs. FLEMING- think they'll have nothing to say, Miss JEMIMA?'

Fie, Mr. BLIMMER! and are you not the only friend-[getting warm] indeed indeed, Mr. BLIMMER, the only friend whom I regard — whom I-'

'Just so-just so,' says Mr. BLIMMER, frighted with a new thought that flashes over him. And he rises somewhat confusedly not, as JEMIMA, perhaps, fondly fancied, to impress a kiss upon those virgin lips, but to make a hurried plea about his pressing engagements at Blimmersville: 'A large sale is a-foot; business before pleasure; always my motto. We'll keep this little matter between ourselves, eh, Miss JEMIMA?' 'You are so droll, Mr. BLIMMER.'

And as Mr. BLIMMER escapes out of the door, whether it was the poetic atmosphere, or a certain perplexity that hung over him, he cannot forbear an alliterative play upon the words of Miss JEMIMA; to wit 'D- d droll!'

He wickedly repeats it to himself, several times, on the way home. cannot say that he regards with the same cheerful aspect as before, the diagrams of Blimmersville. The town looks uninteresting, even on paper. Mr. BLIMMER has started unexpected game. I have hinted already that, at some former period, he was said to have paid attentions to Miss JEMIMA. I also hinted that those attentions were discontinued: I need not say that he had looked upon the discontinuance as fixed. It is to be feared that Miss JEMIMA holds different views.

as it that

Under the awkward position of affairs, it seems to Mr. BLIMMERwould have seemed, I think, to most bachelors similarly situated there is need of prompt and decisive action. To a consideration of this action, he therefore addresses himself, with his usual energy. There is clearly no chance for further negotiation through the medium of Miss JEMIMA. Miss KITTY, if captured at all, must be carried by storm, and this before any story of a will shall have gone abroad.

There are various opinions in regard to bachelor action under similar circumstances; some recommending cautious approaches; and others, of more active temperament, preferring very swift and unexpected advances. In view of Mr. BLIMMER'S age, and of cousin KITTY's unprotected state, I think that he decided wisely. A middle-aged spinster is usually open to a careful and laborious siege: with a school-girl, or lady in her teens, it is more doubtful. My own procedure with such a subject would be very prompt; all time given to consider, is lost time. Consideration is not flattering to one who decides by impulse.

My cousin KITTY, I am sure, was meantime very unsuspecting; and thought Mr. BLIMMER, as he came up with her again and again, on her afternoon strolls, very, very kind. I do not know but she came to regard his dress and bearing, after JEMIMA's frequent encomiums, as something altogether piquant and noticeable. I am sure that she was feeling very un

protected and desolate; and in her heart was conscious of a secret impulse to love very much, without great questioning, whatever or whoever Iwas kind to her.

Therefore, though not ordinarily of a terrific cast of character, Mr. BLIMMER is to be regarded, I think, at the present juncture, as a very dangerous man.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST.

A NEW ENEMY IN THE FIELD.

'METHINKS I could be well content

To be mine own attorney in this case.'

HENRY VI.

Now, at the very time that Mr. BLIMMER was revolving dangerous projects in connection with Miss KITTY FLEMING, a new enemy was coming upon the field, in the person of Mr. QUID, senior.

I have hinted once or twice at this gentleman's interest in the FUDGE family, more especially such part of it as had maintained relations with the late Mr. BODGERS. Mr. QUID expressed himself with perhaps undue familiarity and cheerfulness, it will be remembered, in respect to the death of Mr. BODGERS.

Though long retired from business, (the business of SPINDLE and QUID,) he was still possessed of a business cast of mind, and of a keen eye for chances.

Mr. QUID did not often speak of his late wife; I may say, without venturing too much, that he did not often think of his late wife; he did not apparently take much pride in his late wife; he possessed no portrait of his late wife. Just now, however, he looked back to his conversations with his late wife, and to sundry letters of his late wife, with quite new interest an interest that would have done honor to very many widowers of my acquaintance.

The truth is, Mr. QUID had married young-very young: and, like most very young men who commit themselves, had married fast, and repented in a slow way. Mr. QUID was at the time living a gay European life very rapidly upon small means: a not uncommon way of living at the present day. He encountered a bewitching lady, living in quite a princely way at the watering-places, who was said to be of American parentage, and only French by education.

He reasoned, naturally enough for a young man, that, to be living in a princely way, she must be possessed of princely means. She reasoned, very naturally, that a young gentleman from America, living in such an easy way, must be possessed of very easy means. Thus reasoning, they naturally admired each other. And after admiring each other a reasonable time, they very naturally married. I have heard of very many European matches, equally reasonable and natural; and touched with a similar fallacy in the reasoning.

It is my opinion, that it is dangerous now-a-days to consider expenditure any gauge of property. A prudent and thrifty economy of means appears to me a sounder basis to hang one's trust upon, than even my aunt PHŒEBE's claret-colored coach. I, however, imply nothing to the discredit of the mining-stocks in which my uncle SOLOMON is interested,