14 THE MONTHLY
and children, collected, and besieged the doors of the inn; some alarmed for their husbands, others for their sons, and not a few wishing to enjoy the fun. Among the first who arrived, was Mrs Anvil, whose husband and son were both engaged; -an Amazon in strength and courage, and a Xantippe in clamour and volubility of tongue. She entered the house before hostilities had fairly ceased, between her loving spouse and Clover senior: her husband was bleeding profusely at the nose, and the blood, diffusing itself over a beard, bushy, black, and nearly of a week's growth, rendered his appearance ruefully picturesque. His brawny fist, was clenched opposite to Clover's teeth; when, with the fury of a tigress, his wife sprung upon the hapless farmer, indenting his cheeks with her, talons, and closing the attack with a most redoubtable blow on his mouth, which had the immediate effect of exhibiting his face in the same colour as that of Anvil.
Obstreperous din, scolding, clamour, crying, and hysterics, now had the effect of recalling the scattered senses of the combatants; who united their, powers of rhetoric, in persuading the females to, withdraw. Most of them took the hint; but Mrs Anvil, determined to enjoy-what she conceived a woman's privilege-scolding, began to exercise her lungs; much to the amusement of the mob. Her husband first entreated, and then commanded her to be silent and withdraw, which only tended to increase her foul-mouthed vociferation. Honest Vulcan, justly offended with this contempt of conjugal authority, seized her in his arms, car-
