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Show 14 The Recruiting Officer? Plume. That's home. (Afide.) My little Boy! Lack-a-day, Madam, that alone may convince you 'twas none of mine; why the Girl, Madam, is m y Serjeant's Wife, and fo the poor Creature gave out that I was Father, in hopes that my Friends might fupport her in cafe of Neceffity. That was all, M a d a m My Boy! N o , no, no. Enter a Servant. Serv. Madam, my Mafter has receiv'd fome ill News from London, and defires to fpeak with you immediately, and he begs the Captain's Pardon, that he can't wait on him as he promis'd. Plume. Ill News! Heavens avert it, nothing cou'd touch me nearer than to fee that generous worthy Gentleman afflicted : 111 leave you to comfort hiin, and be affur'd, that if m y Life and Fortune can be any way ferviceable to the Father of m y Silvia, he fhall freely command both. Sil. The Neceffity muft be very prefling that wou'd engage me to endanger either. (Exeunt feveraUy. SCENE, Another Apartment. Enter Ballance and Silvia. Sil. Whilft there is Life there is Hopes, Sir, perhaps my Brother may recover. Ball. W e have but little Reafon to expect it; Doctor Kil-man acquaints me here, that before this comes to m y hands, he fears I (hall have no Son. Poor Owen ! But the Decree is juft, I was pleas'd with the Death of m y Father, becaufe he left mc an Eftate, and now I a m punifh'd with the Lofs of an Heir to inherit mine; I muft now look upon you as the only Hopes of m y Family, and I expect that the Augmentation of your Fortune will give you frelh Thoughts, and new Profpects. Sil. My Defire of being punctual in m y Obedience, requires that you wou'd be plain in your Commands, Sir. Ball. The Death of your Brother makes you fole Heirefs to my Eftate, which you know is about twelve hundred Pounds a Year: This Fortune gives you a fair Claim to Quality, and a Title; you muft fet a juft Value upon your felf, and in plain Terms, think no more of Captain Plume. Sil. You have often commended the Gentleman, Sir. Ball. And I do fo ftill, he's a very pretty Fellow; but tho' I lik'd him well enough for a bare Son-in-law, I don't approve of him for an Heir to my Eftate and Family ; fifteen hundred |