Woodhouse
Friday 2d.—
My dear Charles—
In a letter I had from Catherine yesterday, she told me you were still waiting in
suspense at Plymouth, & it was uncertain whether you sailed on the
5th or not— I hope not that this may reach you in
time, for I want to have one bit more chat with you— I thought you were
expecting every day to be yr. last at Plymouth so that
if I wrote to you it would be useless or I assure you I should not have been silent all
this time— my dear Charles how I do wish you had been with us on the
awful 22d. I am sure you would
thoroughly have enjoyed it all—from beginning to end it certainly
(tho' I say it who should not) did go off most brilliantly— I was the
Undertaker and managed the whole affair from cutting up of a
Ton of cake to making gallons of Rum Punch for the evening's
festivities— Susan & I of course you know were the Bridesmaids, and
Mr. Charles Jones the Bridesmaid's Man, about
10 carriages I think composed the Procession to Felton, the dew Drops
fell about 11 o'clock, and I think really every body behaved with
becoming fortitude & resignation—as for poor Mama she was wonderful
The Bridegroom I think was the most flabbergasted of the whole party,
poor thing I was quite sorry for him, he was as white as a sheet and
as I supported him to the halter I really expected he
wd have fainted, no brandy was at hand tho' he entreated to have
some— his stammering he was dreadfully nervous about but got through it all
wonderfully the word ch ch ch ch ch--erish did stick some time but that was the
only one— ``As soon as the ceremony was over the happy Pair
stept into their travelling carriage (green we are informed) and
proceeded with all possible speed on a romantic
Tour to the Metropolis, where it is understood they intend to attend
all the Theatres''— you may laugh at this announcement but it is a
fact — did you ever hear of any thing half so unsentimental, the very
first night they arrived in Town off they went to Covent Garden, the next to the
Adelphi, & so on every night they have been in London— it was so like
Sarah—determined to lose no time— but to return to our festivities
at home— we had actually 37 people to dinner, two Tables, I President
of a side table, and didn't I pass the Champagne I never allowed a glass to be
empty a moment but before the Cloth was removed all my
gentlemen became so much more
elevated than those at the other table that I began to be in a fright lest they
should expose themselves—but luckily nobody was too much elevated except
Mr. B. O. who rose to propose the Ealth
of
our Ost & Ostess and caused much fun— very numerous
were the healths & toasts, drunk with 3 times 3—and several
neat & appropriate speeches, also a beautiful song by that wild Genius
Mr. Crofton, composed by himself for the occasion, and it is much
admired— I wd send it you but think it not worth a double
letter— after dinner, the dining room was cleared & prepared for
dancing. A most brilliant Ball we had, kept up with the greatest spirit till
5 oclock on Wednesday morning, all the servants dancing. Papa opened the Ball
to the tune of ``come haste to the Wedding'', with Mrs. Kenyon,
can you fancy them?— country dances were the order of the night, and excellent
fun we had the only draw back was an occasional dreadful kick, from the too
well shod Fantastic toes of some of the Beaux, but this was to be
expected— altogether we had excellent fun, & I do sincerely
regret my dear Charles, you were not of th<e> Party, you might just as
well have been as < > at Plymouth— How tiresome it is their
keep<ing> you so long in suspense— Pray my dear Charles do write
me one last adieu if you have a spare half hour before you sail— I should like
very much to send you some account of us now & then during
yr. absence if I knew where to direct to you? You cannot imagine
how I have missed you already at the Forest, & how I do long to see you
again— may every happiness & pleasure attend you dear Charles, and
return to us as soon as you can I selvishly say!— I miss
poor Sarah very much it seems like a dream I can hardly yet believe she is really
gone!— I have no news really to tell you. I wish I had. Mrs.
Mytton is staying here at present she came for the wedding, having got her divorce
business all settled before, and her Squire being safe at Calais, poor thing
she is as happy as possible, & we are delighted to have her to keep up our
spirits— I must tell you if you should not have heard of it that Edward
Williams with all proper Brother in Law good feelings presented me the other
day with a beautiful Horse at Mr. Gore's sale— it is
nearly thorough Bred, and beautiful, quite perfect I think & I
am delighted with my present— all the fine things from Howell &
James's would not have pleased me half as much— I have made the Governor give
me a new London saddle & bridle for old Goldfinder, so you see
I am quite a splendid turn out, on coming to my Title of Miss Owen
— that name I must keep up with all proper dignity, & what a
steady old sober body you will find me when you return from your Savage
Islands— Miss Fanny Sparling, is going to marry Dry
Corbett!!! This is said every where as a positive
fact — he has been living at Felton almost lately & we
heard she said she did not know what people could find to laugh at in Dry
— it is really too good —& it is devoutly
to be hoped they will make a match of it for the diversion it will
afford the Country—which is very flat I think at present—
I hear you like Plymouth very much, I thought it a delightful place when I was there
for a few days, there is so much going on—
If you have time write to me my dear Charles— how I do wish you had not this
horrible Beettle taste you might have staid ``asy'' with us here I
cannot bear to part with you for so long—
God bless you my dear Charles excuse my dulness but believe me always | Yours most
affectly| Fanny Owen
