: THE STIiflDD MJlGHZinE

£/%n Illustrated Jffonthty

EDITED BY GEO. NEWNES

Vol. II. JULY TO DECEMBER

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Xonfccm BURLEIGH STREET, STRAND

1891 < W. S. GILBERT AND HIS GRANDFATHER. Illustrated Interviews.

No. IV. — MR. W. S. GILBERT.

From a I'holo. by] GR^.ME S DYKE. [Elliott & Fry,

R. GILBP:RT lives in a little another spot Windsor Castle is visible. land of his own. There is Mr. Gilbert is a man of many minds. The nothing wanting to complete verse of comic opera does not prevent him his miniature kingdom at from watching the interests of his thorough- Graeme's Dyke, Harrow bred Jerseys—for there is a perfect home Weald. With a hundred and farm on the Gilbertian land. The hayricks ten acres at his disposal, the most brilliant look rich, the horses, the fowls, and the pigs writer of irresistible satire of the day has seem "at home," and the pigeons— I am laid down a healthy two miles of paths, assured by Mr. Gilbert that he is using which wend their way through banks of the utmost efforts to induce his feathered moss and ferns, avenues of chestnut trees friends to adopt as their permanent address and secluded valleys. You turn out of one the fine and lofty house he has erected for pathway only to enter a diminutive forest them. _ The roofs of the vineries are heavy ; again, and you are standing by the rushes with great bunches, the peaches and necta- and water weeds by the side of the old rines are fast assuming an appearance call- Dyke, which has run its course for two ing for a hasty "bite"; flowers, flowers thousand years and more, spanned by are everywhere, and the bee-hives, green rustic bridges little wooden dwellings, with the. bees ; and in one part, near the bathing house, is a statue of Charles II., crowding in and out, are pointed out by which originally stood years ago in Soho- their owner as looking very much like square. You may wander along a walk of small country theatres doing a " tremen- roses and sweetbrier, or admire the view dous booking." from the observatory, where the owner The house was built for Mr. Goodall, enjoys his astronomical watchings. From R.A., from designs by Mr. Norman Shaw, 33* THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

and handsome. He appears

strong, and he is ; he looks determined. He frankly ad- mits that this characteristic has led success to him and him to success. His hair is grey, but the vigour of a young man is there. To hear him talk is to listen to the merry stream of satire which runs through his verse and lyrics. Imagine him IN THE GROUNDS. declaring that he considers the butcher boy in the gallery the R.A., and is from every aspect architectur- king of the theatre—the blue-smocked ally very fine. Many portions of it are youth who, by incessant whistling and entirely covered with ivy—the entrance repeated requests to " speak up," revels porch is surrounded by the clinging tendrils. in upsetting the managerial apple cart. Here I met Mr. Gilbert. He is tall, stalwart, Then try and realise Mr. Gilbert assuring

From a P/i^to.by] THE FARM. {Elliott & Fry. a

ILLUSTRATED TNTERVIEWS. 333 one that what he writes is nothing more nor less than "rump steak " and onions ! — palatable concoc- tion of satisfying and seasoning in- gredients which is good enough to please the man of refinement in the stalls, and not too refined for the butcher boy in the gallery. " H.M.S. Pina- fore," "The Pirates," "The Mikado," and the lily-loving Bun- thome and aesthe- tically inclined young maidens in " " Patience rump steak and onions ! He theatre and see that everything is safe for has not—save at rehearsals—seen one of the curtain to rise, goes away, and returns his own plays acted for seventeen years. at the finish. He is wise in believing that Report says that, on " first nights," he the presence of the author at such a time wanders about muffled up, with his hat over upsets the players, and deteriorates the his eyes, along the Thames Embankment, action. casting occasional glances in the direction We are in the entrance hall. Over the of the water, and mentally measuring the mantelpiece is a fine specimen of four- height of Waterloo Bridge. Nothing of teenth century alabaster. By the window the kind. He goes to his club and smokes is a model of a man-of-war, sixteen feet in a cigar, and looks in at the theatre about length. It is perfect in every detail, and a eleven to see if there is " a call "; and he is portion of it was specially constructed as a seldom disappointed in the object of his model of the set of the scene in " H.M.S. visit. He is quite content to look in at the Pinafore." Mr. Gilbert—who is an en- thusiastic yachtsman—had the remaining forepart built when it was no longer wanted for theatrical pur- poses. The parrot in the corner is considered to be the finest talker in England. It can whistle a hornpipe, and, if put to the test, could probably rattle off one of its master's patter songs. " The other parrot, who is a novice," points out Mr. Gilbert, "belongs to Dr. Playfair. He is read- ing up with my bird, who takes pupils." Passing up the oaken staircase, the solidity of which is relieved by many From a rhoto. bji] [Fl'intt d- Fry. MODEL OF " H,M,S. PINAFORE " IN THE ENTRANCE a grand palm, a peep into —

334 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. the billiard-room reveals great vases 200 years on one side of the wall old, antique cabinets, photos of all the charac- and treasured knick- ters which have from knacks innumerable time to time appeared for the present owner is in his operas. Over a a great lover of curios, long oak bookcase is a and is an inveterate run of photos unique of (( hunter "—and exqui- their kind, including sitely furnished. The those of J. S. Clarke, fire-places are crowded Mrs. Stirling, Buck- with ferns and flowers. stone, Compton, Chip- Near the corner, where pendale, Herman Vezin, Mr. Goodall was one Henry J. Byron, and time wont to sit and Irving and Hare, taken paint sunsets, is a curious seventeen years ago. old musical clock which A little statuette of plays twelve airs. It Thackeray, by Boehm, is 150 years old. Mr. is near at hand, and Gilbert sets the hands here is another of the going, and to a musical dramatist's great friend, tick—tick—tick a regi- T. W. Robertson, the ment of cavalry pass writer of "Caste," over the bridge, boats " School," " Society," row along the water, and other plays insepar- and ducks swim about. able from his name. Frank Holl's picture of The drawing - room the dramatist is here, was Mr. Goodall's studio. and several by Duncan,

It is a magnificent apart- ' THE FINEST TALKER IN ENGLAND. the famous water-colour ment, rich in old china, Dainter, whose brush was

From a Photo, by] THE DRAWING-ROOM. [Xtliott Sr Fry. IL L USTRA TED INTER VIE WS. 335

joined together, by Boehm. They are those of Mrs. Crutchley, who danced in the re- cent Guards' bur- lesque at Chelsea, modelled when she was eight years old. Mr. Gilbert handles a fifteenth century carved ivory tankard. It is five inches in diameter, and carved out of a solid tusk. Un- fortunately it is broken. When Miss Julia Neil- son was making her first appear- From a Photo, by] THE DINING-ROOM. [Elliott & Fry. ance in "Comedy only responsible for a single example in and Tragedy," a tankard was wanted. It oils, possessed by Mr. Gilbert ; others by had been overlooked at the theatre. Mr. Boughton, Mr. and Mrs. Perugini, and Gilbert was present, rushed off in a cab Adrian Stokes. Here is, also, an early to Kensington, where he was then living, example of Tenniel. It was bought un- and got back in time. Miss Neilson so finished. Mr. Gilbert met the artist one entered into her part (and small blame to day, and described it to him. He remem- her) that, quite forgetting the valuable bered it, though drawn half a century ago. goblet she had in her hand, she brought Tenniel took it back, and finished his work it down with a bang on the table with only a few months ago. This little satin wood this result. cabinet came from Carlton House, and The dining-room contains some fine

there is a rcurious story regarding the manufacture of aline Japanese cabinet of 200 years ago. In those days when- ever a child was born to a wealthy Jap an order was given for a cabi- net to be made. It took fifteen years to manu- facture, so fine was the work- manship, and it was presented to the child on his fifteenth birth- day. Under a glass case are a pair of marble h^nds From a «*<*<>. m THE LIBRARY. [Elliott

33^ THE STRAND MAGAZINE. work in oak. A massive Charles I. side- Salvator Rosa, Rubens, Andrea del Sarto, board, dated 1631, was made for Sir Thomas and others, and on top of the bookcases Holt, a cavalier, who murdered his own are arranged seventy heads, representing cook in a fit of passion. He was charged all sorts and conditions of character typical "that he tooke a cleever and hytt hys of India. They are made of papier-mache, cooke with the same upon ye hedde, and so and were brought home from India by clave hys hedde that one syde thereof fell Mr. Gilbert, whither he had wandered uppone one of hys shoulders and the other in search of new pastures for plot and syde on ye other shoulder." It was, how- fresh ideas, so that, should he ever write ever, ingeniously argued that although the an Indian opera, the company engaged indictment, stated that the halves of the would find an excellent guide to making cook's head had fallen on either shoulder, it up their faces from the figures. On was not charged against him that the cook the table—in the centre of the room — had been killed, and on this technicality Sir amongst the flowers, are portraits of some of Thomas escaped. There are some valuable the dramatist's proteges, so to speak. No oil paintings here, too—a fine example of man is more far-seeing than he. He can C. Van Everdingen. The only other work single out talent, and, having found it, he of his in England is in the messroom encourages the possessor. No one has of the Honourable Artillery Company. been asked more frequently, " Should I go There are also fine works by Giorgione, on the stage ? " He calls for a sample of the Van der Kappelle, Tintoretto, Maes, and applicant's abilities, pronounces judgment, others. and those who have heard his " don't The library—where we sat together talk- were as wise in refraining from seeking for ing—has one distinctive curiosity. It fame from Thespis as those who welcomed opens out on to the lawn, and its white his " go " and have acted on his advice.

From a i huto. by] AT WORK. [Elliott & Fry. enamel bookcases contain close upon four Among many who made their first appear, thousand volumes out of a compact stock of ances in his pieces are Mrs. Bernard Beere, some five thousand works scattered about Mr. Wyatt, Miss Jessie Bond, Mr. Corney the house. All round the apartment are Grain, Mr. Arthur Cecil, Miss Leonora drawings by A. Caracci, Watteau, Lancret, Braham, Miss Brandram, Miss Julia Neilson, — — —— — "

IL L USTRA TED INTER VIE WS. 337

Miss Lily Hanbury, Miss Alma Murray, and same size and pattern for a quarter of a Mr George Grossmith. century. He takes it with him wherever he u " Grossmith," said Mr. Gilbert, applied goes, for he never writes at a desk. When to Sir Arthur Sullivan first. Sullivan was working he sits here with a stool exactly pleased, thought him the very man for the the same height, and stretching himself on part of John Wellington Wells in ( The these, he writes on a pad on his lap. Sorcerer,' and so did I. You see, when I asked him if he would write me a few making an engagement, the composer tests original verses for publication in this article. the applicant vocally, whilst I try him " Thank you, very much," said he, " but I'm histrionically. Previous to that Grossmith afraid I must ask you to excuse me. When had done nothing, save in the way of I have just finished a piece I feel for a few entertainments at young men's societies days that I am absolutely incapable of and mechanics' institutes. He didn't want further effort. I always feel that I am quite to offend them ' written out.' At what would I ad- first this impres- vise ? ' Go on sion used to dis- the stage,' I said, tress me seriously ' and you'll make —however I have such a success as learnt by experi- to render your- ence to regard it self quite inde- as a 'bogie, 'which pendent of them.' will yield to exor- I think he has. cism. This, how- " Then in the ever, is quite at

' Trial by Jury ' your service ; one of my early and he crossed to works, which I a recess by the consider one of window, and from the best, and in a heap of papers which the Judge took out a sheet. was played by Sir It was a couple of Arthur Sullivan's delightful verses, brotherFred, now left over from dead — the fore- " The Gondo- man of the jury liers," written in was played by a his best style, and gentleman who seen by no one only had a couple till this moment. of lines to sing. Tessa was to have But whenever he sung them in the opened his mouth ear of the Grand the audience Inquisitor, when es- roared. The U MY FIRST FEE. he commands the timable foreman two kings of of the twelve good men and true on that Barataria—one of whom the fair Tessa occasion was Mr. W. S. Penley. Just a loves—to leave their lovers and rule their moment." kingdoms. The following are the verses,

It is post time, and on the day of my the second being given in fac-simile : visit he had just finished the libretto of his I. new comic opera. He weighs the great " Good sir, I wish to speak politely blue envelope in his hand, and, after the Forgive me if my words are crude servant has left the room, flings himself into I find it hard to put it rightly Without appearing to be rude. his favourite chair, and suggestively re- I mean to say, you're old and wrinkled — " — marks, There goes something that will It's rather blunt, but it's the truth either bring me in twenty thousand pounds With wintry snow your hair is sprinkled : or twenty thousand pence ! " And a What can you know of Love and Youth ? Indeed I wish to speak politely favourite chair with Mr. Gilbert is an ; But, pray forgive me, truth is truth : article of furniture not to be despised. You're old and—pardon me—unsightly,

It is of red leather, and he has used the What can you know of Love and Youth ! 338 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

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FAC-SIMII.E OF MS. OF TESSAS SONG.

" My life ? Date of birth, November 18, Temple in 1863. I was at the bar four 1836. Birthplace, 17, Southampton-street, years, and am now very deservedly raised Strand, in the house of my grandfather, who to the Bench—but only as a Justice of the had known Johnson, Garrick, and Reynolds, Peace. and who was the last man in London, I " I was not fortunate in my clients. believe, who wore Hessian boots and a pig- I well remember my first brief, which tail. I went to school at Ealing, presided- was purely honorary. I am a tolerably over by Dr. Nicholas—a pedagogue who good French scholar, and was employed appears more than once in Thackeray's to interpret and translate the conversations

pages as ' Dr. Tickle-us of Great Ealing and letters between attorney, leading coun- School.' I was always writing plays for sel, and client—a Parisian. It was at home performance, and at eighteen wrote a Westminster. The Frenchman, who was burlesque in eighteen scenes. This wa.3 a short stout man, won his case, and he ; offered to every manager in London, and looked upon me as having done it all. unanimously rejected. I couldn't under- He met me in the hall, and, rushing up stand why at the time—I do now. I was to me, threw his arms round my neck intended for the Royal Artillery, and read and kissed me on both cheeks. That was up during the Crimean War. Of course, my first fee. it came to an end just as I was prepared to "On another occasion I defended an old go up for examination. No more officers lady who was accused of picking pockets. were required, and further examinations On the conclusion of my impassioned were indefinitely postponed until I was over speech for the defence, she took off a heavy age. I was offered a line commission, but boot and threw it at my head. That was

declined ; but eventually, in 1868, I was my second fee. By the way, I subsequently appointed Captain of the Royal Aberdeen- introduced the incident into an article,

shire Highlanders (Militia), a post I held for ' My Maiden Brief,' which appeared in The sixteen years. I was clerk in the Privy Cornhill Magazine. Council for five miserable years, took my " I joined the Northern Circuit, and B.A.- degree at the London University, attended assizes and sessions at Liverpool and was called to the bar of the Inner and Manchester. Perhaps a dozen guinea — —

IL L USTEA TED INTER VIE WS. 339

the Christmas piece, was good enough to say he knew the very man for it and recom- mended me. I wrote it in ten days, re-

hearsed it a week ; it ran five months, and has been twice re- vived. No arrange- ment was made about the price to be paid, and after it had been produced Mr.Emden, Miss Herbert's acting manager, asked me how much I expected to receive for the piece. I reckoned it

MY MAIDEN SrEECH. out as ten days' work at three guineas a briefs, but nothing substantial. The cir- day, and replied, ' Thirty guineas.'

" ' ! ' cumstances attending my initial brief on Oh ' said Emden, we don't deal in circuit I am not likely to forget. I was guineas—say pounds.' to make my maiden speech in the pro- " I was quite satisfied with the price, secution of an old Irishwoman for stealing took his cheque and gave a receipt. Then a coat. Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft and the Emden quietly turned to me and said " members of the Prince of Wales's com- ' Take my advice as an old stager. pany, then on tour, were present on the Never sell as good a piece as this for £$0 Bench, and I am sorry to say, at my invita- again!1 tion. sooner had I got up than the old " I his I No took advice ; never have. dame, who seemed to realise that I was " Then I commenced to write for the against her, began shouting, 'Ah, ye divil, Royalty and Old Queen's Theatres. 'La

sit down. Don't listen to him, yer honour ! Vivandiere ' was one of these ; and at He's known in all the slums of Liverpool. various times 'An Old Score,' 'Ages Ago,'

Sit down, ye spalpeen. He's as drunk as a ' Randall's Thumb,' and ' Creatures of lord, yer honner—begging your lordship's Impulse ' appeared. These were followed pardon.' Whenever I attempted to resume by ' The Palace of Truth,' and ' The my speech, I was flooded by the torrent of Wicked World.' ' Pygmalion and Ga- the old lady's eloquence, and I had at last latea,' which took me six months to

to throw myself on the protection of the write, was produced in 1871. ' Sweet-

Recorder, who was too convulsed with hearts ' came out in 1874, and 'Broken

laughter to interfere. Mrs. Bancroft says Hearts ' two years later. I consider the in her memoirs that I never got that two best plays I ever wrote were ' Broken

maiden speech off, but in that she is mis- Hearts ' and a version of the Faust legend

taken. The old lady had three months, called ' Gretchen.' I took immense pains My first lines appeared in Fun— over my ' Gretchen,' but it only ran Henry J. Byron was the editor then. He a fortnight. I Avrote it to please myself, asked me to send him a column of stuff with and not the public. It seems to be the fate a half-page block every week. Well, I did of a good piece to run a couple of weeks, not think it possible to get fresh ideas week and a bad one a couple of years—at least, it week but I accepted it, and continued is so is instance of it : by ; with me. Here an

writing and illustrating for six years, though "' The Vagabond ' was produced at the at the end of every seven days I always felt Olympic, with Henry Neville and Miss written out for life, just as I do now. Marion Terry in the cast. I was behind My first play was ' Dulcamara,' produced during the first act, and everything went at the St. James's Theatre by Miss Her- swimmingly—author, actors, and audience bert. Tom Robertson and I were great delighted. I remained during half of the chums, and he, being unable to write her second act, when Charles Reade put his hand '!

34° THE STRAND MAGAZINE. on my shoulder, and exclaimed, 'Gilbert, its a man to appear as a woman or vice success is certain.' 'Ah, but,' said I, ' there's versa.

' ' ? " the third act to come ! The third act My first meeting with Sullivan was said Reade, who had been present at my rather amusing. I had written a piece with rehearsals. ' The third act's worthy of Fred Clay, called ' Ages Ago,' and was re-

! Congreve ' That was enough for me. hearsing it at the Old Gallery of Illustra- Off I went to my club, and returned tion. At the same time I was busy on my

' to the theatre at eleven ; as I passed Palace of Truth,' in which there is a through the stage-door, I heard one of character, one Zoram, who is a musical the carpenters say to the hall-keeper, as impostor. Now, I am as unmusical as any he passed, " Bloomin' failure, Bill." He man in England. I am quite incapable of was quite right. The whole of the third whistling an air in tune, although I have a act had been performed in dumb show singularly good ear lor rhythm. I was fourteen years ago and yet, bound to make Zoram express his musical That was ; strange to say, only the other day I received ideas in technical language, so I took up my a letter from young Mr. Wallack in New ' Encyclopaedia Britannica,' and, turning to York, saying he had found the manuscript the word ' Harmony,' selected a suitable of a play called 'The Vagabond,' and, sentence and turned it into sounding blank feeling sure that it would be extraordinarily verse. Curious to know whether this successful, if produced, wanted to know would pass muster with a musician, I said what was my price for the piece. He knew^ to Sullivan (who happened to be present at nothing of its melancholy history. rehearsal, and to whom I had just been "My operatic work has been singularly introduced), ' I am very pleased to meet successful—owing largely, of course, to the you, Mr. Sullivan, because you will be able invaluable co-operation of Sir Arthur to settle a question which has just arisen Sullivan. When Sullivan and I first between Mr. Clay and myself. My con- determined to work together, the bur- tention is that when a musician who is lesque stage was in a very unclean master of many instruments has a musical state. We made up our minds to do all theme to express, he can express it as per- in our power to wipe out the grosser fectly upon the simple tetrachord of element, never to let an offending word Mercury (in which there are, as we all escape our character and never allow know, no diatonic intervals whatever) as upon the more elaborate dis- diapason (with the familiar four tetrachords and the redundant note) which (I need not remind you) embraces in its simple con- sonance all the single, double, and inverted chords.' "He reflected for a moment, and asked me to oblige him by re- peating my ques- tion. I did so, and he replied that it was a very nice point, and he would like to think it over be- fore giving a de-

from a Photo, ly finite reply. That —

ILLUSTRATED LNTERVJEWS. Mi

in various colours to show the different voices. The green and white striped blocks may be " " tenors ; the black and yellow " sopranos "; the red and green, "contraltos"; and so on. With this before him, and a sheet of paper, Mr. Gilbert works out every single position of his characters, giving them their proper places on the model stage, and he is thus enabled to go down to re- hearsal prepared to From a Photo, by] MODEL STAGE OF MR. GILBERT S NEW PLAY [Elliott tfc Fry. indicate to every principal took place about twenty years ago, and I and chorister his proper place in the scene believe he is still engaged in hammering it under consideration. out." His subjects are often the outcome of Not the least interesting part of my day pure accident. "The Mikado" was with Mr. Gilbert was in having his methods suggested by a huge Japanese execu- of working explained. Mr. Gilbert's tact tioner's sword which hung in his library and unequalled skill as a stage manager the identical sword which Mr. Grossmith are well known, but he explained to me used to carry on the stage as Ko-Ko. a decidedly novel secret which undoubt- " The Yeomen of the Guard " was sug- edly greatly assists him in his perfect gested by the beefeater who serves as an arrangements of mise-en-scene. He has advertisement of the Tower Furnishing an exact model of the stage made to Company at Uxbridge Railway Station. half-inch scale, showing every entrance and A rather curious and certainly unique exit, exactly as the scene will appear at the fact in dramatic authorship, and one that theatre. Those shown in the illustrations is without precedent in the annals of the represent the two sets which will be seen stage, is that Mr. Gilbert's name has at the Lyric Theatre when his new opera is appeared in the London play bills without produced. Little blocks of wood are made a single break for nearly twenty-four years. representing men and women—the men are On July 1 the spell was broken by the three inches high, and the women two termination of his connection with the and a half inches. These blocks are painted Savoy. Harry How.

CHARACTERS. — — ! ' a

The P. L. M. Express. From the French ok Jacques Normand.

HERE was a general astonish- my friends, the Rombauds, who expected lis ment in our little circle of me to breakfast. The next morning I was friends when we heard of going to Nice, where I was to arrive at fs&r on the approaching marriage of two o'clock in the afternoon. Valentin Sincere. What " At the station there was an excited ? he —the hardened celibate ! crowd ; but, thanks to the proverbial the Parisian sceptic, rebelling against all obligingness of M. Regnoul, the station-

matrimonial ideas ! — the joyous free-liver master, I was able to secure a place in the who had a hundred times swore that he only coupe in the train. The only other would never have anything to do with it occupant was a gentleman with a red Valentin, after all, was going to join the rosette in a button-hole of his overcoat—

great brotherhood ! And, of all women, gentleman of severe aspect, and with an whom was he go- administrative air, ing to marry ? whose luggage

a widow ! We consisted solely of were bewildered. a portfolio. As- So, the first time suredly he was I met him, I not going far with button-holed him, that outfit, and and demanded ex- presently I should

planations. be alone. Alone ! "I've hardly the only thing to time to speak to make a railway you — a heap of journey support-

things to do. I able ! have just come " All the pas- from the Mairic, sengers were in and am on my their places, and way to Stern's, the train was the engraver in about starting, the Passage du when the sound Panoramas, to get of a dispute arose some invitation at the door. letters. If you'll "' No, Monsieur,

" ! go with me no ' said the voice " If V\\ go with of a woman, fresh " you ! I said. in tone, and with We were in an almost imper- front of the Made- ceptible Southern leine. We passed accent. ' I ordered down the boule- WE PASSED DOWN THE BOULEVARDS. a sleeping - com - vards, arm in arm. partment, and a "The story's a very simple one," he said. sleeping-compartment I must have.' " Commonplace to the last degree but, Madame, I have told you, we ; "'But, since you want so much to know about haven 'l one ! " it, here it is : ' You ought to have carried out the " In the month of February last I was instructions in my letter.' " going to Nice for the Carnival fetes. I ' We have not received any letter,

' have the greatest aversion to travelling by Madame ! night, and I therefore took the 8.55 morning " ' Have another carriage put on, train, due at midnight at Marseilles, where then.'

" ! I proposed spending the following day with ' Impossible —we have already the regu- ' ' ' ' —' — '

THE P. L. M. EXPRESS. 343

lation number. Come, come, make haste arranged her parcels around her with the ; the train is about to start.' ordinary haste of persons who have long " ' Well, I must have a place found for me.' hours to pass in a railway-carriage. '"I have offered you two, Madame, in " She had one bag, two bags, three bags,

1 the coupe. and—as to wraps— ! " ? " ' There Out of the corner of my eyes I watched

' " ' Yes, Madame—there ! these little proceedings, and I observed with " A little dark-haired woman appeared in pleasure that she was a charming little

the doorway, and instantly started back, as personage. I say with pleasure ; for, in if in alarm. truth, it is always more agreeable to have a " ' ' There are two gentlemen in it ! pretty woman for a travelling companion " 'Good heavens, Madame ! I can't give than an ugly one. you a whole carriage to yourself ! " It was very cold. The country, covered

well, I will not go ! with and lit up a pale-faced '"Very then ; snow, by very '"As you please. The train is off— I am sun, flew rapidly by on either side of the going to give the signal.' carriage. The little lady, muffled up to her " ' stay. I must abso- chin in rugs and other wraps, turned her Stay, Monsieur ; since there is only this coupe gaze obstinately out of farther window lutely go ; and the ; —but you'll let me have a sleeping-com- the administrative gentleman put his partment at the first station we come to ? papers, yellow, green, and blue, with printed " ' Yes, Madame.' headings, in order, and read them atten- ' " ' You'll telegraph for it ? tively ; as to myself, comfortably installed " ' Yes, yes, Madame.' in a corner with my feet on the foot-

' " ' You promise me ? warmer, I waded through the file of news- "'Yes, Madame.' papers I had bought at the station to pass

" ' You are sure ? the time.

' " ' " Yes, yes, yes, Madame ! 1 1. 2 1 ; Laroche. The train stopped. " The door was thrown open wide, and The administrative gentleman gathered up the little brown-haired lady, surrounded by his papers, rose, bowed, and descended from half a carriage-load of parcels and wraps, the carriage. His feet had hardly touched

SHE ARRANGED HER l'ARCELS.

entered the coupe ; a shrill whistle, and the platform before he was received by the we were off. station-master, who called him ' Mr. In- " Gallantly the administrative gentleman spector.' The lady leaned out of the seated himself by my side, so as to leave the door : ' " ' opposite seat entirely at the service of the Mr. Station-master ! ? new arrival. " ' Madame " Without even turning her eyes towards "'They were to telegraph to you from us, flustered and red with anger, she Paris for a sleeping-carriage.' ' ' ' —

344 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" ' They have done so, Madame, and I three bags, she left in the carriage, and have sent on the message.' descended on to the platform. It was " ' Sent it on ! Am I not to .have a noon. Hunger had begun to make itself sleeping-carriage at once, then ? felt. She moved towards the buffet on the

" ' Impossible, Madame ; we have no left, across the line. carriages here. They can only furnish you " I followed her. I was then enabled to with one at Lyons.' admire at my ease the elegance of her figure, ? "'At Lyons ! At what o'clock well set off by a long fur mantle. I remarked " 'At 545, Madame.' also that she had a pretty neck, a grey felt

" ' At the end of the journey ! But, hat, and very tiny feet. Monsieur, I can't remain in this coupe until " At the entrance to the buffet stood the

' that time ! Impossible ! I won't ! manager. Wearing a velvet cap and bear- " 'Take care, Madame, the train is ing a striking resemblance to Napoleon III.,

starting ! he pointed out with his hand and with a "It started. napkin a long table to be taken by assault. " She threw herself into her corner again, "I entered with a crowd of travellers

in a furious pet, without casting a glance at ruffled, hurried ; in short, that stream of me. I plunged once more into the con- persons essentially grotesque and deroga- tents of my newspapers—into the contents tory to human beauty, of an express train, of the tenth, that is to say. bent all on devouring food of some sort. " " Shall I confess it ! That paper took me I seated myself and hastily swallowed longer to read than its nine predecessors. the succession of dishes set before me : my

Twenty times I began the same line ; I lady traveller took some soup at a separate believe that at least for some time the paper table. was upside down. Hang it, one can't be " I was amongst the first to rise, and shut up for a long journey with a pretty went out upon the platform to smoke a woman without feeling some sort of cigarette. The twenty-five minutes—re-

emotion ! duced to twenty according to rule—were " I greatly wanted to enter into conver- quickly spent. The passengers came in sation with her, but what pretext for doing groups from the refectory and returned it could I find ? The classic resources of to their places in the carriages. I rein- putting up or down the windows, in such a state of the temperature, were non-avail- able. What was there to do ? —launch a commonplace remark of some kind ? Bet- ter a hundred times keep silent than do that. My companion, I had seen at a glance with my Parisian eyes, was a woman of the best society. To speak to her brusquely, without being known to her, would have made me appear in her eyes no better than a vulgar commercial traveller. The only way of draw- ing her into conversation would be to find something strikingly what ? original to say to her ; but —what ? I sought laboriously, but did not find. "I was still continuing that search, when the train stopped suddenly, thanks to the powers of the new break — so good against accidents, but so bad for passengers.

" ' Tonnerre ! — twenty-five

' minutes' stoppage ! cried a porter, opening the carriage-door. " My companion rose, threw off her rugs which, with her SHE TOOK SOME SOUP AT A SEPARATE TABLE.' ! ' ' —

THE P. L. M. EXPRESS. 345

stalled myself in mine. My fellow travel- fectly absurd, how much women resemble ler did not appear. one another—the back view of them. I " I perceived her at the little bookstall had made a pretty mess of it ! on the opposite side of the line, looking " She had hardly entered the carriage over the volumes displayed. Although I before she uttered a shriek. " could see nothing of her but her back, I ' My parcels ! Somebody has stolen my easily recognised her by her pretty figure, parcels ! her otter-skin mantle, and her grey hat. " And, for the first time, she turned her Her hair seemed to be a little less dark than eyes on me, with a look—good heavens !

I had imagined it to be ; but that was the with a look never to be forgotten.

effect of distance, no doubt. " ' No, Madame,' I stammered, 'your " All the passengers had resumed their parcels have not been stolen ; they—they seats, and the porters were banging-to the have been left behind at Tonnerre.'

" ' ? doors. At Tonnerre ! How

" ' ' " ! I She'll be left behind I thought. explained all to her. By Jove ! my

1 ! ' ! She's mad ' Madame ! Madame ' I called dear fellow, I can't describe the second look

to her out of the window. she darted at me ; but, I assure you, I "She was too far off, and did not hear firmly believe I shall remember it even me. longer than the first. " The whistle "'I am distressed, Madame,' I further

sounded; the stammered, ' distressed exceedingly ; but

train was going the motive was a good one : I thought that to start. What you were going to miss the train—that you was to be done ? would be cold—and—and I did Prompt as a flash not wish that you should be in of lightning, an cold ; short—forgive me, idea shot through and do not be uneasy in re- my brain. She gard to your property, which would be left is in safe hands—a man in there in the hor- uniform. At the next station rible cold with- you can telegraph—we will out her luggage telegraph — and your things Let her, poor will be immediately sent on. woman, at least Ah ! —you shall have them, I have her smaller vow, even though belongings. I have myself to "I gathered go back to Ton- up, in an armful, nerre to fetch her three bags them.' and her rugs, and "'Enough, threw the whole to a man Monsieur ! I the uniform of the railway, know what I have who was on the line near the to do.' carnage. " Stormily she " ' For that lady rearranged h e r- there,' I cried. self in her cor- " The man in the uniform ner, tugging pet- carried the articles in the tishly at her direction of the lady at the I THREW THE WHOLE TO A MAN. gloves. bookstall. At the same mo- "But, alas, ment the carriage door on the opposite poor little thing ! she had counted without bide—the side next the platform—was the cold—she no longer had her warm rugs opened, and my travelling companion, and wraps about her. At the end of ten grumbled at by a station porter, hurried minutes she began to shiver. It was in into the carriage, and the train started. vain that she tried to huddle herself up,

Horror ! I had mistaken the traveller. to draw her otter-skin mantle closer to

The lady at the bookstall was not the her form : she positively shivered with right one ; the same mantle, same hat, the cold.

" ' same figure—but not she ! It is per- Madame,' I said, 'I beg of you, on my A A ' : ' ' ' —

346 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

knees, to accept my rug. You will catch just punishment for my unpardonable cold—and it will be my fault—and I should stupidity.' never, to the end of my days, forgive " ' Say your over-hastiness for, as you ;

' myself ! have said, your motive was a good one. " ' I did not speak to you, Monsieur,' But how came you to mistake another lady she said, sharply. for me ? " I was nervous—excited. In the first '"Because she appeared to me charm-

place, she was charming ; in the next ing!' place, I was furiously annoyed with myself " She smiled. The ice was broken—the

for the stupid blunder I had made : in short, ice of conversation, is to say for, in that ; I found myself in one of those predicaments other respects, I was shivering with cold. that call for the taking of strong resolutions. " But how quickly I forgot the cold, the

" ' ' Madame,' I said, accept this rug, or I journey—everything ! She was delicious,

swear to you I will throw myself out on to exquisite, adorable ! She possessed a culti-

! the line vated mind, keen, gay, original ! She " And flinging the rug between her and loved travel, like myself. In literature, in music, in everything in fact, we had

the same tastes ! And then—only ima- gine ! —we found we had a heap of ac-

quaintances in common ; she was intimate with the Saint-Chamas, with the Savenois,

above all with the Montbazons ! Only to think that I had perhaps met her twenty times in their drawing-rooms without

having noticed her ! Good heavens ! where had my eyes been ? " She spoke simply, amiably, with the frankness I so much love. A slight, very slight, provincial accent, almost imperceptible, a chirp rather, giving to her pro- nunciation something of the sing-

ing of a bird. It was intoxicating ! " But though I would have given all the world not to appear cold great heavens, how cold I was ! "At Dijon (2.20) my right foot was half frozen. We telegraphed me, I opened the to Tonnerre for the articles left window and behind. seized the outer " At Macon (4.30) it was the handle of the turn of my left foot. We received |j door-lock. ! a message from Tonnerre, saying " Was I deter- that the luggage would arrive in mined? — be- Marseilles next day. tween ourselves, "At Lyon-Perranche (5.48) my YOU ARE MAD, MONSIEUR. for- not altogether, I left hand became insensible ; she got to demand her sleeping-carriage. think ; but it ap- peared that I had the air of being so, for "At Valence (8.3) my right hand followed she she instantly cried out the example of the left ; I learned that " ! ' You are mad, Monsieur, you are mad was a widow and childless.

' " ' nose became The rug—or I throw myself out ! "At Avignon (9.59) my " fancied she had never wholly loved She took the covering, and in a softened violet ; I

tone, said : her first husband. " " ' But you, Monsieur—you will catch At Marseilles (12.5 a.m.) I sneezed three your death of cold.' times violently ; she handed me back my

" ' ! : revoir ' Do not be uneasy on my account, rug, and said graciously Au

" ! Madame, I am not in the least chilly—and, ' Au revoir ' Oh, I was mad with even if I should feel cold, it will only be a delight. ! :

THE P. L. M. EXPRESS. 347

' " I spent the night at the Hotel de " ' Tonnerre—your parcels ? Noailles—an agitated night, filled with " 'I have them,' she replied in the same remembrance of her. The next morning, tone. when I awoke, I had the most shocking " We sat down to table. cold in the head imaginable. " ' What a cold in the head you have got,

" ! Could I, in such a state, present myself my dear fellow ' cried Rombaud, sympa-

' to my friends, the Rombauds ? There was thetically ; where the deuce did you pick

' it it it no help for ; was one of the accidents up—in the railway-carriage, perhaps ?

" ' of travel they must take me as I was, and ' Very possibly,' I said, but I don't ;

' to-morrow I would go and seek my cure in regret it ! che sun of Nice. " Nobody comprehended the sense of " Oh, my friend, what a surprise ! That this veiled reply ; but I felt the tender good fellow Rombaud had invited a few glance of my fellow-traveller reach me friends in my honour, and among them through the odorous steam of a superb

- was my charming fellow traveller ! my tureen of soup majestically posed upon charmer the table. " When I was presented to her, a smile " What more have I to tell you ? Next over lips I day I set off for fortnight I passed her ; bowed, and asked Nice ; a hence in a whisper am to be married." The Charge of the Light Brigade. By Private James Lamb, late 13TH Hussaks (One of the Six Hundred).

PRIVATE JAMES I.A.MB.

HE twenty-fifth of the present guns. The gallant captain stuck to his month is the anniversary of saddle, and his horse galloped shoulder to the Charge of the Light shoulder with us down the valley. The Brigade—an event never to next discharge from the Russian cannon be mentioned by Englishmen tore wide gaps through our ranks, and without a thrill of pride. many a trooper fell to rise no more. Owing We have thought that, at such a time, an to the dense smoke from the enemy's guns, account of the famous exploit, told in the I lost sight of Captain Nolan, and did not words of one who actually took part in it, afterwards see him alive. would be of interest to our readers. The We still kept on down the valley at a following is a description of the famous gallop, and a cross-fire from a Russian bat- charge, by Private James Lamb, who only tery on our right opened a deadly fusilade just missed winning the Victoria Cross on upon us with canister and grape, causing that eventful day. great havoc amongst our horses and men, and mowing them down in heaps. On October 25, 1854, I was a trooper I myself was struck down and rendered in the 13th Light Dragoons (now the insensible. When I recovered conscious- 13th Hussars), and was in the foremost ness, the smoke was so thick that I was squadron that led the attack on the Rus- not able to see where I was, nor had I the sian guns on that never-to-be-forgotten faintest idea what had become of the morning. I was riding close to Captain Brigade. When at last I made out my Nolan when he was mortally wounded by position, I found I was among numbers of one of the first shots from the enemy's dead and wounded comrades. The scene I THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. 349 shall never forget. Scores of troopers and they were a body of Cossacks coming down their horses were lying dead and dying all to cut off Our retreat ; but I quickly dis- around me, and many men severely wounded covered that I was mistaken, and that the and unable to extricate themselves from horsemen were two squadrons of French their dead horses. Luckily for me, my Dragoons charging down to silence a horse was shot through the head, and, masked Russian battery that was firing on falling forward, pitched me clear. My own our left flank, whose guns were covered by wound was not a very severe one, and I a regiment of Polish Lancers. This battery soon recovered sufficiently to endeavour to gave the gallant Frenchmen a warm recep- return to the British lines. tion by means of canister and grape, by Just as I made a start, I looked around which a number of saddles were emptied. and spied two companies of Russian Rifles But riding swiftly on, despite their losses, doubling out from the right rear of the they charged right up into, and cut their position where their guns were stationed, way through, the Polish regiment, and and, as they dropped on one knee to fire a wheeling round to their right flank, rode volley up the valley, I laid down close to off and made good their retreat. my dead horse, having its body between In the melee I saw a chance of capturing me and the firers. I was not a moment one of the stray horses of the French too soon, as I had scarcely sheltered myself dragoon regiment whose rider had been before the bullets came whizzing around killed, but before I could effect my purpose me, and literally riddled the dead body of the animal bolted, and I was obliged to get my horse and its saddle. After the volley along on foot.

' AFTER THE VOLLEY I VENTURED TO LOOK OVER MY DEAD HORSE.

I ventured to look over my dead horse, During the short time in which the thinking to see the enemy reloading to fire French Dragoons and Polish Lancers were again but, to I I managed to get some distance ; my surprise, saw them fighting, mustering together quickly, and running to up the valley towards our lines, and when the rear of their guns. On turning round near No. 3 Redoubt I saw two men sup- I saw a body of horsemen charging down porting a wounded officer of the 17th the valley on my right front, and thought Lancers. One of the men was a trooper 350 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. belonging to my own regiment, and the As we were moving painfully along I saw other was one of the 17th Lancers. The a trooper of another regiment, who had officer v/as faint and exhausted from loss of been severely wounded, and another blood, and was feebly asking for water. endeavouring to get him off the field, but Neither of the men who were helping him they were getting along very slowly. I had their water-bottles with them, and went to their assistance, leaving the two mine had been shot through in the cross- men with the wounded officer, whom they fire when the Russians first opened fire eventually succeeded in carrying safely from upon us at the commencement of our under fire. I afterwards heard that this deadly ride. I saw no chance of getting officer died the next morning, after having water other than by searching among the had one of his legs amputated. My com- dead bodies on the battlefield. I accord- rade and myself managed to get the ingly retraced my steps, and was soon for- wounded trooper safely into our lines. I tunate enough to find a calabash, half full then went in search of my regiment, and at of water, strapped to a dead trooper's saddle. last found what was left of it—only about I snatched up this calabash, and, as I made half remained. We went into action that my way back, pulled out the stopper and morning 112 strong and came out with only had a good drink, as I was frightfully 61. Of horses we lost 84, and had besides parched myself. I had to get along as several wounded, some of which eventually sharply as I could, for the enemy were recovered, while others had to be destroyed.

again on the move ; but I succeeded in As a matter of fact, out of the 112 horses of reaching the wounded officer without any my regiment which took part in the charge,

"i SUCCEEDED IN REACHING THE WOUNDED OFFICER

mishap, and gave him the water, which he only one, named Butcher (so called from gratefully acknowledged, and, turning to the number and severity of its wounds), was us, said, "Men, leave me here, and seek brought back to England. This horse was your own safety." But we would not presented to Her Majesty the Queen when leave him, and the other two troopers car- the 13th Hussars embarked for India in ried him off the field while I limped along 1874, and was kept at Hampton Court until by his side, ready to render any assistance its death about ten years ago. Our two I could, should the necessity arise. regimental doctors had their hr.nds full that THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. 351 day. They were very busy taking off a leg ing it. The colonels of the regiments of or an arm here, extracting bullets there, and the Light Brigade got one each to be pre- dressing the wounds, more or less severe, of sented to the most deserving man of each others. The roll of my regiment had been regiment. Some of the colonels made the called before I reached it, and I found I was remark that one man was as much entitled reported " killed," or " taken prisoner," but to it as another. Through going down

I fortunately was neither, and am alive at the valley in front of the enemy and bring- the present moment, with the glory of ing Captain Webb, of the 17th Lancers, a being one of the survivors of " The Charge drink of water, I was allowed to draw lots of the Six Hundred." for it with Corporal Malone, of my I must not forget to mention that the two regiment, who assisted Sergeant Berryman men who gallantly succoured the wounded to carry his officer off the field.* Malone officer and carried him safely off the field being the oldest soldier got first draw, and were, shortly after landing in England, drew the lucky straw. awarded the Victoria Cross as a reward for * A description of Sergeant Berryman's feat, re- their bravery and humanity. Such is the lated by himself, appeared in the March number of fortune of war, I myself just missed obtain- The Strand Magazine. —

THREE STORIES OF ARTIST LIFE. By "Rita," Author of " Sheba," " Gretchen," " 77*? Z«frfl? o' Cockpen," " Ztew*? Durden? &c.

INTRODUCTION. out right and left of the little harbour. It was a pretty sight to see them resting on " Brothers of the Brush." the pebbly beach, or rocking on the soft rise HE studios stood in a meadow and fall of the waves, or again standing out high above the quaint little to sea like a flock of dark-winged birds, fishing village of Trenewlyn. while the groups of women and children The meadow, which the pro- stood watching on the quay for a last look prietor had jestingly named or smile from some stalwart lover, or father, " Le Champ des Beaux Arts," or husband. They had their hours of peril, came suddenly upon one as a surprise on those bronzed and hearty toilers, for the mounting the stony, dusky street that led coast was rough and dangerous, and the up from the quay. The studios—three in risk of life and its many hardships but number—were a still greater surprise, so poorly compensated. But, for all that, they modern and out of place they looked in this were contented and cheerful folk, and ap- little old-world nook, where only fisher folk parently satisfied enough with their primi- had lived and worked since the village had tive life and surroundings. There was much existed. that was picturesque and quaint about the The streets were narrow and steep, and little hamlet, and wonderful beauty of bay rudely paved with rough stones from the and coast, where the wide blue sea rolled neighbouring quarry. The houses were bold and unbroken to the Lizard Point. piled in an incongruous fashion up the And the varying lights and shadows, the sloping hill, as if the builders had begun at quaint dusky houses, the steep streets, the the quay and gone on at intervals dropping groups of fishermen with their brown nets these primitive dwellings here and there drying in the sun, the occasional and un- just as the fancy took them. History stated common beauty of the women, which was that the little village had suffered severely curiously Spanish in type and colouring at the hands of the Spaniards in 1595, at all these were the delight and inspiration which time these ruthless invaders had of many an artist who had strayed thither partly destroyed the beautiful old church by chance, to stay often enough from which stood in the parish of Polwyn, about choice. a mile off. So, in course of time, it entered the mind The wide blue waters of the bay could of one Jasper Trenoweth, owner of the old be stormy and wild at times, and the manor house of Trenoweth, and accounted fleet of brown-sailed fishing boats were glad by the country folk as a somewhat eccentric enough of the shelter and anchorage formed individual, to buy the waste piece of meadow by the solid stone sea wall that stretched land that commanded so unrivalled a view, ;

TOLD IN THE STUDIOS. 353 and build thereon a set of studios for the ter contempt held up to scorn all that was benefit of such artists as cared for marine imitative and mediocre. subjects. The studios had been built and Five years had passed since the studios tenanted for some years, and the place itself had been tenanted—four since that strange had acquired considerable favour among rule had been framed and published by the " Brothers of the Brush." Jasper Tre- their owner that they would never be let noweth was a man of great culture and of to a woman artist. He was very strict on artistic tastes. He had travelled much, this point. He would give no reason, and read much, and, in an unobtrusive and suffer no questioning, but the rule, once almost unrecognised manner, done an im- made, had been rigidly adhered to. mense amount of good to members of a Various tenants had held the studios profession which he held in high reverence from time to time, some remaining but a and esteem. Indeed, he himself had worked few months, others for a year or more. and studied as an artist in his youth with One artist, however, a young Irishman, no inconsiderable success. But of late years, celebrated for his sea pieces, and a great and, strangely enough, since the first year favourite with Jasper Trenoweth, had held that the studios had been completed and his studio ever since they had been opened. opened, Jasper Trenoweth had never This young man knew more of the cyni- touched brush or pencil. He gave no cal and reserved owner than any of the reason, but then he was a man too reserved " art brotherhood " to whom his tall figure, and cold to give confidence easily. A few and grave stern face, and quiet merciless friends dear to him by association, or kindred criticisms were familiar. tastes, were all he ever asked to the lonely As far as it was in him to unbend to, or old mansion on the hill-side, where for care for anyone, Jasper had unbent to Denis nearly two centuries the Trenoweths had O'Hara : perhaps because the bright sunny been born, and dwelt, and died. He was nature and genial temperament were so the last of that race a living quite unlike his perhaps because he re- ; man own— alone, with no ties of family, and very few cognised in the youth of five-and-twenty friends. He made good and generous use those possibilities which had once allured of his wealth, but always in an unobtrusive himself, and knew that he, too, loved manner that few suspected. To artists in art more than fame, in an age when their days of strug- gling and despair he had ever been a friend, but he con- ferred benefits so delicately that it would have been a difficult matter to trace them back to his hand. A cold man, a cynical man, a man scant of praise, intolerant of feebleness, so said the art world ; but here and there some nature would recognise the deep tenderness and no- bility of this un- known benefactor would learn that no man held genius in greater rever- ence, or gave to it more ready help, even as his scath- ing words and bit- HE OPENED B H 3S4 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. men care all for fame and little for table, looking down with grave unsmiling art. eyes at the scattered suggestions before him. For five years the two had been con- Idly enough his hand turned over the stantly together, save for some months when various sheets. The three men resumed Jasper Trenoweth would be travelling in their chairs and pipes. They were used to Italy, or Switzerland, or Norway. It was his visits and his ways, and accepted them after returning from one of these tours that without remark. Denis O'Hara alone of one evening Jasper Trenoweth took his way the group watched the face that was bent down the hillside to the studios. over the sketches, watched it with that The general room where the artists sense of interest and speculation that it had usually sat and smoked and drank coffee in always aroused in his breast. It was usually the evenings, was bright with lamplight and so calm and impressive a face that he was firelight as he opened the door, and stood for startled to see it suddenly flush darkly, a moment on the threshold looking at the hotly to the very brow, as the hand so group round the fireplace. idly moving among the scattered sheets They sprang up at his advent to give him turned up one and seemed arrested by that a warm welcome. Brushes had been laid one. aside, easels forsaken. On the morrow the A quiver as of pain, or the memory of pictures destined for acceptance or rejection pain, disturbed the usually impassive fea- at the Royal Academy would be on view to tures. Jasper Trenoweth's eyes flashed keen the village folk, or gentry around. Hard and startled on the young and earnest face Avork was over for a time. It remained to so intently watching him. be seen what its results would produce. "Who — who did that?" he asked "Welcome, welcome. Just in time !" rang hoarsely. out cheerily as the Avell-known face looked back at them. " I suppose you've come to see what we've been doing," said Denis O'Hara, shaking him warmly by the hand. " You " couldn't have hit on a better time, only— he stopped and glanced round at his com- panions, a momentary chill and embarrass- ment on his bright face, and in his usually gay young voice. " " Only—what ? said Jasper Trenoweth, his deep tones sounding less stern than usual as he glanced round at the familiar scene. A small table stood by the fire-place. It was littered over with sketches, and it seemed to him that the eyes of these " Bro- thers of the Brush " had suddenly turned to that table, and its loosely scattered con- tents. Denis O'Hara seemed to constitute him- self spokesman. " Sit down," he said, "and I'll tell you in what schoolboy fashion we were going to amuse ourselves. You see those sketches, ... we found them in that cupboard yonder, and after some valuable and impartial criticism — which you've missed—we agreed to relate each a story of the origin or subject of one particular sketch, to be selected by vote." " A good idea and interesting, if you tell the truth," said Jasper Trenoweth. " You must not let my visit interfere with your proposed amusement." 'who did that?' He came forward and stood by the little —I

TOLD IN THE STUDIOS. 355

Denis O'Hara glanced at the sketch. "It woman's arm. I— I know the woman— is mine," he said, simply. made this sketch of her long years ago " For a moment the man who had asked but that question stood silent and still, gazing " I know what you would say," inter- down at the picture in his hand, his thoughts rupted Trenoweth. " Tell the story of that and memories centred in something it had woman as you know it. I will finish it." recalled. Something—a dream, a hope, a memory ? STORY THE FIRST.

Ah ! even men, the coldest and hardest "19 on the Line." of men, may have one such dream, one such hope, one such memory. " So it Denis O'Hara kept the sketch in his hand,, is yours, that sketch," said Jasper Tre- and glanced at it from time to time as he noweth. " But it is unfinished. Lend me spoke. your pencil, Denis you may have the credit "When I first came here," he said, "I ; of the sketch, but I think I alone could tell had the place all to myself. I came in one the story aright." of those fits of enthusiasm at which you " " And you will, you will ! cried Denis all laugh. I had determined to do a great O'Hara eagerly. " How often I've wanted work, and I found everything here I to know—how often I've wondered. Tre- wanted—light, views, climate, and models. noweth, don't think me intrusive or curious, Our friend Trenoweth introduced me to the but you know that old folly—the romance place, gave me inestimable hints, and (no of that first year we spent here if only I use shaking your head, Jasper you shall — ; " knew what had becomt of—her ! not always hide your light under a bushel) For a moment Jasper Trenoweth was in every way made me at home and com- silent. The others now roused and won- fortable. We were much together, for he dering were looking at him, and at Denis, was, or said he was, interested in my work r marvelling at the unwonted excitement of and approved of my subject. Sometimes the one, the disturbance of the other. Then I painted out of doors, favoured by the soft, they saw the pencil working rapidly over grey light and equable climate, for which the panel that Jasper Trenoweth held. No this place is famous. Sometimes I would one spoke. Swiftly with unerring certainty, work in the studio, and often, taking pity with that firmness and ease which bespoke on my loneliness, Trenoweth would drop certain knowledge and artistic skill, the in here in the evenings, and we would talk sketch grew and lived before their eyes, and —as he alone can make anyone talk. Denis O'Hara, breathless and wondering, Altogether it was very pleasant, and I am watched it as no one else watched it, for to not sure that I felt pleased when one even- him it meant what it could never mean to ing he strolled down here to show me a anyone else, or so, in youth's blind egotism, letter he had received from one of our he imagined. fraternity asking to hire a studio for three Then with a deep-drawn breath, almost months in order to complete a picture. a sigh, Jasper Trenoweth handed him the " The handwriting was bold and clear ; sketch, and took the vacant chair placed for the signature at the end of the simple, himself. concise words only 'M. Delaporte.' We The face of the young artist grew pale as discoursed and speculated about M. Dela- he looked at the little picture. porte. We wondered if he was old or

It was so simple, so unpretentious, and young, agreeable or the reverse ; if he yet it might hold so tragic a meaning. would be a bore, or a nuisance — in fact, we He looked questioningly at his friend. talked a great deal about him during the "I—I cannot understand," he said hesi- week that intervened between his letter and tatingly. " I could not tell the story from his arrival. Trenoweth saw to the arrange- this now." ments of the studio. It was No. II. he had A faint smile quivered on those pale set agreed to let, and gave directions as to lips of Jasper Trenoweth. " No ? " he said. trains, &c, and then left me to welcome " But the sketch it." Avho was to arrive the was yours ; describe the new comer by " A— a large room, one it seems of many evening train. I had been out all day, and rooms. Pictures cover the wall. Before when I came home tired, cold, and hungry, one picture a group of figures standing. I saw lights in No. II., and thought to myself, r Behind the group a man, his frame bent, ' My fellow artist has arrived, then. almost crippled it seems, leaning on a Thinking it would be only civil to give him — !

356 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. welcome, I Walked up to the door and would not let me see it then. I forgot

' ' knocked. A voice called out, Come in ! fatigue, hunger, everything. I thought I and, turning the handle, I found myself in had never met a woman with so perfect a the presence of—a woman ! For a moment charm of manner. The ease and grace and I was too surprised to speak. She was dignity of perfect breeding, yet withal a mounted on a short step-ladder, arranging frank and gracious cordiality that was as some velvet dra- winning as it was peries, and at resistless. But my entrance she there—what use turned and, with to say all this the rich-hued Only when I once stuffs forming a begin to talk of background for Musette Dela- the pose of the porte I feel I most beautiful could go on for figure woman ever. could boast of, "That was a faced me with as memorable even- much ease and ing. When the composure as studio was ar- well, as I lacked. ranged to her '"Mr. Tre- satisfaction, she ? noweth ' she made me some asked inquir- tea with a little ingly. spirit - lamp ar- "Her voice rangement she was one of those had, and then we low, rich, con- locked up the tralto voices, so room, and I took rare and so beau- her through the tiful." little village to His own voice try and find trembled ; he lodgings. Of glanced again at course, Jasper the sketch in his and I having de- hand. "But then cided that M. everything about Delaporte was a her was beautiful SHE WAS ARRANGING SOME VELVET DRAPERIES man, had ex- and perfect. That pected him to says enough. 'I'm not Mr. Trenoweth,' I rough it like the rest of us. I could not let said, ' I'm only an artist living in the next her stay in Trenewlyn itself, but took her studio. I—I came here to see if Mr. Dela- up the hill-side to a farmhouse, where I felt porte had arrived I for certain they would accommodate her. She ; beg your pardon intruding.' was in raptures with the place, and I agreed " ' Do not apologise,' she said frankly. with her that it was a paradise, as indeed

' This studio is let to me, and you are very it seemed to me on that August night. I welcome.' remember the moon shining over the bay,

" ' ? To you ' I said somewhat foolishly. the fleet of boats standing out to sea, the ' I thought you were a man.' lights from the town and villages scattered

" She laughed. ' I have not that privi- along the coast, or amidst the sloping hills.

' lege,' she said. But I am an artist, and I did not wonder she was charmed ; we all art takes no count of sex. I hope we shall have felt that charm here, and it doesn't

be friends as well as neighbours.' lessen with time ; we all have acknowledged " I echoed that wish heartily enough. that also. . . . But 1 must hurry on. Who would not in my place, and with so When Trenoweth heard of the new artist's charming a companion ? There and then sex he was rather put out. I could not see I set to work to help her arrange her studio why myself, and I agreed that the mistake and fix her easel. The picture seemed very was our own. M might stand for Mary, large, to judge from the canvas, but she or Magdalen, or Marietta, just as well as TOLD IN THE STUDIOS, 357 for Maurice, or Malcolm, or Mortimer. studio has never looked the same since she ." However, when he came down and saw left. . . M. Delaporte here, I heard no more about He paused, and laid down the sketch. the disadvantages of sex. She was essen- The usual gaiety and brightness of his face tially a woman for companionship, cultured, was subdued and shadowed. brilliant, artist to her finger-tips, yet with " I—well, it's no good to dwell on it all all her beauty and fascination, holding a cer- now," he said abruptly. " Of course I fell tain proud reserve between herself and our- madly in love with her. Who could help it ? selves, marking a line we dared not overstep. I bet any of you fellows here would have At the end of a month we knew little more done the same. I neglected work. I could about her than we did on that first evening. only moon and dream and follow her about, I that she was a widow but no she let me, I bound to say opined ; when which am hint, however skilful, no trap, however was not very often. I'm sure I used to baited, could force her into confidence or bore Trenoweth considerably at that time, self-betrayal. We called her Mrs. Dela- though he was very patient. And she was porte. Her name was Musette, she told me. just the same always : calm, friendly,

Her mother had been a Frenchwoman ; of gracious, absorbed in her work, and to all her father she never spoke. She worked appearances unconscious of what mischief very hard, often putting me to shame, but her presence had wrought. As the third still she would not let me see the picture, month drew near to its end I grew desperate. always skilfully turning the easel so that I thought she avoided me, she never let the canvas was hidden whenever Jasper or me into the studio now, and I must confess myself entered the studio. We were never I had a great curiosity to see the picture. permitted to do so in working hours, but But she laughingly evaded all my hints, and when the daylight faded, and the well- would only receive me at the farmhouse. known little tea-table was set out, we often I believe Trenoweth was equally unsuccess- dropped in for a cup of tea and a chat. It ful. At last I could stand it no longer. I was all so pleasant, so homelike. The spoke out and told her the whole truth. Of

1 studio, with its draperies and its bowls course, ' and he laughed somewhat bitterly, of flowers, its plants, and books, and " it was no use. If she had been my feminine trifles . . . I—I wonder how it mother or my sister she could not have is some women seem to lend indi- been more serenely gracious, more pitiful, viduality to their surroundings. . . . The or more surprised. I—I had made a fool of myself as we men call it, and all to no pur- pose. It was maddening, but I knew it was hopeless. I had almost known it before my des- perate confes- sion. I couldn't bear to see her again. I felt I hated the place, it was so full of memories. So, suddenly, with- out a word to Trenoweth or herself, I packed up my traps and started off on a sketching tour through Corn- wall. When I A CUP OF TEA AND A CHAT, came back, the — '

358 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. studio was closed, and Trenoweth had through that phase of experience which gone away. The man left in charge she was undergoing. ... It is scarcely and who made the arrangements for possible to avoid it, if, indeed, one has any letting them, told me that a new rule appreciation for, or love of, art in one's had been made by their landlord. They nature. were never to be let to women artists. " At last, one day I walked down to the

That is all my part of the story. This studio. I knocked at the door. . . . There this sketch is only the figure I remember. was no answer. I turned the handle, and She was standing once just like that, look- entered. In the full light of the sunset, as ing at the wall of the studio, as if to her it it streamed through the window, stood the was peopled with life, and form and colour. easel, covered no longer, and facing me, as ' I—I was fancying myself at the Academy,' I paused on the threshold, was the picture. she said to me, as I asked her at what she I stood there too amazed to speak or move. was gazing, ' at the Academy, and my ... It was magnificent. If I had not picture on the line.' I do not know if she known that only a woman's hand had con- ever attained her ambition," he added. verted that canvas into a living breathing " I have never seen or heard of her since." history, I could not have believed it. There He glanced at Jasper Trenoweth, who was nothing crude or weak or feminine silently held out his hand for the sketch. about it. The power and force of genius For a moment silence reigned through- spoke out like a living voice, and seemed to out the room. The eyes of all were on the demand the homage it so grandly challenged. bent head and sad, grave face of the man Suddenly I became aware of a sound in the who sat there before them, his thoughts stillness—the low, stifled sobbing of a apparently far away, so far that he seemed woman. ... I saw her then, thrown face to have forgotten his promise to finish the downwards on the couch at the farthest end story which Denis O'Hara had begun. of the room, her face buried in the At last he roused himself. " There is not cushions, her whole frame trembling and much more to add," he said slowly. " All convulsed with a passion of grief. ' Oh,

! that Denis has said of Musette Delaporte is Maurice ' she sobbed, and then again only

— ! true, and more than true. She was one of that name ' Maurice ! Maurice ! Maurice those women who are bound to leave their "I closed the door softly, and went mark on a man's life and memory. After away. There seemed to me something

Denis left so abruptly I saw very little of sacred in this grief. . . . I—I could not her. She seemed restless, troubled, and intrude on it. She was so near to Fame. disturbed. Her mind was absorbed in the She held so great a gift . . . and yet she completion of her picture. That unrest lay weeping her heart out yonder, like the and dissatisfaction weakest and most foolish which is ever the of her sex, for—well, what penalty of enthu- L„£te could I think, but that siasm, had now it was for some man's ." taken the place of sake? . . previous hopeful- He paused, his ,, ness. ' If it should fail,' she said to me. 'Oh, you don't know what that would mean. You don't know what T have staked on it.' " Still she never offered to show it to me, and I would not presume to ask. I kept away for several days, think- ing she was best undisturbed. All artists have gone OH. MAURICE ! —

TOLD IN THE STUDIOS. 359 voice seemed a little less steady, a little less liar. Her face was veiled and some- cold. what averted, but I knew well enough " On the morrow," he said abruptly, " she that pose of the beautiful head, that coil was gone, leaving a note of farewell, and of gold brown hair, just lifted from the and thanks for me. I felt a momentary white neck. She—she did not see me as disappointment. I should like to have said for a moment I lingered there. Then I farewell to her, and it was strange, too, noticed she was not alone. Leaning on her how much I missed her and Denis. The arm was a man, his face pale and worn, as loneliness and quiet of my life grew more if by long suffering, his frame bent and than lonely as the days went on, and I at last crippled. As his eyes caught the picture I made up my mind to go to London. Whether saw the sudden light and wonder that by chance or purpose I found myself there leaped into his face. I saw, too, the glory on the day the Academy opened. All who are of love and tenderness in hers. I drew

' artists know what that day means for them. nearer, the man was speaking : How could I—well, I was artist enough to feel the you do it/ he said, 'how could you?' interest of art triumphs, and the sorrow of ' Oh, Maurice, forgive me/ said that low, its failures. I went where half London was remembered voice. ' Dearest, are we not thronging, and mingled with the crowd, one in heart and soul and name ? I only artistic, critical, and curious, who were finished what you had so well begun. You gathered in the Academy galleries. I were so ill and helpless, and when you went passed into the first room. I noticed how into the hospital, oh, the days were so long the crowds surged and pushed and thronged and so empty. I meant to tell you, but around one picture there, and I heard when it was finished I had not the courage, murmurs of praise and wonder from scores so I just sent it, signed, as usual, M. Dela- of lips as I, too, tried to get sight of what porte. I—I never dared to hope it would be seemed to them so marvellous and attrac- accepted. After all, what did I do ? The tive. At last a break in the throng favoured plan, the thought, the detail all were yours, me. I looked only my poor over the heads of ,'• weak hand „_ some dozen i worked when

people in front 1 yours was help- J||i,! ||j of the picture, N I less.'

; the ..-. ;•- . ::: I was so close and I saw— .. _ r,...

::.-.. picture I i :..::..:.= I heard every had . Mp gazed at in such word, so close wonder and de- that I saw him light in the bend and kiss studio of Musette with reverence

Delaporte ! De- the hand that servedly hon- she had called oured, it hung poor and weak, there on the line, so close that I and already its heard the low praises were . breathed mur- sounding, and mur from his |

' the severest critics 1 lips, God bless as well as the and reward most eager en- you, my noble "' thusiasts were wife ! giving it fame. "I turned away " And she was at last. • My steps married all the " were, however, time ! said Denis arrested on the plaintively. "She outskirts of the might have told " crowd by sight of us ! a woman whose Jasper Tre- figure seemed noweth was strangely fami- " LEAPING ON HER ARM WAS A MAN—BENT AND CRIPPLED. silent, !

Notes on Jonathans Daughters.

By Max O'Rell.

./ N an article on I have often tried to explain to myself | "The Typical this gentle contempt of American ladies for American," which for, it fj the male sex ; contrasting with the appeared in The devotion, the lovely devotion of Jonathan North American to his womankind, it is a curious enigma. Review (May, Have I found the solution at last ? Does 1890), I ventuied to it begin at school ? In American schools, hazard the opinion boys and girls, from the age of five, follow that the typical the same path to learning, and side by side American does not on the same benches. Moreover, the girls

exist, as yet : that prove themselves thoroughly capable of the American gentle- keeping pace with the boys. Is it not man differs not at all from possible that the girls, as they watched the a gentleman of any other performances of the boys in the study, have " " country, and that no citizen of learnt to say : Is that all ? while the the Great Republic can be pointed young lords of creation, as they looked on out as typical, although in the at what " those girls" can do, have been " ordinary American are to be found fain to exclaim : Who would have thought two traits which are very charac- it ? " And does not this explain the two teristic of him, and of other dwellers in new attitudes : the great respect of men for countries, viz., childishness and inquisi- women, and the mild contempt of women tiveness. for men ? But, although I failed to find a typical American man, I am very strongly of When I was in New York, and had time opinion that the American lady is typical. to saunter about, I would go up Broadway, Good society is apt to mould all who fre- and wait until a car, well crammed with quent it into one pretty even shape, and it people, came along. Then I would jump is all the more astonishing, therefore, to find on board, and stand near the door. When- the American lady with such a separate ever a man wanted to get out, he would individuality. say to me, " Please," or " Excuse Of the ordinary American woman I am me," or just touch me lightly to warn not in a position to speak. In my wander- me that I stood in his way. But the ings through the United States I made ladies ! Oh, the ladies ! Why, it was acquaintance Avith all sorts and conditions simply lovely. They would just push me of but, coming to the petticoated por- away with the tips of their fingers, and men ; tion of the community, I had practically no turn up such disgusted and haughty noses opportunity of studying any but ladies. You would have imagined it was a heap of The American lady, in my eyes, is a dis- dirty rubbish in their way. her charm is the tinct type ; distinct from charm of any European lady, and is cer- Just as one of the hardest ways of earn- tainly equal in extent to any. Two traits ing a living is to be a middle-class English struck me very forcibly in her, and to the wife, so one of the loveliest sinecures in the first of these I think she owes a great part world is to be an American lady. A small, of her success. They are, naturalness, or sometimes no, family to bring up ; very utter absence of affectation, and—shall I say often no house to keep ; three months' ? it — a lurking contempt for man. Not a holiday in Europe ; a devoted, hardworking militant contempt, not a loud contempt, husband ever ready to pet her, worship her, an but a quiet, queenly, benevolent contempt. and supply the wherewith ; education I talk about her owing her success to the that enables her to enjoy all the intellectual

first of these hut who shall say whether pleasures of life ; a charming naturalness ; her progress has not of manner a freedom from conventionality triumphant been ; ;

greatly due to the second ? a bold picturesqueness of speech ; a native NOTES ON JONATHAN'S DAUGHTERS. 361

brilliancy ; all combine to make her a who, turning towards me, asked me point distinct type, and the queen of her sex. blank if I had read M. Ernest Renan's last

:|; if. ie ^ book, " The History of the People of Israel"." When a Frenchman and a Frenchwoman Well, I had not. I had to confess that I converse together, they can seldom forget had not yet had time to read it. But she that one is a man and the other a woman. It had, and she gave me, without the remotest does not prove that a Frenchwoman must touch of affectation or pedantry, a most necessarily be, and is, affected in her rela- interesting, detailed, and learned analysis tions with but it explains why she of that remarkable book, men ; almost in one does not feel, as the American woman does, breath with the description of the Paris that a man and a woman can enjoy a bonnet. I related this incident in "Jona- tete-a-tete free from all those commonplace than and his Continent." On reading it, flatteries, compliments, and platitudes that some of my countrymen, critics and others, badly understood gallantry suggests. Many exclaimed : "We imagine the fair American American ladies girl wore a pair of have made me for- gold spectacles." get, by the easiness " No, my dear of their manner, compatriots, no- and the charm and thing of the sort. naturalness of their No gold spectacles, conversation, that no guy. It was I was speaking with a beautiful girl, women, and with dressed with the lovely ones too. most exquisite taste This I could never and care, and most have forgotten in charming and the company of womanly." French ladies. An American On account of woman, however this feeling, and learned she may perhaps also of the be, is a sound poli- difference which tician, and she exists between the knows that the best education received thing she can make by a man and that of herself is a received by a woman, and she woman in France, remains a woman. the conversation She will always will always be on make herself as some light topics, attractive as she literary, artistic, possibly can, not to

dramatic, social, or please men , to please other. Indeed, it herself. If in a

would be most un- ' THEY WOULD JUST PUSH ME AWAY." French drawing- becoming for a man room I were to re- to start a very serious subject of conversa- mark to a lady how clever some woman tion with a French lady to whom he had in the room looked, she would probably just been introduced. He would be taken closely examine that woman's dress to find for a pedant or a man of bad breeding. out what I thought was wrong about it. In America, men and women receive It would probably be the same in England, practically the same education, and this of but not in America. course enlarges the circle of conversational A Frenchwoman will seldom be jealous topics between the sexes. I shall always of another woman's cleverness. She will remember a beautiful American girl, not far more readily forgive her this quality " more than twenty years of age, to whom I than beauty. Oh ! how I should like to " was once introduced in a New York draw- be a man ! once exclaimed a French lady ing-room, as she was giving to a lady sitting in my presence. An American lady would " next to her a most minute description of probably have said to her : My dear, you " the latest bonnet invented in Paris, and are ever so much better as you are ! ;

362 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Of all the ladies I have met, I have no Now, I felt for Mrs. X., who was just hesitation in declaring that the American going to receive a crowd of callers, with a ones are the least affected. With them, I little rent in one of her bodice seams, and repeat it, I feel at ease as I do with no other tried to persuade myself to be brave, and women in the world. tell her of it. Yet I hesitated. People With whom but an Americaine would take things so differently. The conversation

the following little scene have been possible ? went on unflaggingly. More than once I It was on a Friday afternoon in Boston, had started a little cough, and was on the the reception-day of Mrs. X., an old friend point of—but my courage failed. The clock of my wife and myself. I thought I would struck half-past four. I could not stand it call upon her early in the afternoon, before any longer. the crowd of visitors had begun to arrive. " Mrs. X.," said I, all in a breath, " you

I went to her house at half-past three. are married, and love your husband ; I am

Mrs. X. received me in the drawing-room, married, and love my wife ; we are both and we soon were artists there is ; talking on the a little bit of one hundred and seam come un- one topics that sewn just there old friends have by your left arm, on their tongue run and get it " tips. Presently sewn up ! the conversation The peals of fell on love and laughter that I lovers. Mrs. X. heard going on drew her chair upstairs while the up a little nearer damage was being to the fire, put repaired, proved the toes of her to me that there little slippers on was no resent- the fender-stool, ment to be feared and with a charm- but, on the con- ingly confiden- trary, that I had tial, but perfectly earned the grati- natural, manner, tude of Mrs. X. said : — " You are mar- Inquisitiveness, ried, and love I have said, is your wife ; I am a characteristic married, and love feature of Ameri- can but I men ; my husband ; we are both artists, imagine that this let's have our say feature is also to out." be found in the And we pro- daughters of the ceeded to have Great Republic. our say out. inquisitiveness.' During my

But, lo ! all at second visit to once I noticed about half an inch of the the States, it amused me to notice that the seam of her black silk bodice was unsewn. Americans to whom I had the pleasure of We men, when we see a lady with some- being introduced, refrained from asking me thing awry in her toilette, how often do what I thought of America, but they in- " we long to say to her : Excuse me, variably inquired if the impressions of my Madam, but perhaps you don't know that first visit were confirmed. you have a hairpin sticking out two inches One afternoon, at an " At Home " in u just behind your ear," or, Pardon me, Boston, I met a lady from New York who Miss, I'm a married man, there is something asked me a most extraordinary question. wrong just under your waist belt." " I have read ' Jonathan and his Con- But we dare not say so. We are afraid tinent,' " she said to me. " I suppose that we shall be told to mind our own business. is a book of impressions written for pub- NOTES ON JONATHAN'S DAUGHTERS. 363 lication. But now, tell me en confidence, criticise unless I feel a certain amount of " what do you think of us ? sympathy with the subject of my criticism. "Is there anything in that book," I re- If I felt that I must honestly say hard plied, " which can make you suppose that things of people, I would always abstain it is not the faithful expression of what I altogether." " think of America and the Americans ? " Now," said my fair questioner, " how is " Well," she said, " it is so complimen- it that you have so little to say about our tary, taken altogether, that I must confess Fifth Avenue folks ? Is it because you I had a lurking suspicion of your having have seen very little of them, or is it be- purposely flattered us, and indulged our cause you could only have said hard things " national weakness for hearing ourselves of them ? praised, so as to make sure of a warm " On the contrary," I replied, " I saw a reception for your book." good deal of them, but what I saw showed " No doubt," I ventured, " by writing a me that to describe them would be only to flattering book on any country, you would describe polite society, as it exists in London greatly increase your chance of a large sale and elsewhere. Society gossip is not in my in country but, on the other hand, line, boudoir and club smoking-room scandal that ; you may write an abusive book on any has no charm for me. Fifth Avenue re- country, and score a great success among sembles too much Mayfair and Belgravia to that nation's neighbours. For my part, I make criticism of it worth attempting." have always gone my own quiet way, I knew this answer would have the effect philosophising rather than opiniating, and of putting me into the lady's good graces at when I write, it is not with the aim of once, and I was not disappointed. She ac- pleasing any particular public. I note down corded to me her sweetest smile, as I bowed what I see, say what I think, and people to her, to go and be introduced to another may read me or not, just as they please. lady by the mistress of the house. But I think I may boast, however, that my The next lady was a Bostonian. I had pen is never bitter, and I do not care to to explain to her why I had not spoken of

" MR BLANK' WAS ALSO VERY MUCH ALIVE 364 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Beacon Street people, using the same argu- European society during every recurring ment as in the case of Fifth Avenue society, season. and with the same success. American women have such love for sjc ;[: :!' ;|* independence and freedom that their visits

At the same '•' At Home," I had the to Europe could not arouse suspicion, even pleasure of meeting Mrs. Blank, whom in the most malicious. But, nevertheless, I had met many times in London and I was glad to have heard of Mr. Blank, be- Paris. cause it is comfortable to have one's mind She is one of the crowd of pretty and at rest on these subjects. Up to now, clever women whom America sends to whenever I had been asked, as sometimes " brighten up European society, and who re- happened, though seldom : Who is Mr. appear both in London and Paris with the Blank, and where is he ? '' I had always " " regularity of the swallows. You meet them answered : Last puzzle out !

" MONSIEUR AND .MADAME. everywhere, and conclude that they must The freedom enjoyed by American women be married, since they are styled Mrs., and has enabled them to mould themselves in not Miss. But whether they are wives, their own fashion. They do not copy any widows, or divorcees, you rarely think of other women, they are original. I can inquiring, and you may enjoy their acquain- recognise an American woman without tance, and even their friendship, for years, hearing her speak. You have only to see without knowing whether they have a her enter a room or a car, and you know living lord or not. her for Jonathan's daughter. Married or Mrs. Blank, as I say, is a most fascina- unmarried, her air is full of assurance, of ting specimen of America's daughters, and a self-possession that never fails her. And that day in Boston I found that Mr. Blank when she looks at you, or talks to you, her was also very much alive, but the com- eyes express the same calm consciousness of panions of his joys and sorrows were the her worth. telephone and it is the ticker ; in fact, Would you have a fair illustration of the thanks to his devotion to these that respective positions of women in France, in the wife of his bosom is able to adorn England, and in America ? NOTES ON JONATHAN'S DAUGHTERS. 36;

Go to a hotel, and watch the arrival of to himself. So he enters, with his hands in couples in the dining-rooms. his pock'ets, looking askance at everybody Now, don't go to the Louvre, the Grand right and left. Then, meek and demure, Hotel, or the Bristol, in Paris. Don't go with her eyes cast down, follows Mrs. John to Claridge's, the Savoy, the Victoria, or Bull. the Metropole, in London. Don't go to But in America ! Oh, in America, be- Delmonico's in New York, or the Thorn- hold, the dignified, nay, the majestic entry dyke in Boston, because in all these hotels, of Mrs. Jonathan, a perfect queen going to- you will probably run the risk of seeing all wards her throne, bestowing a glance on her behave alike. Go elsewhere, and, I say, subjects right and left—and Jonathan watch. behind ! In France, you will see Monsieur and Madame arrive together, walk abreast They say in France that Paris is the towards the table assigned to them, very paradise of women. If so, there is a more is often arm in arm, talking and smiling at blissful place than paradise ; there another each other—though married. Equal foot- word to invent to give an idea of the social ing. position enjoyed by American ladies. In England, you will see John Bull If I had to be born again, and I might leading the way. He does not like to be choose my sex and my birthplace, I would seen eating in public, and thinks it very hard shout at the top of my voice : " " that he should not have the dining-room all Oh ! make me an American woman ! Portraits of Celebrities at different times of their Lives.

! ...':•,. v :

|!' i ; -x y:,|!;i;

IPhotograph. From a Photo, fc//] age 30. [Le Jeune., Parit. From a] AGE 37.

THE EX-EMPRESS her great beauty and EUGENIE. intellectual gifts won the heart of Napoleon Born 1826. III. The marriage UGENIE, was celebrated with Ex-Era- great magnificence on press of the January 29, 1853, at French, Notre Dame. In was born in Granada 1856, the year in

May 5, 1826. Her which our first por- father was an officer trait represented her, in the Spanish army at the height of her ; her mother, Dona remarkable beauty, Maria Kirkpatrick, the Prince Imperial was descended from a was born, who, in Scotch family who our second portrait, had fled to Spain after is shown at the age of the fall of the Stuarts. seven at his mother's

Eugenie's childhood knee. On June 1, spent at was Madrid t 1879, occurred the but she was afterwards great sorrow of her sent to school in Eng- life, when the Prince land, and resided with Imperial was killed by her mother for some the savages in South time in London. Africa. Her Majesty When she was twenty- now lives in retire- five she paid a long ment at her mansion

visit to Paris, where From a Photo. PRESENT DAY [W. <£ D. Downey. at Farnborough. PORTRAITS OF CELEBRITIES. 367

From a Photo, by] [F. S. Window From a Photo, by] AGE 39 [ Window <£ Grove.

.'"'

*m»:

r

' / ;%a

,

,. . f/A '''^Wft

From a Photo, by] age 42. [Sarony. From a Photo, by} present day. [Elliott db Fry.

sary to in this place into any par- W. S. GILBERT. enter ticulars of his career. The first of our Born 1836. portraits shows Mr. Gilbert as a lawyer, FULL account of Mr. Gilbert's the second in the uniform of a captain of life appears in the present num- the Royal Aberdeenshire Highlanders, the ber, recounted for the most part third as the author of several successful by himself—a fact which lends plays, and the last as the most original additional interest to this series and popular writer of comic operas now of portraits, but which renders it unneces- living. ; -

36* THE STRAND MAGAZINE. r—

AGE 58. AGE OQ.6a. From a I'hoto. by Samuel A. Walker, 230, Regent-street, From a Photo, by Samuel A. Walker, 230, Regent-street

DR. SAMUEL In 1845 he became SMILES. secretary of the Leeds and Thirsk Railway, 1812. Born which, ten years later, AMU E L he left for the South SMILES, Eastern Railway. All born at this time he was put- Haddington, ting forth his popular Scotland, books, and at the date was educated as a of our second portrait surgeon, but abandoned had just written per- the profession at about haps the most popular the date of our first of them all, "Self- portrait to become Help." Few men have editor of The Leeds had the privilege of Times. He had already addressing a wider Avritten his first book, audience than has Dr.

'' Physical Education." From a Photo, by] AGS 78. [Le Lieure, Rome, Smiles. PORTRAITS OF CELEBRITIES. 369

wrote and published much verse—nearly all of it anonymously. But he became satisfied in his own mind that he had no genuine gift of poetry, and he resolutely gave up any attempts at verse. Born and brought up in a seaport town, he was in his early days passionately fond of yachting, rowing, and

From a] [Silhouette.

justin McCarthy, m.p. Born 1830. R. JUSTIN MCCARTHY, accord- ing to the account with which he has been good enough to favour us, learned very little at

school, except the classics and From a Photo- by] AGE 35. [ W.atkins.

French : German and Italian he studied afterwards. He was extremely fond of swimming — but afterwards he had no Latin and Greek, and when quite a small leisure to cultivate such pursuits. He en- boy used to read even the most difficult tered a lawyer's office immediately after Latin and Greek authors quite fluently. leaving school, and studied law there for He read all the classics he could get hold of about a year. Family affairs compelled when school hours him to give up the were over. He never idea, and he took to had the slightest pre- newspaper work in- I tension to scholarship, stead. He became and only acquired attached to The Cork what may be called a Examiner when he literary knowledge of was hardly more than the languages, enough fifteen years old, and to enable him to read has been connected the books he loved. with journalism ever Even still, though he since. He always has lost his boyish says that the one familiarity with the great success of his languages, he has kept life has been that he up his acquaintance has known so many with the great authors famous, and gifted, of Greece and Rome. and interesting men He never had any and women. He is, taste for science, ex- and ever has been, a cept for astronomy, devoted Irish Nation- and even that he did alist, and is well known not cultivate to any outside the world of practical extent. At politics as a novelist, one time he fancied and by his " History himself a poet, and From a Photo, by] PRESENT DAY. [Barraud. of Our Own Times." c c 370 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

„..•••..••• ...... X.W/Htt'Ktr

From Photo. I>i] [Alex. a a(;e 19. mnBaetano

..,'

From a Photo, by] AGE 26. [London Stereoscopic Co. From a Photo.] present day. [by Watery.

CHARLES WARNER. Middlewick. There was, however, a hid- den power in Mr. Warner which few sus- |R. CHARLES WARNER, who pected, and it was not till he played Cou- " rj was originally intended for an peau in Charles Reade's Drink," that this architect, made his first appear- power had the opportunity of revealing I) ance in London when he was itself. His performance of this character eighteen years of age, as Romeo at the stands now, in the recognition of critic and Princess's Theatre. Those who afterwards playgoer alike, as one of the notable per- saw him play Charley Burridge in Byron's formances of the age. Mr. Warner's repu- drama, " Daisy Farm," could not fail to re- tation and position caused tempting offers cognise his rare histrionic gifts. When the to be made to him from Australia, and in famous "Our Boys " was produced, he con- our Britain across the seas he gained fame tributed in a large measure to its pheno- and fortune. He has this year been playing menal success by his creation of Charles at Drury Lane Theatre with marked success. PORTRAITS OF CELEBRITIES. 37i

[Elliott Photo, Jr'rom a Photo. AGE 38

T is a little incident of ocean to live on such provisions as were served life now a good many years up at the captain's table, but the spirits myself lay old ; but human nature was and wine I might need I must the same then as it is now in. ; and, indeed, the older I grow Next day I went aboard the Biddy the more I find human nature McDongal to inspect her cabin accommo- the same now as it was then. dation. On climbing over the gangway I Business had carried me to the East was received by a tall, rather good-looking Indies. I had visited Madras, whence I man, with a face remarkable for its expres- had proceeded to Calcutta, and from Cal- sion of sternness. His skin was blackened cutta I had made my way to Rangoon. I by exposure to the sun and weather, and stayed in that place a month, by which another shade of dye would have qualified time my health had suffered so greatly him to pass for a native. He frowned as he from the climate that I made up my mind surveyed me, and inquired my business on to return to Europe in a sailing ship, that board. I might spend many long weeks among the " I am going to England in this ship," fresh breezes of the sea, and get all the said I, " and I have come to see what sort benefit I could out of the incessant changes of a cabin I am to sleep in." of climate which a voyage down the Indian " Oh, I beg pardon," he exclaimed, but Ocean, and round the Cape of Good Hope, without relaxing his stern expression. " I and up the two Atlantics provides you thought ," he broke off and muttered with. behind his teeth. " There was a full-rigged ship lying at " Who are you ? " said I, " the mate ? Rangoon, called the Biddy McDongal. I " No, sir, I am the captain." heard that she was " Oh, indeed," I exclaimed " ; to sail at much about " pray, what name ? a date that would " Mr. Wilson," he answered. suit my conveni- " It is a fashion among mer- ence, and as she chant seamen who obtain com- looked a comfort- mand to style themselves cap- able, stout ship, I tain. It is a piece of imper- inquired the name tinence. The only captains at of the agent, called sea are in the Royal Navy. A upon him, and asked merchant skipper is a master if I could get a passage to England by the vessel. He " " answered Yes ; she was bound to

London ; she was not a passenger ship, but the captain would no doubt be glad to accommo- date me with a cabin. The charge would be so much —I forget the figure, but I recollect that it was moderate, something short of forty pounds. For this I was money I WAS RECEIVED BY A TALL, KATHEK GOOD-LOOKING MAN. THREE IN CHARGE. 373 mariner. All merchant captains are misters. abaft. My cabin was forward, on the star- I am plain Mr. Wilson, at your service, board side. sir." Mr. Wilson and I went on deck, and we He spoke with considerable I stood conversing awhile under the shelter heat ; but was willing to attribute his temper to the of an awning. I asked the number of weather, which was certainly very trying. the crew, the time the ship had occupied And then, again, his men might have giv 3n in making the outward passage, and so on, him trouble, for numerous and deep are and then went ashore, understanding that the worries and anxieties of the British the vessel would not sail for another shipmaster. Much is expected of him, and week. little is given. His crew are slender and Three days later I paid a second visit to

ignorant ; they charge upon him every the ship, for by this time I had purchased outrage that is perpetrated by the owner, what I needed, and I wished to see where and often would they be glad to cut his the cases and parcels had been stowed. On throat before the land is out of sight he stepping on board I beheld an immensely ; has no professional prospects, and when at stout, red-faced man with a wide straw hat last he runs his ship ashore, or loses her in on his head, dressed in white drill, seated in a gale of wind, or by fire, and is compelled a chair with poles attached to it under the by a Court of Inquiry to with- draw from the vocation which he has pursued, if not adorned, man and boy, for perhaps forty years, there is no other port under his lee for him to bring up in than the establishment at Belvedere, which, I regret to say, is always in want of funds and always in- conveniently full. Therefore it was that when Mr. Wilson spoke with heat about shipmasters styl- ing themselves captains, I made I BEHELD AN IMMENSELY STOUT, RED-FACED MAN. " allowances," as the phrase goes, and after briefly acquies- short awning which sheltered a portion of cing in his views, requested to be allowed the quarterdeck. Two or three sailors were to see the cabin the agent had offered me. lounging in the forepart of the ship. There I viewed that cabin, and found it small and was no work apparently doing. I looked ill- lighted, but on the whole it was a better about me for Mr. Wilson, the master, and cabin than I had expected to find on board seeing nothing of him, I directed my eyes such a ship as the Biddy McDongal. The in search of any individual who might state-room, in which the meals were taken, resemble the mate. was a tolerably cheerful interior, very " Pray, what's your business ? " called out plainly furnished, with a large skylight the stout, red-faced man without attempting over the table, a stove for cold weather, a to rise. lamp, a clock in the skylight, and a big " I wish to see the captain," said I. telescope in the companion way. There "Well, you are looking at him," he were three cabins forward and two cabins answered. 374 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" I do not see him," I exclaimed, casting I viewed him with astonishment, but my gaze around. held my tongue, never doubting that the " " " " Why, ye can't be so blind as all that ! Mr. Wilson whom I had met, and who cried tli3 stout, red-faced man in a noisy, might have happened to be on board as a roaring, yet greasy voice, which he followed guest, or as a sightseer, when I arrived, had on with a succession of hearty chuckles. entertained himself at my expense by a " I want to see the captain," said I, feel- deliberate lie. ing much too hot and tired to be made a Captain Punch again apologised for not fool of by a rough, shapeless, red-faced lump being able to rise, yet made an effort to of a man such as was he who gazed at me stir in his chair for no other purpose, how- out of a pair of little weak, moist blue eyes, ever, that I could see than to force a groan set in the midst of a countenance as round that sounded like an execration. He told and inflamed as the newly-risen November me that my private stock of wine and the moon at its full. other matters I had laid in were safely " I am the captain," said he. housed in the berth adjoining mine, a berth " What is your name ? " said I, approach- that was unoccupied, and was therefore at ing him. my service, as well as the cabin I had paid " Captain Timothy Punch," he answered for. Nevertheless, I went below to make " ; " what is your business, sir ? sure. In the cabin I found a young fellow I informed him that I had taken a passage cleaning some glasses. " in the Biddy McDongal for England. " Are you the steward ? said I. " " " Oh, you're the gent ! he cried, and his I waits upon the captain," he answered. manner immediately became respectful. " The captain ? " I exclaimed. " You'll excuse me for not rising. I'm full " Captain Punch, sir," said he. up, flush to the hatches with gout, and pain "Then it is all right so far as Punch " ain't going to improve the manners of a goes," thought I ; and that fellow Wilson " plain sailor. If I'm a bit rough in my —if I should happen to meet him ! speech, you'll excuse me. What can I offer " Is there a regular steward ? " said I. " ye, sir ? " I does all the waiting at this here table," "Nothing, I thank you." answered the young fellow. "A ship's fok'sle was my college," he On this I told him that I was the pas- continued, giving expression to his enjoy- senger, bade him see that my cabin was ment of the matter of his speech by a clean and comfortable and in readiness for succession of oily chuckles, " and I comes me, slipped a few rupees into his hand, from a rough stock, sir. Ye may have and, after looking at my purchases, returned heard of the famous Captain John Punch, on deck. him as was a terror to all wrong-doers The captain told me that the ship would down in the West Indian waters. He certainly sail on the following Wednesday, couldn't read or write, but he was a captain at some hour in the forenoon, and bade me in the Royal Navy for all that, as you may be on board not later than nine. h'ascertain by consulting the Admiralty " We ought to ha' got away three weeks lists of his day. His not being able to ago," he exclaimed. "It's all along of the write nothen but his being able Rangoon port authorities, as call was ; not they to read was a bit inconvenient now and themselves. Every snivelling creature

again ; as, for instance, when he was sent whose dirty little soul is wropped up in a away under sealed orders, or when he'd white hide is a boss in this here flaming get an official letter marked ' confidential,' country, and the more snivelling he is, and the inside of which he was to keep strictly the dirtier the little soul what's wropped secret." up in him is, the more aggrevatingly does He was proceeding, but I cut the garru- he go to work in his bossing jobs. Punch lous old gentleman short. knows 'em. They've got Punch's hump " I may take it," said I, "that there has up often enough, and lucky it is for these been a fresh captain appointed to this ship here port authorities that Punch ain't no " " since I visited her a few days ago ? longer the man he was ; and here he "You may take it," he noisily wheezed, looked at his immense gouty fists, then " that the captain of this ship is Timothy fastened his eyes significantly upon his Punch. He brought the Biddy McDougal bloated, seemingly helpless knees. out, and he's going to take the Biddy I sent my baggage to the ship on the McDougal home." Tuesday afternoon, and at nine o'clock on — -

THREE IN CHARGE. 375

the following morning I repaired on board gent ; someone I don't want to have nothing the Biddy McDougalzs she lay in the river more to say to. You're amazingly like him, off the town. On gaining the deck I per- surely." ceived a number of seamen employed upon " Are you the mate ? " said I. the ground tackle, and I seemed to catch "No, sir," he replied, "I am the captain." sight of the man who had called himself I eyed him steadfastly, and then looked " Wilson " and "captain " standing in the round the deck, scarcely knowing as yet but ship's head, and gazing down over the that I had taken my passage aboard a ship

bows ; but his face was but partially full of lunatics. revealed, and the shadow of his wide straw " The captain ? " I cried. hat darkened and obscured the little of his "Ay," he answered, with an emphatic countenance that was visible. A man stood nod, " Captain Parfitt." near the gang- " Pray, how way, clothed in many captains blue serge with does this ship a white cover to carry?" said I, his naval cap. again looking He was a sullen round the deck looking fellow, in search of any

with a roll of signs . of old white beard and Captain Punch. whiskers run- "One only," ning down his said he, " and cheeks under I'm that man." his throat, a "I have been sour mouth, and aboard this ves- a dry twist of sel three times," face which, said I, " and on rounding into each occasion one eye, made have met with it look smaller a new captain. than the other. The first time As I had not it was Captain yet met the Wilson — there mate of the he is," I ex- ship, I supposed claimed, point- that this man ing to the fore- might be that castle where the officer, and, ap- man Wilson proaching him, who had called

I said : h imself the "Are you the master now " mate ? stood looking "No," he towards me, and answered, plainly visible. leisurely bring- " Next it was ing his eyes "a man stood near the gangway.' Captain Timo- down from aloft, thy Punch, a and fastening them upon me. " I am gouty, red-faced man, who sat helpless in a neither the mate, nor the man that cooks chair on this quarter-deck. And now it the mate." is you." " " Who are you ? said I, nettled by his A sour smile curled the man's lips. brusque manner. " They haven't been quite above-board " Who are you, first of all ? " he with you, sir," said he. "The long and answered. short of it's this : Cap'n Punch was in " I am a passenger going home in the charge during the outward voyage right Biddy McDougal" but he was took very bad with enough ; His manner changed. " I ask your par- gout a month afore Rangoon was reached, don," said he ; "I took you to be another and the command of the vessel was given 376 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. to his chief mate, that there gent as you " That's my place. You must clear out see for'rads. The ship was to sail home in of that chair, please." " charge of Mr. Wilson ; but the port I shall do nothing of the sort," said

says ' Mr. Wilson don't Mr. Wilson. " I ship authorities No ; am master of this by hold a certificate as master.' The ship orders of her lawful captain. You are an couldn't be cleared till a proper master was interloper." had. I was asked to navigate the vessel Captain Parfitt turned pale and breathed home, and here I am. So ye may take it short. from me that I'm captain and nobody else." " I am captain of this ship," said he, "Well," said I, "if there's truth in the " and you are her chief mate. You will saying that there's safety in numbers, the go on deck, if you please, and keep a look- passage should be comfortable and speedy," out whilst I eat my dinner." and with that I went below to look after Mr. Wilson did not offer to move ; my traps. merely eyed Captain Parfitt with his extra- The ship sailed an hour later, but it was ordinarily stern face. Captain Parfitt not until dinner time that I saw what we clenched his fists. were to expect more or less throughout the " Gentlemen," said I, " there must be whole of the long run to England. We some remedy for this." were then at sea, the high sun burning "So there is, by God!" roared Parfitt. over our masthead, a hot breeze blowing " It's mutiny. If ye ain't out of that chair over the quarter, and the ship thrusting in a jiffy I'll clap ye in irons." along under full breasts of canvas and wide " You?" shouted Mr. Wilson, half spring- overhanging wings of studding-sail. A ing from his seat. bell rang to announce dinner, and I quitted At this moment the door of one of the the quarter-deck for the cabin. On enter- after cabins was opened, and two stout ing I found Mr. Wilson seated at the sailors appeared, bearing the immense shape head of the table. Captain Parfitt followed of Captain Punch in a chair, to which poles me below, and instantly exclaimed to Mr. had been lashed. " Wilson : "Is dinner ready ? he called out.

"is dinner ready?" he called out. I

THREE IN CHARGE. 377

" Your chief mate is a mutineer. He ing me, " but Mr. Wilson represents me refuses to obey my orders," cried Captain whilst I'm off duty through illness, and so Parfitt. long as he represents me he is master helect, I "Up ye get, Wilson ; that's my seat," as afore said, and there's no man said Captain Punch, taking no notice of aboard this ship who's going to say con- Parfitt. trairy." Mr. Wilson at once made way, and the " Yes, there is," said Captain Parfitt ; two sailors, broadly grinning, with much " but I don't mean to waste no words on pushing and shoving, hove, or rather prized either of ye. You know where my autho- old Punch into the chair of honour. Mr. rity comes from. I'm master of the Biddy Wilson swiftly seated himself at the foot of McDougal till I've berthed her in the dock the table. she's bound to, and if this here mate of " Sit ye down, sir ; sit ye down," cried yours interferes with me I'll log him for old Punch to me. " Who's got the lookout mutiny, break him, and send him forrads, " on deck ? as ye both know I've got the power to do. " The ship's watching herself," sulkily And if that don't answer— " he interrupted

growled Captain Parfitt. himself by exclaiming : "But I don'Uwant " Hadn't ye better go up and look after no words," and so saying he rose, having her ? " said Punch to Parfitt. eaten little or nothing, and went on deck. " What am I to understand ? " shouted Well, as may be supposed, this was but Parfitt. the first of a long series of uncomfortable "Why this," interrupted Captain Punch, quarrels. I cannot positively say that " that this is a ship as could very well ha' Captain Parfitt did not log Mr. Wilson for found her way home without ye. You mutiny, and order him forward into the

wasn't wanted ; but since ye've made up forecastle to work before the mast. This I your mind to come, why, durn my eyes, cannot say, but it is certain that Mr. ye'll take things as ye find 'em. Wilson did not forward the con- have to go ; on Mr. Wilson's the captain-helect by my trary, he remained very much aft, giving authority, and whilst I've got lungs to blow instructions without regard to Captain a breath of air out with I'm the gorramighty Parfitt's orders, and acting in all ways as of the Biddy McDougal. Understand though he, and he alone, were master of thatP the vessel. Without answering a word Captain Par- That very same day, I remember— fitt flung his cap down upon the locker and mean that day on which the quarrel at the took his seat at the table abreast of me. On table happened —Mr. Wilson came on deck this Captain Punch bade Mr. Wilson tell whilst Captain Parfitt was pacing the the ship's carpenter—who it seems acted as weather side, keeping a look-out, and with second mate—to keep a lookout until he was an air of aggression stared into the compass, relieved from the cabin. then looked aloft, also very aggressively, " Seeing that T have paid for my passage and then sent his eyes round the sea-line, aboard this ship, and that it is highly desir- making a motion with his head that was able, absolutely essential in a word, that I offensive with its suggestion of criticism. should have some head to refer to, some Presently, taking his stand abreast of the. person in supreme authority to complain to mizenmast to leeward, he asked the man at and to appeal to in case of discomfort or the wheel how the ship's head was. The difficulty, I should be glad to know, gentle- fellow replied. men, which of you I am to consider as " Let her come to three-quarters of a captain of the Biddy McDougal /" said I, point," called out Mr. Wilson; "and, hoping by this stilted but nevertheless reso- Captain Parfitt, you will be so good as to lutely uttered address to clear the air some- trim sail." " " what and do some good. Keep her as she goes ! roared Parfitt. "I am captain," said Punch, with his "You are making too much westing," mouth full of beef. exclaimed Mr. Wilson. " Yes, and I am in charge," said Captain "Leave the deck, sir," bawled Parfitt. Parfitt. " By what chart are you sailing, I should "You mean, I am in charge," cried Mr. like to know ? " sneered Mr. Wilson. Wilson. " Why damme, man, we aren't bound' to "I am captain of this ship, and the Madras." supreme head, sir," criejd Punch, address- An angry quarrel followed, a mere affray D D 378 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" cried Parfitt, of words indeed, but it was hard to guess D'ye suppose," Captain at what instant the blow would not come, approaching Captain Punch close, and with a long and shameful scuffle on top of snorting his words into the old seaman's round, brick-red face, "that I've taken it. The sailors forward stood staring aft, jolly, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of the charge of this sugar-box to lam navigation " two men gesticulating and bawling at each from you ? " other. Presently, up through the hatch I ain't deaf—keep your distance," re- came Captain Punch, borne by a brace of sponded Captain Punch. " This sugar-box is going to get home, and I don't mean to let you put he/ ashore betwixt this and the London Docks, and so I tell 'ee. I've heard of navigators, you must know, whose reckoning by account has landed them by four degrees of longitude inland —same thing may happen with some folks' sextants. My course is your course, and you'll please to stick to it." " There's not even yet southing enough," said Mr. Wilson. " Yes, there is," cried Captain Punch, "you don't want to teach me naviga- " tion, do 'ee ? Captain Parfitt rushed into the cabin and returned with a chart, which he laid open on the deck at Cap- tain Punch's feet. He then went down on his knees and indicated the course with a square thumb, oc- casionally pounding the chart with his fist until " UP THROUGH THE HATCH CAME CAPTAIN PUNCH the deck echoed again to the blows, whenever Cap- sailors, who struggled up the steep com- tain Punch laughed or shook his head panion steps with purple faces, panting and or uttered any observation that was dis- blowing, whilst Punch sat holding on tasteful to Captain Parfitt. tightly and cursing the builder of the ship I left them disputing, and walked some for constructing a companion-way that gave distance forward to smoke a pipe. After a a man no room to turn in. while Captain Parfitt left the deck, taking " " What is it all about ? shouted the old his chart below with him, and somewhat fellow, as his bearers dumped him down later Captain Punch was borne into the upon the deck. cabin by the two sailors. When Mr. Wilson "The ship's being headed for Madras," found himself alone he stepped over to the cried Mr. Wilson, with a contemptuous wheel, and I guessed by the twirl which the laugh. man at the helm gave the spokes that Mr. " He's a liar, and he knows he's a liar,'' Wilson had shifted the course. said Parfitt. This, indeed, proved the case. Scarcely " You're making too westerly a course to had ten minutes elapsed when Captain suit me," exclaimed Captain Punch, and Punch's servant arrived on deck and called he ordered the man at the wheel to shift out to Mr. Wilson : the helm by a spoke or two. " The capt'n's orders are that the shipia THREE IN CHARGE. 379

and very bad-tempered man. He guessed that old Punch was not going to improve in health so, since Punch had made ; and him master of the ship, he was clearly deter- mined to remain master at all costs, in defiance even of Punch himself. All three men had notions of their own as to the courses to be steered. One was always something to the eastward or something to the southward of the others. Captain Punch had a tell- tale compass in his cabin, and when he was too ill with the gout to be carried on deck he would send his servant to the man at the wheel with instructions to luff or to let her go off as it might happen. But these alterations in the direction pursued by the ship he was

1 LEFT THEM DISPUTING. able to contrive to his own satisfaction only when the carpenter happened to have the to be brought to the course which she was watch, for if an order came from Punch steering when he was carried below." when Captain Parfitt or Mr. Wilson was on " My compliments to Captain Punch," deck it was instantly countermanded, with answered Mr. Wilson, "and tell him that the result that when the captains met in the he has given me charge of this vessel, and cabin they would quarrel wildly for an hour that I'm not going to learn navigation at at a time, threatening one another with the my time of life from any man alive, be his law, sneering at one another's experiences, Parfitt, often clenching fists indeed, and more name or be his name Punch, or be ; on " his name Judy, by thunder ! than one occasion, very nearly coming to This insolent speech reached the ears of blows. Captain Punch, who was below in the cabin The frequent changing of the ship's under the skylight, Avhich lay wide open. course, together with the incessant inter- The roar that followed was that of a bull. ference of these men cne with another, It was by no means inarticulate, however. considerably delayed our passage, and there The sea-words the old fellow employed were times when I would think that we were so much to the purpose that Mr. should never double the Cape of Good

all ; Wilson, going to the skylight, cried down : Hope at but that, on the contrary, the " It's all right, sir, it's all right, don't excite three captains would quarrel themselves yourself," and he then audibly directed the out of all perception of the ship's true man at the wheel to bring the ship to the reckoning, and end either in putting the course commanded by Captain Punch. vessel ashore, or in sending a boat to land I was astonished to find Mr. Wilson on the first bit of coast they might sight to acting in opposition to Captain Punch. He learn from the natives of the place where had shipped as Punch's first mate, and we were. Often, as I could observe, they Punch was indisputably his chief, however differed merely to spite one another. For Parfitt might have stood in this complicated instance, Captain Parfitt, on quitting the business. But I speedily discovered that deck, would leave the ship under all plain Mr. Wilson was an extraordinarily conceited sail, royals set, and tacks boarded; but 3»o THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Wilson, who kept watch and watch with reckoning and knew no longer where the the ship's carpenter (acting, in this respect, ship was, but because the weather had been as chief mate, though the moment he so thick for no less a period than ten days arrived on deck he asserted himself as that never once was the sun, the moon, or captain, took command, and carried out his a star to be seen, and the position, there- own ideas of steering and of carrying sail, fore, of the Biddy McDougal was wholly and the like, without the least regard to calculated by what is termed dead reckoning. the views and instructions of Punch and Dead reckoning means briefly the finding Parfitt)—Wilson, I say, on relieving the out of the speed of a ship through the water deck after Parfitt had gone below, would per hour by means of a contrivance called look up at the sails, and then round upon the reel log. When the speed is ascertained the sea, as though studying the weather, it is entered in the log book. Allowance is then coolly sing out orders to clew up this then made for what is called lee- way, if any and haul down that, paying not the least lee-way exist, and the sum of the speed, to- regard to the wishes of Parfitt, who, on gether with the courses which may have hearing the men crying out at the ropes, been steered, enables the mariner to mark would rush on deck and ask Wilson what down upon his chart with more or less he meant by shortening sail in the face of accuracy the points of latitude or longitude

a high barometer ; whilst through the at which his ship has arrived. skylight you might hear the voice of The three captains were agreed in their Captain Punch roaring out to know what dead reckoning. They could find no sail the ship was carrying, and what that cause for a quarrel in the indication of the fellow Wilson meant by altering the course reel log. The allowance for lee-way was by three-quarters of a point. assented to and the courses steered were We were to call at Capetown, and I had admitted, but, unhappily, the three cap- made up my mind, if heaven ever permitted tains had been at loggerheads over the us to cast anchor in Table Bay, to go ashore reckoning before the thick weather came on. and represent the state of the ship to those Captain Punch had made the ship's situation who might be empowered to deal with the a degree or two more southerly than Mr.

it. was three captains ; though I would sometimes Wilson found Wilson's longitude think that it was doubtful whether there several leagues to the eastward of Captain was any remedy within the reach of the Parfitt's. Hence, when the day arrived authorities to apply, for it was certain that which, according to Parfitt's reckoning, Punch was still in command of the ship, should show the ship to the westwards of and next that, being in command, he had Agulhas, the arguments and quarrels were a right to entrust the charge of the vessel incessant, because Wilson swore that the to the chief mate whilst he was confined ship's longitude was at least sixty miles east below by illness, so that, despite the Rangoon of that Cape, whilst Punch, on the other authorities, Parfitt had no official represen- hand, persisted in maintaining that the tation on board, had no claim upon the latitude was not what Wilson and Parfitt obedience of Mr. Wilson, and could achieve represented, and that the vessel's course, no end by logging him or by threaten- therefore, required more northing. ing. Indeed, Parfitt seemed to have guessed So matters stood on a dull, heavy, thick as much, for often as he talked of " break- day, as well I remember. There was a light ing " the mate, as he called Wilson, and breeze off the port bow, and a long ocean sending him forward, I do not think that he swell was sluggishly rolling up from the ever attempted to do so, though repeatedly southward. I do not recollect that the lead and sarcastically invited to the attempt by was hove. Every man of the three skippers both Captain Punch and Wilson himself. was cocksure of the ship's position on his It came at last to pass that on a certain own account, but I do not say that any one day we were supposed to be off the Cape of of them ever once ordered a cast of the lead Good Hope. We were then exactly two to be taken. There was nothing to be seen. months and three weeks out from Rangoon The sea line was shrouded by vapour to ; that is to say, we had occupied eleven within two or three miles of the vessel. weeks in measuring the Indian and the Occasionally there was a rumble of thun- Southern Oceans down to that part of the der in the south, but no lightning. sea where we were supposed to be. I say Thus it remained throughout the day, supposed, not, as you may conclude, because and throughout the day the three captains the three captains, as I call them, had lost all did nothing but alter one another's direc- THREE IN CHARGE. 38i tions to the man at the wheel. All day In a moment I realised that the ship was long Captain Punch was in a towering ashore ! passion. He said that he knew the ship's I partially clothed myself in a few whereabouts as surely as though Table minutes, rushed out, and with great diffi- Bay lay open before him, that Parfitt was culty, so acute was the angle of the ship's out by leagues, and Wilson utterly wrong, deck, reached the companion steps. All that both men might thank God that he was in darkness. I put out my hands and was too much afflicted to occupy his proper touched a figure, and now grew sensible of post on deck in such damp and filthy somebody just in front of me panting weather, or—and here he would shake his heavily, and from time to time groaning. It immense gouty fist at the skylight and bid was Captain Punch, in whom the agony his servant step on deck and ascertain how and helplessness of the gout had been tem- the ship's head was, and then on learning porarily conquered by wrath and terror. He that the course which he had ordered Par- reached the deck unaided and fell a-roaring. fitt and Wilson to steer had been changed There was little to be seen. Here and by one or the other of them he would roar there a man held a lantern, but the light out like a bull, using many strong and was feeble and the illumination merely terrible words, once even going to the confused the sight, The ship lay over length of threatening to take Captain with her broadside to the sea ; the dark Parfitt's life if he interfered with his orders heave of swell burst against the bilge and to the helmsman. recoiled in milk that flung a dim sheen When I went to bed that night I was upon the atmosphere of the night, making unable to sleep for some time owing to the the quietly flapping sails glance out. It was

argument which the three captains were very thick ; there was nothing of the land holding in their cabin. I could hear such to be seen. The carpenter was sounding exclamations as, " My life's as precious to over the side, and I heard him bawl out me as yourn is to you " " North-east, d'ye the depth, but there was no depth. ; The say ! Good angels ! And yet they granted Biddy McDougal was hard and fast upon ye a certificate ? " " If the chronometers are out that's not my fault, but if my calculations wasn't within a second of the right spot afore this blooming muck drawed up and hid the sky I'll give up, own that I'm no sailor man, and I'll call ye both my masters." To such stuff as this I lay listening then I heard some ; sailors come below to cart old Captain Punch away to bed. There was an interval of agree- able silence and I fell asleep. I was awakened by an up- roar on deck, by the shouts of men, the bawling of Captain Punch in his cabin, by a hurry of footsteps and a sullen flap- ping of canvas. The ship lay over at a sharp angle ;. I be- lieved at first that .a heavy squall had burst upon her and heeled her down, but she lay perfectly motionless, with a singular noise of cieaking threading the above - board clamour and a frequent, dull, thunderous thump as of water striking her, IT WAS CAPTAIN PUNCH. 382 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. the African strand, with Parfitt and Wilson I had received my luggage from the hold yelling out contradictory orders, and Punch of the Biddy McDougal, had transferred it bawling to his men to obey him and nobody to another vessel, and was abreast of Ascen- else. sion on my way to England. Just before daylight the weather cleared I find something ; heroic in the fancy of dawn disclosed the high coast along our Punch's gout-ridden shape camping it out starboard beam, and I gathered from the abreast of the stranded vessel, whose situa- tempestuous discourse of the three captains tion he wholly though improperly attributed that we had gone ashore somewhere near to Parfitt's ignorance as a navigator. So far Cape Hanglip and Sandown Bay, prov- as passengers are concerned, perhaps there is ing that though Captain Parfitt's calcu- no great matter of a moral to be gathered lations had come nearest the truth, all from this brief narrative yet, even in these ; three men had been heavily out in their advanced seafaring times, ships may be reckoning. found at sea with more than one com- Scarcely had the sun risen when a gun- mander, though one only has any claim to boat hove in sight, bound from the east- the title. Will any shipmaster tell me that wards to Simon's Town. She sighted our amongst his passengers he does not occa- ship ashore, and sent boats. I was heartily sionally meet with a nautical man—some- glad to get aboard of her. Captain Parfitt times a yachtsman, and sometimes a naval officer and five of the crew also went aboard ; but —who has the highest possible old Punch declined to leave the neighbour- opinion of his own judgment, and who will hood of the vessel. He said that there was lose no opportunity of giving his opinion, no immediate danger, that he would go and vexing the soul of the legitimate ashore, and make shift under canvas until skipper by impertinent criticism, by offers assistance should be sent from Capetown. of help, and by doAvnright counsel ? " In- Wilson remained with him. tending " passengers will do well sometimes, The ship was ultimately got off, and perhaps, to inquire before embarking how navigated to England by Wilson with Cap- many captains are going in charge of the tain Punch in the cabin ; but by that time ship. Tennyson's Early Days.

ALFRED TENNYSON, AGE 22.

S it fair to attribute to certain volume has appeared in which the scenes persons and particular scenes surrounding him in early life, and per- the inspiration of a poet's sonages with whom he was early ac- masterpiece ? Some say such quainted, have been dilated upon and a course is very unfair, as it illustrated with more or less fulness and makes the poet a photo- accuracy. All this shows conclusively that grapher instead of an artist. But, while an undue insist- ence on the principle is not permissible, it is surely not unfair to connect scenes once familiar to the eyes of a poet with the products of

his brain ; or to identify in the characters he portrays persons with whom he may have been familiar. That Lord Tennyson is at present the centre of so much interest to the gener- ation is a happy augury for the perpetuation ofhis fame. Within the last twelve months more than one 1 l.OCKSLEY HALL —

384 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

have often been struck with the many illustrations of our county's scenery and character to be found in his poems. What Wordsworth has done for the Eng- lish Lakes and Scott for the High- lands, our poet has done for home- lier scenes of his boyhood and early manhood in Mid Lincolnshire. They live for us in his pages, de- picted with all the truth and accuracy of a photograph." " The identity of" Locksley Hall has been fought over by the champions of various country houses. Local tradition, however, says that in an old house near the Lincolnshire coast, the Laureate wrote the first " Locksley Hall." Here is an interesting item which does not reflect upon the poet's BAG ENDERHY CHURCH. creative genius. The tradition our Laureate has a firm hold of the reading has never been repudiated, although its public, and is an evidence that references existence is known to the Laureate's family. to the poet's early years are of great A sketch of the old house as it was seventy interest to his admirers. That we are not years ago is here given. Parts of the old mistaken in attributing to those times the edifice still remain, showing evidences of inspiration of his finished productions, is great age and an old-fashioned manner admitted by the Laureate himself. of construction. A large tract of land is In Mr. Jennings' "Biographical Sketch," now reclaimed between the house and the

Lord Tennyson is quoted as follows : North Sea, but the tide formerly flowed " There was a period in my life, when, as to within a few yards of the door of the an artist —- Turner, for instance — takes house. rough sketches of landscape, &c, in order One who has recently passed away used to work them eventually into some great garrulously to tell of the poet visiting picture, so I was in the habit ofchronicling,in four or five words or more, whatever might strike me as picturesque in nature." But, without doubt, some writers have been too ready to point to this or that local scene, or to particular individuals. Such definite identifica- tion precludes claim to any degree of authority. The Rev. Drummond Rawnsley, an old friend of the Laureate's, and who officiated at the poet's marriage, wrote in Mac- inillan, something like twenty years ago : — "As a Lincolnshire man and long familiar with the district in which Mr. Tennyson was born, I STOCKWORTH MILL. —

TENNYSON'S EARLY DAYS. 385

Mablethorpe as a young fellow, and how thur Hallam, the reader of the Tuscan poets, he would spend whole nights on the shore, and James Spedding and others, used to and wander as far as Donna Nook, without gather upon the lawn at Somersby—the sufficient care to prevent immersion by in- young men and women in the light of coming tides. These protracted absences their youth and high spirits, the widowed sometimes provoked anxiety, and search mother leading her quiet life within the parties were sent out. rectory walls." Above is a portrait of the Laureate in his Old retainers of the Tennyson family still youth. The original engraving by J. C. survive. Here is the portrait of an old Armytage, from a crayon drawing by dame who now sits in her chimney-corner Samuel Lawrence, was first published in R. and says, " Poet or no poet, I carried him H. Home's New Spirit of the Age. The on my back when he was a baby." This villagers of Somersby and neighbourhood is the old servant, to whom the Laureate recognise in it a likeness to Dr. Tennyson, wrote so pleasantly in response to her con- the poet's father. gratulations on his becoming a peer. She Numbers of pilgrims have put on record remembers Arthur Hallam visiting the their impressions of the neighbourhood Rectory, and the distress occasioned there where the Laureate fin,t saw the light. on the receipt of the news of his death. The church of Bag Enderby, one of the Although quite blind, the old lady is livings held by Dr. Tennyson, is a quaint sprightly and cheerful, notwithstanding her structure. The exterior is given on page 384. extremely humble circumstances. Votaries of " the localising craze " say that Another resident in the neighbourhood Stockworth Mill was the home of " The remembers being in service at Somersby Miller's Daughter." See the mill, page 384. Rectory— " a vast o' years sin'," she says. Somersby She tells us that should be seen "Master Alfred" during each of always had a the various sea- book in his hand, sons of the year and that he once in order to come gave her two into close sym- volumes of his pathy with the poems. She does moods of various not remember local references the Laureate's in the poems. brothers writing The last time we poetry, but" Ar- were there was thur learned it early in Febru- after." This ary, when Holy- worthy dame well Glen was remembers Dr. sheeted in snow- Tennyson as a drops. Mrs. good preacher. Thackeray- She has occupied Ritchie says, her present snug " Lord Tenny- cottage more son sometimes than half a cen- speaks of this tury. The .few glen." The same shillings she re- writer gives us ceives weekly is a glimpse of the but a meagre happy "circle" subsistence, but referred to in she says, " I hate lxxxix., "In Me- to be in the " inoriam : grumbling "Dean Garden club." was one of those Visitors to the friends some- locality may ex- times spoken of pect to encoun- who, with Ar- tennyson's nurse. ter tnis retired .

3§6 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. village pedagogue. He boasts of having gentleman is now eighty-five, but is still coached Charles and Alfred Tennyson in able to earn a maintenance by land surveying arithmetic, when they were preparing for These members of a passing generation the University. It will interest some to are interesting links between the days of the know that the text-book used was " Walk- Laureate's youth and those of the ripened ingham's Tutor's Assistant." This old evidence of his genius.

TENNYSON' S SCHOOLMASTER. —

Laying a Ghost.

By George Manville Fenn.

T is of no use for you to and disposed to look down upon what I talk, Mary,'' I said, quite called the " old fogies of the profession." I

angrily ; "a professional meant to make great discoveries in medi- man has no right to sit still cine for the benefit of suffering humanity, taking his patients' fees and for my own benefit too, I'm afraid. without constantly striving Consequently — I confess it — I was a after higher knowledge for their benefit." dangerous kind of doctor, and always " Of course not, dear," said my wife, itching to try experiments. gently —by the way, she always does speak At the time of which I am speaking, I gently— " but you study too much." was mad upon a new remedy which I " " Nonsense ! believed I had discovered for the nervous " Indeed, dear, but you do. Your fore- state consequent upon the failure of the head is growing full of lines, and your hair digestive powers in people of middle age ; is turning quite grey." and it was upon this remedy that I now sat " All the better. People do not like down to think in my little consulting-room young-looking doctors." and dispensary combined. " But you do work too hard, dear." I had been pondering over the subject " Absurd ! I feel as if I must be a mere then for months, and the more I thought idler, Mary and at a time, I that ; too, when it the more convinced was my remedy seems as if medicine was quite at a stand. would work wonders, but for want Surgery has made wonderful strides, but of test cases I was completely in the dark. the physician is nowhere." I had got so far, though, that I had given " What nonsense, dear, when everybody myself full confidence in the correctness of

says that you are the cleverest doctor for my deductions ; all I wanted was trial

fifty miles round ; and at such times I experiment on the vile body of man, so as feel as if I could kiss the person who to make sure. said so."

' " ' Everybody

is a goose ; and, goose or no, don't you let me catch you kissing them. There, be off, little one, and let me get on with my work." " Work, work, always work," she said, with a pretty pout of the lips which invited what they received, with the result .that my happy young wife went out smiling while I sat down to think. I was young and very enthusiastic in those days.

Rather vain, too, MY HAPPY YOUNG WIFE WENT OUT SMILING. 3 88 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" " How to proceed ? " I said to myself, as I sat amongst my bottles and drugs, tapping the table with my finger nails—" how to pro- ceed ? I must try it upon a patient, but it is not fair or just to try experiments upon one who confides in you. Suppose my ideas " are wrong—suppose it is a fallacy ? These thoughts troubled me so that I grew feverish, and my head burned. Jumping up from my chair, I took a clean tumbler from a shelf, half filled it from a seltzogene which stood on the table, tossed off the sparkling water, put back the tumbler and resumed my seat, feeling de- cidedly better and clearer. "How to proceed?" I said again. "I cannot, I must not try it upon a patient. It would not be just. Upon whom, then ? " Mary ! " " Perish the thought ! I cried dramati- cally. " To deceive her would be ten times worse.'' " But I might tell her first. She would take it—bless her ! —if I told her." " " No—no—no—no ! I cried ; and then, half aloud, " If the experiment must be tried, and you have so much faith in it, try " it upon yourself, like a man ! with all kinds of I sprang up once more 1 A BOTTLE CONTAINING A WHITE POWDER." unpleasant notions beginning to haunt me. Suppose the dose failed— suppose it proved three from the spirit stand, but found that fatal—suppose I were suddenly called away its contents were confined to about a wine- without having time to explain to a brother glassful. " That would be enough," I medical man what I had taken. thought, and going back into my consulting " Why, they would bring it in suicide, room, I set the little decanter down, removed and my wife would be a widow," I exclaimed the stopper, and my hand trembled a little with a chill of horror seeming to make my as I poured in the white powder, a mere blood run sluggishly through my veins. pinch, but full of potency. But this was momentary. I recovered " You are a coward," I said to myself my strength of mind directly, and, unlock- contemptuously. " You would have given ing my desk, I took out a bottle containing that to a patient without a qualm, but you a white powder, which I shook and held up are all on the shiver because you are going to the light. to take it yourself." " I'll try one drachm first," I said. " Too And myself seemed to answer, as if I then much. No : it would be absurd to trifle led a dual existence. with it. How can I get a satisfactory " I am no coward," it said half aloud. result if I do not proceed boldly with my " For the benefit of medical science I am test ? Am I going to play the coward after going to take that drug as soon as it is dis- " all ? solved ; and if it destroys my life, I have I went to the shelf where the bottles died in a great cause as bravely as any stood, and took down the one labelled Sp. soldier who ever faced the deadly breach." Vin.,having determined to combine a stimu- As I spoke I replaced the stopper, crum- lant with the drug, which would, I knew, pled up the paper, and threw it in the from former experience, dissolve in spirit, waste basket. I then shook up the brandy, but, to my chagrin, the bottle was com- which looked turbid at first, but rapidly pletely empty. began to clear, as I set it down, took paper " Brandy will do," I said to myself ; and, and pen, and was about to write a few lines after replacing the bottle, I went out and to my wife telling her what I had done, and into the dining-room to fetch one of the why, lest in the case of accident J might be —

LAYING A GHOST. 389

" supposed to have committed suicide ; but I hood there," I replied quietly. I came to had only just written down the date when England to finish my studies, and settled " I heard a ring, and directly after there was down. So you are haunted, eh ? a tap at the door, and our servant ushered "Haunted.! Did I say haunted?" he " in a patient. cried uneasily. Oh, no : a mere fancy," I motioned him to a seat, and in the rapid and he laughed unpleasantly. look which a doctor gives to his visitors, " Of course," I said. " My dear sir, as a formed my own impressions as to his ail- medical man I must be plain with you. I ments, the gorged veins of the eyes, the will give you the best advice, and will help

flushed face, the pimpled and reddened you in any way I can ; but the cure for your nose, telling their own tale—a story con- complaint is in your own hands. Leave all firmed by the trembling of his hands as he liquors alone, and you will mend fast. Go removed his gloves. on as you are now, drinking heavily, and "Morning, doctor," he said; " I'm very in six months you will be in your grave." bad. I want you to over- haul me, and see if you can set me right. Can't eat—no appetite—no di-

gestion ; I'm a prey to the horrors—my nerves are absolutely shattered, and life has become such a burden that if I don't soon mend I know I shall make an end of myself. I'm afraid I shall," he continued, getting more and more excited in his speech, and gesticulating as I sat back scanning him intently, and seeing in him the very object for my experiment if I cared to administer my remedy. But honour held me back, and I vowed I would resist the tempta- tion, come what might. "Be calm," I said, " quietly, " and tell me but before I could get any farther, he burst out "DRINK! YOU THINK I DRINK?" " Calm ? Who is to be

calm, suffering as I do ! Man, I am He started violently, and grasped the haunted. Do what I will go where I will, elbows of the chair as he leaned forward, I am haunted." gazing wildly in my face. " " " " As all men are," I said quietly, who Drink ! he gasped ; "you think I drink " persist in flying to the bottle." —am a drunkard ? " No," he cried fiercely, " not as they are. " I knoAV you drink, sir," I replied quietly. Do you think I am one of the idiots who "It is plainly written in your face, and in see snakes and imps and ,all kinds of your trembling hands. I do not say you imaginary creatures dancing before their are a drunkard. Possibly you are never eyes ? I am haunted, I tell you, and it is by drunk, but you are constantly flying to a man I know well—I must tell you now stimulants, and they are wrecking you —-I can't keep it back. We were friends out hopelessly." in Australia—years ago." " Don't say hopelessly, doctor," he "Australia, eh ? " I cried. panted. " I will leave off—I will, indeed, " " Yes. Do you know Australia ? " he for —he shuddered—" I dare not die. It said wonderingly. is too horrible. But I've been obliged to "I passed my boyhood and my early man- fly to the brandy to keep myself up. — !.

390 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Haunted, night and day, for years now. the moment I could think of nothing but Can't you give me something—some tonic the poor creatures who had been in the cart, —to set me right ? Can't you cure me and who were probably now lying almost make me strong ?" close to my door, waiting for surgical help. " Yes, I think I can, sir," I replied, " if My wife, looking white as the proverbial you will obey my directions." sheet, was already in the passage, speech- " I will, I will," he cried excitedly. " I less, directly and pointing to the door ; and won't touch another drop. Now, then, after I was superintending the removal of " what will give ? quick ; you me four poor fellows suffering from broken " " Your chance ! something seemed to bones, cuts, and contusions, and so busy whisper to me. " Digestion ruined, nerves was I for the next hour with a colleague, shattered, hopeless unless you set him that I forgot all about my patient in my right. The very man for your experi- consulting room. " " ment." How stupid ! I said, as I went back. It was a terrible temptation, but I fought "The poor fellow will be gone." against it. My wife was at the door waiting, and I " No," I said to myself, " it would be a answered her eager questions by another. cowardly breach of confidence, with an un- " That gentleman I left, is he still in the "

tried medicine ; keep to your manly, honest consulting-room ? plan." "Gentleman?" she faltered; "I don't " Well," he continued, passing his tongue know." over his dry lips, with the peculiar noise I hurried into the room to find him made by a thirsty sitting back in one man, " don't be so of the easy-chairs, long thinking, doc- looking quite calm tor. I want you to and contented. " begin. Give me Ah ! doctor," he " something to make said ; the accident me sleep in peace — anybody much " without jumping up hurt ? in the dark, bathed "Yes, poor fellows in perspiration, with two, badly," I replied him there. I mean, " Really, my dear sir, fancying things, you I owe you a thousand understand. What apologies, but in such " will you give me ? an emergency " Don't it, Ah ! there it is name " doctor ; don't name again ! He uttered a wild it," he said, smiling. cry, and started from ' 'I know you'll excuse his seat to creep me not coming to cowering into a cor- help. My nerves are ner as a rushing, so shattered that I tearing noise came should have been down the street, ac- useless. You saw how but companied by cries it startled me ; ; and as I ran to the I'm a little better window, a cart drawn now. Will you give " by a frightened horse me a prescription ? tore by, to be fol- I looked at him lowed a few seconds curiously. later ^ " Yes," I said, by a crash, and then the rattle of " you seem calmer hoofs but there is a as the horse, I RAN TO THE WINDOW now ; evidently freed from reason for it. Look the cart, galloped on. here, sir, a patient. must have no secrets u " A bad accident," I said. Come and from his medical man. There is a cause, see." sir, for this apparent calmness," and I fixed " It was unprofessional, of course, but for his eye. " You wish me to cure you ? LAYING A GHOST. 39*

" Yes, yes, doctor," he said, shiftily. there, and the brandy. Couldn't be any " Then you must keep faith with me," I mistake about them. Capital drop of cried, firmly, " and obey me, or else go to brandy, doctor, and it did pull me round so some other medical man." well, just as you see." " No, no, doctor, don't say that," he half I sank back in a chair, staring at him whimpered. " I believe in you. I know wildly. you are clever. Don't throw me over. I " He has taken it, after all," I thought. will obey you implicitly." " It must be fate." " Then give me that brandy-flask you I could feel a curious sensation as if bells have in your pocket." were ringing in my ears, while I sat blankly " No, no, doctor," he cried, " I haven't looking at him now, wondering what the " one—indeed ! effect of my experiment would be, till he " It is not true, sir. You have partaken spoke again apologetically : of brandy since I left this room." "It was the" last 'drop I'll ever take, doctor." " The truth, " may be ! I said

to myself ; and I began to think of inquests, loss of professional reputation, a dozen troubles of the future which were coined in my busy brain. What should I do ? Give him an antidote at once ? Let the drug work its way ? Which ? I started up, rang the bell, and hurried to the door, ready to open it as soon as I heard steps, and then, with of that?" "you have never been so mad as to drink the contents it held ajar, I

said hastily :

" Brandy ? brandy ? " he stammered. "lam out to everybody, and am not to " " How—how did you know ? be interrupted on any pretence until I " How did I know, sir ? " I cried, angrily. ring." " Do you think a medical man is a child ? Then, closing and bolting the door, I the effect it has had upon the hurried back to my seat. By you ; by " " what's' doctor ? odour. Why, good heavens ! "I roared, as What— the matter, " my eyes lit upon the little decanter I had said my patient with a startled look. What " left upon the table, " you have never been are you going to do ? " " so mad as to drink the contents of that ? Study your case, sir," I said huskily, as " D—don't be angry with me, doctor," I caught hold of his wrist, and then gazed he faltered, as I stood pointing at the full in his slightly dilated eyes. " decanter. "I was so unhinged—by that Ah ! yes," he said, sinking back drows- I ily " do, doctor, do. I'll never touch a accident— —I was obliged. I—I wanted ; a glass of water—anything, but I dared not drop again, but you'll give me something to meddle with any of your bottles—'fraid of take instead. Capital brandy, that. Dif- poisoning myself. But," he continued, with ferent to any I get. So soothing." a peculiar little laugh, " I saw the gazogene " Shall I give him something to counter* 392 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. act the effect," I said to myself again, "or roused him, for he suddenly caught my " let the potion work ? hand in his. I sat thinking over the way in which I " Don't be hard on me, I doctor ; was had studied, and of how confident I had obliged to drink. I've fought against it grown in my remedy, even to having been till I've been nearly mad. You people talk, ready to test it on myself, and I could but you don't know—you don't know. I'm

not help resigning myself to the position. going to take your stuff now, though ; and " " It is in the cause of science," I thought, it will make me right, doctor ? " and I can watch the action in another "Yes." better than I could in my own person. It He looked round wildly, and with a

is an accident. No : it is fate." strange air of apprehension. It would be impossible to describe my " Did you ever see a ghost ? " he feelings then as I sat watching the wretched whispered. object before me. Try and picture them " Never," I said, for I was obliged to for yourselves. A medical man's position speak. is always painful when he is in doubt as to " I have—hundreds of times. He haunts the result of his remedies in a critical case me. It has been for years now, till I could ; but then he is fortified by the feeling bear it no longer. That's why I've come. that he has done everything in accordance If a man's in sound health he doesn't see " with the precedents set by the wisest of his ghosts, eh ? " profession. Then I was face to face with No," I said ; "they are the offspring of the knowledge that I was trying a desperate a diseased imagination." patient " Yes diseased imagination, that's it. experiment, and my might be dying ; " before my eyes ; in fact, as he sank back Shouldn't see him if I was well, ch ? " with his eyes staring, I felt that he was No ; it is all fancy." dying, and I started up to try and get " Yes, doctor, but it's so horribly real. some remedy, but he checked me by his words. " " Ah, it's you ! he said feebly. " I thought he had come again. He

haunts me ; he haunts me. All these years now, and no rest." Then his face grew very calm ; and in a fit of wild desperation I de- termined to let matters take their course. * For what better opportunity could fate have thrown in my way than bringing me into connection with this miserable crea- ture, half dement- ed by delirium tremens, and whose life was He comes to me, and goes over it all again

not worth a twelve months' purchase ? and again ; and as he talks to me the whole " It is in the cause of science," I scene in the gully comes back, with our " muttered ; and even if his wretched life is fight." sacrificed, it may be for the benefit of thou- He sank back as if exhausted, but I was sands. I cannot stop now. I must go on." soon able to convince myself that he was It was as if my muttered words had only sleeping calmly, and a gentle perspira- — —

LAYING A GHOST. 393

tion broke out on his brow, while his hands and night, leering at me, and showing me felt temperate and moist. the whole scene again, till I have drunk, That was hopeful, and I felt more confi- and drunk, and drunk to drown it all dent as I sat there watching him hour after gone on drinking till I am the miserable hour, wondering whether success would wretch you see. But you'll cure me attend my remedy, and whether this was now, for it was all fancy. People who are " the laying of the first stone of a new temple dead don't haunt folks, eh ? of health. Then as the time went on I grew " No, sir," I said, as I watched the despondent, and ready to rouse him from strange play on the man's countenance, the lethargy into which he had fallen, and and began trying to connect his words with which might after all be only the prelude to a half-forgotten story of outrage in Western a deeper sleep. Australia years before. " " . I heard steps come and go, and knew No," he said', excitedly, and you'll cure

that my poor . little wife must be full of me now. It has all been fancy." anxiety about me. " That you killed—murdered a man in " " " But what is her anxiety to mine ? Western Australia ? " I muttered ; and I still kept watch, noting Killed, not murdered," he cried, excit- " every change. Now I was buoyed up by edly ; no, that was no fancy. I mean this hope, and saw triumph—the pinnacle of the constant horror of seeing him night and day."

mount toward which I tried to climb ; now I forgot my anxiety respecting the action I was sinking in despair, feeling that through of the drug for some minutes, as I said my carelessness I was slowly watching a my recollection of some such event coming man glide toward the dark gate through vividly back which he could never return. " You don't mean the outrage in the It must have been about seven o'clock, Blue Gum Gully?" and it was fast growing dusk in my room. His jaw dropped, and he stared at me I was thinking about the man's wanderings wonderingly. and confused talk about being haunted, and " What—what do you know about the trying to piece together his verbal fragments Blue Gum Gully?" he stammered at last. into a whole, when he suddenly opened his " I remember hearing about the case." eyes again, and began to talk hurriedly, " Did—did they find him?" he whispered taking up his theme just where he had left with a ghastly look in his face. " off, and as if in utter ignorance of the fact No : I believe he crawled to a shepherd's that he had been silent for hours, during hut, and the man fetched a doctor from which I had passed through a period of thirty miles away." agony such as turns men's hair white. " Too late—too late." "Yes, doctor," he said, "no secrets from "No: I remember now," I said. "Another your medical man. You will not betray surgeon was fetched as well, and they put a

me ; and it was a fair fight. He brought it silver patch in the man's fractured skull." on, I swear to that. He made me mad so " What ? " cried my patient. " No you ; that I hit out—hardly knowing what I did, are telling me that for reasons of your own." and it was not until he had half killed "I am telling you because it is the truth. me that I threw him, and he went over I saw the man, and the injured head." the edge, down, down with a horrible " No, no, not the same," he cried. " Who " crash into the gully. I could see him was he ? What was his name ? lying there dead. But it was not murder, " Johnson—Brown—Thomson—Smith," " eh ? It was not murder, doctor ? I muttered, and he started a little at the " Are these wanderings of a diseased last word. " imagination ? I asked myself ; and he "Yes. I remember now," I cried. looked up as sharply as if I had spoken " Robert Danesmith." aloud. My patient literally leaped at me, and "It's all true, doctor," he said. "I caught me by the breast, with his eyes threw him down, and he fell, and then I starting, his lips quivering, and the veins turned and fled, for I knew they would about his temples standing out. hang me, if I was taken. Doctor," he cried, "Tell me again," he panted. "Swear fiercely, " I wish they had, for I have suf- that it is true." fered ten thousand times more agony in "There is no need," I said. "How could " these wretched years. Yes : he has always I have known ? " " been with me, always. Haunting me day No," he said, calming down ; there is

E JE ' —

394 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. no need," and his hands dropped to his two. I want to watch your case a little " side. Great heavens ! And here have I longer." been living this life of torture, hiding away " I am your patient, doctor," he replied, like a criminal, cursed by the horror of with his whole manner changed and he ; the crime, doubly accursed by the drink I lay there till quite late before he left, shak- have taken to drown my thoughts of being ing my hand warmly, and saying that he haunted by that man." would come again. " And all imagination." But I could not rest without seeing him " Yes, and all imagination. Doctor, I to his lodgings, where I stayed till mid- have done my penance. Something must night, and then went home more anxious have brought me hereto-day. I don't know than I can tell. " what ; but I felt that you would cure me." A very serious case, darling," I said to " More imagination, man," I said. my wife, in answer to her queries. " Don't * " No, sir, you are wrong there, for talk to I you me ; am worn out." have—cured ' But, weary at heart, I could not sleep for He reeled, and would have fallen, had thinking of the preparation this man had not I guided him on to the sofa, where he taken. I was worried and troubled as to lay insensible for a few minutes while I the effect it had produced, and, sooth to bathed his face, my own agony of mind re- say, sanguine as I had been over my dis- turning respecting the action of the potent covery, I could trace none. Of course I drug. did not expect to work a cure as by a At last he opened his eyes, and miracle, still I did expect to have discovered looked won- some action on deringly about the part of the him. Then re- drug. collection seemed The next to return, and he morning I was caught my hand with him early, in his. and still I could " God bless you, see nothing con- " doctor ! he cried, sequent upon the and the tears swallowing of stood in his eyes. the involuntary Then, after a draught. But he pause, during was better, far which I watched better, and he him keenly, "I'm welcomed me weak and faint. with eagerness. Give me a glass " Doctor," he of something." said, as I was " Brandy ? " I going away, "no said bitterly. disrespect to you, He shuddered. but there's more " Never again," in mind than in ho said fervently. medicine you've ; "You doctors have worked a marvel- something else." . lous cure."

I mixed a little I had ; for in stimulating medi- a month he was cine, which he quite another drank w i t h man. avidity, and then As to my new rose. discovery, I went A VERY SERIOUS CASE, DARLING, I SAID "Thank you, no farther, and doctor," he said with faint smile. maturer study and greater experience " You've laid the ghost. There : I have taught me that I was over san- think I'll go." guine, and by no means so clever as I "No," I said, be still for an hour or thought. Figure-heads.

FIGURE- ful display of H E A D ships' models which de- which have been corates the collected together prow of a ship is, as at Chelsea. From that personification the magnificent of universal know- half-model of the ledge invented by Victoria in the Macaulay, "every schoolboy," knows, an Armstrong Gal- institution of the greatest antiquity, and lery, more than dates back to the time when men first began 30 ft. long, down to " go down to the sea " and " do business to the little Sea- in great waters." horse, on board The aforesaid schoolboy, who in the of which Nelson present day is an archaeologist of no mean served as midship- capacity, is familiar with the aspect of the man in 1771-2, Greek and Roman war-galleys as repre- they all give evi- sented in marble and bronze remains of dence of the gra- ancient times, and he can discourse learnedly dual development about the prora, the rostrum, the guber- of our navy, and naculum, the cheniscus, and other details of as far as the the vessels of classic days. But it is with wooden ships are the more modern period that I propose to concerned, to the deal in the following notes. artistic skill All visitors to the Naval Exhibition have lavished on the been struck with admiration at the wonder- decorations Of figure-head of the "seahorse," , , IN WHICH NELSON SERVED AS bow, stern and midshipman. quarters. But with the substitution of iron for wood the figure- head gradually lost its importance, and in Her Majesty's ships may now be pronounced almost extinct, the prevailing fashion being to ornament the two sides of the bow in a flat treatment, and to have no projection beyond the cutwater, as in the sketch of the ironclad Nep- tune. Mr. Clark Rus- sell says, with reference to the decay of figure- heads, " What- ever the new fashions may be termed, the old ones are yielding to them, and the figurehead proper

FIGURE-HEAD OF MODERN IKONCLAD. (FROM H.M.S. " NEl'TUNE.") survives chiefly —

39& THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

R.A., has kindly allowed me to make public. Mr. Marks was at Lewes in 1879, the year in which he painted his picture of "Old Friends"—now in the National Gallery of Sydney, the subject being two old Greenwich pensioners in their quaint

costume (now, alas ! like the figure-heads, a thing of the past)—standing in a ship- breaker's yard, gazing at the effigy which had formerly adorned the stem of their old ship. While at Lewes, Mr. Marks met an old man-of-war's man, and, in the course of conver- sation, happened to describe his picture, and men- tioned that one of the heads intro- duced was a High- lander. The old man thought the

FIGURE-HEAD OF H.M.S. EDINBURGH.

—I will not say only—in ships of a type not likely to be replaced when they go to the bottom, or are sold for ice or coal hulks." The affection entertained by the old salt for the figure-head of his ship, and which the modern scroll - work, like the Neptune's, can scarcely inspire, is well illustrated in the following letter, which my friend Mr. Stacy Marks,

FIGURE-HEAD OF THE

Highlander was from his own ship, the Edinburgh, and Mr. Marks, on his return home, sent him a copy of a photograph of the painting. The letter was in acknow- ledgment of the gift :

Lewes Castle, Oct. 11/79. Sir,—I am much obliged for sending me the figure-head of my old ship, the Edin-

burgh. Sir i am confident its her head the

more i look at it the more i reconise it.

She was built in 181 2 and i believe she fell FIGURE-HEAD OF THE COLLINGWOOD. into the hands of the ship breaker to break — —

FIGURE-HEADS. 397 her up in the Liberal who had had his eye Goverment's reign. on the Chesapeake for (Childers to wit) some time, addressed I am Sir to Captain Lawrence, Your humble servant of the latter vessel, a James Morgan. letter of challenge,

Sir i will have it which (to use the words framed and keep in of James's Naval His- rememberance of you tory) "for candour, and the old ship. manly spirit, and gentle- J. M. manly style, stands un- paralleled." This is one sketch repre- The of the passages in the sents the figure-head as letter : —"As the Chesa- it now stands in Messrs. peake appears now ready Castle's yard in the for sea, I request you Vauxhall Bridge-road, will do me the favour it has for neigh- and to meet the Shannon bours the Leander and with her, ship to ship, the Collingwood ; the to try the fortune of our latter, it will be noticed, respective flags." How continues his career of the fight ended, and usefulness by carrying how the Bostonians a gas lamp in an ex- were disappointed in tremely painful posi- their expectations of vessels were tion. These seeing the Britisher broken up about the whipped, is a thrice-told year 1866. tale, and need not be One of the most in- repeated here. A pro- figure-heads teresting phetic bard of the period in the Naval Exhibition sang : is that of the Shannon, FIGURI HEAD OF THE VICTORY AT THE BATTLE OF " Antl aS the War tlieV di(i whose encounter with TRAFALGAR. provoke, the Chesapeake off We'll pay them with our cannon Boston on June 1, 181 3, will always be ; The first to do it will be Broke a glorious page in the history of England's In the gallant ship the Shannon." Navy. Captain Broke, her commander,

FIGURE-HEAD OF THE " BLACK PRINCE." "

398 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

glorious career, and it is believed that it was the third, a shield with a crown over and supported by a sailor on the starboard and a marine on the port side, which she carried at the Battle of Trafalgar. At the present

FIGURE-HEAD OK H M.S. " AJAX."

Robert C. Leslie, in his interesting Mr. FIGURE-HEAD OF THE "BRITANNIA. book " Old Sea Wings, Ways, and Words in the Days of Oak and Hemp," tells us day the old ship still has the shield and that, " owing to neglect, and still more, crown, b' ' ' ^.e supporters are two gigantic perhaps, to the material—mostly English cherubs, i^id these Turner, with character- elm — used by ship istic contempt for accu- carvers, very old figure- racy, has represented in heads are not common; his picture of the battle and from my own in- which belongs to Green- vestigation of the sub- wich Hospital, but is ject, I should say they now to be seen at the are practically extinct. Naval Exhibition. There is also great diffi- There is a good col- culty in locating those lection of figure-heads in that have survived, and Devonport Dockyard, this arises partly from of which the sketches the fashion of continuing here given are typical the names of ships after examples. The Black the original owners of Prince belonged to the the names have passed ship of that name, which also from is now in commission away, and ; some of the old ships the Ajax recalls the fate having several figure- of her commander, Cap- heads, which were tain Boyd, R.N., who changed according to was drowned at Kings- the fancy of the captain town on the 9th Febru-

or first lieutenant. Nel- ary, 1 86 1, while gallantly son's Victory had, in striving to save life when fact, four figure-heads at fourteen vessels were different periods of her FIGUKE-HEAD OF THE " CANOPUS lost in the harbour in a FIGURE-HEADS. 399

vermilion exhausted on the lips was prodigious. In the same West country harbour I came across the old Grimaldi, a collier brig, a " Geordie," in fact—see Mr. Clark Russell for a description of this kind of craft. The local seamen told me the Grimaldi was ninety years old, and as sound as a bell, and

FISURE-HEAD OF THE GRIMALDI.

terrible gale from the N.E. Other heads here given are from the Canopus, a ship taken from the French, and considered in her day the fastest sailer in the squadron ; and the Britannia, now the training-ship for Naval cadets. The sketches of the Grimaldi and Eliza Jane are examples of the figureheads met with in small coasting vessels. The Eliza Jane is, I believe, still afloat. FIGURE-HEAD OK THE "CALEDONIA."

as Grimaldi was born in 1779, the age of the brig was, perhaps, not exaggerated. The figure was very comical, and there were distinct traces of a goose hanging out of the clown's starboard pocket. I heard with sorrow that the poor old Grimaldi was lost with all hands a few months after I had sketched her.

FIGURE-HEAD OF T.IE "ELIZA JANE.'

She is a schooner of about 150 tons, and, judging from the costume, was built in the year 1855. It was amusing to watch, as I did in a West country harbour, the artist of the ship painting Eliza Jane with the brightest colours which his palette could furnish. The bouquet of flowers took him about a day to work up, and the amount of FIGURE-HEAD OF THE "GREAT IIARKV." — —

400 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

The Caledonia is a picturesque figure. from which I quote the following stanzas : The figure-head of the Great Harry, Henry " Our progress was your triumph duly hailed the Eighth's enormous vessel, represented By Ocean's inmates ; herald dolphins played the accompanying quaint image of the Before our stem, tall ships that sunward sailed British Lion. With stately curtseys due obeisance paid.

Lord Dufferin, in his charming book, What marvel, then, if when our wearied hull " Letters from High Latitudes," pays great In some lone haven found a brief repose, Rude hands, by love made delicate, would cull honour to the figure-head of his yacht " A grateful garland for your goddess brows ? Foam. " I remained on board to superin- tend the fixing of our sacred figure-head We cannot give a more fitting conclusion executed in bronze by Marochetti, and to these slight notes than the figure-head of brought along with me by rail still warm the old Nile, a remarkably realistic portrait from the furnace." His Lordship apostro- bust of Lord Nelson, after he had lost his phises the effigy in some graceful verses, eye.

FIGURE-HEAD OF THE " NILE. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. ADVENTURE IV.—THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY. By A. Conan Doyle.

E were seated at breakfast one We had the carriage to ourselves save for morning, my wife and I, when an immense litter of papers which Holmes the maid brought in a tele- had brought with him. Among these he gram. It was from Sherlock rummaged and read, with intervals of note-

Holmes, and ran in this way : taking and of meditation, until we were " Have you a couple of days past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled to spare ? Have just been wired for from them all into a gigantic ball, and tossed the West of England in connection with them up on to the rack. " Boscombe Valley tragedy. Shall be glad if " Have you heard anything of the case ? you will come with me. Air and scenery he asked. perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11.15." " Not a word. I have not seen a paper " What do you say, dear ? " said my wife, for some days." " looking across at me. " Will you go ? " The London press has not had very full " I really don't know what to say. I accounts. I have just been looking through have a fairly long list at present." all the recent papers in order to master "Oh, Anstruther would do your work the particulars. It seems, from what I for you. You have been looking a little gather, to be one of those simple cases pale lately. I think that the change would which are so extremely difficult." do you good, and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." " I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained through one of them," I answered. " But if I am to go I must pack at once, for I have only half an hour." My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab with my valise, rattling away to Padding- ton Station. Sherlock Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey travelling cloak, and close-fitting cloth cap. " It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. " It makes a considerable differ- ence to me, having someone with me on whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the tickets." 'we had the carriage to ourselves. F F 402 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" That sounds a little paradoxical." two people saw him as he passed over this " But it is profoundly true. Singularity ground. One was an old woman, whose is almost invariably a clue. The more name is not mentioned, and the other was featureless and commonplace a crime is, the William Crowder, a gamekeeper in the more difficult is it to bring it home. In employ of Mr. Turner. Both these wit- this case, however, they have established a nesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was very serious case against the son of the walking alone. The gamekeeper adds that murdered man." within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. " " It is a murder, then ? McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. " Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall James McCarthy, going the same way with take nothing for granted until I have the a gun under his arm. To the best of his opportunity of looking personally into it. belief, the father was actually in sight at I will explain the state of things to you, as the time, and the son was following him. far as I have been able to understand it, in He thought no more of the matter until he a very few words. heard in the evening of the tragedy that " Boscombe Valley is a country district had occurred. not very far from Ross, in Herefordshire. " The two McCarthys were seen after The largest landed proprietor in that part the time when William Crowder, the game- is a Mr. John Turner, who made his money keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe in Australia, and returned some years ago Pool is thickly wooded round, with just a to the old country. One of the farms fringe of grass and of reeds round the which he held, that of Hatherley, was let edge. A girl of fourteen, Patience Moran, to Mr. Charles McCarthy, who was also who is the daughter of the lodge-keeper of an ex-Australian. The men had known the Boscombe Valley Estate, was in one of

each other in the Colonies, so that it was the woods picking flowers. - She states that not unnatural that when they came to while she was there she saw, at the border settle down they should do so as near of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. each other as possible. Turner was appa- McCarthy and his son, and that they rently the richer man, so McCarthy became appeared to be having a violent quarrel. his tenant, but still remained, it seems, upon She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using terms of perfect equality, as they were very strong language to his son, and she frequently together. McCarthy had one saw the latter raise up his hand as if to son, a lad of eighteen, and Turner had an strike his father. She was so frightened only daughter of the same age, but neither by their violence that she ran away, and of them had wives living. They appear to told her mother when she reached home have avoided the society of the neighbour- that she had left the two McCarthys ing English families, and to have led retired quarrelling near Boscombe Pool, and that lives, though both the McCarthys were she was afraid that they were going to fond of sport, and were frequently seen at fight. She had hardly said the words when the race meetings of the neighbourhood. young Mr. McCarthy came running up to McCarthy kept two servants—a man and the lodge to say that he had found his a girl. Turner had a considerable house- father dead in the wood, and to ask for the hold, some half-dozen at the least. That help of the lodge-keeper. He was much is as much as I have been able to gather excited, without either his gun or his hat, about the families. Now for the facts. and his right hand and sleeve were ob- " On June 3, that is, on Monday last, served to be stained with fresh blood. On McCarthy left his house at Hatherley about following him they found the dead body three in the afternoon, and walked down stretched out upon the grass beside the to the Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake Pool. The head had been beaten in by formed by the spreading out of the stream repeated blows of some heavy and blunt which runs down the Boscombe Valley. weapon. The injuries were such as might He had been out with his serving-man in very well have been inflicted by the butt- the morning at Ross, and he had told the end of his son's gun, which was found man that he must hurry, as he had an lying on the grass within a few paces of the appointment of importance to keep at three. body. Under these circumstances the young From that appointment he never came man was instantly arrested, and a verdict of

back alive. ' Wilful Murder ' having been returned at " From Hatherley Farmhouse to the the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednes- Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a mile, and day brought before the magistrates at Ross, ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 4°3 who have referred "Besides, we may the case to the chance to hit next assizes. upon some other Those are the obvious facts main facts of the which may have case as they came been by no means out before the obvious to Mr. coroner and at Lestrade. You the police-court." know me too well "I could hardly to think that I imagine a more am boasting when damning case," I I say that I shall remarked. " If either confirm or ever circumstan- destroy his theory tial evidence by means which pointed to a he is quite incap- criminal it does able of employ- so here." ing, or even of "Circumstan- understanding. tial evidence is h To take the first a very tricky / example to hand, thing," answered - I very clearly Holmes, thought- that in (, perceive fully. " It may your bedroom the seem to point window is upon very straight to the right-hand

one thing, but if ; side, and yet I you shift your . / question whether own point of view Mr. Lestrade a little, you may would have noted find it pointing even so self- in an equally evident a thing uncompromisi n g as that." manner to some- "How on " thing entirely dif- earth ! ferent. It must " My dear fel- be confessed, low, I know you however, that the well. I know the case looks ex- ' THEY FOUND THE BODY. military neatness ceedingly grave which character- against the young man, and it is very ises you. You shave every morning, and possible that he is indeed the culprit. in this season you shave by the sunlight, There are several people in the neigh- but since your shaving is less and less com- bourhood, however, and among them Miss plete as we get further back on the left Turner, the daughter of the neighbouring side, until it becomes positively slovenly as landowner, who believe in his innocence, we get round the angle of the jaw, it is and who have retained Lestrade, whom you surely very clear that that side is less wr ell may recollect in connection with the Study illuminated than the other. I could not in Scarlet, to work out the case in his imagine a man of your habits looking at interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, himself in an equal light, and being satisfied has referred the case to me, and hence it is with such a result. I only quote this as a that two middle-aged gentlemen are flying trivial example of observation and inference. westward at fifty miles an hour, instead of Therein lies my metier, and it is just possi- quietly digesting their breakfasts at home." ble that it may be of some service in the "I am afraid," said I, " that the facts are investigation which lies before us. There so obvious that you will find little credit to are one or two minor points which were be gained out of this case." brought out in the inquest, and which are " There is nothing more deceptive than worth considering." " an obvious fact," he answered, laughing. "What are they ? —

4°4 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

" It appears that his arrest did not take paragraph in which the unfortunate young place at once, but after the return to man had given his own statement of

Hatherley . Farm. On the inspector of what had occurred. I settled myself down constabulary informing him that he was a in the corner of the carriage, and read it prisoner, he remarked that he was not sur- very carefully. It ran in this way : prised to hear it, and that it was no more " Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of than his deserts. This observation of his the deceased, was then called, and gave

: — had the natural effect of removing any evidence as follows ' I had been away traces of doubt which might have remained from home for three days at Bristol, and in the minds of the coroner's jury." had only just returned upon the morning of " It was a confession," I ejaculated. last Monday, the 3rd. My father was " No, for it was followed by a protesta- absent from home at the time of my arrival, tion of innocence." and I was informed by the maid that he " Coming on the top of such a damning had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, series of events, it was at least a most sus- the groom. Shortly after my return I picious remark." heard the wheels of his trap in the yard, " On the contrary," said Holmes, " it is and, looking out of my window, I saw him the brightest rift which I can at present see get out and walk rapidly out of the yard, in the clouds. However innocent he might though I was not aware in which direction be, he could not be such an absolute imbe- he was going. I then took my gun, and cile as not to see that the circumstances strolled out in the direction of the Boscombe were very black against him. Had he Pool, with the intention of visiting the appeared surprised at his own arrest, or rabbit warren which is upon the other side. feigned indignation at it, I should have On my way I saw William Crowder, the looked upon it as highly suspicious, be- gamekeeper, as he has stated in his evi-

cause such surprise or anger would not be dence ; but he is mistaken in thinking that natural under the circumstances, and yet I was following my father. I had no idea might appear to be the best policy to a that he was in front of me. When about scheming man. His frank acceptance of a hundred yards from the Pool I heard " " the situation marks him as either an inno- a cry of Cooee ! which was a usual cent man, or else as a man of considerable signal between my father and myself. I self-restraint and firmness. As to his then hurried forward, and found him stand- remark about his deserts, it was also not ing by the Pool. He appeared to be much unnatural if you consider that he stood surprised at seeing me, and asked me rather beside the dead body of his father, and that roughly what I was doing there. A con- there is no doubt that he had that very versation ensued, which led to high words, day so far forgotten his filial duty as to and almost to blows, for my father was a bandy words with him, and even, according man of a very violent temper. Seeing that to the little girl whose evidence is so im- his passion was becoming ungovernable, I portant, to -raise his hand as if to strike left him, and returned towards Hatherley him. The self-reproach and contrition Farm. I had not gone more than one which are displayed in his remark appear hundred and fifty yards, however, when I to me to be the signs of a healthy mind, heard a hideous outcry behind me, which rather than of a guilty one." caused me to run back again. I found my I shook my head. " Many men have father expiring upon the ground, with his been hanged on far slighter evidence," I head terribly injured. I dropped my gun, remarked. and held him in my arms, but he almost " So they have. And many men have instantly expired. I knelt besides him for been wrongfully hanged." some minutes, and then made my way to " What is the young man's own account Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, his house being " of the matter ? the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no " It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging one near my father when I returned, and I to his supporters, though there are one or have no idea how he came by his injuries. two points in it which are suggestive. You He was not a popular man, being somewhat

will find it here, and may read it for your- cold and forbidding in his manners ; but he self." had, as far as I know, no active enemies. I " He picked out from his bundle a copy know nothing further of the matter.' " of the local Herefordshire paper, and having The Coroner : Did your father make turned down the sheet, he pointed out the any statement to you before he died ? ' ' ' ' '

ADVEN1URBS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 4°5

" Witness : It was. 41 The Coroner : How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol ? u Witness (with consider-

able confusion) : I do not know. " A luryman : Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions when you returned on hearing the cry, and found

your father fatally injured ? " Witness : Nothing defi- nite. " The Coroner : What do you mean ? u Witness : I was so dis- turbed and excited as I rushed out into the open, that I could think of nothing I 1 except of my father. Yet I * have a vague impression that as I ran forward some- thing lay upon the ground to the left of me. It seemed to me to be something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. When I rose from my father

I HELD HIM IN MY ARMS." I looked round for it, but it was gone.

" " ' Witness : He mumbled a few words, Do you mean that it disappeared before but I could only catch some allusion to a you went for help ? rat. " ' Yes, it was gone.'

" " ' ? The Coroner : What did you under- You cannot say what it was stand by that ? " ' No, I had a feeling something was there.'

" " ' ? Witness : It conveyed no meaning to How far from the body me. I thought that he was delirious. " ' A dozen yards or so.'

" " ' The Coroner : What was the point And how far from the edge of the upon which you and your father had this wood ? final quarrel ? " ' About the same.'

" " ' Witness : I should prefer not to answer. Then if it was removed it was while " ? The Coroner : I am afraid that I must you were within a dozen yards of it press it. " ' Yes, but with my back towards it.' " " Witness : It is really impossible for me This concluded the examination of the to tell you. I can assure you that it has witness." nothing to do with the sad tragedy which " I see," said I, as I glanced down the followed. column, "that the coroner in his conclud- " The Coroner : That is for the Court to ing remarks was rather severe upon young decide. I need not point out to you that McCarthy. He calls attention, and with your refusal to answer will prejudice your reason, to the discrepancy about his father case considerably in any future proceedings having signalled to him before seeing him, which may arise. also to his refusal to give details of his con- " Witness : I must still refuse. versation with his father, and his singular

"The Coroner: I understand that the account of his father's dying words. , They

' cry of Cooee ' was a common signal are all, as he remarks, very much against between you and your father ? the son." 406 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Holmes laughed softly to himself, and goes into it the plainer it becomes. Still, stretched himself out upon the cushioned of course, one can't refuse a lady, and such ?eat. " Both you and the coroner have a very positive one, too. She had heard of been at some pains," said he, " to single out you, and would have your opinion, though the very strongest points in the young I repeatedly told her that there was nothing man's favour. Don't you see that you which you could do which I had not alternately give him credit for having too already done. Why, bless my soul ! here much imagination and too little ? Too is her carriage at the door." little, if he could not invent a cause of He had hardly spoken before there rushed quarrel which would give him the sym- into the room one of the most lovely young of the jury too much, if he evolved women that I have ever seen in life. pathy ; my from his own inner consciousness anything Her violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a so outre as a dying reference to a rat, and pink flush upon her cheeks, all thought the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, of her natural reserve lost in her over- sir, I shall approach this case from the powering excitement and concern. " " point of view that what this young man Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes ! she cried, says is true, and we shall see whither that glancing from one to the other of us, and hypothesis will lead us. And now here is finally, with a woman's quick intuition, my pocket Petrarch, and not another word fastening upon my companion, " I am so shall I say of this case until we are on the glad that you have come. I have driven scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, down to tell you so. I know that James and I see that we shall be there in twenty didn't do it. I know it, and I want you to minutes." start upon your work knowing it, too. It was nearly four o'clock when we at Never let yourself doubt upon that point. last, after passing through the beautiful We have know each other since we were Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleam- little children, and I know his faults as no

ing Severn, found ourselves at the pretty one else does ; but he is too tender-hearted "kittle country town of Ross. A lean, ferret- to hurt a fly. Such a charge is absurd to like man, furtive and sly-looking, was wait- anyone who really knows him." ing for us upon the platform. In spite of " I hope we may clear him, Miss the light brown dustcoat and leather leg- Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. " You gings which he wore in deference to his may rely upon my doing all that I rustic surroundings, I had no difficulty in can." recognising Lestrade, of Scotland Yard. "But you have read the evidence. You With him we drove to the "Hereford have formed some conclusion ? Do you Arms," where a room had already been not see some loophole, some flaw ? Do you engaged for us. not yourself think that he is innocent ?" " I have ordered a carriage," said Les- " I think that it is very probable." " " trade, as we sat over a cup of tea. "I knew There now ! she cried, throwing your energetic nature, and that you would back her head, and looking defiantly at not be happy until you had been on the Lestrade. "You hear! He gives me scene of the crime." hopes." " It was very nice and complimentary of Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am you," Holmes answered. " It is entirely a afraid that my colleague has been a little question of barometric pressure." quick in forming his conclusions," he said.

Lestrade looked startled. "I do not "But he is right. Oh ! I know that he is quite follow," he said. right. James never did it. And about his " How is the glass ? Twenty-nine, I quarrel with his father, I am sure that the see. No wind, and not a cloud in the sky. reason why he would not speak about it to I have a easeful of cigarettes here which the coroner was because I was concerned need smoking, and the sofa is very much in it." superior to the usual country hotel "In what way ? " asked Holmes. abomination. I do not think that it is "It is no time for me to hide anything. probable that I shall use the carriage to- James and his father had many disagree- night." ments about me. Mr. McCarthy was very Lestrade laughed indulgently. " Youhave, anxious that there should be a marriage no doubt, already formed your conclusions between us. James and I have always loved from the newspapers," he said. "The case each other as brother and sister, but of is as plain as a pikestaff, and the more one course he is young, and has seen very little "

ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 407

of life yet, and—and—well, he naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was " LESTRADE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS." one of them." "And your father?" asked Holmes. " I will, Miss Turner." " " Was he in favour of such a union? " I must go home now, for dad is very ill, " No, he was averse to it also. No one but and he misses me so if I leave him. Good- Mr. McCarthy was in favour of it." A bye, and God help you in your under- quick blush passed over her fresh young taking." She hurried from the room as face as Holmes shot one of his keen, ques- impulsivelyasshehad entered, and we heard tioning glances at her. the wheels of her carriage rattle off down " Thank you for this information," said the street. he. " May I see your father if I call " I am ashamed of you, Holmes," said " to-morrow ? Lestrade with dignity, after a few minutes' " I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." silence. " Why should you raise up hopes "The doctor?" which you are bound to disappoint ? I am " Yes, have you not heard ? Poor father not over tender of heart, but I call it has never been strong for years back, but cruel." this has broken him down completely. " I think that I see my way to clearing He has taken to his bed, and Dr. Willows James McCarthy," said Holmes. "Have says that he is a wreck, and that his you an order to see him in prison." nervous system is shattered. Mr. McCarthy "Yes, but only for you and me." was the only man alive who had known " Then I shall reconsider my resolution dad in the old days in Victoria." about going out. We have still time to " Ha ! In Victoria ! That is impor- take a train to Hereford and see him to- tant." night ? " Yes, at the mines." "Ample." "Quite so at the gold as I " let so. I fear ; mines, where, Then us do Watson, that understand, Mr. Turner made his money." you will find it very slow, but I shall only " Yes, certainly." be away a couple of hours." " Thank you, Miss Turner. You have I walked down to the station with them, been of material assistance to me." and then wandered through the streets of "You will tell me if you have any news the little town, finally returning to the to-morrow. No doubt you will go to the hotel, where I lay upon the sofa and tried prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. to interest myself in a yellow-backed novel. Holmes, do tell him that I know him to be The puny plot of the story was so thin, innocent." however, when compared to the deep 408 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

mystery through which we were groping, explanation. And then the incident of the and I found my attention wander so con- grey cloth, seen by young McCarthy. If tinually from the fiction to the fact, that I that were true, the murderer must have at last flung it across the room, and gave dropped some part of his dress, presumably myself up entirely to a consideration of the his overcoat, in his flight, and must have events of the day. Supposing that this had the hardihood to return and to carry it unhappy young man's story was absolutely away at the instant when the son was true, then what hellish thing, what abso- kneeling with his back turned not a dozen lutely unforeseen and extraordinary calamity paces off. What a tissue of mysteries and

could have occurred between the time when improbabilities the whole thing was ! I he parted from his father, and the moment did not wonder at Lestrade's opinion, and when, drawn back by his screams, he rushed yet I had so much faith in Sherlock Holmes' into the glade ? It was something terrible insight that I could not lose hope as long and deadly. What could it be ? Might as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen not the nature of the injuries reveal some- his conviction of young McCarthy's in- thing to my medical instincts ? I rang the nocence. bell, and called for the weekly county paper, It was late before Sherlock Holmes re- which contained a verbatim account of the turned. He came back alone, for Lestrade inquest. In the sur- was staying in geon's deposition it was lodgings in the stated that the pos- town. terior third of the left " The glass parietal bone and the still keeps very left half of the occi- high," he re- marked, as he sat down. "It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his very best and keenest for such nice work as that, and I did not wish to

' I TRIED TO INTEREST MYSELF IN A YELLOW-BACKED NOVEL do it when fagged byalongjourney. pital bone had been shattered by a heavy I have seen young McCarthy." " blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the " And what did you learn from him ? spot upon my own head. Clearly such a " Nothing." " blow must have been struck from behind. " Could he throw no light ? That was to some extent in favour of the " None at all. I was inclined to think at accused, as when seen quarrelling he was one time that he knew who had done it, face to face with his father. Still, it did not and was screening him or her, but I am go for very much, for the older man might convinced now that he is as puzzled as have turned his back before the blow fell. everyone else. He is not a very quick- Still, it might be worth while to call witted youth, though comely to look at, Holmes' attention to it. Then there was and, I should think, sound at heart." the peculiar dying reference to a rat. What " I cannot admire his taste," I remarked, could that mean ? It could not be delirium. " if it is indeed a fact that he was averse to A man dying from a sudden blow does not a marriage with so charming a young lady commonly become delirious. No, it was as this Miss Turner." more likely to be an attempt to explain how " Ah, thereby hangs a rather painful tale. he met his fate. But what could it indicate ? This fellow is madly, insanely in love with I cudgelled my brains to find some possible her, but some two years ago, when he was ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 409

" only a lad, and before he really knew her, About sixty ; but his constitution has for she had been away five years at a boarding- been shattered by his life abroad, and he school, what does the idiot do but get into has been in failing health for some time. the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol, and This business has had a very bad effect marry her at a registry office? No one i;pon him. He was an old friend of knows a word of the matter, but you can McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great imagine how maddening it must be to him benefactor to him, for I have learned to be upbraided for not doing what he that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent would give his very eyes to do, but what free." " he knows to be absolutely impossible. It Indeed ! That is interesting," said was sheer frenzy of this sort which made Holmes. " him throw his hands up into the air when Oh, yes ! In a hundred other ways his father, at their last interview, was he has helped him. Everybody about goading him on to propose to Miss Turner. here speaks of his kindness to him." " On the other hand, he had no means of Really ! Does it not strike you as supporting himself, and his father, who was a little singular that this McCarthy, who by all accounts a very hard man, would appears to have had little of his own, have thrown him over utterly had he and to have been under such obligations known the truth. It was with his barmaid to Turner, should still talk of marrying wife that he had spent the last three days his son to Turner's daughter, who is, in Bristol, and his father did not know presumably, heiress to the estate, and that where he was. Mark that point. It is of in such a very cocksure manner, as if it importance. Good has come out of evil, were merely a case of a proposal and all however, for the barmaid, finding from the else would follow ? It is the more strange, papers that he is in serious trouble, and since we know that Turner himself was likely to be hanged, has thrown him over averse to the idea. The daughter told utterly, and has written to him to say that us as much. Do you not deduce some- " she has a husband already in the Bermuda thing from that ? Dockyard, so that there is really no tie " We have got to the deductions and the between them. I think that that bit of inferences," said Lestrade, winking at me. news has consoled young McCarthy for all " I find it hard enough to tackle facts, that he has suffered." Holmes, without flying away after theories " But if he is innocent, who has done and fancies." it?" " You are right," said Holmes, demurely ; "Ah! who? I would call your atten- " you do find it very hard to tackle the tion very particularly to two points. One facts." is that the murdered man had an appoint- " Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which ment with someone at the Pool, and that you seem to find it difficult to get hold of," the someone couli not have been his son, replied Lestrade, with some warmth. " for his son was away, and he did not know " And that is ? when he would return. The second is that " That McCarthy, senior, met his death the murdered man was heard to cry, from McCarthy, junior, and that all theories

' ! Cooee ' before he knew that his son had to the contrary are the merest moonshine." returned. Those are the crucial points " Well, moonshine is a brighter thing upon which the case depends. And now than fog," said Holmes, laughing. " But I let us talk about George Meredith, if you am very much mistaken if this is not please, and we shall leave all minor matters Hatherley Farm upon the left." until to-morrow." " Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, There was no rain, as Holmes had fore- comfortable-looking building, two-storied told, and the morning broke bright and slate roofed, with great yellow blotches of cloudless. At nine o'clock Lestrade called lichen upon the grey walls. The drawn for us with the carriage, and we set off for blinds and the smokeless chimneys, how- Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe Pool. ever, gave it a stricken look, as though the "There is serious news this morning," weight of this horror still lay heavy upon Lestrade observed. " It is said that Mr. it. We called at the door, when the maid Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life at Holmes' request, showed us the boots is despaired of." which her master wore at the time of his " An elderly man, I presume ? " said death, and also a pair of the son's, though Holmes. not the pair which he had then had. Hav- 410 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

dead, and once he made quite a little detour into the meadow. Lestrade and I walked behind him, the detec- tive indifferent and contempt- uous, while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the conviction that every one of his actions was di- rected towards a definite end. The Boscombe Pool, which is a little reed - girt sheet of water '"^ some fifty yards

I across, is situ- **«! ated at the

THE MAID SHOWED US THE BOOTS. boundary be- tween the Hath- ing measured these very carefully from erley Farm and the private park of the seven or eight different points, Holmes wealthy Mr. Turner. Above the woods desired to be led to the courtyard, from which lined it upon the further side we which we all followed the winding track could see the red jutting pinnacles which which led to Boscombe Pool. marked the site of the rich landowner's Sherlock Holmes was transformed when dwelling. On the Hatherley side of the he was hot upon such a scent as this. Men Pool the woods grew very thick, and there who had only known the quiet thinker and was a narrow belt of sodden grass twenty logician of Baker-street would have failed paces across between the edge of the trees to recognise him. His face flushed and and the reeds which lined the lake. Les- darkened. His brows were drawn into two trade showed us the exact spot at which the hard, black lines, while his eyes shone out body had been found, and, indeed, so moist from beneath them with a steely glitter. was the ground, that I could plainly see the His face was bent downwards, his shoulders traces which had been left by the fall of the bowed, his lips compressed, and the veins stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see stood out like whipcord in his long, sinewy by his eager face and peering eyes, very neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a many other things were to be read upon the purely animal lust for the chase, and his trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog mind was so absolutely concentrated upon who is picking up a scent, and then turned the matter before him, that a question or upon my companion. " remark fell unheeded upon his ears, or at " What did you go into the Pool for ? the most, only provoked a quick, impatient he asked. snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he " I fished about with a rake. I thought made his way along the track which ran there might be some weapon or other trace. " through the meadows, and so by way of the But how on earth ? " woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp, Oh, tut, tut ! I have no time ! That marshy ground, as is all that district,' and left foot of yours with its inward twist is there were marks of many feet, both upon all over the place. A mole could trace it, the path, and amid the short grass which and there it vanishes among the reeds. Oh, bounded it on either side. Sometimes how simple it would all have been had I Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop been here before they came like a herd of ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 411

buffalo, and wallowed all over it. Here is and this also he carefully examined and where the party with the lodge-keeper came, retained. Then he followed a pathway and they have covered all tracks for six or through the wood until he came to the eight feet round the body. But here are high road, where all traces were lost.

IP^&iii^

j&jqij*

'" FOR A LONG TIME HE REMAINED THERE."

three separate tracks of the same feet." " It has been a case of considerable He drew out a lens, and lay down upon his interest," he remarked, returning to his waterproof to have a better view, talking natural manner. " I fancy that this grey all the time rather to himself than to us. house on the right must be the lodge. I " These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice think that I will go in and have a word he was walking, and once he ran swiftly so with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. that the soles are deeply marked, and the Having done that, we may drive back to our heels hardly visible. That bears out his luncheon. You may walk to the cab, and story. He ran when he saw his father on I shall be with you presently." the ground. Then here are the father's It was about ten minutes before we feet as he paced up and down. What is regained our cab, and drove back into Ross, this, then ? It is the butt-end of the gun Holmes still carrying with him the stone as the son stood listening. And this ? Ha, which he had picked up in the wood.

ha ! What have we here ? Tip-toes ! tip- "This may interest you, Lestrade," he

toes ! Square, too, quite unusual boots ! remarked, holding it out. "The murder, They come, they go, they come again—of was done with it." course that was for the cloak. Now where " I see no marks." did they come from ? " He ran up and " There are none." " down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding " How do you know, then ? the track until we were well within the " The grass was growing under it. It edge of the wood, and under the shadow of had only lain there a few days. There was a great beech, the largest tree in the neigh- no sign of a place whence it had been bourhood. Holmes traced his way to the taken. It corresponds with the injuries. further, side of this, and lay down once There is no sign of any other weapon." " more upon his face with a little cry of satis- " And the murderer ? faction. For a long time he remained " Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with there, turning over the leaves and dried the right leg, wears thick-soled shooting sticks, gathering up what seemed to me to boots and a grey cloak, smokes Indian be dust into an envelope, and examining cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a with his lens not only the ground, but even blunt penknife in his pocket. There are the bark of the tree as far as he could reach. several other indications, but these may be A jagged stone was lying among the moss, enough to aid us in our search." " "

412 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

Lestrade laughed. " I am afraid that I for a little. I don't quite know what to do, am still a sceptic," he said. " Theories are and I should value your advice. Light a all very well, but we have to deal with a cigar, and let me expound." hard-headed British jury." " Pray do so." " Nous verrons" answered Holmes, " Well, now, in considering this case there calmly. "You work your own method, are two points about young McCarthy's and I shall work mine. I shall be busy narrative which struck us both instantly, this afternoon, and shall probably return to although they impressed me in his favour London by the evening train." and you against him. One was the fact " " And leave your case unfinished ? that his father should, according to his

" ' ! No, finished." account, cry Cooee ' before seeing him. " " But the mystery ? The other was his singular dying reference "It is solved." to a rat. He mumbled several words, you " " Who was the criminal, then ? understand, but that was all that caught " The gentleman I describe." the son's ear. Now from this double point "But who is he?" our research must commence, and we will " Surely it would not be difficult to find begin it by presuming that what the lad out. This is not such a populous neigh- says is absolutely true."

" ' ! ? bourhood." What of this Cooee ' then Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. " I am " Well, obviously it could not have been a practical man," he said, "and I really meant for the son. The son, as far as he cannot undertake to go about the country knew, was in Bristol. It was mere looking for a left-handed gentleman with a chance that he was within earshot. The game leg. I 'Cooee!' was should become meant to attract the laughing- the attention of stock of Scotland whoever it was Yard." that he had the "All right," appointment said Holmes, with. But quietly. "I have ' Cooee ' is a dis- given you the tinctly Australian chance. Here cry, and one are your lodgings. which is used Goodbye. I shall between Austra- drop you a line lians. There is before I leave." a strong presump-

Having 1 eft tion that the Lestrade at his person whom rooms we drove McCarthy ex- to our hotel, pected to meet where we found him at Boscombe lunch upon the Pool was some- table. Holmes one who had been was silent and in Australia." buried in thought " What of the with a pained rat, then ? expression upon Sherlock Holmes his face, as one took a folded who finds himself paper from his in a perplexing pocket and flat- position. tened it out on "Look here, the table. "This Watson," he said, is a map of the when the cloth Colony of Vic- was cleared; sZ&fr toria," he said. " "just sit down in I wired to Bris- this chair and let tol for it last me preach to you HE HAD STOOD BEHIND THAT TREE. night." He put ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 413 his hand over part of the map. " What found the ash, I then looked round and do you read ? " he asked. discovered the stump among the moss " ARAT," I read. where he had tossed it. It was an Indian " And now ? " He raised his hand. cigar, of the variety which are rolled in " BALLARAT." Rotterdam." " " Quite so. That was the word the man " And the cigar-holder ? uttered, and of which his son only caught " I could see that the end had not been the last two syllables. He was trying to in his mouth. Therefore he used a holder. utter the name of his murderer. So-and-so, The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but of Ballarat." the cut was not a clean one, so I deduced " " It is wonderful ! I exclaimed. a blunt penknife." "It is obvious. And now, you see, I had " Holmes," I said, " you have drawn a narrowed the field down considerably. The net round this man from which he cannot possession of a grey garment was a third escape, and you have saved an innocent point which, granting the son's statement human life as truly as if you had cut the to be correct, was a certainty. We have cord which was hanging him. I see the come now out of mere vagueness to the direction in which all this points. The " definite conception of an Australian from culprit is Ballarat with a grey cloak." '•Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel " Certainly." waiter, opening the door of our sitting-room, " And one who was at home in the dis- and ushering in a visitor. trict, for the Pool can only be approached by The man who entered was a strange and the farm or by the estate, where strangers impressive figure. His slow, limping step could hardly wander." and bowed shoulders gave the appearance " Quite so." of decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, " Then comes our expedition of to-day. craggy features, and his enormous limbs By an examination of the ground I gained showed that he was possessed of unusual the trifling details which I gave to that imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal." " " But how did you gain them ? " You know my method. It is founded upon the observance of trifles." '' His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." " Yes, they were peculiar boots." u " But his lameness ? " The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than his left. He put less weight upon it. Why ? Because he limped —he was lame." " But his left-handedness." a You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can that be unless it were by a left-handed man ? He had stood behind that tree during the interview between the father and son. He had even smoked there. I found the ash of a cigar, which my special knowledge of tobacco ashes enabled me to pronounce as an Indian cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and written a little mono- graph on the ashes of 140 different varieties of pipe, cigar, and cigarette tobacco. Having MR. JOHN TURNER, SAID THE WAITER. .

414 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. strength of body and of character. His question whether I shall live to the Assizes, tangled beard, grizzled hair, and outstand- so it matters little to me, but I should wish ing, drooping eyebrows combined to give to spare Alice the shock. And now I will an air of dignity and power to his appear- make the thing clear to it you ; has been a ance, but his face was of an ashen white, long time in the acting, but will not take while his lips and the corners of his nostrils me long to tell. " were tinged with a shade of blue. It was You didn't know this dead man , McCarthy clear to me at a glance that he was in He was a devil incarnate. I tell you that. the grip of some deadly and chronic God keep you out of the clutches of such a disease. man as he. His grip has been upon me " Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes, these twenty years, and he has blasted my " gently. " You had my note ? life. I'll tell you first how I came to be in " Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. his power. You said that you wished to see me here to " It was in the early sixties at the diggings. avoid scandal." I was a young chap then, hot-blooded and " I thought people would talk if I went reckless, ready to turn my hand to any-

to the Hall." thing ; I got among bad companions, took " " And why did you wish to see me ? to drink, had no luck with my claim, took He looked across at my companion with to the bush, and in a word became what despair in his weary eyes, as though his 3'ou would call over here a highway robber. question were already answered. There were six of us, and we had a wild, " Yes," said Holmes, answering the look free life of it, sticking up a station from- rather than the words. " It is so. I know time to time, or stopping the waggons on all about McCarthy." the road to the diggings. Black Jack of The old man sank his face in his hands. Ballarat was the name I went under, and " " " God help me ! he cried. But I would our party is still remembered in the colony not have let the young man come to harm. as the Ballarat Gang. I give you my word that I would have "One day a gold convoy came down spoken out if it went against him at the from Ballarat to Melbourne, and we lay in Assizes." wait for it and attacked it. There were " I am glad to hear you say so," said six troopers and six of us, so it was a Holmes, gravely. close thing, but we emptied four of their " I would have spoken now had it not saddles at the first volley. Three of our been for my dear girl. It would break her boys were killed, however, before we got the heart— it will break her heart when she swag. I put my pistol to the head of the hears that I am arrested." waggon-driver, who was this very man " It may not come to that," said Holmes. McCarthy. I wish to the Lord that I had "What!" shot him then, but I spared him, though I " I am no official agent. I understand saw his wicked little eyes fixed on my face, that it was your daughter who required my as though to remember every feature. We presence here, and I am acting in her got away with the gold, became wealthy interests. Young McCarthy must be got men , and made our way over to England with- off, however." out being suspected. There I parted from my "I am a dying man," said old Turner. old pals, and determined to settle down to " I have had diabetes for years. My a quiet and respectable life. I bought this doctor says it is a question whether I estate which chanced to be in the market, shall live a month. Yet I would rather and I set myself to do a little good with my die under my own roof than in a gaol." money, to make up for the way in which I Holmes rose and sat down at the table had earned it. I married, too, and though with his pen in his hand and a bundle of my wife died young, she left me my dear paper before him. " Just tell us the truth," little Alice. Even when she was just a he said. "I shall jot down the facts. baby her wee hand seemed to lead me down You will sign it, and Watson here can the right path as nothing else had ever witness it. Then I could produce your done. In a* word, I turned over a new leaf, confession at the last extremity to save and did my best to make up for the past. young McCarthy. I promise you that All was going well when McCarthy laid his I shall not use it unless it is absolutely grip upon me. needed." " I had gone up to town about an invest- " It's as well," said the old " it's ment, I him in Regent-street with man ; a and met ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. 4i5 hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his might think as if she were a slut from foot. off the streets. It drove me mad to think

" ' Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching that I and all that I held most dear

' we'll be as good as a should be in the power of such a man as me on the arm ; family to you. There's two of us, me and my this. Could I not snap the bond ? I was son, and you can have the keeping of us. already a dying and a desperate man. Though If ycu don't—it's a fine, law-abiding coun- clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, I try is England, and there's always a police- knew that my own fate was sealed. But man within hail.' my memory and my girl ! Both could be "Well, down they came to the West saved, if I could but silence that foul country, there was no shaking them off, tongue. I did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do and there they have lived rent free on my it again. Deeply as I have sinned, I have best land ever since. There was no rest led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But

for me, no peace, no forgetfulness ; turn that my girl should be entangled in the where I would, there was his cunning, grin- same meshes which held me was more than ning face at my elbow. It grew worse as I could suffer. I struck him down with Alice grew up, for he soon saw I was more no more compunction than if he had been afraid of her knowing my past than of the some foul and venomous beast. His cry police. Whatever he wanted he must have, brought back his son ; but I had gained and whatever it was I gave him without the cover of the wood, though I was question, land, money, houses, until at last forced to go back to fetch the cloak which he asked a thing which I could not give. I had dropped in my flight. That is the He asked for Alice. true story," gentlemen, of all that occurred." "His son, you see, had grown up, and so " Well, it is not for me to judge you," had my girl, and as I was known to be in said Holmes, as the old man signed the weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him statement which had been drawn out. " I that his lad should step into the whole pro- pray that we may never be exposed to such perty. But there I was firm. I would not a temptation." have his cursed stock mixed with mine " I pray not, sir. And what do you in- ; " not that I had any dislike to the lad, but tend to do? his blood was in him, and that was enough. " In view of your health, nothing. You I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I are yourself aware that you will soon have braved him to do his worst. We were to to answer for your deed at a higher Court meet at the than the assizes. Pool midway I will keep your between our confession, and, houses to talk if McCarthy is it over. condemned, I "When I shall be forced went down to use it. If there I found not, it shall him talking never be seen with his son, mortal eye by ; so I smoked and your secret, a cigar, and whether you be waited behind a alive or dead, tree until he shall be safe should be alone. with us." But as I listened "Farewell! to his talk all then," said the that was black old man, and bitter in me solemnly. seemed to come "Your own uppermost. He death -b eds, was urging his when they son to marry my come, will be daughter with the easier for as little regard the thought of for what she FAREWELL, THEN,' SAID THF. OLD MAN." the peace which "

416 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. you have given to mine." Tottering and James McCarthy was acquitted at the shaking in all his giant frame, he stumbled assizes, on the strength of a number of slowly from the room. objections which had been drawn out by " " God help us ! said Holmes, after a Holmes, and submitted to the defending long silence. " Why does fate play such counsel. Old Turner lived for seven tricks with poor helpless worms ? I never months after our interview, but he is now hear of such a case as this that I do not dead ; and there is every prospect that the think of Baxter's words, and say, ' There, son and daughter may come to live happily but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock together, in ignorance of the black cloud Holmes.' which rests upon their past. Smugglers Devices.

HE evasion of the all round the coast ; and the criminal customs duties has, records contain many horrible stories since customs duties of savagely murdered customs officers, were first collected whose lives went in the execution of by Government, their duty. Of course, often a stand-up been in this country fight took place, in which men of both sides

almost a national died fighting man to man ; but the tales of vice—or crime, as brutal murder of solitary and defenceless many will consider officers and suspected informers are it. Not that no numerous and unpleasant. The bold smuggling goes on, smuggler in actual life was not, any more or has gone on in than the bold highwayman, a very heroic other countries person, although the excessive duties in his ; but with the very time levied on almost every article of daily large duties which use and the consequent general high prices in old times were gained him many friends and apologists. imposed on almost every Even a great moralist like Adam Smith felt article imported to this justified in describing him as " a person who, country the practice at- though, no doubt, highly blamable for tained tremendous propor- violating the laws of his country, is tions, and was looked upon frequently incapable of violating those of almost as a legiti- mate trade, having its risks, but bring- ing commensurate profit. The facts that all contraband articles came from across the water, and that the country possessed a very long coast line difficult to watch everywhere, and providing numberless convenient landing- places, also tended to make the trade general and lucrative. The last century witnessed the most flourishing days of the industry, and indeed it was not till many years of the present century had expired that smuggling of the old-fashioned sort fell into un- profitableness and evil repute. The Sussex smugglers were at this time a most active and popu- lar body of ruffians, whose mis- deeds the whole population faci- litated and screened as far as possible. Indeed, many a worthy parson thought it no shame to allow the vaults and belfry of his church to be used as ware- houses for contraband merchan- dise, and received consideration for his assistance in many a keg of good Nantz. Dangerous ruf- fians, too, were the Sussex smugglers, and, indeed, those CONTRABAND MERCHANDISE. G G 4i8 THE STRAND MAGAZINE. natural justice, and would have been in To ordinary observation he is a plain and every respect an excellent citizen had not innocent docker, with the customary amount the laws of his country made that a crime of hard wear in his clothes and the custo- which nature never meant to be so." mary amount of dirt upon his face. But, There can be no doubt that the best as he approaches the gates there becomes measures of repression against smuggling apparent upon that same face an unusual are a simplification of the customs laws and expression of blank blamelessness which at a reduction of the duties until the profits once attracts attention. He looks much of the fraud are too small to pay for the too innocent altogether, and has, besides,

risk and trouble. Since the old protective a slight limp ; so the constable stops him. days, when the smuggler of the old school, Now we should never notice, unless our with his fast vessels, his boldness and his attention were first directed to it, that the pistols, waxed fat and prospered, customs docker wears very large boots. The con- laws have been simplified and duties have stable has observed it, however, and makes

been wonderfully reduced ; consequently, a pointed allusion to the fact. The blame- smuggling is no longer a trade, and such less docker murmurs something indefinite smuggling as still goes on, the effect of the about corns, and, being at once offered a old taint in the national blood, is mean, seat, is, much against his will, induced to small, and petty by comparison. Boldness ease his feet by taking the large boots off. has given way to peddling individual Dear, dear ! —no wonder the poor fellow cunning, and for the cargoes of brandy and was limping. The fact is, he has been lace once " run " by popu- lar ruffians, miserable pocketfuls of tobacco are secreted by very ordinary and unheroic persons who very probably, in many cases, would shrink from an action involving any- thing like intrepidity, and would resent the imputa- tion of dishonesty with much indignation. Never- theless quaint and curious are the devices they employ to baffle the Queen's officers, and, as often as not, ex- tremely ingenious. Such smuggling as now goes on is almost entirely confined, as might be guessed, to tobacco, although spirits or eau de Cologne in small quantities sometimes suc- cessfully tempt. The ingenious and horny- handed docker is respon- sible for more than one quaint artifice, and, as the secretion of tobacco or spirits on his part may at times involve an accusa- tion of theft as well as of smuggling, a sharp look- out is kept for him. Let us imagine ourselves at the dock gates as a dock-labourer approaches to leave, and observe proceedings. NO WONDER THE l'OOR FELLOW WAS LIMPING. — —;

SMUGGLERS' DEVICES 419

making anti-damp socks, like cork soles, above tobacco in a coat-lining, or " sucking for himself, but has made them much too the monkey." But honest Jack Tar is per- thick. Besides, they are made of tobacco haps a greater smuggler than the docker cake, which is no doubt a capital thing for honest Jack Tar nowadays being often a the purpose, but looks very suspicious. So Lascar. 'Baccy is Jack's chief weakness, the gentle docker is kept for awhile to of course. Dive down into the lowermost explain, and he probably finds the explana- internals of some sailing vessel in the Lon- tion a difficult one. don Dock—down where the smell of pitch The tobacco sole dodge is a very common hangs solid in the air, and where the dirty " " one, and quite blown upon ; but as it lantern rarely saves the explorer's head is impossible to examine everybody's boots, and shins from grievous bangs. Here are no doubt some such things get through coils of rope, not by ones, or tens, but by still, from time to time. Sailors and others hundreds, all tarry, all smelly, all in con- employ it, as well as dockers. fusion alike. There is no difference, one Here comes another blameless docker. might say, between any of them, excepting, He looks neither to the right nor the left, perhaps, in size. But if somebody connected but gazes straight ahead through the gates with the ship were confiding enough, and with an expression which may mean foolish enough, to come and pick out for us thoughts of his happy boyhood, or bloater the right coil of rope, and hold it close for tea, or indeed anything but smuggled against our noses, we might, even in that smokes and drinks. Still he is stopped, pitch-laden atmosphere, just detect the and the constable's hand falls upon his arm. familiar smell of— twist. There it is, one Something about the arm takes the con- fraudulent coil among a hundred innocent stable's fancy, so he slips his hand under ones, simply several pounds of twist tobacco. the sleeve, and draws forth an odd article The Custom-house officers know this dodge, an article at which the docker gazes with but it is not surprising that it has at times intense astonishment, as though he couldn't eluded them after they did know it. think how it came there. And, indeed, If the vessel is a Dutch-trading one, or how could it have come there ? For it is a one trading to other ports where the 'baccy piece of bamboo, nearly a foot long, with temptation is especially great, we may per- one end open, and a piece of small rubber haps discover something else—a trick which, or leather tubing attached to the other end. we believe, is not very generally known Now there is nothing contraband in a piece of among the customs men, and which we bamboo, with an indiarubber tube attached, hereby reveal for their information. Lying but somehow about half a pint of rum has about the deck will be a number of " contrived to get into this particular piece " fenders —shapeless conglomerations of of bamboo, and docker No. 2 goes to join fibrous rope, which are hung over the side his persecuted colleague. coming into dock to ease the scraping of the Now this docker was a man of sagacity. ship's side against the quay or against other When he took that bit of bamboo and ships' sides. Now an honourable fender dropped it, open end downward, into a is filled up inside with scraps of oakum, old barrel of rum, it immediately filled up with rope, waste yarn, and things of that sort the spirit, because the air escaped through but, sad to say, all fenders are not honour- the india-rubber tube. Then this scientific able. Tobacco makes a good stuffing, and person pinched the sides of the tube close doesn't smoke much the worse for having together, near the bamboo, so that no air been squeezed a bit against a ship's timbers. could re-enter to allow the rum to fall out, Logs and billets of wood lie about pro- and carefully lifted the machine out of the miscuously on deck and below. It is not a bung-hole. Having turned it open-end up, difficult thing for a handy man to hollow and dexterously manipulated the rubber out a billet of wood and provide it with so tube so that no rum might escape thereby, neatly fitting a lid or end that it looks as nothing remained but to slip the whole solid a log as ever was chopped. But then instrument up his sleeve, march to the dock its lightness and hollow sound would gates and—be caught. betray its ingenuity of construction, so that The bamboo dipper is not an uncommon it becomes necessary to fill it with some- dodge, and its success varies. It is a much thing to make it feel and sound solid. more artistic trick than the generality of Again tobacco is found to be a most valu- those adopted by men employed about the able material for the purpose, and stuffed docks, whose genius does not often rise full it accordingly is. Melancholy to relate, 420 THE STRAND MAGAZINE this artifice no longer deceives the officers, Not unlike the hollow log device in idea, who have discovered it again and again, so but perhaps superior as an artistic concep- that it is really safer to leave the log solid tion, was the coal stratagem. A large lump and uninteresting. of coal would be chosen—a lump with a A variation on the log trick was invented smooth, straight grain which splits easily. by a stoker, who hollowed out a long cavity A nice flat slice would be chopped off this, from the end of a beam and slid into it a and then, on the surface thus exposed, the tin drawer, the end of which was faced with persevering mineralogist would make la- wood corresponding in grain to the beam. borious excavations till the lump of coal

Unavailing all, however, for the stoker and became a hollow shell ; and, as it would his tin box and his " hard cake " made a have been rather a pity to have this careful simultaneous appearance at the police- piece of work crushed in by accident from court. the outside, the interior was suitably sup- Jack has always been a musical person, and ported by a tight and hard packing of the among the many instruments which he affects proper kind of tobacco, or sometimes even the concertina and the accordion occupy with snuff. Then, when the slice first re- honoured places. There are many persons moved had been carefully replaced over the whose ears are not attuned to appreciate hole and neatly fastened down with pitch, any superiority of either of these instru- that piece of coal became an object of loving ments over the other, and, indeed, whose solicitude to its proprietor. And very pro- sole preference would for abolition per, too be the ; of both. Jack, however, usually prefers for, just as the accordion—because it holds more the Venus cigars. It is not long since a guileless of Milo son of Neptune had to bid a long farewell not a mere to his accordion—an un- usually large one — in consequence of its being found to enclose 300 and odd cigars and two pounds of cake tobacco. These things did not improve the tone, but they made the instrument much more valuable. There has been a sad falling off in the con- sumption of snuff of late years, and the article is really scarcely worth smuggling. Still a seizure lump of stone, is made now and again, so this was no but never a very large longer a mere one. When the sale was dull piece of coal larger, conscientious mer- —it had been in- chants were wont to im- vested with artis- port snuff compressed to tic merit, and the shape and general some pounds of appearance of oil-cakes, superior plug. such as are used to feed We regret to say cattle. These cakes of that this triumph snuff were mixed with of art met with genuine oil-cakes, and the early destruction only way in which to at the hands of a distinguish them was by clumsy Philistine smell. A Custom-house with a crow-bar officer's nose is a most —a customs man. dUM 7\'J>-—~—~ useful professional imple- ..#&$ Wherefore the ment. A custom-house officer's nose." coal - box strata- — —

SMUG GLERS ' DEVICES. 421

gem has fallen into disfavour, and is fast is not long since a monkey of much becoming a lost art. activity and intelligence was brought Did the gentle reader never inspect a ashore in a sort of exaggerated parrot cage. pigeon-box ? A pigeon-box is a tall, oblong Something led to an examination of the affair, in several storeys, each divided by a tin bottom of this cage, when it was found diagonal partition. In each of the com- to be as hollow as the woodpecker's beech- partments thus provided a pigeon is placed, tree—a tin canister, in fact, full of canaster. the broad end of the triangle accommodating Hollowness is a great characteristic of the bird's head and shoulders, and the things manipulated to carry contraband

tapering tail just fitting in the sharper apex. goods ; indeed, to a fairly successful Custom- Now, if a searcher omit to lift out the upper house officer the world must appear a very storeys, it is plain he will not see any hollow thing altogether. It is a fairly good pigeons in the storeys below—nor, indeed, number of years ago now, as a man's life any tobacco or brandy. At some far-off, lasts, since what had probably been a most guileless, Arcadian time, it would seem that successful hollow fraud was discovered at the searchers did not look into the lower the Custom-house. Broomsticks were im- storeys, and the result of this carelessness ported into this country in very large may be imagined. Once, however, some- numbers, and one importer was very regular body did look, and saw something that with his consignments. certainly wasn't pigeons. After this other One fine day, however, the consignment

expedients had to be adopted. The bottoms arrived, but nobody appeared to claim it. of the boxes were made Several fine days passed double, and tobacco and — several weeks and cigars found their way months, fine and other- into these happy realms wise, but still nobody between these double came. The broomsticks bottoms. Then this were put away in an odd little game was spoiled corner in a spare room by a meddlesome person of the Custom - house, who measured the depth and became dusty. The of the whole concern winter arrived, and upon inside and compared it a cold morning two Cus- with the height outside tom-house clerks found ; and then arose the final they had nothing to do. triumph of smuggling This is not an alarming art as applied to pigeon- state of affairs for two boxes. The boxes be- Government clerks—it came stout and clumsy has occurred at other ; the walls were thick, times. But the morning the bottoms were thick was really too cold to —they were thick alto- permit of much comfort gether. No sliding bot- a pigeon box." being extracted from toms here, no storeys full gentle exercise with The of " jack," all solid, sound, and thick—until Times newspaper, and the eyes of the you whittled some of the wood away with a two clerks fell upon the heap of broom- knife. Then it became evident that all this sticks. Single-stick was obviously the stout, clumsy wood was hollow, built of fine pursuit most suited to the occasion, match-boarding, and—so full is the heart of and here were the sticks to hand man with deceit and desperately wicked rather long, of course, but that was a very fully and completely packed with detail. So single-stick they began, with tobacco. After this discovery pigeon-boxes energy. At the first sharp cut and guard from Antwerp were abandoned as vehicles off snapped eighteen inches from the end of the surreptitious weed. It was felt that of one broomstick, followed by a flying tail ingenuity could go no further than hollow of cigars. The combat ceased on the spot, planks, and attention was turned to other and an examination of the sticks revealed gear. Still false backs and bottoms to the fact that they were simply wooden boxes and drawers continue in favour, tubes, neatly stopped with wooden plugs at from the many opportunities for their the ends, and filled up as to the remainder use which a ship's furniture gives. It of their length with cigars and hard 422 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

tobacco. The man never came for his sticks, and soon the fond illusion burst, and broomsticks, so that the story is deprived so did a good many of the bladders. of what might have been an interesting The bladders having been placed beyond sequel. An adaptation of the broomstick the region of practical politics, refuge was machination has also been employed with taken in the time-honoured dodge of the lead pencils containing bank-notes of double bottom. Very probably this served doubtful manufacture, rolled up small. A for a time until the smugglers' greediness man with a pocket-knife took it into his exceeded reasonable bounds, and the grog- chamber became of the proportions shown in the diagram. It was not wise to expect to get many such things as that past a moderately smart Custom- house officer, and a dip with a stick soon settled matters. The pattern early went out of fashion. The next attack was especially de- signed to baffle the poking stick. Again the tin was perfectly innocent and normal as to external appearances— all such articles are so, of course. An ordinary oil tin, from the outside, guile and cunning lurked within in the shape of a perpendicular oil chamber, of parallel dia- meter down to an inch or two from the mouth of the vessel, and thence gradually enlarging, cone fashion, to a base of eight inches. Now, this bottom diameter of eight inches was so carefully pro- portioned to the width and length of the parallel en- trance above that the ex- ploratory stick might, while reaching the very bottom, twist and wag about in any direction without touching a " SINGLESTICK. side of the chamber, and, of course, always dived into head to sharpen one of these, and so this nothing but oil. In the extensive region well laid scheme went agley. round about this cone, however, and occu- In the matter of the smuggling of spirits pying much the greater part of the whole in fairly large quantities, a continual war of interior, the liquid was not oil, but brandy. wits has been waged between the smugglers This was pretty ingenious, and perhaps for and the customs authorities—a war in a time fairly successful, but the customs which a chief feature has been the battle men were equal to the occasion, and the of the oil-drums. So far the authorities cone chamber is no longer an effective have won pretty handsomely. To begin dodge. with, the ordinary oil-drum of commerce It would seem difficult to devise an im- was put into requisition. This carried just provement on it, but still it was done. The so much oil that when a long bladder full can was made with just the same guiltless of spirits was introduced through the bung- exterior, though still with the unholy hole, or before the drum was headed, it conical oil chamber inside. But its honest

fill the official in- character was still would quite up ; then and straightforward quisitors might smell the oil or pour a little further testified by a small spout in the top out, and be none the wiser. But the in- of the vessel, near the very edge, right away quisitors developed an awkward habit of from any possible central chamber, and out poking about down into the oil-can with of which the contents, or a little of them, —

SMUGGLERS' DEVICES. 423 might conveniently be poured. What could brandy—something more than the smell of possibly be more above-board and open than a mere flask—and a small liquid trail which that ? You might put your stick down marked the wobbling lady's path. Some- from the top to the bottom, and waggle it body went after that hapless lady, and she in all directions you might pour out of the was, with a great deal of difficulty, prevailed ; top a little of the contents—oil you might upon—the trickling stream expatiating into ; pour more out of the more convenient side a goodly puddle the while —to submit her- spout the same oil you might even poke self to the investigations of a female — ; a stick or wire as far as you pleased down searcher. Then the cause of the seclusion, the little spout, and still it was all oil. But the haste, the wobble, the smell, and the the smuggler's ways are dark. There was puddle became obvious. Somewhere a tube leading from the little spout to the about twenty long bladders full of strong conical oil chamber in the middle—just as Cognac had been used to trim one of the the diagram shows—and all round about unfortunate lady's petticoats, and one of was just about the same quantity of just these bladders had sprung a leak. about the same brandy ! Truly, it would Women have often found their skirts and seem impossible to detect fraud in this. bodices useful aids to smuggling, and the But the fraud was detected, and every reign of crinoline or dross improver is customs officer knows of it. The smugglers their opportunity. Indiarubber dress im-

are beaten, at any rate provers distended with brandy, and petti- for the present. What coats quilted heavily with tobacco, are more, though, can they well-known plans for defeating the revenue possibly do with the oil officers. Again and again smugglers, male tin? and female, are betrayed by attempting too Brandy has been full much ; and many a skirt of cigars has smuggled in bladders, been detected through the obvious weight otherwise than in oil tins. of the burden, the different " set " it gave More than once these to the clothes, and the check it constituted bladders have been found to an easy gait. among a woman's under- The story of the Calais-Dover baby is clothing. Many of the pretty well known. It was always so un- hauls have been made at well, poor little dear ! and its face had to be Dover, the smugglers landing from the Calais kept heavily veiled from the cold wind. packet. The bladders are, as a rule, pretty Notwithstanding this, it was always being trustworthy, though they have been known carried back and forth between England to leak with disastrous results. This was and France by the interesting young what brought a very elaborately dressed lady mother : never cried, and never, somehow, to grief a little time ago at Dover. She had grew out of long clothes. The Custom- kept very much to herself on the run over, house officers—married men themselves and was thought to be rather unwell. Her didn't understand it. So that, next time, only luggage, a small bag, was examined the most married man among them ven- and passed, and she started off—rather tured to insist on being introduced to the hurriedly. This was nothing extraordinary, interesting little creature. He had a difficulty perhaps, in itself, but her gait was an odd in convincing the lady of his amiable inten- one—she wobbled. Now many people tions, and, indeed, had to use a little force wobble when they leave the Calais boat, before discovering that the baby was an and even this might have passed unheeded entirely artificial sort of infant, chiefly were it not for a very strong smell of tobacco, but largely lace. This sort of baby 424 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

holes, jubt large enough to admit the watches. Then, the punctured leaves having been glued together and the watches inserted in the holes, two or three whole leaves on either side next the glued ones were pasted down to conceal the contraband ar- ticles, and the leaves still remaining loose at either end of the book were still available for mental improve- ment. He must have been a very rude Custom-house officer who first insisted on taking away a lady's or gentleman's book in the middle of her or his perusal, and finding watches in it. But he did it, nevertheless, and, doubtless, never felt the least sorrow for his want of courtesy. The bread manoeuvre is worth mentioning. You make up your 'baccy or cigars into a firm paper parcel, and, having plastered it round with dough in the correct shape of a half-quartern loaf, you bake it, and there you are. When the revenue men can penetrate even this disguise—and they have done " TH2 CALAIS-DOVER BABY.'' it—what hope is there for a poor smuggler ? The French under- was much quieter and less troublesome than stand this plan, and if any English boy the ordinary kind, and worth more money at a French school has cakes sent from —lace being dutiable at that time, as well home, they always arrive cut into wedges as tobacco. Still there is reason to believe by the douanier, and sad are the mis- that the lady afterwards gave up that class givings in that school that the douanier of baby. may have poached a wedge for himself. Clocks and watches are not dutiable Sixty years ago or more, when the under English customs laws, but they are country was ravaged by small-pox, many so in France. This is what led to the sad disaster to a French lady who had bought a charming drawing-room clock in Switzerland, and essayed to cross frontier with her bargain worn as a dress-improver. It was a capi- tal idea, and would have succeeded admirably were it not that, while the lady was assuring the douanier that there was nothing dutiable about her, the. virtuous clock solemnly struck twelve. Watches were once dutiable in England, however, and a very highly approved way of smuggling them was in a book. The book was opened, and a good bunch of the middle pages punched through with circular WATCHES. SMUGGLERS' DEVICES. 425

nailed-down coffins arrived in London with and found to be packed full from the words " small-pox " painted thereon in end to end with tobacco. This was an red letters. It may be readily understood immense haul, and no doubt marked the that nobody was anxious to interfere with stoppage of a leak in the customs defences the contents, which proved very profitable, which had existed for some time. Those being principally brandy, and, now and who may feel at any time disposed to assist again, rum. The " stuff" had been landed other persons in matters of smuggling, may on the Sussex coast, and a coffin was found be interested to learn that the whole turn- to be a handy thing in which to send it to out—lorry, horses, harness, and all—was market. confiscated, as the law provides, although Attempts are, of course, still sometimes the carman knew nothing of the hidden made to smuggle on a large scale, and per- tobacco. haps a case, ostensibly of cottons or other A very simple Manchester goods, will be found to contain smuggling device, something dutiable. The biggest attempt and a well-known of recent times, and an attempt that had no one, is to pack what- doubt been many times successful before its ever articles it is final detection, came desired to conceal to light a few years in tin cases and sink ago. An immense them in the water, boiler was sent over with small cork or from the Continent, wood floats to denote and travelled to and their whereabouts, fro more than once till the ship has been —for repairs. Some- searched. Life-buoys and body who had some belts, too, are not always special information made of cork. Tobacco about this boiler im- has been found good for parted it to a cus- the purpose, and, before the duty was abolished, silk. There is an ingenious gentleman in Jersey who &t(& has a powerful little hy- draulic press with which it is possible to compress a pound or so of tobacco to the size of a couple of ounces. Now the Customs people are not vexatiously strict, and will not stop a man for carrying a few cigars or a little tobacco for his personal use, although they would be quite within their rights in doing so. So when the passenger from Jersey freely shows an ordinary two-ounce packet it is allowed to pass, although the actual quantity may be something above a pound. Let the customs men, therefore, judge weight by the hand and not by the eye. As long as human nature is what it is, and as long as customs duties exist, smuggling of some small sort will go on. The abolition of a duty of course stops smuggling altogether, and its reduction to

THE ENGLISH BOY AT A FRENCH SCHOOL. low figures renders the smuggling petty and insignificant. Double-lined clothes to carry toms man. Consequently, as that im- tea and lace are now useless, but for bring- mense boiler was slowly proceeding along ing in tobacco, spirits, and perfumery there an East-end street on a lorry drawn by still exist the devices we have described, half a dozen horses, it was stopped, and possibly others. H H ;

A Story for Children : From the Russian.

HERE was once a King named Kojata. Married for three years to a Queen whom he greatly loved and by whom he was beloved, he was yet childless. This was a subject of much distress to him. In the hope of " " diverting his mind from the contemplation The plaguey thing ! exclaimed Kojata ; of this source of regret, he set off on a visit " I'll give it up, and do without it." to the divers provinces of his kingdom. Saying this, he knelt upon the ground After travelling for several months, he and began to drink by dipping his lips in turned towards his capital. the water. But when his thirst was One day, fatigued by the heat, he had assuaged, and he tried to rise, he felt him- his tent set up in the open country, intend- self held by the chin, and vainly endea- ing to await there the coolness of the voured to release himself. coming evening. He was thirsty, and not " Who is it ? who is holding me in this finding any water near him, he mounted his way ? " he cried.

horse to go in search of it. At a short Nobody answered ; but before him, in distance from his encampment he dis- the crystal of the spring, he beheld a covered a limpid spring, on the surface of frightful face, two great eyes as green as which a gold cup was floating. emeralds, a large mouth grinning in a He hurried towards the attractive water strange fashion, and two claws clutching and tried to seize the cup, but it escaped his chin like a pair of iron pincers, from his grasp. He made new attempts, now the grip of which he found it impossible to with the right hand, now with the left the free himself. At length, from the depths ; cup, however, defeated all his efforts to of this enchanted spring, an invisible being grasp it. cried to him : " Wait a bit," said " I shall be able " All your efforts are useless can he ; you ;

to get hold of it presently." only recover your liberty on one condition ; And, seeing the water calm, and the cup it is that you will give me the thing about floating motionless upon its surface, he which you know nothing, and which you stretched forth both hands to seize it will find on arriving at your house." whereupon the cup vanished from his sight. " With pleasure," replied Kojata, think- KOJATA. 427 ing that he knew quite well all that his advanced towards the young huntsman, and house contained. said : " Remember your promise," said the " Good-day, Prince Milan. I have for a voice of the invisible being, " or you will long time been hoping to see you." repent of it." " Who are you ? " asked the Prince. At these words the claws relaxed their " You shall know that later. For the hold. The King remounted his horse, and present, go back to your father, and tell him continued his journey. When he arrived to make haste to pay his debt. Good-bye, near to his capital, all the people hurried till we meet again." forward to meet him, and made the air ring The old man disappeared. The Prince with their shouts and cries of delight. On returned to the palace, and hastened to the threshold of the palace was the Queen, relate his adventure to the King. and near her was a Minister holding in his arms a cradle in which there was a baby, a rosy and superb boy. The King gave a start on seeing it. " That," he said, " is the thing about which I knew nothing, and with which " I must part ! And great tears ran down his cheeks. Without revealing to anyone the cause of his cruel emotion, he carried the child to his chamber. Afterwards he tried to continue his customary mode of life, and the pleasant and peaceful course of his reign : a vain endeavour—ceaselessly he was haunted by the memory of the fatal promise he had given. At every instant, day and night, he trembled lest someone should come and carry off from him his peerless treasure, his only and so- long-desired son. Little by little, however, the re- collection became less tormenting, hisfearslessacute. His son grew up, and everybody admired his grace

and strength ; he was loved, too, and universally called "Hand- some Milan." FROM THE BOLE CAME FORTH A STRANGE OLD MAN. One day, while " " hunting, he allowed himself to be drawn Oh ! cried the King, pale and trem- " far away from his companions, in pursuit bling. What a misfortune ! My dear son, " of a wild animal, and presently found we must part ! himself alone in the midst of a dense And, weeping, he told him the terrible forest, where neither path nor sign of promise he had given. " " human life was visible. In a sort of clear- Do not weep, good father ! replied ing, surrounded by pine trees, stood a tall Milan. "The evil, I am sure, is not irre- lime tree thickly leaved. Suddenly the mediable. Have a horse got ready for me, foliage of this tree became agitated, and and I will set off—to return speedily, I from the bole came forth a strange old man, hope. Tell nobody our secret, least of all with green eyes and a round chin. He my mother, whom it would greatly distress. 428 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

If in the course of a year you do not see In a moment the metamorphosis was me again, it will be because I shall be dead." completed he saw before him, dressed in ; Kojata, giving way to his wishes, gave him a white robe, a young girl of matchless a fine horse, with golden stirrups, and a beauty. She held her hand out to him, good sword. The Queen sobbingly gave and, lowering her eyes and blushing, said him her blessing, and he rode away from to him, in a gentle tone of voice : the palace. " I thank you for having done what I For three days he rode forward without asked of you. You could not have done knowing whither he was going. On the anything better for yourself, and I hope evening of the fourth day he stopped at that you will be content with me. My the foot of a mountain on a silent and name is Wellena. The young girls you desert plain, in the midst of which, shining saw bathing with in the light of the setting sun, a mirror-like me are my sisters. lake lay spread. Our father is the en- He approached this mysterious basin, chanter Czernuch, and beheld thirty beautiful ducks bathing who governs the and disporting themselves in subterranean world. its liquid waves, and thirty He is possessed of white robes lying upon the rich treasures and shore. The Prince dismounted, a large number of and slipped into the midst of castles. For a long a cluster of reeds, taking with while he has been him one of the waiting for you and snowy garments is very angry at not spread upon the seeing you arrive ; ground. but have no fear, A few minutes and follow my later, the ducks, advice punctually. having sufficiently When you come in enjoyed their bath, face of this power- returned to the ful sovereign, cast shore to retake yourself upon the possession of their ground and ap- clothes, and im- proach him crawl- mediately trans- ing on your hands formed them- and knees. If he selves. In place stamps his foot with of twenty - nine rage, if he threatens web-footed duck- you, go still nearer lings appeared to him. I do not nine - and - twenty know what he will beautiful young order you to do, girls, who rapidly but whatever it may ' ; dressed themselves it* be, I shall be near and hurried away. to assist you. Now The thirtieth, un- let us part." THE PRINCE SLIPPED INTO THE MIDST OF A CLUSTER able to find her OF REEDS." Giving the white robe, re- ground a tap with mained in the water, turning from one side her little foot, the earth opened, and the to the other, scared, bewildered, weeping beautiful Wellena and the Prince descended and sobbing. into the subterranean region and entered The Prince took pity on her. He put the palace of Czernuch, a palace constructed aside the reeds and rose. The poor terrified entirely of carbuncles, and shining like the duck saw him and cried to him : sun. Czernuch was seated on his throne. " Prince Milan, give me my robe. For His eyes were as green as the leaves on the that good act you shall be rewarded." trees, and his hands were claws. The Prince obeyed. He put down the Following the instructions of his pro- fairy linen on the shore of the lake and tectress, Prince Milan threw himself down then discreetly retired from the spot. with his face towards the ground. The !

KOJATA. 429 terrible magician was in a state of rage. His daughters. To-morrow they shall be drawn darted flames, and he gave utterance up before you you shall look at them once, eyes ; to such horrible cries that the roof of his twice, and, the third time, you shall tell me palace trembled as if it were going to which is the youngest, or you shall have collapse. The Prince crawled humbly your head chopped off." towards him. At length Czernuch burst " Very good," said the Prince to himself ; " into a fit of laughter, and cried : that's an agreeable task. Why, at the " shall not be your enemy. first glance, I shall recognise Wellena 'Tis well ; I But, nevertheless, you must be punished for Nothing could be easier to do." not having come sooner. To-morrow you " It's not so easy as you think," said the shall know my will." little bee. " My sisters and I are so much Two servants politely conducted the alike, that my father himself can hardly tell Prince to the chamber which had been which of us is the oldest and which the reserved for him ; and, being fatigued, he youngest. But, so that you may not make immediately went to sleep. any mistake, I will, on your third examina- Next day the enchanter sent for him, and tion, wear a patch on my right cheek." said : The next day the magician's thirty " I want to ascertain what you can do. daughters were ranged in a single line. This evening you must set to work, and The Prince looked at them attentively, and during the night you must build me a could not distinguish which of them he palace, the roof and walls of marble, and loved. He examined them again, without the windows of crystal. Around this palace lessening his embarrassment. Finally, at there must be a large garden, waterfall, and the third trial, he perceived on a white a lake with fish in it. If this work is well cheek a tiny rose-coloured patch, and executed, I shall be good-natured towards turned towards Czernuch : if not, you will have your head " This," he said, " is the youngest of your you ; chopped off." daughters, the Princess Wellena." " " " " Accursed magician ! the Prince said to He's protected by Satan himself ! mut- " himself, on returning to his chamber ; he tered the magician, grinding his teeth in condemns me to death, and laughs at me fury at the defeat he had sustained. " I while doing it." admit your ability," he said to Prince Milan ; He sat with his head between his hands " but I must try you once more, and in a all day, absorbed in the thought of his cruel different fashion. Come back to me at the destiny. end of three hours. I will then set fire to a At last evening came, and with its com- match, and, before it is burnt out, you must ing a little bee tapped at his window, and make me a pair of boots reaching to my said to him : knees. Go and get ready for this new pie»e " Let me in." of work, and return to me at the time I have He opened the window. The bee trans- named." formed itself: Wellena stood before him. The Prince retired dispirited. The little " Good evening," ske said; " why are bee flew to him. " " " you so downcast ? How melancholy you appear ! she " Do you not know that your father has said. " " condemned me to death ? Alas ! I shall never be able to do what " " And what are you going to do ? your father demands, and shall have to " Submit to my fate." die." " " What an idea ! Don't let yourself be No. I love you ; I am your affianced so easily conquered. Go to bed, and sleep bride must live or die together. And, ; we in peace. To-morrow morning rise early now, we must fly." ; shall built round it, a Saying your palace be ; go these words she licked the win- hammer in your hand, as if you had just dow, the moisture instantly congealing finished constructing it." there. Then she took her lover by the hand The next morning, on rising, Prince and led him to the spot where they had Milan beheld the palace completely built. descended together into the subterranean Czernuch examined it minutely, and was region, thence to the margin of the lake astonished by it. where she had first met him. There the " Ah," he said to the young Prince, " you Prince found his horse awaiting him. The are a skilful artist. I must now try the animal neighed with delight on recognising penetration of your mind. I have thirty his master. The two fugitives seated them- 43© THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

selves on his back, and the gallant steed the first church which stands beside his galloped away with the speed of pass that barrier." an road ; he cannot arrow. A moment later, Czernuch, perceiving a

At the hour appointed the enchanter hermit, said to him : waited for Prince Milan, and, not seeing " Reverend father, have you seen a man " him arrive, sent a footman in search of him. and a woman go by on horseback ? The door of his chamber was locked, and " Yes, Prince Milan and the Princess Wellena had thrown away the key. The Wellena. They have dismounted to pray servant knocked and delivered the message in this church." " he was sent to give ; the moisture on the Oh ! why cannot I wring their necks?" window replied, in the tones of Prince cried the magician, furiously. " Milan's voice : I'm coming presently." He went back to his subterranean king- Three times, at intervals of several minutes, dom growling, and, to satisfy his anger, had the footman repeated the summons, and his servants flogged all round. " always received the same answer : I'm The two lovers continued their way coming presently." At last Czernuch cried peaceably, and came to a beautiful city.

furiously : Prince Milan wished to enter it.

" The wretch is making game of me ! Let his door be burst open, and let him be seized, " gagged, and brought here to me ! The door of the Prince's chamber was burst open : nobody was in the room. " " CZERNUCH AND THE HERMIT. Ah, the scoundrel ! cried the magi- cian, foaming with rage. " He has taken flight. Pll go and arrest the deserters." " I beg of you not to stop there," said " A moment afterwards, the Princess said : the young girl. I have a fatal presenti- " I hear the beat of a horse's hoofs." ment as to that city." " We are pursued, and someone is quite " I only want to see it, and then we will near to us," said Prince Milan. continue our journey," replied the Prince. " " " Woe to us ! exclaimed the young girl, Alas ! it is easy to enter, but difficult ' it is my lather. But his power expires at to leave it. But go, since it is your wish. :

KOJATA. 43i

I will wait for you here, changed into a paused to look at the flower, on which a white stone by the wayside. Pray be tear glistened like a dew-drop. The flower prudent. The King of this city and the pleased him. He carefully detached it from Queen will come forth to meet you—and the ground, and planted it in a pot, and

with them a charming girl. Take care ! if took delight in tending it, without in the you kiss her, you will immediately forget least suspecting the return it would make

all that has passed between us ; and then I him. From the day it entered his rustic

shall die of grief. Go ; I will wait for you dwelling-place everything in it was each here three days. If, at the end of those morning punctually set in order. At meal- three days, you do not return But go, times, by an invisible hand, his table was since it is your wish." spread with a spot- Transformed into a stone she less white cloth, waited as she had said, one day, and the nicest food two days, three days, but Prince was set before him. Milan did not return. He enjoyed all

The fatal prediction had been these marvels ; but realised. On entering the city he wished to know he saw the King, the Queen, to whom he owed and a beautiful young girl ad- them, and how they were brought about. He there- fore sought an old sorcerer, who said

to him : " Be awake to- morrow before cock-crow, before the break of day. Look carefully around you, and, wherever you see an object moving, throw a handker- chief over it quickly." Next morning, on the first ray of sun appearing, the little blue flower quitted her pot and flitted from one side of the room to the other, dusting the room and lighting the fire. The old man rose and threw over her a handker- chief which had been given him by the HE KISSED HER. sorcerer, and in place of the little flower, a beautiful young girl appeared before him. " vance to meet him. Dazzled by the look, " Why have you recalled me to life ? by the smile, by the perfect beauty of this she cried. " Prince Milan was to have young girl, he kissed her on the cheek been my husband, and he has completely ; and the memory of his dear Wellena in- forgotten me." stantly fled from his mind. " Prince Milan," replied the old man, " " " all Alas ! cried the poor girl, he has "is on the eve of being married ; from deserted me. I have nothing more to hope parts people are flocking to assist at his for in the world, and have but to die. I wedding." will change myself into a little field-flower The faithful Wellena wept bitterly, then, ; I will stay by the wayside, and some passer with sudden resolution, dried her eyes, and, by will crush me under his foot." in the dress of a peasant girl, went to the In a moment the transformation was city. Entering the palace kitchen and accomplished. modestly accosting one of the head cooks, Along the road plodded an old man who she said to him in a gentle tone 432 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

u Will you allow me to make a wedding- it, cut off a piece, and, from the opening, " cake for Prince Milan ? flew out a pair of turtle-doves, which The proud and self-sufficient cook was wheeled in flight about the table, the female not in the least disposed to accept such dove crying to her companion : " a proposal but pretty Don't leave me ! don't leave ! or ; when he saw how me and graceful this young peasant girl was, he you will forget me, as Prince Milan has for- " replied to her politely : gotten his Wellena ! " Yes, my pretty one, you wish it : make At those words the Prince recovered his a wedding-cake. I'll memory. He rose from present it myself to his seat and hastened to the Prince." the door, where he found All the guests were his betrothed awaiting seated at table. The him. head cook advanced Under the balcony of with a solemn air, the palace stood his faith- bearing upon a silver ful horse, pawing the dish a cake made in ground with impatience. the form of a crown. He leaped into the saddle Everybody ad- with his own true bride, mired this piece and they soon reached the of pastry, its ele- kingdom of Kojata. The gant form, and King and the Queen re- its golden crust. ceived them with tears of The Prince, be- joy, and their marriage was fore whom the celebrated with a splen- cook had placed dour never before seen. —

The Queer Side of Things.

By J. F. Sullivan

WAS, on a certain Morning so perverse as to be put out at my refusing, lately,filled with most pleasing vowing that he must needs quit his Cottage,

Reflexions, seeing that I was being unable to live without Firing ! As to pass away a Day or two on if this were any Concern of mine ! " And a Visit to a most worthy at this the good old Man fell to fuming and

Friend of mine, Sir Ogre de to stamping his Foot ; and, perceiving that Covetous, that had a fine Estate upon the such Subjects gave him no small Dis- River Thames. This gave me the more quietude, I encouraged him to speak upon

Satisfaction because my Friend, besides them at more Length ; and with so great being a Man of no small Parts in the Success that he presently addressed to me

Preservation of his Rights, had made him- the following Discourse : self of no inconsiderable Repute among the " The People about here," said he, " are, surrounding humbler Inhabitants of the I warrant you, of a very ill Grain, and very Locality, and even among such of the hardly to be brought to Reason, being most

Public as chanced to pass by his Estates mightily discontented with all I do ; and upon the River. you must learn that the Public are no I came upon my old Friend, as genial as better, being not polite enough to under- ever, he having been engaged in a rough stand how a wise Providence has only Discourse with a Cottager that lived hard created the Poor and the Public that they by his Estates, and scowling hugely. may minister to the Pleasures of Men of "You are to know, "said the good old Man, an Estate, particularly of an Estate upon " turning to me, that yonder is a most ill- the River ; a rightful Understanding of grained and complaining Fellow, for the which Fact, Sir, would surely induce a only Road to his Cottage is one that passes more pleasing Intercourse between myself between of he has and those around me. I myself am a some Fields mine ; and Man the Effrontery not only to beg that I shall of a most worthy Disposition, and devote permit his Supply of Coals to pass that my whole Thoughts to the safeguarding Way (which, indeed, would cause me no and furtherance of my own Interests. " v Inconvenience whatever), but is positively Fo one Instance, Sir, we now stand upon —

434 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

the Tow-path, which the Thames Conser- have, indeed, done all in my Power to pre- vancy pay me a yearly Hire for the Use of, vent his gaining a Subsistence yet I can in ;

' ' for the purpose of towing Boats ; and I no way please him, but he regards me with

am of so amiable a Temperament that, I a most huge disfavour ! and, Sir, 'tis the would have you know, I stand constantly same with the rest of the Watermen here." at one of my Windows with a Telescope to It was with difficulty, at this part of the spy if any should walk along this Path with- Discourse, that I could refrain from a Tear out towing a Boat, in which Case I presently upon reflecting how so good a Proprietor

send a Man to warn them off ; and this, Sir, should be thus maltreated by all around

is one of my chiefest Occupations and him ; and indeed I could well have cried Delights." out upon them all for monstrous, ungrate- ful Varlets. And observing at this time that my good old Friend was taken with a Fit of the Jumps, so that he called out most vociferously, stamping his Foot the while, I then perceived that his Seizure was occasioned by the Sight of a Tent, which some impertinent Fellow had set up upon

his Bank of the Flood ; and I learned that such a sight would always bring about in him such a Taking on.

" HIS SEIZURE WAS CAUSED BV THE SIGHT OF A TENT."

" I SEND A MAN TO WARN THEM OFF.

And here I could not but observe how a And now my Attention was diverted to a certain Fellow that passed us in a Boat great Number of Notice Boards that were

scowled most lustily (yet not without a cer- fixed here and there in the River ; and on tain fear) at my good friend the Riverside one would be painted " Water and Fishing " Proprietor ; and I was about speculating Private," and on another DANGEROUS," upon this Occurrence, when the good old and on still others "That Way to the Man continued : Lock," and " Beware of the Weir," and " There goes, Sir, a Villain of a most fro- many others ; and I perceived that these for is Notices moved Friend to a vast and ward Temper ; he by Trade a Water- my most

man ; and although I have forbidden him consuming Enjoyment of himself, in such to ferry anybody over to my side of the wise that he fell to chuckling, until I feared River, or to fix his Punt in the Stream (for he might be in Danger of another Seizure, the Bed of the River is my property), and but, perceiving my Alarm, he whispered me

' THERE GOES, SIR, A VILLAIN.

.I^lii/ —

THE QUEER SIDE OF THINGS. 435

being, as one might say, like to a Slave- owner. And here I could not but observe, with a pleasurable Emotion, how, as the Children ran from him with Af- fright, so like-

" DANGEROUS.'

" in the Ear : 'Tis I that have set up these wise the Dogs snarled at his Approach and Notices, and you are to know that this Piece hid themselves within Doors. of Water in which they are placed is by no The good old means mine, for the which Reason seeing I Man made dili- may hardly venture to set down the Words gent Inquiries ' Private Water,' lest some busy Fellow touching a Ru- would be challenging the Claim yet when mouring that ; I say ' Water and Fishing Private,' I do had come to his but state the Fact that it is Water, and the Ear, how a cer- Fishing is private, for I have hired it (for no tain Widow, be- consideration) of the Public, who rightfully ing poor, had let own the Water but are too besotted to her Room to a enforce their Claim. Next Year," continued Visitor from the worthy old Gentleman, " I propose to London who was stretch a Wire across this Water, and for spending a thereafter a stout Chain ; so in the Course of Holiday in the

Years the Water shall be- Place : and, find- come of right my private ing this Rumour- Property. In like wise the ing to be true, Words 'Dangerous,' and presently notified 'That Way to the Lock,' her that she and 'Beware of the Weir,' should quit her are Cunningly designed to Cottage on the hinder the vulgar from en- following Week ; tering upon that Piece of and also roundly

Water ; for you should know rated a Grocer that, as there is no Danger, that would be nor any Weir, so, also, supplying Provi- either Way conducts to the sions to the Intruder, and Lock." warned the other Villagers Delighting me with such against trafficking with that pleasing Converse, as to Grocer on Penalty of great which I was at a Loss, whe- Disfavour. ther the more to admire the " For," said the good Man, ingenious Wisdom, or the " I am most keenly set Christianlike Kindliness of against any Man coming to so worthy a Man, the Pro- take Pleasure upon my prietor led the Way to the Scenery, or upon the River

Village of which he ap- by it ; insomuch so that I peared to be the Owner will none of him ; " and or, I would be saying, rather with that my Friend fell to THE CHILDREN RAN FROM HIM WITH ihe of Villagers Owner the ; AFFRIGHT." kicking certain Children that ;

436 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

No sooner had I taken leave of my good Friend than I fell into pro- found Speculation on the Blessing that our River enjoys in the having upon its Banks such a gentle

Soul ; and after so wonderful a Manner is the River dotted with Notice-boards, that I am come to an Opinion that there must be many Landowners almost as worthy as they do he ; though, indeed, speak of a certain Landowner, not far from my Friend, that has de- voted an Island for the Enjoyment of such as pass by, providing not only a Summer-house, and Tables, and a Landing Platform, but also a Hammock and, for that matter, great rustic Vases, which he causes his Gardener to tend, for the Good Thing must be of others ; which a Cause of huge Diversion and Pleasantry to my Friend. I cannot conclude this Speculation without giving great Praise to the Wisdom of my old Friend in bearing himself after a Manner that must

"he roundly rated a grocer.' needs endear the Land- owner to the People, to he suspected would be grimacing upon the disarming of him. that Socialism that Seeing my Friend salute with more than would be for confiscat- his usual Cordiality a Farmer that came by ing landed Property in a Gig, I was interested to hear that this for I warrant you, if Man was the only being in that Part after Matters shail ever the Proprietor's own Heart ; and this for have come to such an the Reason that he would ever be putting Extremity, there some Despite upon his Neighbours (and that shall be found None particularly such of them as were unable to that shall lay a Hand retort upon him), and had lately invented a upon the Property very quaint Conceit of driving quickly here of so worthy a Man. and there in the midst of any Neighbour's fowls that he might come upon in his rough Meadows, and this for pure good Humour. " And in short," said the Riverside Pro- prietor, " I do in this Thing greatly value myself, that (although this Part is among the most beautiful on the Thames), there come but few hither to take their Pleasure of the Scenery, nor to fish, nor camp, for

Fear of me ; for, being of more Substance than them that would be for doing so, I will always be frightening them from any maintaining of their Right by threatening to put upon them the Costs of a Suit at Law, which they can ill afford." And with this Sir Ogre made off at great Speed to point out to his Man how a certain Stranger lay a-fishing in a Punt over his River Bed. A STRAXGER LAY A-FISHING IN A PUN': THE QUEER SIDE OF THINGS. 437

Q?~

^y /Y-e*^£(^:/rfa>**'»~*

PORTRAIT-SIG NATURES. 438 THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

VARIETIES OF ALPINE-CLIMBING. — (i) TO THE ECHOES "THIS WAY." (2) SOME LUGGAGE. (3) " CARRY UP MILADY? CERTAINLY! BUT WHERE SHALL I BEGIN?" (4) A LIGHT JOB. (5) VERY WARM WORK. THE QUEER SIDE OF THINGS. 439

VARIETIES OF ALPINE-CLIMBING.

(l) A GOOD VIEW. (2) A HOIST UP. (3) TAKING UP A LADY—THE START. (4) A LITTLE TIRED—CHANGING POSITION. (5) VERY TIRED—ANOTHER CHANGE. (6) A LAST RESOURCE. (7) WELL-EARNED REFRESH- MENT. (8) A SUNDAY RIDER. (q) AN OBSTINATE COUPLE. 44° THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

AN EXPLANATION.

STRANGER (TO SOLEMN INDIVIDUAL): " IS THIS A FUNERAL?" SOLEMN INDIVIDUAL: "NO, ITS A WEDDING."

STRANGER: "OH I I THOUGHT YOU WERE A MOURNER." SOLEMN INDIVIDUAL: "NO, I AM THE SON-IN-LAW OF THE BRIDE'S MOTHER."

A PATHETIC SCENE. iBALD-HEADED GENTLEMAN IN PIT (TO LADY IN DRESS CIRCLE): "MADAME, I RESPECT YOUR EMOTION, BUT YOU ARE WEEPING ON MY HEAD."

WOMAN'S FRIENDSHIP. 1ST TRAVELLER (ENTERING): " THAT'S MY CORNER." 2ND DITTO: "THERE WAS NOTHING HERE TO KEEP THE CLAPA : " I AM GOING TO SEE BELLA SIMPSON. SHALL I SEAT." TAKE ANY MESSAGE?" 1ST DITTO: "THAT'S MY HAT-BOX UP THERE." "' X>ORA : WHAT, HORRID GIRL ! GIVE THAT HER MY L»VE." 2ND DITTO : " THEN »IT UP THERE ON YOUR HAT-BOX."