Chapter I: Front Matter

[ Transcriber's Note:

Inconsistent hyphenation and spacing of abbreviations have been
retained as in the original. Corrections of spelling and punctuation
are listed at the end of this file.
]

HAPPY-THOUGHT
HALL.

BY

F. C. BURNAND,

AUTHOR OF "HAPPY THOUGHTS," "MORE HAPPY THOUGHTS,"
"OUT OF TOWN," &c.

ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR

BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1872.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE IDEA--ADVICE--TITLE--PLAN--ON PAPER--SUGGESTION--COST--BOODELS
--OLD FRIENDS--JENKYNS SOAMES--DESIGNS--STAIRCASES--BAYS--
OBJECTIONS--ORDER OF ARCHITECTURE--STABLES--PRICE--GIVEN UP--
CAZELL'S IDEA 1

CHAPTER II.

NOTIONS--GUIDE WANTED--BLACKMEER--CHILVERN--HIS ELEMENT--VIEWS--
OBSERVATIONS--DISCUSSIONS--FISHING--TROUT--SHROPSHIRE--THE LAKE--
THE SOLITARY CASTLE--HERMITS--GAMES--DIFFERENCES--AT THE HOUSE 13

CHAPTER III.

WITHIN--THE HOUSEKEEPER--WINDOWS--INFORMATION--THE ORIEL--VIEW--
FLOOR--MILBURD'S INQUIRY--TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT--MATERIAL--AN EXAMPLE
--CRONE--POOR--MEDITATIONS--THE FRESCO--TAPESTRY--ARMOUR--MICE--
RATS--THE GHOST 19

CHAPTER IV.

ALONE--THE SECRET DOOR--UNSOCIABILITY--THE PICTURE--GRIM THOUGHTS--
ONE CHEERFUL IDEA--MELON--HIDING--CRUEL JOKES--SPIRAL--ANGLES--
ASSASSINS--WHITE LADY--A COMFORT--NERVES--THE DOOR--A GROWL--SNIFFS
--A FOLLOWER--REASONING--SAD THOUGHTS--OUT AT LAST 24

CHAPTER V.

ON THE ROOF--DOWN AGAIN--FURTHER INSPECTION--VARIETY--ELIZABETHAN--
NORMAN--COLOUR--RAYS--FILTERED--CUI BONO?--SUGGESTION--PLAY IN
STORE--THE STABLES--PREVIOUS TENANTS--GOOD INTENTIONS--NAME 31

CHAPTER VI.

CHOOSING A PARTY.

ROOMS--DECISION--ODD MEN--RETURN--ARRANGEMENTS--THEORIES--
OBJECTIONS--PROPOSITIONS--ELECTIONS--THE LADIES--WHO'S HOST?--
GUESTS--HOSTESS--MORE PROPOSALS--GRANDMOTHERS--AUNTS--HALF-SISTERS
--SISTERHOOD PROPOSED--GRAND IDEA--CHAPERONS--TERMS--IDEAL--A
PROFESSION--A DEFECT--OR ADVANTAGE--ADDITIONAL ATTRACTIONS--OLD MAN
--DULNESS--THEATRICAL--PLANS--THE PRESIDENT--EXPLANATION--IDEA 36

CHAPTER VII.

THE NEW ORDER.

A BROTHERHOOD--SIMPLICITY--A DIFFICULTY MET--ILLUSTRATIONS--
PROCEEDINGS--INTERVIEW--QUESTION--ANSWER--MODELS--PETITS FRERES--
TERMS--RULES AND REGULATIONS--THE SCHEME DISMISSED--THE LIST
SETTLED 44

CHAPTER VIII.

A MORNING DISCUSSION.

ON DEAFNESS--ESCAPES--BUTTONHOLED--A DISCUSSION--MORNING LOST--RAGE
--DESPAIR 53

CHAPTER IX.

A WET DAY.

RAIN--THE MEDFORDS--CONVERSATION--A PROPOSAL--ACCEPTED--THE TRICK--
THE LECTURE 60

CHAPTER X.

OUT OF AN ALBUM--ON LOSS OF PATIENCE--MRS. FRIMMELY'S SUGGESTION--A
DAY-DANCE 71

CHAPTER XI.

A NIGHT SURPRISE 78

CHAPTER XII.

OUR LIBRARY--BUSTS--DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS--MELANCHOLY--GUESSES--
SOAMES--MRS. BOODELS AGAIN--MILBURD--HIS JOKE--A NUISANCE 80

CHAPTER XIII.

MUSIC--MEDFORD--MILBURD'S SONG--CONSEQUENCE--OPINIONS--NOTE--
COMPLIMENTS--EPIGRAM--THE DAMP FIREWORK 84

CHAPTER XIV.

OUR POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS 88

CHAPTER XV.

MRS. BOODELS--BOODELS--HIS GRANDMOTHER'S OBSERVATION--HER FATE
SEALED--THE COMEDY--HER DEPOSITION--NEW PROPOSAL--AWKWARD--
MILBURD'S RELATION--INVITATION--THE DINNER HOUR--RECOMMENDATION--
DECISION 91

CHAPTER XVI.

FRESH ARRIVALS--DESCRIPTION--A HISTORY 95

CHAPTER XVII.

SUNDAY--SUNDAY REASONS--A CHAMBER DIALOGUE 108

CHAPTER XVIII.

MORE SUNDAY THOUGHTS--IN MY ROOM--A TELEGRAM--IMPOSSIBILITIES--
INTERRUPTION 116

CHAPTER XIX.

THE PROSAIC GENTLEMAN.

A WALK WITH SIGNOR REGNIATI 120

CHAPTER XX.

A SUNDAY CONVERSATION 123

CHAPTER XXI.

COMMENCEMENT OF MY SAYINGS FOR SUNDAYS 130

CHAPTER XXII.

THE PROGRAMME--THE FARCE 136

CHAPTER XXIII.

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES 181

CHAPTER XXIV.

CHILVERN'S BALLAD--THE MORAL 191

CHAPTER XXV.

IN AND OUT--BEFORE THE FIRE--MEDITATIONS--SURPRISES--HAPPY THOUGHTS
--AWAKENINGS--SLUMBERS--BELL-PULLS--BOOTS--VALET--DIFFICULTIES--
MRS. REGNIATI--WHAT'S ON THE TAPIS?--MATCH-MAKING--CUPID 198

CHAPTER XXVI.

AT DINNER--WEIGHT--WATCHING--JOKES--PROTEST--AWKWARD SITUATION--AN
ANNOUNCEMENT--INQUIRY--ARRIVAL--PRACTICAL JOKES 206

CHAPTER XXVII.

FIFTH WEEK--DIFFICULTIES--HINTS--BOODELS' SECRET--ARRIVAL OF JIMMY
LAYDER--A CHANGE--PRACTICAL JOKES--PLAYING THE FOOL--DRESSING UP--
MORE JOKES--CHEMICAL LECTURE--EXPERIMENTS--RESULTS--OPEN WINDOWS--
COLDS--DEPARTURES--SMALL BY DEGREES--BEAUTIFULLY LESS--THE SHILLING
AND THE TUMBLER--BOODELS' LAST--TWO'S COMPANY--CONCLUSION 209

HAPPY THOUGHT HALL.