The Runaway Couple

: Dickens Stories About Children Every Child Can Read

THE Boots at the Holly Tree Inn was the young man named Cobbs, who

blacked the shoes, and ran errands, and waited on the people at the inn;

and this is the story that he told, one day.



"Supposing a young gentleman not eight years old was to run away with a

fine young woman of seven, would you consider that a queer start? That

there is a start as I--the Boots at the Holly Tree Inn--have seen with

my own ey s; and I cleaned the shoes they ran away in, and they was so

little that I couldn't get my hand into 'em.



"Master Harry Walmers' father, he lived at the Elms, away by Shooter's

Hill, six or seven miles from London. He was uncommon proud of Master

Harry, as he was his only child; but he didn't spoil him neither. He was

a gentleman that had a will of his own, and an eye of his own, and that

would be minded. Consequently, though he made quite a companion of the

fine bright boy, still he kept the command over him, and the child was

a child. I was under-gardener there at that time; and one morning

Master Harry, he comes to me and says--



"'Cobbs, how should you spell Norah, if you was asked?' and then begun

cutting it in print, all over the fence.



"He couldn't say he had taken particular notice of children before that;

but really it was pretty to see them two mites a-going about the place

together, deep in love. And the courage of the boy! Bless your soul,

he'd have throwed off his little hat, and tucked up his little sleeves,

and gone in at a lion, he would, if they had happened to meet one and

she had been frightened of him. One day he stops along, with her, where

Boots was hoeing weeds in the gravel, and says--speaking up, 'Cobbs,' he

says, 'I like you.' 'Do you, sir? I'm proud to hear it.' 'Yes, I do,

Cobbs. Why do I like you, do you think, Cobbs?' 'Don't know, Master

Harry, I am sure.' 'Because Norah likes you, Cobbs.' 'Indeed, sir?

That's very gratifying.' 'Gratifying, Cobbs? It's better than millions

of the brightest diamonds to be liked by Norah.' 'Certainly, sir.'

'You're going away, ain't you, Cobbs?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Would you like

another situation, Cobbs?' 'Well, sir, I shouldn't object, if it was a

good 'un.' 'Then, Cobbs,' says he, 'you shall be our head-gardener when

we are married.' And he tucks her, in her little sky-blue mantle, under

his arm, and walks away.



"It was better than a picter, and equal to a play, to see them babies

with their long, bright, curling hair, their sparkling eyes, and their

beautiful light tread, a-rambling about the garden, deep in love. Boots

was of opinion that the birds believed they was birds, and kept up with

'em, singing to please 'em. Sometimes, they would creep under the Tulip

tree, and would sit there with their arms round one another's necks, and

their soft cheeks touching, a-reading about the prince and the dragon,

and the good and bad enchanters, and the king's fair daughter. Sometimes

he would hear them planning about having a house in a forest, keeping

bees and a cow, and living entirely on milk and honey. Once he came upon

them by the pond, and heard Master Harry say, 'Adorable Norah, kiss me,

and say you love me to distraction, or I'll jump in headforemost.' And

Boots made no question he would have done it, if she hadn't done as he

asked her.



"'Cobbs,' says Master Harry, one evening, when Cobbs was watering the

flowers, 'I am going on a visit, this present mid-summer, to my

grandmamma's at York.'



"'Are you, indeed, sir? I hope you'll have a pleasant time. I am going

into Yorkshire myself when I leave here.'



"'Are you going to your grandmamma's, Cobbs?'



"'No, sir. I haven't got such a thing.'



"'Not as a grandmamma, Cobbs?'



"'No, sir.'



"The boy looked on at the watering of the flowers for a little while and

then said, 'I shall be very glad, indeed, to go, Cobbs--Norah's going.'



"'You'll be all right then, sir,' says Cobbs, 'with your beautiful

sweetheart by your side.'



"'Cobbs,' returned the boy, flushing, 'I never let anybody joke about it

when I can prevent them.'



"'It wasn't a joke, sir,' says Cobbs, with humility--'wasn't so meant.'



"'I am glad of that, Cobbs, because I like you! you know, and you're

going to live with us, Cobbs.



"'Sir.'



"'What do you think my grandmamma gives me, when I go down there?'



"'I couldn't so much as make a guess, sir.'



"'A Bank of England five-pound note, Cobbs.'[A]



"'Whew!' says Cobbs, 'that's a spanking sum of money, Master Harry.'



"'A person could do a great deal with such a sum of money as that.

Couldn't a person, Cobbs?'



"'I believe you, sir!'



"'Cobbs,' said the boy, 'I'll tell you a secret. At Norah's house they

have been joking her about me, and pretending to laugh at our being

engaged. Pretending to make game of it, Cobbs!'



"'Such, sir,' says Cobbs, 'is the wickedness of human natur'.'



"The boy, looking exactly like his father, stood for a few minutes with

his glowing face towards the sunset, and then departed with, 'Good

night, Cobbs. I'm going in.'



"I was the Boots at the Holly Tree Inn when one summer afternoon the

coach drives up, and out of the coach gets these two children.



"The guard says to our governor, the inn-keeper, 'I don't quite make out

these little passengers, but the young gentleman's words was, that they

were to be brought here.' The young gentleman gets out; hands his lady

out; gives the driver something for himself; says to our governor,

'We're to stop here to-night, please. Sitting-room and two bedrooms will

be required. Chops and cherry-pudding for two!' and tucks her, in her

little sky-blue mantle, under his arm, and walks into the house much

bolder than brass.



"Boots leaves me to judge what the amazement of that establishment was

when those two tiny creatures, all alone by themselves, was marched into

the parlor--much more so when he, who had seen them without their seeing

him, gave the governor his views of the errand they was upon. 'Cobbs,'

says the governor, 'if this is so, I must set off myself to York and

quiet their friends' minds. In which case you must keep your eye upon

'em, and humor 'em, till I come back. But, before I take these measures,

Cobbs, I should wish you to find out from themselves whether your

opinions is correct.' 'Sir, to you,' says Cobbs, 'that shall be done

directly.'



"So Boots goes up stairs to the parlor, and there he finds Master Harry

on an enormous sofa a-drying the eyes of Miss Norah with his

pocket-hankecher. Their little legs were entirely off the ground of

course, and it really is not possible for Boots to express to me how

small them children looked.



"'It's Cobbs! It's Cobbs!' cries Master Harry, and comes running to him,

and catching hold of his hand. Miss Norah comes running to him on

t'other side, and catching hold of his t'other hand, and they both jump

for joy.



"'I see you a-getting out, sir,' says Cobbs. 'I thought it was you. I

thought I couldn't be mistaken in your height and figure. What's the

object of your journey, sir? Are you going to be married?'



"'We are going to be married, Cobbs, at Gretna Green,' returned the boy.

'We have run away on purpose. Norah has been in rather low spirits,

Cobbs; but she'll be happy, now we have found you to be our friend.'



"'Thank you, sir, and thank you, miss,' says Cobbs, 'for your good

opinion. Did you bring any luggage with you, sir?'



"If I will believe Boots when he gives me his word and honor upon it,

the lady had got a parasol, a smelling-bottle, a round and a half of

cold buttered toast, eight peppermint drops, and a hair-brush--seemingly

a doll's. The gentleman had got about half a dozen yards of string, a

knife, three or four sheets of writing-paper folded up surprisingly

small, an orange, and a china mug with his name upon it.



"'What may be the exact natur' of your plans, sir?' says Cobbs.



"'To go on,' replied the boy--which the courage of that boy was

something wonderful!--'in the morning, and be married to-morrow.'



"'Just so, sir,' says Cobbs. 'Would it meet your views, sir, if I was to

go with you?'



"When Cobbs said this, they both jumped for joy again, and cried out,

'Oh, yes, yes, Cobbs! Yes!'



"'Well, sir,' says Cobbs. 'If you will excuse my having the freedom to

give an opinion, what I should recommend would be this. I'm acquainted

with a pony, sir, which, put in a phaeton that I could borrow, would

take you and Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr. (myself driving, if you agree), to

the end of your journey in a very short space of time. I am not

altogether sure, sir, that this pony will be at liberty to-morrow, but

even if you had to wait over to-morrow for him, it might be worth your

while. As to the small account for your board here, sir, in case you was

to find yourself running at all short, that don't signify, because I'm a

part proprietor of this inn, and it could stand over.'



"Boots tells me that when they clapped their hands and jumped for joy

again, and called him, 'Good Cobbs!' and 'Dear Cobbs!' and bent across

him to kiss one another in the delight of their trusting hearts, he felt

himself the meanest rascal for deceiving 'em that ever was born.



"'Is there anything you want just at present, sir?' says Cobbs, mortally

ashamed of himself.



"'We would like some cakes after dinner,' answered Master Harry, folding

his arms, putting out one leg, and looking straight at him, 'and two

apples--and jam. With dinner, we should like to have toast and water.

But Norah has always been accustomed to half a glass of currant wine at

dessert. And so have I.'



"'It shall be ordered at the bar, sir,' says Cobbs, and away he went.



"'The way in which the women of that house--without exception--everyone

of 'em--married and single, took to that boy when they heard the story,

Boots considers surprising. It was as much as he could do to keep 'em

from dashing into the room and kissing him. They climbed up all sorts of

places, at the risk of their lives, to look at him through a pane of

glass. They were seven deep at the key-hole. They were out of their

minds about him and his bold spirit.



"In the evening Boots went into the room, to see how the runaway couple

was getting on. The gentleman was on the window-seat, supporting the

lady in his arms. She had tears upon her face, and was lying, very tired

and half-asleep, with her head upon his shoulder.



"'Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr., tired, sir?' says Cobbs.



"'Yes, she is tired, Cobbs; but she is not used to be away from home,

and she has been in low spirits again. Cobbs, do you think you could

bring a biffin, please?'



"'I ask your pardon, sir,' says Cobbs. 'What was it you--'



"'I think a Norfolk biffin[B] would rouse her, Cobbs. She is very fond

of them.'



"Boots withdrew in search of the required restorative, and, when he

brought it in, the gentleman handed it to the lady, and fed her with a

spoon, and took a little himself. The lady being heavy with sleep, and

rather cross. 'What should you think, sir,' says Cobbs, 'of a chamber

candlestick?' The gentleman approved; the chambermaid went first, up the

great staircase; the lady, in her sky-blue mantle, followed, gallantly

led by the gentleman; the gentleman kissed her at the door, and retired

to his own room, where Boots softly locked him up.



"Boots couldn't but feel what a base deceiver he was when they asked him

at breakfast (they had ordered sweet milk-and-water, and toast and

currant jelly, overnight) about the pony. It really was as much as he

could do, he don't mind confessing to me, to look them two young things

in the face, and think how wicked he had grown up to be. Howsomever, he

went on a-lying like a Trojan, about the pony. He told 'em it did so

unfortunately happen that the pony was half-clipped, you see, and that

he couldn't be taken out in that state for fear that it should strike to

his inside. But that he'd be finished clipping in the course of the day,

and that to-morrow morning at eight o'clock the phaeton would be ready.

Boots' view of the whole case, looking back upon it in my room, is, that

Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr., was beginning to give in. She hadn't had her

hair curled when she went to bed, and she didn't seem quite up to

brushing it herself, and it's getting in her eyes put her out. But

nothing put out Master Harry. He sat behind his breakfast cup, a-tearing

away at the jelly, as if he had been his own father.



"After breakfast Boots is inclined to think that they drawed

soldiers--at least, he knows that many such was found in the fireplace,

all on horseback. In the course of the morning Master Harry rang the

bell--it was surprising how that there boy did carry on--and said in a

sprightly way, 'Cobbs, is there any good walks in this neighborhood?'



"'Yes, sir,' says Cobbs. 'There's Love Lane.'



"'Get out with you, Cobbs!'--that was that there boy's

expression--'you're joking.'



"'Begging your pardon, sir,' says Cobbs, 'there really is Love Lane. And

a pleasant walk it is, and proud I shall be to show it to yourself and

Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr.'



"'Norah, dear,' said Master Harry, 'this is curious. We really ought to

see Love Lane. Put on your bonnet, my sweetest darling, and we will go

there with Cobbs.'



"Boots leaves me to judge what a beast he felt himself to be, when that

young pair told him, as they all three jogged along together, that they

had made up their minds to give him two thousand guineas a year as

head-gardener, on account of his being so true a friend to 'em. Boots

could have wished at the moment that the earth would have opened and

swallowed him up; he felt so mean with their beaming eyes a-looking at

him, and believing him. Well, sir, he turned the conversation as well as

he could, and he took 'em down Love Lane to the water-meadows, and there

Master Harry would have drowned himself in half a moment more, a-getting

out a water-lily for her--but nothing frightened that boy. Well, sir,

they was tired out. All being so new and strange to 'em, they was tired

as tired could be. And they laid down on a bank of daisies, like the

children in the wood, leastways meadows, and fell asleep.



"Well, sir, they woke up at last, and then one thing was getting pretty

clear to Boots, namely, that Mrs. Harry Walmers', Jr., temper was on the

move. When Master Harry took her round the waist she said he 'teased her

so,' and when he says, 'Norah, my young May Moon, your Harry tease you?'

she tells him, 'Yes; and I want to go home!'



"However, Master Harry he kept up, and his noble heart was as fond as

ever. Mrs. Walmers turned very sleepy about dusk and began to cry.

Therefore, Mrs. Walmers went off to bed as per yesterday; and Master

Harry ditto repeated.



"About eleven or twelve at night comes back the inn-keeper in a chaise,

along with Mr. Walmers and an elderly lady. Mr. Walmers looks amused and

very serious, both at once, and says to our missis, 'We are very much

indebted to you, ma'am, for your kind care of our little children, which

we can never sufficiently acknowledge. Pray, ma'am where is my boy?' Our

missis says, 'Cobbs has the dear children in charge, sir. Cobbs, show

forty!' Then he says to Cobbs, 'Ah, Cobbs! I am glad to see you. I

understand you was here!' And Cobbs says, 'Yes, sir. Your most obedient,

sir.'



"I may be surprised to hear Boots say it, perhaps, but Boots assures me

that his heart beat like a hammer, going up-stairs. 'I beg your pardon,

sir,' says he, while unlocking the door; 'I hope you are not angry with

Master Harry. For Master Harry is a fine boy, sir, and will do you

credit and honor.' And Boots signifies to me that if the fine boy's

father had contradicted him in the daring state of mind in which he then

was, he thinks he should have 'fetched him a crack,' and taken the

consequences.



"But Mr. Walmers only says, 'No, Cobbs. No, my good fellow. Thank you!'

And the door being open, goes in.



"Boots goes in too, holding the light, and he sees Mr. Walmers go up to

the bedside, bend gently down, and kiss the little sleeping face. Then

he stands looking at it for a minute, looking wonderfully like it; and

then he gently shakes the little shoulder.



"'Harry, my dear boy! Harry!'



"Master Harry starts up and looks at him. Looks at Cobbs, too. Such is

the honor of that mite that he looks at Cobbs to see whether he has

brought him into trouble.



"'I am not angry, my child. I only want you to dress yourself and come

home.'



"'Yes, pa.'



"Master Harry dresses himself quickly. His breast begins to swell when

he has nearly finished, and it swells more and more as he stands

a-looking at his father; his father standing a-looking at him, the quiet

image of him.



"'Please may I'--the spirit of that little creatur', and the way he kept

his rising tears down!--'Please, dear pa--may I--kiss Norah before I

go?'



"'You may, my child.'



"So he takes Master Harry in his hand, and Boots leads the way with the

candle, and they come to that other bedroom; where the elderly lady is

seated by the bed, and poor little Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr., is fast

asleep. There the father lifts the child up to the pillow, and he lays

his little face down for an instant by the little warm face of poor

unconscious little Mrs. Harry Walmers, Jr., and gently draws it to

him--a sight so touching to the chambermaids who are peeping through the

door that one of them calls out, 'It's a shame to part 'em!' But this

chambermaid was always, as Boots informs me, a soft-hearted one. Not

that there was any harm in that girl. Far from it."



FOOTNOTES:



[A] For the benefit of some of our young readers, it may be well to

explain that this is about the same as a bill of twenty-five dollars

would be in America.



[B] A biffin is a red apple, growing near Norfolk, and generally eaten

after having been baked.