Page:Through a Glass Lightly (1897, Greg).djvu/87

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

MADEIRA

she emerged from Charleston Harbour unscathed and choked to the throat with her return cargo of cotton, and, longo tamen intervallo, once again passed over the Mersey Bar, which ceased for sheer joy from moaning and groaning as was its wont. And Jarrow divided the profits, pro ratâ, with those who had helped him. And lo! at this time there came into the cellars or bonded warehouses of Liverpool a noble consignment of Madeira, so old that even then the memory of man ran not to the contrary, and the price went fairly over the three ciphers. And out of his Charleston over-flowings, the progenitor, wise father as he was, and knowing his own sons (then unborn) gave out the mere dross of metallic gold, and took into his cellar the Lord knows how many dozen of

73