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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..479a0b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #66232 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66232) diff --git a/old/66232-0.txt b/old/66232-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 050605b..0000000 --- a/old/66232-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2176 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular -Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 38, Vol. I, September -20, 1884, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth - Series, No. 38, Vol. I, September 20, 1884 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: September 7, 2021 [eBook #66232] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Susan Skinner, Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 38, VOL. I, SEPTEMBER -20, 1884 *** - - - - - -[Illustration: - -CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART - -Fifth Series - -ESTABLISHED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, 1832 - -CONDUCTED BY R. CHAMBERS (SECUNDUS) - -NO. 38.—VOL. I. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1884. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -VACCINATION. - - -On the western side of Trafalgar Square, beneath the shadow of the -great sea-lion Admiral Lord Nelson, might have been seen, until -recently, the statue of a pensive-looking almost beardless man seated -in a chair. But a new location in Kensington Gardens has been selected -for this statue, which is that of Dr Jenner, the discoverer of -vaccination. - -Edward Jenner was born at Berkeley, in Gloucestershire, in 1749, his -father being vicar of that place. He was apprenticed to a doctor at -Sudbury, and afterwards came to London, where for a time he served -under John Hunter. After taking his diploma, he returned to his native -place, and it was here that he practised his profession, and also made -that great discovery which has proved such an inestimable benefit to -mankind. When he had become famous, and universal appreciation bespoke -him a great man, he received many tempting offers and solicitations to -take up his abode in the metropolis; but nothing succeeded in enticing -him from the rural scenes amidst which his medical triumphs had been -conceived. His life sped tranquilly on amidst the rustics he loved so -well until the year 1823, when death somewhat suddenly terminated his -earthly career. - -As the village and neighbourhood in which Jenner served his -apprenticeship was mostly a grazing country, he was thrown much amongst -farmers and their servants. At a time when smallpox was raging among -them, his attention was attracted by hearing a milkmaid say that she -had once caught cowpox from the cows, and therefore smallpox wouldn’t -hurt her. He was much struck with this remark; and on making inquiries, -he found it was a common belief about there, that whoever caught -this disease from the cows was not liable to take smallpox. It is -rather curious that just about the time that Jenner was making these -inquiries, the same fact had been noted in Sweden, and some inquiries -were also set on foot there to investigate the matter. - -With that talent for close observation and investigation which -distinguished him, he pondered much over this remark of the milkmaid’s, -and made many inquiries of the medical men of the district. From them -he obtained but little encouragement; they had often heard the tale, -but had not much faith in it. The subject seems to have impressed -itself greatly on his mind; for we find him, some three years later, -when he was in London with John Hunter, mentioning it to him; and that -distinguished man appears to have been struck with Jenner’s earnestness -in the matter, and gave him good advice: ‘Don’t think, but try; be -patient; be accurate.’ This advice he perseveringly followed on his -return to his native place; and by careful experiments elaborated the -great life-saving truth, that cowpox might be disseminated from one -human being to another to the almost total extinction of smallpox. - -The eastern practice of inoculation was first made known in this -country by Lady Wortley Montagu, who was the wife of our ambassador -at Constantinople, where she had seen it tried with good effect. -Inoculation consisted in transferring the matter of the _smallpox_ -pustule from the body of one suffering from the disease to that of -one not as yet affected by the disease. It is a fact that the form -of smallpox thus communicated through the skin was less severe, and -consequently less fatal, than when taken naturally, as was abundantly -proved in this country. But, unfortunately, inoculated smallpox was -as _infectious_ as the natural smallpox—this fact forming the great -distinction between inoculation and vaccination. The inoculated person -became a centre of infection, and communicated it to many others. It -was found after the introduction of inoculation that the mortality from -smallpox increased from seventy-four to ninety-five in one thousand; -and many of those that recovered, lost the sight of one or both eyes, -or were otherwise disfigured. It is not to be wondered at, with such -a state of things as this existing, and the whole medical profession -at their wits’ end for a remedy, that Jenner should be looked upon, as -soon as vaccination became established, as a saviour of his race. - -It was while the ravages of smallpox were being felt and deplored -over the whole country, that Jenner was quietly investigating and -experimenting in his native village; and gradually little facts and -incidents relating to cowpox were collected, until in his own mind an -opinion was firmly rooted that this disease communicated by the cow was -a safeguard against smallpox. About the time when he had formed this -opinion, an accidental case of cowpox occurred in his neighbourhood, -and he caused drawings of the pustules to be made, and took them with -him to London. He showed them to some of the most eminent surgeons -and physicians of the day, and explained his views; but from none of -them did he receive any encouragement, and from some, nothing but -ridicule. Fortunately, however, he was not a man to be easily turned -aside from a purpose, or disabused of an opinion that he saw good cause -for entertaining. On returning home, he was still as full of the idea -as ever, and determined to persevere in his efforts; although he saw -he must have proofs before he could get his professional brethren to -listen to his theories. - -It was on the 14th May 1796—a day which is still commemorated in -Berlin as a festival—that a boy was vaccinated with matter taken -from the hands of a milkmaid. The disease was thus communicated to -the boy, and he passed through it satisfactorily. But now came the -anxious and critical trial for Jenner. The same boy on the 1st of -July following was inoculated with the smallpox virus, but he did not -take the disease. In 1798 Jenner published his first pamphlet _On -the Causes and Effects of Variola Vaccine_; and later, in the first -year of the present century, he wrote that it was ‘too manifest to -admit of controversy, that the annihilation of the smallpox, the most -dreadful scourge of the human species, must be the final result of this -practice.’ Soon after this, a parliamentary Committee investigated -and reported on the new discovery in terms of the most emphatic -approbation; and a declaration was signed by seventy of the chief -physicians and surgeons in London expressing their confidence in it. -The Royal Jennerian Society was formed, with Jenner as President; and -thirteen stations for the vaccination of the public were opened in -London, in the hope of exterminating smallpox. - -Jenner’s essay which explained his discovery had in the meantime been -translated into several foreign languages, and had also found its way -to America, where President Jefferson vaccinated, by the help of his -sons-in-law, about two hundred of his friends and neighbours. From this -time forward, vaccination may be said to have taken a firm hold of the -civilised world. - -That vaccination has not done all that was claimed that it would do -by Jenner, is true, as the occasionally recurring epidemics of the -disease only too fatally testify. But the gain from the time when -cities were depopulated and a large percentage of the whole human race -was scarred and disfigured by it, to a time when no such suffering -is now experienced, is a gain indeed, although it be but an imperfect -one. It is, however, almost beyond a doubt that had more attention -been primarily paid to vaccination, and had it not been performed in -the perfunctory manner in which it often was by medical men, we should -now be in a better position with regard to smallpox than we are at the -present moment. For it is a melancholy fact that although the first to -give vaccination to the world, England has not made such good use of -it as most other nations. Feeling secure in the relief which it gave -to the vast amount of mortality, we have in a measure let pretty well -alone, while other nations have meanwhile enormously profited by the -discovery. - -It was Mr Simon, the late medical officer of the Privy Council, who -published three admirable Reports on the subject, and probably brought -together more practical truths on vaccination than had ever before been -collected, that gave an impetus some few years ago to further inquiry. -It was stated at that time, and with every appearance of truth, that -the vaccine lymph becomes enfeebled in its protective power by a long -course of transmissions from arm to arm. It was therefore proposed -that means should be taken for establishing a well-devised system of -renewal, which would be likely to give greater certainty of results -and afford more permanent protection. Various attempts and suggestions -were made in this country to introduce vaccine matter from its original -source, the cow, or, better still, from the calf; and Mr Ceeley, a -medical gentleman, who, like Jenner, worked hard at the subject amidst -the worries and anxieties of a private practice, made many experiments, -and did much to popularise the idea. - -Early in 1882, the local government Board set up a small establishment -in London for the purpose of affording facilities for vaccination -directly from the animal. Some time previously, a case of spontaneous -cowpox was accidentally discovered at Bordeaux, and from this case our -government procured the virus which they are now imparting to a regular -succession of healthy calves, each of which, before undergoing the -ordeal, is carefully examined by a Privy-council veterinary officer, -to insure its being in perfect health. The animal is then weighed, -and led away for a few days to a comfortable stall, and fed on sweet -hay, new milk, and oil-cake. An animal taken in on Monday would on -Thursday be led into the vaccinating-room, and securely strapped to -the top of a table which is ingeniously constructed to tip down into -a vertical position. The top of the table is then thrown over and -secured horizontally, the calf lying upon its side, and presenting -the under surface of its body conveniently for the surgical part of -the proceeding. The hair is first shaved off, and then some slight -incisions about an inch long are made in the skin, and the virus -introduced. This operation is performed in one part of a large room -divided by a wooden partition. To the other part of the room, parents -will in a few days bring their children, and have them vaccinated -directly from the animal thus prepared, and may thus escape whatever -evils, real or imaginary, pertain to the practice of arm-to-arm -vaccination. The calf having done its involuntary service to humanity, -is, before dismissal, again weighed, and is usually found to have -increased considerably—not, it may be presumed, in consequence of -vaccination, but from the good feeding it has received. - -The practical results of vaccination from the animal direct, are in -some respects somewhat dubious. Belgium and Holland have long been -familiar with it; but still there appears to be a lack of trustworthy -records as to the efficacy of the process as compared with the -arm-to-arm system. Whether the animal lymph is as potent a protector -from smallpox as that which has been passed through the human system, -cannot as yet be determined, though there would seem to be no ground -for any reasonable doubt upon the subject. That the humanising -process does in some way, at present quite inscrutable, affect it, -seems evident from the fact that the vaccine from the calf loses its -efficacy somewhat sooner than that from the human subject. It cannot -be stored for so long a time as the humanised lymph, and this renders -its distribution somewhat difficult. The best authorities, however, -are now inclined to the opinion that the difference in this respect is -not after all so great as was at first supposed. The two scientific -men in charge of this station are, however, enthusiasts in this -department of medical investigation, and it may be hoped that with the -enlarged sphere of operations which government is understood to be -contemplating, and aided by a well-appointed laboratory in connection -with this establishment, an important advance may soon be made in their -knowledge of the subject. - -Compulsory vaccination has done much in other countries to free them -for long periods from this loathsome disease. Sweden and Denmark -enjoyed absolute immunity for twenty years; and in Austria, where very -stringent measures of compulsion are resorted to, they succeeded in -extirpating smallpox for long periods. - -It was in 1853 that compulsion was first established in this country, -and as at first nearly every one obeyed the law, it was attended with -very beneficial results. At the registration of a birth, the registrar -has to give notice of the necessity of having the child vaccinated -within four months, and the penalty for neglect. From the registrar’s -return, it is seen at the local government Board if a medical -certificate attesting the vaccination as duly performed, has been -returned. Assuming that every child is registered, this system no doubt -would answer well; but there is much reason to fear that many children -in London escape being registered, and these do not come within the -cognisance of the local government Board. It is a question whether some -return should not be required from medical men of every child born -alive, with the address of its parents. - -Absolute care in vaccination and its universal adoption, combined -with a compulsory re-vaccination on arriving at the age of puberty, -would without doubt have by this time fulfilled Jenner’s most sanguine -expectations, and smallpox would have become extinct. At the same -time, if the government make vaccination compulsory, they have a most -important duty to the public to perform. In the first place, they -should undoubtedly ascertain that every known precaution is taken by -all public vaccinators to protect from harm, or disease likely to arise -from vaccination, those whom they compel to undergo the operation. -Secondly, none but properly certified practitioners should be appointed -to the stations. It is not alone sufficient that they be skilful -vaccinators, they should also be able to take lymph skilfully from the -vesicles without the admixture of the minutest particle of blood. An -ignorant or careless vaccinator may do more harm than it is possible -to trace. Thirdly, no lymph whatever should be used but that which is -microscopically examined by one who thoroughly understands his work, -and the public should be permitted to have a choice of either the -humanised lymph or lymph direct from the calf. If these precautions -were conscientiously carried out, we should soon have less objection to -compulsion, and we should be in a fair way to seeing smallpox stamped -out. - -In America, according to the _Asclepiad_, the subject has received -careful attention. The Report of Dr Joseph Jones, President of the -Board of Health, of the State of Louisiana, extends to four hundred -pages, and embraces everything connected with smallpox, vaccination, -and spurious vaccination; while drawings are freely interspersed to -illustrate, from point to point, the author’s histories, views, or -conclusions. Amongst the general conclusions which the author draws -at the close of his treatise, the following are some of the most -important: (_a_) Vaccination, when carefully performed on Jenner’s -method, is as complete a protection from smallpox now as it was in the -early part of the century; (_b_) Without vaccination, the application -of steam and navigation and land travel would have, during the past -fifty years, scattered smallpox in every part of the habitable globe; -(_c_) Vaccination has not impaired the strength and vigour of the human -race, but has added vastly to the sum of human life, happiness, and -health; (_d_) Inoculation for smallpox, which preceded vaccination, -induced a comparatively mild and protective disease, but multiplied the -foci of contagion, kept smallpox perpetually alive, and increased its -fatal ravages among mankind. - - - - -BY MEAD AND STREAM. - - -CHAPTER XLVII.—UNDER-CURRENTS. - -Shield had not been so perfectly frank with Philip as the latter -believed him to be. For instance, he had not mentioned that when Coutts -came to him with affected concern on account of the position in which -his brother might be placed by the forged bill, he had not admitted to -him that the signature was a forgery. - -What he said to Coutts was: ‘Looks queer—but don’t know. Accustomed to -sign things that come through regular channel without looking close -into them. Will see what Hawkins and Jackson have to say about it and -let you know.’ - -Then Coutts took from his pocket a note which had been written to his -brother by Austin Shield and placed the two signatures side by side. - -‘I do not think that any one looking at these would hesitate to say -that they were not written by the same hand.’ - -‘Don’t know. My hand shakes at times. Don’t always sign in exactly the -same way. Not always sure of my own signature—when it comes back to me. -Will inquire and let you know.’ - -‘I am positive that the writing is not yours, Mr Shield; and I should -never have touched the paper if there had been any signature of -yours beside me at the time. Although the amount may not be of much -consequence to you, it will be a heavy loss to me. But I could have no -suspicion of there being anything wrong, when I saw Philip’s name to -the bill.’ - -‘All right. Will inquire.—Good-day.’ - -When Coutts left the room, this big bearish man growled fiercely and -the growl ended in this note—‘Skunk.’ He immediately telegraphed for -his friend Mr Beecham; and that was why Beecham had so suddenly quitted -Kingshope. - -On the day on which Madge made her memorable visit to London, Mr -Beecham’s conjuring friend, Bob Tuppit, called at Wrentham’s cottage -and asked for Mrs Wrentham. She could not be seen for half an hour; but -Tuppit was ready to wait an hour or more, if Mrs Wrentham’s convenience -should require it. He was accordingly shown into the dining-room—the -place where Wrentham spent the greater part of his evenings at home, -smoking and concocting schemes for the realisation of that grand vision -of his life—a comfortable income and a home somewhere in the sunny -south. - -Tuppit was a quick-eyed little man, or he could not have earned his -living as a conjurer; and when he had turned himself round about -twice, he had the character and position of every bit of furniture -photographed on his mind’s eye. He looked longest at a heavy mahogany -desk which was bound with unusually massive brass clasps. - -‘What a duffer!’ he said under his breath. ‘He has got something in -there that will do for him; and he puts on those big clasps like -labels, every one saying as plain as plain can be: “Look here, if you -want to find out my little game.” Well, having gone in for this sort -of thing, he might have taken the trouble to learn the ABC of his -business.’ - -Tuppit’s nimble fingers went round the desk and tried its fastenings. - -‘Spring lock, too. So much the worse for him. Dier will pitch on it at -once.’ - -The door burst open, and little Ada Wrentham bounced in, her pretty -cheeks healthfully flushed, the hoop in her hand indicating how she had -been engaged. - -‘O dear!’ she exclaimed, drawing back when she saw that there was a -stranger in the room. - -‘Don’t go away—I’m a friend of yours,’ said Tuppit quickly.—‘Don’t you -remember me? I saw you watching me when I was performing on the green -in the summer-time, and you were with your nurse, and you sent me a -penny.’ - -The child stopped, stared, then advanced a few paces timidly till she -came to a sunbeam which crossed the room, dividing it in two. Then she -put out her pretty hands, moving them to and fro as if laving them in -the sunshine, whilst her eyes were full of wonder. - -‘Was it you did all those funny things with the cards and the pigeons -and the pennies, and the orange and the glass of water?’ - -‘That was me, Ada—you see I know your name—and if you like, I will show -you some more funny things just now whilst I am waiting for your mamma.’ - -‘I’ll go and bring mamma. She would like to see them too.’ - -‘No, no; don’t go for her. She will be here as soon as she is ready. -Besides, this is a trick I want to show you all to yourself. You are -not afraid of the magician—are you?’ - -Little Ada peered at him through the sunbeam. He was such a little man; -and although his cheeks were somewhat hollow and his complexion rather -sallow, there was an expression of frank gentleness in his eyes which -at once inspired confidence. A child might trust him, and a child is -quick to detect untrustworthy persons. - -‘I’m not afraid—why should I?’ said Ada laughing. - -‘Because you do not know me—at least you do not know me enough to be -quite sure that I am not the wicked magician who tried so hard to kill -Aladdin because he got hold of the wonderful lamp.’ - -‘But that was a long time ago,’ she said with an air of thoughtfulness; -‘and papa says there are no magicians—no real magicians—and no ghosts -now, and that anybody who pretends to tell fortunes or to do magic -things is’—— - -The child instinctively paused and turned her face away. - -‘Is an impostor, and ought to be taken up by the policeman,’ said -Tuppit, cheerfully completing the sentence for her; ‘and he is quite -right so far. All the same, Ada, there are great magicians always -close by us. There is the Good Magician, Love, who makes you fond of -your father and mother and ready to do kindly things for other people. -Then there are the wicked magicians Anger and Envy, who make you hate -everybody and everybody hate you. But you know I don’t pretend to be -like them; I only make-believe—that is, I perform tricks and tell you -how they are done.’ - -‘Is that all?’ she said, disappointed, allowing her hands to drop, and -passing through the sunbeam, which had hitherto formed a golden bar -between them. - -‘That is all; but you have to work a great deal before you can do so -much.—Now, here is this big desk—your papa opens it by magic; but do -you know how it is done?’ - -‘O yes; he takes out a nail and pushes something in—but that’s telling. -Could you do it? I have seen papa do it often, and he did not mind me; -but he doesn’t like anybody else to see him, for he was angry one day -when nurse Susan came in without knocking just as he was going to open -it.’ - -Tuppit was already busy examining the brass screws. He found one the -notch of which indicated that it was more frequently used than the -others. A penknife served his purpose; he took out the screw, thrust a -thin pencil into the hole; pressed it, and the desk opened. - -‘Oh, how clever!—That was just the way papa used to do it, only he had -a brass thing for sticking into the hole,’ said the child admiringly. -‘I’ve tried to do it.’ - -There was nothing in the desk; and Tuppit, with a long-drawn breath of -relief, closed it, replacing the screw as before. But he had kept on -chattering to the child all the time, and muttering parenthetically -observations to himself. - -‘You must show your papa that you know how it is done, Ada.... Nothing -in it may tell for or against him.... And he will think it so funny -that we should find it out.... It’s a sign that he knows the game is -up and is making ready to bolt.... But you must tell him that it was -only a little bit of Tuppit’s conjuring, and that he was glad to find -nothing.’ - -Ada drew back towards the door, a little frightened by the change in -his manner, which betrayed excitement in spite of his self-control. - -‘I think—I am beginning to be afraid of you now. You are not like the -good magician any more.’ - -‘That’s true, Ada,’ he said humbly, as he wiped his brow with that -wonderful silk handkerchief which was of so much use to him in his -professional exploits. Cold as the weather was, he seemed to be -perspiring. ‘But you know the change is only one of my tricks. Now, I -will come back. Hey, Presto, change.... There, am I not smiling the -same as before?’ - -‘No; you are not. You are looking ugly.’ - -‘Ah, let me hide my head.’ - -He bent down with a would-be comical manner of astonishment and -chagrin. The child laughed in a hesitating way, as if not quite -reassured that it was all fun. As he stooped, his eye fell on a -waste-paper basket under the table. He snatched it out, and found in it -a ball of blotting-paper which had been crumpled into that shape by an -impatient hand. This he smoothed out on the table and then held up so -that the sunbeam fell full upon it. - -‘This is the thing. Thank heaven, it is in my hands.’ He carefully -folded the paper and put it in his pocket. Then with real heartiness -he turned to the wondering child. ‘Now, Ada, I can laugh again; and if -there was time enough, I would show you some beautiful things. Look -here, for instance. Open your hand; I place that penny in it.—Close -your hand. You are sure you have the penny?’ - -‘Quite sure.’ - -‘Presto, change. The penny is gone.’ - -‘No, it isn’t!’ cried the child, laughing, and opening her hand, -displayed the penny lying on the palm. - -‘Keep it, keep it, my child; you deserve it; and take this shilling to -keep it company,’ said poor Bob Tuppit, who in his agitation had failed -in one of the simplest tricks of the prestidigitator, as his brethren -in the craft delight to call themselves. At another time, the failure -would have been humiliating to the last degree; but at present the -conjurer was too much occupied with matters of grave importance to feel -his discomfiture. - -Mrs Wrentham entered. - -‘I understand you bring a message from my husband, sir,’ she said in -her timid way. - -‘Not exactly, ma’am; but I want to speak to you about him. I am a -friend of his, or I should not be here.’ - -He glanced towards Ada as he spoke, suggesting by the look that the -child should be sent out of the room. But Mrs Wrentham was too simple -to understand the hint, and Tuppit was obliged to take the matter into -his own hand. - -‘I’ll tell you what, Ada; you might be a good magician now, if you -like. You could run out to the garden and pluck me a sprig of holly for -my little girl. She is very fond of shrubs and flowers; will you send -her some?’ - -‘O yes. There is such a nice sprig of holly up at the summer-house that -I was keeping for Christmas; but your little girl shall have it.—Is she -as old as me?’ - -‘Just about the same age; and now I look at you, she is rather like -you.’ - -Ada flew out at the door; and Tuppit turned eagerly to Mrs Wrentham, -his little form seeming to enlarge with the earnestness of his speech. - -‘You are astonished, ma’am, at the liberty I am taking; but the fact is -your husband has got into ... well, got into a scrape.—Please, don’t -alarm yourself. I hope we shall pull him through all right. I only came -to warn you, knowing that he might have forgotten it.’ - -‘Warn me about what?’ exclaimed the lady, trembling without knowing why. - -‘That a gentleman will call here to-day and make inquiries about your -husband. Answer him frankly, and, if you can manage it, do not look -as if you were afraid of him. He is a good-natured chap, and will not -press you very hard. But you must try to be quite calm and say nothing -about my visit.’ - -The poor lady became pale immediately; and the first dreadful thought -which occurred to her was that Wrentham had met with a serious -accident of some sort—she had never approved of his horse-racing and -horse-dealing proclivities. This good-natured friend was no doubt -trying to break the horrible truth to her as gently as possible. - -‘Oh, please tell me the worst at once. Is he much hurt—is he killed?’ - -Bob Tuppit stared; but quickly comprehended the mistake which the wife -had made. - -‘He is neither hurt nor killed, and is likely to live for a good many -years to come,’ he said reassuringly. ‘He has got into a bother about -some money matters. That is all.’ - -Tuppit felt ashamed of himself as he uttered the last words. What -would a broken leg or arm, or even a broken neck, have been compared -with the risk and disgrace of penal servitude? But Mrs Wrentham had no -suspicion of such a danger, and was relieved as soon as she heard that -her husband was physically unharmed. As for a difficulty about money, -she was confident that he would easily arrange that; so she promised -that she would answer any questions the gentleman who was coming might -have to ask; for she knew nothing about her husband’s money affairs, -and therefore had nothing to tell. - -Bob Tuppit looked at her wistfully, as if inclined to tell her more of -the real position; but just then Ada came bounding in with the holly -and ivy—looking so happy and glad, that the man was unable to reveal -the worst. - -‘They’ll know soon enough,’ he said to himself, as he thankfully took -the bundle of shrubs and went his way. - - - - -OLD PROVINCIAL FAIRS. - - -As a survival of one of the earliest institutions of this country, the -provincial fair is of special interest. Although it no longer retains -the functions for which it was originally founded, yet its existence -amongst us points back to a distant period in our history, when it not -only served as an important rendezvous for the furtherance of trade, -but was a centre whence the legislative enactments of the country were -proclaimed. Originally, it would seem the fair was generally held -during the period of a saint’s feast within the precincts of the church -or abbey, when worshippers and pilgrims assembled from all parts. -As the sacred building, too, was frequently in the open country, or -near some village too small to provide adequate accommodation for the -vast throng assembled on this annual festival, tents were pitched and -stalls for provisions set up in the churchyard, to supply the wants of -the visitors. This practice soon induced country pedlars and traders -to come and offer their wares; and hence in course of time it led to -the establishment of the commercial trade-marts known as ‘fairs.’ It -was not long, however, before abuses crept up, unseemly diversions -and excessive drinking causing no small offence. For instance, in -the fourteenth year of Henry III.’s reign, the archdeacon within the -diocese of Lincoln made inquiries into the custom of holding fairs -in churchyards; the result being that they were shortly afterwards -discontinued in this diocese. In the thirteenth year of Edward II.’s -reign, a statute was passed prohibiting the keeping of a fair in any -churchyard. But this law was in a great measure inoperative, for -markets seem to have been held in several Yorkshire churchyards in the -fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; and two hundred years later, the -same customs occurred in Germany. - -Whatever the exact origin of our provincial fairs may be, they are -undoubtedly of great antiquity, although, singular to say, their -charters are comparatively of modern date; the first recorded grant -in this country apparently being that of William the Conqueror to -the Bishop of Winchester for leave to hold an annual ‘free fair at -St Giles’s Hill.’ Respecting this old fair, we are told how, on St -Giles’s eve, the mayor, bailiffs, and citizens of Winchester gave up -to the bishop’s officers the keys of the four city gates; and that, -while it lasted, the church appointed its own mayor, bailiff, and -coroner. The rules, too, for its regulation seem to have been very -stringent; officers being stationed on roads and bridges to take toll -upon all merchandise travelling in the direction of Winchester. A -tent of justice known as the Pavilion was held in the centre of the -fair, in which offences of various kinds were tried by the bishop’s -officers. Every precaution, too, was taken that all packages of goods -entering the city gates paid toll to the bishop, who likewise received -the forfeit of any wares that might be sold out of the fair within -a radius of seven miles. ‘Foreign merchants,’ says Mr Morley, ‘came -to this fair and paid its tolls. Monasteries had also shops or houses -in its drapery, pottery, or spicery streets, used only at fair-time, -and held often by lease from the bishop.’ This fair, therefore, apart -from its historical value, is interesting in so far as it was in many -respects the model upon which succeeding ones in other places were -instituted. - -Fairs were occasionally granted to towns as a means for enabling them -to recover from the effects of war and other disasters; and also as a -mark of favour from the Crown. Thus, Edward III. founded a fair in the -town of Burnley in Lancashire. An amusing origin is given of ‘Fools’ -Fair,’ kept in the Broad Gate at Lincoln on the 14th of September, -for the sale of cattle. It is recorded how King William and his queen -‘having visited Lincoln, made the citizens an offer to serve them in -any way they liked best. They asked for a fair, though it was harvest, -when few people could attend it, and though the town had no trade nor -any manufacture.’ Stourbridge fair, once perhaps the largest in the -world, was specially granted by King John for the maintenance of a -hospital for lepers. Among other origins assigned to fairs, may be -mentioned ‘Pack-Monday fair,’ which was in days gone by celebrated at -Sherborne, on the first Monday after the 10th October. It was ushered -in by the ringing of the great bell at a very early hour, and by the -young people perambulating the streets with cows’ horns. Tradition -asserts that this fair originated at the completion of the building of -the church—at the completion of which the workmen held a fair in the -churchyard, blowing cows’ horns in their rejoicings. There can be no -doubt, however, that in many cases where the true origin of many of our -old fairs has in the course of years been forgotten, another has been -invented in its place, and handed down with every mark apparently of -plausibility. - -Perhaps one of the most curious features of our provincial fairs is -to be found in the odd customs associated with them, these possessing -an additional interest, as they help to illustrate the social life of -our forefathers. Thus, from time immemorial, it has been customary -at several of our large fairs—such as those kept up at Portsmouth, -Southampton, Chester, and Macclesfield—to announce their opening by -hoisting a glove of unusual size in some conspicuous place. This, it -has been suggested, is the earliest form of royal charter, denoting -the king’s glove—the custom being thus explained in the _Speculum -Saxonicum_: ‘No one is allowed to set up a market or a mint without the -consent of the ordinary and judge of that place; the king ought also to -send a glove, as a sign of his consent to the same.’ The charter for -Lammas fair at Exeter was formerly perpetuated by a huge glove, stuffed -and carried through the city on a long pole, which was eventually -placed on the top of the Guildhall, where, so long as it remained, -it indicated that the fair was still open. A variation of this usage -prevailed at Liverpool, where, ten days before and after each fair-day, -a hand was exhibited in front of the town-hall—a sign which denoted -that ‘no person coming to or going from the town on business connected -with the fair can be arrested for debt within its liberty.’ Englefield, -in his _Walk through Southampton_ (1805), describing the fair held on -Trinity Monday at Southampton, says it was dissolved by the glove being -taken down, ‘which was at one time performed by the young men of the -town, who fired at it till it was destroyed, or they were tired of the -sport.’ Without enumerating further instances of this practice, there -can be no doubt that, as Mr Leadam has shown in the _Antiquary_ (1880), -the glove is the original ‘sign-manual.’ - -One of the quaint features of Charlton fair, formerly held on St Luke’s -Day, was the elaborate display of horns; the booths not only being -decorated with them, but most of the articles offered for sale having -representations of this emblem. For a long time, antiquaries were much -divided as to what connection there could be between horns and Charlton -fair, and many conjectures were started without any satisfactory -result. At last, however, light was thrown on this much-disputed -question by an antiquary, who pointed out that a horned ox is the old -medieval symbol of St Luke, the patron of the fair. In support of this -explanation, it was further added, that although most of the painted -glass in Charlton church was destroyed in the troublous times of the -reign of Charles I., yet fragments remained of St Luke’s ox ‘with -wings on his back, and goodly horns on his head.’ As an additional -illustration on this point, we may quote the following extract from -Aubrey’s _Remains of Gentilisme and Judaisme_: ‘At Stoke-Verdon, in the -parish of Broad Chalke, Wilts, was a chapel dedicated to St Luke, who -is the patron saint of the horn-beasts and those that have to do with -them; wherefore the keepers and foresters of the New Forest come hither -at St Luke’s tide with their offerings to St Luke, that they might be -fortunate in their game, the deer, and other cattle.’ Many of those, -also, who visited Charlton fair wore a pair of horns on their heads, -and the men were attired in women’s clothes; a mode of masquerading -thus described by a writer of the last century: ‘I remember being there -upon Horn fair-day; I was dressed in my landlady’s best gown, and other -women’s attire.’ Referring to St Luke’s Day, Drake tells us in his -_Eboracum_ that a fair was annually kept up at York for all sorts of -small-wares, and was popularly known as ‘Dish-fair,’ from the large -quantity of wooden dishes exposed for sale. It was also characterised -by an old custom of ‘bearing a wooden ladle in a sling on two stangs -about it, carried by four sturdy labourers; this being, no doubt, in -ridicule of the meanness of the wares brought to the fair.’ At Paignton -fair, Exeter, it was customary, says a correspondent of _Notes and -Queries_, to draw through the town a plum-pudding of immense size, and -afterwards to distribute it to the crowd. The ingredients which on one -occasion composed this pudding were as follows: four hundred pounds of -flour, one hundred and seventy pounds of beef-suet, one hundred and -forty pounds of raisins, and two hundred and forty eggs. It was kept -constantly boiling in a brewer’s copper from the Saturday morning to -the Tuesday following, when it was placed on a car profusely decorated -and drawn along the streets by eight oxen. - -Again, among the numerous other customs which were attached to many of -our fairs may be mentioned that popularly designated as ‘Walking the -Fair.’ Thus, at Wolverhampton, on the eve of the great fair which took -place on the 9th of July, a procession of men in antique armour paraded -the town, preceded by the local authorities. According to tradition, -this ceremony took its rise when Wolverhampton was a great emporium -for wool and resorted to by merchants from all parts of England. These -processions, however, were in all probability the remains of the Corpus -Christi pageantry, which was frequently celebrated at the yearly fairs. -At Avingham fair, held about twelve miles from Newcastle, an amusing -ceremony was celebrated called ‘Riding the Fair.’ Early in the morning -a procession moved from the principal alehouse in the village, headed -by two pipers, known as the ‘Duke of Northumberland’s pipers,’ who, -fancifully dressed up for the occasion, were mounted on horses gaily -caparisoned, and specially borrowed for the day. These pipers, followed -by the Duke of Northumberland’s agent, bailiff, and a numerous escort, -rode through the fair; and after proclaiming it opened, they ‘walked -the boundary of all that was, or had been, common or waste land.’ -Riding the boundaries is still annually practised in many provincial -parishes. - -We must not omit to mention the ‘Procession of Lady Godiva’—one of the -grandest of these shows, and which has been the distinguishing feature -of Coventry Show Fair, for many years one of the chief marts in the -kingdom. This celebrated fair has generally commenced upon Friday in -Trinity-week, the charter for it having been granted, it is said, by -Henry III. in the year 1218, at the instigation of Randle, Earl of -Chester. It is noteworthy, however, that the tradition of Lady Godiva -is not confined to Coventry fair, a similar one having been handed down -in the neighbourhood of St Briavel’s, Gloucestershire. Thus Rudder, in -his History of this county (1779), tells us how, formerly, after divine -service on Whitsunday, pieces of bread and cheese were distributed to -the congregation at church. To defray the expenses, every householder -in the parish paid a penny to the churchwardens, and this was said to -be for the liberty of cutting and taking wood in Hudnalls. Tradition -affirms that ‘this privilege was obtained of some Earl of Hereford, -then lord of the Forest of Dean, at the instance of his lady, upon -the same hard terms that Lady Godiva obtained the privileges for the -citizens of Coventry.’ - -Again, at the Whitsuntide fair held at Hinckley in Leicestershire, -one of the principal attractions was the procession of the millers, -who, having assembled from all the neighbouring villages, marched in -grand array with the ‘king of the millers’ at their head. From the -various accounts recorded of this ceremony, it appears that the dresses -were generally most elaborate; and one writer, in 1787, describing -these shows, says: ‘The framework knitters, wool-combers, butchers, -carpenters, &c., had each their plays, and rode in companies bearing -allusions to their different trades.’ Then there was the well-known -practice of ‘Crying the Fair.’ Thus, in connection with Stourbridge -fair we read how in the year 1548 a proclamation was issued by the -university of Cambridge in ‘crying the fair,’ in which it was directed, -among other clauses, that ‘no brewer sell into the fayer a barrell of -ale above two shillings; no longe ale, no red ale, no ropye ale, but -good and holsome for man’s body, under the penaltie of forfeyture.’ - -Ravenglass fair, celebrated annually at Muncaster in Cumberland, was -the scene of a peculiar ceremony, which is thus described in Lyson’s -_Magna Britannia_: ‘The lord’s steward was attended by the sergeant of -the borough of Egremont with the insignia called the bow of Egremont, -the foresters with their bows and horns, and all the tenantry of the -forest of Copeland, whose special service was to attend to the lord -and his representatives at Ravenglass fair, and remain there during -its continuance.’ In order, also, to attract visitors, various modes -of diversion were contrived; these generally succeeding in bringing -together large concourses of people from outlying districts. Thus, -occasionally, a mock-mayor was appointed, whose duty it was to try -any unfortunate person who on some trumped-up charge might be brought -before him. It has been suggested that these mock-trials may have -originated in the courts which were granted at fairs ‘to take notice -of all manner of causes and disorders committed upon the place, called -pie-powder, because justice was done to any injured person before the -dust of the fair was off his feet.’ A notable instance of this custom -was kept up at Bodmin Riding in Cornwall, on St Thomas à Becket’s -Day. A mock-court having been summoned, presided over by a Lord of -Misrule, any unpopular individual so unlucky as to be captured was -dragged to answer a charge of felony; the imputed crime being such as -his appearance might suggest—a negligence in his attire or a breach -of manners. With ludicrous gravity, we are told in the _Parochial -History of Cornwall_, ‘a mock-trial was then commenced, and judgment -was gravely pronounced, when the culprit was hurried off to receive -his punishment. In this, his apparel was generally a greater sufferer -than his person, as it commonly terminated in his being thrown into the -water or the mire’—‘Take him before the Mayor of Halgaver;’ ‘Present -him in Halgaver Court,’ being old Cornish proverbs. - -A similar institution has existed from time immemorial at the little -town of Penryn in Cornwall, at the annual festival of Nutting, when -the ‘Mayor of Mylor’ is chosen. According to popular opinion, says Mr -Hunt, in his _Romances of the West of England_, ‘there is a clause in -the borough charter compelling the legitimate mayor to surrender his -power to the “Mayor of Mylor” on the day in question, and to lend the -town-sergeant’s paraphernalia to the gentlemen of the shears.’ At the -yearly fair, too, held in the village of Tarleton, a mock-mayor was -until a very few years ago elected, this ceremony forming part of the -after-dinner proceedings. ‘Three persons,’ says a correspondent of -_Notes and Queries_, ‘were nominated, and it was the rule that each -candidate on receiving a vote should drink a glass of wine—a “bumper” -to the health of the voter—so that the one elected was not very steady -on his feet when all the company had polled and the newly elected -mayor had to be installed.’ - -Lastly, referring to the days on which fairs were formerly held, it -appears from _The Book of Fairs_ that they were kept up on Good-Friday -at St Austell, Cornwall; Droitwich, Worcestershire; Grinton, -Yorkshire; High-Budleigh, Devonshire; and at Wimborne, Dorsetshire. A -correspondent of _Notes and Queries_ says that he saw a ‘brisk fair -going on in the little village of Perran’s Porth, Cornwall, not far -from the curious oratory of St Piran, on Good-Friday in 1878.’ In -some places, too, Sunday seems to have been selected; for in Benson’s -_Vindication of the Methodists_ we find the following paragraph, with -special reference to Lincolnshire: ‘Wakes, feasts, and dancing begin in -many parishes on the Lord’s Day, on which also some fairs and annual -markets are held.’ - - - - -THE LAST OF THE STUARTS. - -A MODERN ROMANCE. - - -I.—THE DISINHERITED PRINCE. - -It was the proud boast of the late Mr Charles James Stuart, of -Balquhalloch, N.B., that he was the direct representative and lawful -heir of the unfortunate royal family of Scotland. I do not quite know -how he derived his descent, or from whom; but I feel sure that, had -he lived at the beginning of the eighteenth instead of the nineteenth -century, he would, with considerable confidence, have contested the -right of Queen Anne and the earlier Georges to reign over the northern, -if not also the southern portion of Great Britain. He was not born, -however, until 1796; and at that time there were in the Highlands but -few people who still chafed under Hanoverian rule. When, therefore, as -a young man, he first went to London, instead of plotting rebellion -against the authority of King George III., he fell in love with an -English girl named Eleanor Tudor, who also claimed, and, I think, not -without justice, to be lineally descended from royal ancestors. A -portrait of this lady was until quite recently in the possession of her -daughter, Miss Stuart. She was not beautiful; and I strongly suspect -that Mr Stuart would not have wooed her, had she borne any other name -than Tudor; but the prospect of once more uniting the old kingly stocks -of England and Scotland proved too seductive to be resisted; and in the -summer of 1817, the laird married Miss Tudor at St James’s, Piccadilly, -and at once carried her off to his northern home. In the following -year, Mrs Stuart gave birth to the above-mentioned daughter, who in due -course received the name of Henrietta Maria; and when in 1820 a son was -also born at Balquhalloch, he was, with equal fittingness, baptised -Charles Augustus. - -The old laird died in 1861; but in the meantime his son had grown up -and married a pretty but penniless governess; and in 1857 a son, who -was named Charles Edward, had been born to him. Mr Charles Augustus -Stuart, who, I regret to say, had more respect for whisky than for -his magnificent ancestry, was seized with apoplexy in 1878, shortly -afterwards departing this life; and in 1880, when the events which -I am about to narrate began, the only living representatives of the -old laird were his daughter Henrietta Maria, an eccentric lady of -sixty-two; and his grandson Charles Edward, a lively and, I may add, -rather unscrupulous fellow of three-and-twenty. - -Miss Stuart was a tall and very dignified person. Twenty years -ago, the thirsty cravings of Charles Augustus had dragged him into -pecuniary difficulties, from which he only extricated himself by -selling Balquhalloch and all its contents to his sister; and from that -time, Miss Stuart was mistress of the fine old house, and maintained -herself there in a style almost worthy of the descendant of a hundred -kings. She was rich, her mother’s relations having at different -times bequeathed to her sums amounting in the aggregate to nearly -three-quarters of a million; and she was generous, as all the poor -of her neighbourhood would gladly testify; but, as I have already -said, she was eccentric. She regarded herself as a British princess; -she insisted upon her servants treating her as such; she lived in -considerable state, and had a large household; and whenever she had -occasion to sign her name, she signed it magnificently, ‘Henrietta -Maria, P.’ - -Young Charles Edward, on the other hand, inherited no fortune worth -speaking of. His father had squandered his means in dissipation; and -dying, left a paltry five thousand pounds, upon the interest of which -the son, until 1880, lived in chambers in the Inner Temple. Up to that -time he had no direct communication with his magnificent aunt, who, -after purchasing Balquhalloch, had quarrelled with his father. In the -spring of the year, however, Charles Edward happened to be breakfasting -with his friend Tom Checkstone, who called his attention to the -following advertisement in the _Morning Post_: - -‘A Personage of rank requires the services of a private secretary. -Applicant must be energetic, well educated, of good address, and -willing to spend the greater part of his time in the country.—Send full -particulars to the Steward of the Household, Balquhalloch, N.B.’ - -‘Balquhalloch is your aunt’s place; is it not? I wonder who has taken -it?’ asked Tom. - -‘No one has taken it. My aunt always lives there; and, what is more, -she is the Personage of rank.’ - -‘Your aunt! Have they been making her a peeress, then?’ demanded Tom -incredulously. - -‘She’s a little weak in her head, you know, on the subject of our -supposed royal descent,’ returned Charles Edward; ‘and she insists upon -regarding herself as a princess.’ - -‘And if she is a princess, what are you, Charlie?’ - -‘Oh, I don’t know. I haven’t troubled myself to go deeply into the -matter; but I suppose that in her estimation I am the legitimate king -of England, or rather, of Great Britain. My grandfather claimed to be -the representative of the House of Stuart; so, of course, as the only -son of his only son, I inherit that great but somewhat barren honour.’ - -‘Well, I have made up my mind to write to your eccentric aunt’s Steward -of the Household,’ said Tom. ‘I have little to do, and, what is far -more serious, little to live upon; and if the Princess will give me -five hundred a year, Her Royal Highness shall have my services.—Is she -rich?’ - -‘O yes. I believe that she has a good twenty thousand a year, if not -more.’ - -‘And yet she lets you live here on two hundred and fifty! I can’t -say much for her princely liberality.—Do you know any one who will -recommend me? And who is this Steward of hers?’ - -‘He is a Scotchman, named M‘Dum—Donald M‘Dum. He used to be merely a -kind of farm-bailiff; but he falls in with all my aunt’s whims, and I -rather fancy he is making a good thing out of his place.’ - -‘Not what you would call a very upright man?’ hazarded Tom. - -‘By no means. From what I have heard, I should take him to be a regular -money-grubber. George Fegan, of Figblossom Buildings, who was in -Scotland last autumn, met him several times, and told me all about him.’ - -‘Ah, I shall go and see Fegan. Don’t you mention the matter. But -remember one thing: if I get the appointment, I’ll guarantee that the -old lady shall take you into immediate favour. I have an idea, a grand -one. At present, never mind what it is. If this M‘Dum is as mercenary -as you make out, we must raise money to bribe him to use his influence -on my behalf; and the question is, how can we raise it? All my modest -expectations are centred upon the death of my uncle Blighter, who, as -you know, is already bedridden. When he dies, I shall come into a few -thousands.—Will you lend me a thousand, if I want it?’ - -Checkstone and Stuart were old school-chums, and although not -altogether prompt in satisfying the demands of their tailors, trusted -one another completely. - -‘I could realise my small investments,’ said Charlie; ‘but by doing so -I should reduce my income by fifty pounds a year; so I hope that the -favours from my aunt won’t be long in coming.’ - -‘Then you shall realise; and I’ll give you my promissory-note for the -amount. But first I must see Fegan and make inquiries. I won’t do -anything risky; trust me for that. While I benefit myself, I shall -doubly benefit you. When I have called on Fegan, I shall at once, if -necessary, go down to Balquhalloch and see the great M‘Dum. When I wire -to you, you can realise; and I can draw upon you for any sum up to a -thousand, eh?’ - -‘So be it,’ assented Charlie. ‘And I hope you will get the appointment -and help me out of my difficulties. Why, if only my aunt would do the -proper thing, I could marry. She might easily spare, say, a thousand -a year; and with that addition to my income, Kate and I could do very -well.’ - -‘That marrying craze of yours is like a millstone tied to your neck. -You ought to look out for a girl with money. Kate Smith is an orphan, -and has no expectations; and in any case, you might—if you will forgive -my saying so—do better than marry a governess.’ - -‘My father married a governess!’ exclaimed Charlie warmly. - -‘So much the worse. The race will be ruined! However, we won’t talk -about that now. While you are a bachelor, there is still hope; and -you shall have your thousand a year very soon, unless I am vastly -mistaken.—Now I am off to see Fegan; so good-bye. If I go to Scotland -to-night, you shall hear from me to-morrow. All depends upon Fegan’s -report of the great M‘Dum.’ - - -II.—THE ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY. - -Fegan’s report must have been at least to some extent favourable, if -not actually encouraging, for that evening Tom Checkstone left town -by the limited mail for Scotland. For reasons that will presently -appear, he took with him half-a-dozen boxes of very fine cigars and a -considerable quantity of personal luggage; and, contrary to his usual -habit, he travelled first-class. - -Early on the morning of the next day but one, after having spent a -portion of the previous night at the _Bagpipes Inn_, Aberdumble, -he hired the best conveyance in the town, and was driven over to -Balquhalloch. - -Balquhalloch Castle, as all Scotchmen and most Englishmen are no doubt -aware, is a straggling building that dates back to the beginning of the -fifteenth century. It occupies an isolated position, and consists of -a grim gray keep, surrounded by a circle of stables, store-rooms, and -servants’ quarters. - -It was to this ancient abode that Mr Tom Checkstone was driven. The -carriage passed through the frowning gateway of the castle into a large -courtyard, in which several servants in livery stood ready to receive -it. Tom alighted, and, acting upon instructions which he had obtained -from George Fegan, asked to see Mr M‘Dum. His card was carried to that -functionary, who at once professed his readiness to see his visitor in -his private room. Thither, therefore, Tom was conducted; and scarcely -had he taken a seat ere the Steward of the Household entered. - -Mr M‘Dum was a short, stout, red-faced man of about fifty years of age. -He was negligently dressed in a brown velvet shooting-suit, and he was -smoking a very large cigar. - -‘What can I do for you?’ he asked bluntly. - -‘I have come down,’ said Tom, ‘with an introduction from Mr George -Fegan of Figblossom Buildings, London.’ - -‘Yes; I know him,’ ejaculated M‘Dum abruptly. - -‘And I wish,’ continued Tom, ‘to apply for a secretaryship which, as I -see by an advertisement in the _Morning Post_, is vacant.’ - -‘Well, sit down,’ said M‘Dum, as he threw himself into the most -comfortable chair in the room; ‘and we will talk the matter over.’ And -he proceeded to help himself to a stiff glass of whisky from a decanter -that stood upon a table at his side. - -‘I think that I possess all the necessary qualifications,’ began Tom; -‘but of that you must be the judge. Perhaps this letter from Mr Fegan -will give you as much information as I can,’ and he handed a sealed -missive to the Steward. - -M‘Dum took it, and having opened it, read aloud: - - ‘MY DEAR MR M‘DUM—My friend Mr Checkstone has seen in the - paper that a secretary is wanted at Balquhalloch. He is a - young man of means, family, good education, and address; he - is, moreover, a sociable companion; and you may in all matters - rely upon his discretion. I therefore highly recommend him to - you. I take advantage of his journey to Scotland to send to you - half-a-dozen boxes of very prime cigars; and remain yours very - faithfully, - - GEORGE FEGAN.’ - -‘And here are the cigars,’ added Tom, pointing to a package which he -had brought in with him. - -Cigars were Mr M‘Dum’s second weakness. His first was good whisky. In -a moment his demeanour, which up to that point had been by no means -friendly, altered. - -‘Good!’ he exclaimed. ‘The letter, so far as it goes, is perfectly -satisfactory, Mr Checkstone.—Now, let us look at the matter as men of -business. The fact is that Miss Stuart—the Princess Henrietta Maria -as we call her here—wants a well-educated amanuensis. I manage her -estates and her household, but—and I needn’t attempt to disguise it—my -education has been neglected. I am not good at letter-writing. Still, -I have worked my way gradually up into my present position, and I am -not disposed to imperil it. The man who comes here must be my ally. He -will be paid four hundred a year, and will keep his place as long as -he likes, provided that he gets on well with me. The Princess is not -exacting, although she is eccentric. I do not suppose, indeed, that the -work will be hard; and as there is plenty of good shooting and fishing -down here, the life is very pleasant. I may tell you that Mr Fegan has -already telegraphed to me announcing your visit, and that I am upon the -whole prepared to engage you.’ - -‘You are very good,’ returned Tom, who, however, did not add that he -knew the telegram in question had been sent, and that he was perfectly -aware of its contents. The words were: ‘I send down Checkstone for -secretary. Easy to manage. Perfectly innocent and harmless.’ Nor did -Tom explain that he, and not Fegan, was the real donor of the cigars. - -‘Oh, it is merely a matter of business,’ rejoined M‘Dum. ‘I fancy -that we should get on together. But, since if you obtain the post you -will obtain it through my good offices, and since I naturally desire -to have some guarantee that the Princess’s confidence in you will -not be misplaced, you must excuse my asking whether you are prepared -to—well—to make some small—what shall we say—some small deposit, some -trifling payment as a security, you know?’ - -‘Nothing could be more reasonable, Mr M‘Dum,’ said Tom. - -‘I imagine,’ continued the Steward, who was much encouraged by Tom’s -words, ‘that a premium, say, of two years’ salary would not, under -the circumstances, be excessive; for the post would practically be a -permanency. Two years’ salary would be eight hundred pounds.’ - -‘Yes; I think that eight hundred pounds would not be excessive,’ said -Tom. ‘I am ready to agree to pay that sum.’ - -‘That’s good! Then I will introduce you to the Princess.’ And placing -his unfinished cigar in an ash-tray upon the table, Mr M‘Dum arose, and -led the way through some long and cheerless stone passages into a more -pretentious and better furnished part of the huge building. Leaving Tom -in a panelled anteroom, he went forward to announce him; and returning, -conducted the new secretary into the presence. - -In a large armchair in a long low drawing-room sat the Princess -Henrietta Maria. Tom bowed low as soon as he saw her, and then—acting -upon directions which had been supplied to him by Mr Fegan—advanced and -respectfully kissed the tips of her outstretched fingers. - -‘Mr M‘Dum tells me,’ said the Princess, ‘that you are in all respects -competent to act as our private secretary. We particularly need the -services of an amanuensis just now, because we are drawing up some -memoirs of our family. The documents are here in the castle; but our -health does not permit of sufficient progress with the work. Are you -prepared to undertake the duties?’ - -‘I am, your Royal Highness,’ assented Tom meekly, as he stood before -the majestic old lady. - -‘That is well. And when can you begin those duties, Mr Checkstone?’ - -‘I am at any moment at your Royal Highness’s disposal,’ said Tom. ‘I -can even take up my residence here to-day, should your Royal Highness -wish it.’ - -‘Let it be so, then, Mr Checkstone. Mr M‘Dum shall conduct you to your -apartments; and I myself will take an early opportunity of visiting -them and of satisfying myself that you will be comfortable.’ - -The Princess signified that the audience was over; and Tom and the -Steward backed out of the room, bowing low as they went. - -‘You should not have said that you would come in to-day,’ said M‘Dum, -as soon as the door was shut. ‘And besides, how can you do so? Where is -your luggage?’ - -‘It is at the inn at Aberdumble,’ answered Tom. ‘I thought, under any -circumstances, of staying in Scotland for a few weeks; and so I came -prepared.’ - -‘Humph!’ ejaculated M‘Dum, who was somewhat annoyed at his protégé’s -precipitancy.—‘Now, if you don’t mind, we will go back to my little -office and complete our business arrangements.’ - -Ten minutes later, Mr M‘Dum was the richer by a promissory-note for -eight hundred pounds, and Tom was formally installed as private -secretary to the Princess Henrietta Maria. At the earliest possible -moment he sent back the conveyance to Aberdumble, instructing the -coachman to forward his luggage to the castle, and intrusting the man -with two telegrams, worded in French, one being addressed to George -Fegan, and the other to Charles Edward Stuart. - -Later in the day, the Princess requested him to attend her in the -library; and there, without many preliminaries, he began, under her -supervision, to transcribe the contents of numerous musty documents -in English, and to translate those of others that were written in -French and Latin. He worked for only a couple of hours; and then the -Princess, bidding him lay aside his pen, sat and talked to him about -London, about politics, and about books. In the evening he played -chess and smoked with Mr M‘Dum; and after the toddy had been done full -justice to, he retired, well satisfied, to his own snug rooms on the -second floor of the ancient keep. - -Thus did he spend his time for a week and more, until one afternoon the -Princess fell to talking about the sad fate of her family. - -‘The principle of divine right,’ she said, ‘cannot be altered by -popular clamour. It is a reality. She who at present sits upon the -throne of these kingdoms is no more the Queen than you are. Excellent -woman though she is, she is but the representative of usurpers. True -kings cannot be made by vulgar acclamation, neither can wrong become -right by lapse of time. But the blood of our race has been tainted. Our -royal brother of sacred memory—though, to be sure, he never recognised -his exalted position—married a commoner; and how can I expect that the -child of that union should be worthy of his splendid ancestry? Ah, that -child! What possibilities are his, if only he had the energy to seize -them! But he cares nothing. He is content to live obscure. He will not -accept his destiny.’ - -‘Nay!’ suggested Tom; ‘perhaps he lives obscure because he is poor. -Perhaps he is too proud to let it be known that he who exists upon a -miserable two hundred and fifty pounds a year is the king of Great -Britain. Your Royal Highness must not be unjust.’ - -‘Would that what you say were true!’ ejaculated the Princess. ‘But if -he only made some sign of his desire to win his own, heaven knows that -I would aid him with my fortune, and even, if need were, with my life.’ - -‘Your Royal Highness’s sentiments are worthy of her great lineage,’ -said Tom courteously. ‘I happen to know that the facts are as I have -hinted; for, although I have not yet mentioned it, I have the honour of -your Royal Highness’s august nephew’s acquaintance. Indeed, I may say -the king deigns to honour me with his friendship.’ - -‘The king!’ exclaimed the Princess, with beaming eyes—‘the king! You -have heard His Majesty speak, have seen His Majesty walk, and you have -not told me! Oh, Mr Checkstone, I cannot tell you how it rejoices me -to have one of the king’s friends in my service!—What is His Majesty’s -will? What are His Majesty’s plans? You may trust me. I am devoted -wholly and entirely to his interests. How I have longed to learn of his -intention to take his rightful position!’ - -Thus encouraged, Tom Checkstone related to the Princess a very -plausible and interesting story, the main points of which he did not -forget to communicate by letter to his friend in London. He assured the -Princess that poverty alone prevented the king from taking action; that -His Majesty chafed grievously in his enforced seclusion; and that the -legitimate sovereign of Great Britain, in spite of the plebeian origin -of his mother, was in all respects a worthy descendant of the Jameses. - -‘Then His Majesty must come hither,’ said the Princess. ‘But I am -greatly in doubt whether I can place implicit confidence in Mr M‘Dum. -He is an excellent servant, but I fear he is not too loyal; and we must -risk nothing.’ - -‘Mr M‘Dum,’ said Tom, ‘has very well taken care of himself hitherto. -Your Royal Highness is perhaps not aware that he accepted a bribe from -me when I applied for my present position in your Royal Highness’s -household. I have his receipt for eight hundred pounds.’ - -‘Then, we shall certainly dismiss him,’ remarked the Princess with -signs of rising anger. ‘But, as I say, he is withal an excellent -servant, and it would not become us to act towards him in anger. I will -pension him; and when he has left the castle, we may receive the king -without any risk; for all my other servants have from their childhood -been devoted to the royal cause.’ - -The result of this conversation—all the details of which were -faithfully reported to Charlie Stuart—was that Mr M‘Dum, after a -somewhat stormy scene with the Princess, quitted Balquhalloch, with -an eye to an eligible public-house in Glasgow; and on the day of his -departure, the Princess wrote a loyal and affectionate letter to her -nephew, and despatched it to him by the hands of her chaplain, the Rev. -Octavius M‘Fillan, a priest who, although he possessed no remarkable -degree of intelligence, was of unimpeachable devotion to the Princess, -and of great simplicity and kindness of heart. ‘Our castle,’ the letter -concluded, ‘is held at your Majesty’s disposal; and all within it is at -your Royal service.’ - -Father M‘Fillan, with much ceremony, delivered the missive to Charlie -at his chambers in the Inner Temple; and ‘the king’ was pleased to -say in reply that he would at his earliest convenience visit his -well-beloved aunt in the north. - -Two or three days afterwards, the second column of the _Times_ -contained an announcement to the effect that Catharine Smith, daughter -of the late John Smith of Manchester, intended thenceforth to assume -the surname of Plantagenet, and upon all future occasions to style -herself, and be known as, Catharine Plantagenet. Fortunately, the -_Times_ was not studied at Balquhalloch, the Princess reading only the -_Edinburgh Courant_, because it was a thorough-going Tory journal, and -the London _Morning Post_, because it was of eminently aristocratic -tone. - -A week later, Charlie, who had meantime received some long letters from -Tom, went down to Scotland. - - - - -INDIAN JUGGLERS. - -BY AN ANGLO-INDIAN. - - -The exhibition of feats of legerdemain is at all times entertaining; -and those who have had the pleasure of witnessing the performances of -such accomplished professors of the art of magic as the late Wizard of -the North, or Messrs Maskelyne and Cooke of the Egyptian Hall, London, -are not likely soon to forget the same. In Britain, however, it is -only now and again that a magician of the first class, who is likewise -a native of the British Isles, appears. Eminent British jugglers are -few and far between. But in the ancient East, magic is, and has from -time immemorial been, much more generally cultivated. India, as every -one who has resided in our great tropical dependency knows, counts its -jugglers by thousands. Indeed, magic is there a recognised calling or -business; it descends from father to son; and an Indian juggler, be -he Mussulman or Hindu, would not dream of teaching his son any other -business than his own—that of magic. And so it comes about that the -supply of Indian jugglers is both large and continuous. The Indian -juggler is a very humble individual; he does not appear before his -audience in the glory of evening dress; his only costume is a cloth -bound round his loins. And thus, if coat-sleeves or pockets at all -assist in magic, the Indian juggler is at a decided disadvantage, for -both his arms and legs are bare. He is a thin, an unnaturally thin, -wiry-looking individual—the Indian juggler. I do not know why he should -be thin, but I do not recollect ever having seen a fat Indian juggler. -Fat natives of India there are in plenty, as those who have travelled -on Indian railways know to the detriment of their olfactory nerves; -but I cannot recall a single fat Indian magician. Again, the Indian -juggler does not appear before his audience with the swagger of the -man who knows his power to command the applause of crowded houses. On -the contrary, he appears meekly before you at the foot of your veranda -steps, obsequiously salaaming, quite prepared to be turned away with -rough words, but hoping to be invited up the steps to perform; for he -knows that if he once reaches the top of the veranda steps, he will, an -hour thereafter, be one rupee, perhaps two rupees, richer, and he will -thus have earned his living for a week. Not a very liberal remuneration -this, you may think; and yet it is a fact that a juggler whose receipts -amounted to ten rupees—say eighteen shillings in one month—would -consider himself a fortunate man. - -His performance is a remarkable one, though, perhaps, not more -remarkable than a first-class exhibition of magic in Britain. But -between the British and the Indian juggler there is one great -and important difference. The former has all the usual elaborate -paraphernalia of home magical entertainments—a prepared stage, back -curtains, tables, chairs, boxes, &c.; the latter has nothing of the -sort: all his appliances are contained in a cotton bag which he carries -about with him; he is nearly naked; and his stage is the ground or the -stone floor of a veranda. Very often two or three jugglers combine and -pay visits to the bungalows, thus giving variety to the performance—for -each juggler has his own tricks. Recently, I had a visit from an -amalgamated troupe consisting of seven members—five men, one woman, and -a boy. Probably the seven had conjoined their entertainments for that -particular day only, and next day they might be performing separately -again. If I give a description of what this party of seven did, you -will have a fair idea of a juggling entertainment in India. - -Two of the seven—one man and the woman—performed a single trick only, -namely, the famous basket trick. The man took an oblong basket about -two feet long, one foot broad, and, say, a foot and a half high. The -woman was bound hand and foot with ropes, and put into a net made of -rope, which was securely tied, so that she was practically in a sack of -network. She was then lifted and placed into the basket on her knees. -But a two-year-old child would have filled the basket, and the result -was that the whole of the woman’s person, from the loins upwards, was -above the basket. The woman bent her head; the juggler placed the -lid of the basket on her shoulders, and then threw a sheet over the -whole—hiding both woman and basket from view. In about a minute he -pulled away the sheet, folding it up in his hands, and behold, the lid -was in its proper place, and the woman was gone! The juggler now took a -sword about five feet long, and with it he pierced the basket through -and through in all directions, horizontally, diagonally, upwards, and -downwards; but there was no sign of any one inside. He even removed the -lid, jumped into the basket with his feet, and danced in it, until one -came to the conclusion that, wherever the woman had gone to, she was -not inside. The juggler again took the sheet, and after we had examined -it, he spread it over the basket, holding it tent-shaped, the apex -where his hand was being about three feet from the ground. In a minute -he withdrew the sheet once more, and behold the woman was back in her -old position on her knees in the basket; but the ropes and net had -disappeared, and she was now unbound. This trick has a few variations, -one of which is that after the woman disappears, the basket is handed -round to show its emptiness, and some other trick is exhibited, in the -middle of which the female performer reappears before the audience ere -any one can notice where she comes from. - -A third juggler now made his salaam, and began by performing the -beautiful mango-tree trick. He took an earthenware pot, filled it -with earth moistened with a little water, and placed among the earth -a mango-seed which we had examined beforehand. This done, he threw a -sheet over the pot, and almost immediately removed it again, when we -beheld, to our astonishment, that the seed had in the space of, say, -half a minute become a young mango-tree. Again the sheet was thrown -over the pot, and on being a second time removed, the mango-tree had -doubled in size. The same process was repeated a third time, and now -the tree was covered with small unripe mangoes. This time the juggler -plucked the tree up out of the earth, displaying the roots and the -remains of the original mango-stone from which the tree was supposed to -have sprung. - -The snake trick, which was the next item in the entertainment, is one -which has a peculiar fascination for native onlookers, for the fatal -ravages of poisonous serpents in India for centuries have produced -a horror of such reptiles among natives. Our juggler showed us a -parched skin which had once belonged to a large cobra. We examined it -carefully, and were quite sure it was a serpent’s skin and nothing -more. He placed this skin in a circular straw basket about six inches -deep. The basket was likewise examined, and we found no double bottom -or any other peculiarity about it. When he put the lid upon the basket, -it contained nothing but the empty skin—that we were equally well -assured of. The wonderful sheet before mentioned was again brought -into requisition, and was spread over the basket containing the dry -skin. After the performance of some mystic manœuvres in the air with a -little wooden doll, the sheet was withdrawn, the lid removed, and out -of the basket arose a huge hissing cobra, his hood spread in anger, -and his forked tongue darting in and out of his mouth. Some native -servants who were looking on fled precipitately in all directions; but -the juggler quickly took out an Indian musical instrument—not unlike -a miniature set of bagpipes—and began to play. A change came over the -spirit of the cobra’s spleen; his anger died away; he stood up with -half of his body in a perpendicular attitude, and presently began to -sway to and fro in a sort of serpent dance to the music. In a word, he -was charmed—for snake-charming is a reality, and not a fiction, strange -as it may seem to the people of Britain. - -The government of India offers a money reward for every poisonous snake -killed in the country; and the result is that there exists in India at -the present day a class of men, called snake-charmers, who earn their -living by going about in search of serpents. They play on the peculiar -instrument before mentioned, and if any serpent is within hearing -distance, it is irresistibly attracted to the musician. Serpents will -leave the roots of hedges, holes in walls, come down trees, or forsake -paddy-fields, if they hear this strange music. They erect themselves -vertically before the player, who at once seizes them by the throat, -and puts them in a large basket or bag he carries with him for the -reception of unwise serpents.[1] What became of the dry snake skin, we -could not tell; we never saw it again. - -The next performer was an elderly patriarchal-looking man, who -exhibited two trained tropical birds, the names of which I forget. -These birds did some really astonishing things, and their master -the patriarch must be a man of infinite patience. For instance, one -actually loaded a small brass cannon set on a miniature gun-carriage, -pushed the charge home with a small ramrod, and fired the piece off -by applying a lighted match, held in its beak, to the touchhole, -displaying not the slightest fear at the noise caused by the firing. -The other bird would, if its master threw any small object into the -air, seize the object in mid-air and bring it to the bird-trainer. - -Numbers five and six—man and boy—of the troupe were circus-wallahs, and -gave a native gymnastic entertainment, which, as it did not materially -differ from a British performance in the same line, need not be -detailed. - -Number seven was a juggler of divers accomplishments. He swallowed -swords, and put an iron hook into his nostril, bringing it out of his -mouth. Neither of these feats, however, though undoubtedly genuine, is -pleasant to look at. He blew fire and flames out of his mouth without -revealing the origin or cause of the fire, and apparently without -burning himself. He took about half-a-dozen stones of the size of, say, -a hen’s egg out of his mouth; how they got there, or how his mouth -contained them after they got there, was a mystery. He was talking -just before he began; but on being asked a question in the middle of -this stone performance, he could not speak. After discharging the big -stones, he wound up by disgorging about a handful of old nails and -miscellaneous rubbish! - -A much more pleasant trick to look at was the one which followed. He -took a cocoa-nut shell with one end cut off, and filled it with water. -In the water he placed a little piece of cork, having a bent pin on one -side, and two straight pins on the other side, so that the cork as it -floated roughly resembled a lilliputian duck. The cork lay dead in the -water, and it was difficult to think what magic could possibly be got -out of it. Presently the juggler, sitting about two yards off, took out -a musical instrument and began to play a lively tune. Instantly the -imitation duck commenced to dance violently in the water, suiting its -motions to the music. The dancing continued till the tune was ended; -then the juggler ordered the duck to salaam; and he was at once obeyed. -He even requested the buoyant cork to dive to the bottom of the water; -and his request was immediately complied with. While the performance -was going on, the cocoa-nut shell was standing almost at our feet, and -the performer was not only sitting beyond reach, but both his hands -were employed in playing the instrument. - -One more trick will finish my list. Our juggler told a native servant, -whom he did not know, to stretch out his arm palm upwards. Into the -outstretched palm he placed a silver two-anna piece, and—holding out -his own bony hand to show us that it was empty—he lifted the coin from -the servant’s hand, shut his own fist, reopened it in the twinkling of -an eye, and an enormous black scorpion dropped into the servant’s palm. -The latter fled shrieking with terror, for, next to the serpent, the -particular aversion of the Hindu is the scorpion. - -This finished the performance. In the foregoing, I have given as fair a -description as I can of an Indian juggling entertainment; and probably -you will agree with me in thinking that the feats of the poor Indian -juggler are quite as wonderful as those of a first-class British -magician, while the former suffers from numerous disadvantages which -the latter is entirely free from. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] With regard to the theory of snake-charming, opinions differ. It is -an undoubted fact that snakes will frequently emerge from hiding-places -at the sound of the ‘charmer’s’ pipe; but shrewd observers have reason -to suspect that a single snake can be made to do duty for many, having -been taught to obey the summons of its master’s music(!) Thus, the wily -Hindu will unobserved place his scaly pupil in some hole or crevice in -the neighbourhood of a bungalow, or in the bungalow itself, whence he -will lure it on a fitting occasion before an unsuspecting audience, -who, deeming themselves well rid of an obnoxious intruder, applaud, -and remunerate the charmer for having secured and carried away his own -property!—ED. - - - - -A WORD ON WOMAN’S WORK. - -BY A LADY. - - -While education is doing much to relieve the question of the employment -of women of some of the difficulties by which it has been surrounded, -there is still great need of further effort ere the three million of -women who are compelled to earn their daily bread shall be enabled -to do so with anything approaching ease and comfort. Among the newer -occupations for the ‘many’—few being as yet able to attain to the -height of the professions—are china and card painting; but this market -has become overstocked; and it is almost unnecessary to add that only -those who are artists in every sense of the word can hope for success, -originality of design being as necessary as correct drawing and good -finish. Many women are now employed as clerks in insurance and other -offices, and the movement has met with a large amount of success. It -is to be hoped that this will stimulate others to follow the good -example of finding employment for those who earnestly seek it, and -such employment as they have proved themselves to be most fitted for. -Numbers are employed in the Post-office; but competition is very severe -in this branch of industry, and it may be asked: ‘What will become of -the already overcrowded ranks of male clerks, if a fresh contingent be -admitted?’ The reply, I think, should be: ‘The man has many fields open -to him; the woman, few.’ - -Shorthand writing may yet give employment to many women; the -sewing-machine and the knitting-machine are also media for occupations -more or less lucrative, but the main object of this article is to draw -attention to an invention lately brought to our notice in various ways, -‘the Scientific Dress-cutting’—of American origin—which is being so -eagerly taken up by our countrywomen, hundreds flocking to the offices -in London to learn the ‘system’—some for the use of themselves and -families; others, as a matter of business, intending as they do to -become certificated teachers and agents. If any one is anxious or even -desirous of seeing earnest workers, let him go to the rooms of the -Association and he will be gratified indeed. Perhaps a few words from -one who has just spent some days there may not be unwelcome, as many -are inquiring about Scientific Dress-cutting. - -Arrived at 272 Regent Circus, we are directed up-stairs; and at the -top of the first flight we are directed to ascend a little higher, -and then we are shown into a small room, where sits a gentleman, -who answers questions, receives fees, writes receipts, and finally, -courteously conducts us into classroom No. 1. There order reigns -supreme. On the walls are the ‘drafts’ to be copied by the pupils, -each and all correctly drawn by mathematical square measurement, -the calculations being made upon a ‘chart.’ We take a seat, and are -soon lost in the mysteries of arriving at the due proportions of a -lady’s figure. One pupil looks up with a smile and says, ‘Is it not -a fascinating employment?’ another remarks in an under-tone, ‘Well, -this _is_ a study;’ while another declares it to be ‘simplicity -itself;’ and so the work goes on. The teacher—whose patience is sorely -tried sometimes—always seems ready and willing to render the needful -assistance, and is kind and considerate alike to all. To our query, -‘How long does it take to learn this system?’ the reply is, ‘Some learn -in a few lessons, and some take longer.’ One lady had attended the -classes ‘on and off’ for a month, and attributed her prolonged study -to the lack of consecutive lessons. But this is not always practicable -when ladies live at a distance and have home duties which keep them -away for days together. - -Before leaving, we are introduced to the secretary, who, like the rest -of the inmates of the establishment, until now has been a stranger to -us; and as we are introduced, and she raises her bright, cheerful, -honest English face, we feel that with her we shall meet with a -friend able and willing to advise. When we leave the first classroom, -we ascend more stairs, and are ushered into a room where skirts -are to be discoursed upon—the ‘short’ to the ‘trained’ skirt being -included in the lesson. Here we recognise faces we have seen in the -room below; and, as in the other room, we find here also all classes -represented—from the young girl who is learning to save the tedium of -apprenticeship, to the first-rate dressmaker; and among the ladies, -those of small means, who hope by the aid of the system to be better -able to make both ends meet at the close of another year; to the lady -of ample means, who has come partly out of curiosity, and partly to -ascertain whether it is worth while to send her maid to take lessons, -that her homemade dresses may in future be sure to fit well. Neither -is she the only lady nor the representative of the only class who make -at least some dresses at home, for there is scarcely a household where -this is not necessary now. - -In this room we are measured; and a curious and amusing performance it -is, quite different in some respects from the way we should imagine -it to be best accomplished; and here we may say that this feat is one -of the most important in the whole process. Next to it perhaps stands -the treatment of the shoulder. Instruction, as to this is given in the -‘Hints on Dressmaking,’ with other valuable advice, as also on the -‘chart,’ which is part of the machinery sent by post with printed rules -for the sum of twenty-two shillings, including the delicately made -‘tracing-wheel.’ But to attend a class for instruction is an advantage -scarcely to be estimated by those who have not first tried to master -the difficulties by themselves, and then placed themselves in the hands -of a competent teacher; and the extra pound charged for the course of -lessons is well laid out. There is no hurry; you can stay as long as -you please, and will be kindly received; and you will pass on from -stage to stage of the study until you are perfectly acquainted with the -whole, each ‘draft’ being made separately and in its proper place in -the course of lessons. Cutting and fitting are certainly women’s work, -and those who have taken up this new branch of industry benefit not -only themselves but others. - -The advantages of this system over the old plan may be summed up in one -word—economy; for it saves time, trouble, labour, and material—time, -by its exactitude; trouble, by not requiring fitting or ‘trying-on;’ -labour, in the same way, and by having the turnings cut and the -stitching-line marked, which serves for a guide for tacking and -stitching; and of material, by its method of dividing and cutting. In -this way the study soon repays any one for her trouble and outlay; -added to which, it is an interesting employment; and many who have not -yet left the darkness of the old guesswork method will be surprised -that they held aloof so long, when they see how great an advantage it -is to work scientifically instead of by ‘rule of thumb.’ - -There are so many to whom economy is of vital importance, that we -can conceive of none to whom this new system does not come as a boon -indeed. Even those whose circumstances remove them from the necessity -of exercising it themselves, cannot tell what is in the future for -their daughters, especially should they leave the old country and go -to sojourn in distant lands. Many a father pays what he considers -an exorbitant sum per annum in dressmaking. One lady told us it was -the case with her, and that was her reason for ‘going in for the new -method,’ as she had six daughters; and hers is not an isolated case. - -As agents are being appointed in the towns and cities in England and -other countries, ladies will in future be saved the journey to London, -as they will be able to attend classes in their own neighbourhood, -as they do their cookery class. As an agency, the Society has found -employment for numbers of women, who, as far as we are aware, are -satisfied with the results. - - - - -THE STENO-TELEGRAPH. - - -A new instrument, as we announced last month, has recently been devised -by Signor Michela, which, if successful, is likely to supersede -altogether the present system of telegraphy. By its aid, the inventor -states that it is possible to transmit from one hundred and seventy -to two hundred words a minute—or about the rate at which the majority -of speeches are delivered—in any language with which the operator is -familiar. This is certainly a great and valuable achievement; and the -instrument has this advantage over the more easily worked telephone, -that it leaves a record of the message behind. - -The following brief description will assist the reader in comprehending -the method by which the instrument is worked. It is simply a -printing-machine with two rows of ten keys each—six white and four -black; the keys press on twenty studs, which by means of levers are -connected with twenty styles carrying the signs or characters used for -printing. The printed characters represent twenty phonetic sounds, -which the inventor, by combining the signs and skilfully grouping -the sounds in series, claims to be sufficient to represent all the -phonetic sounds in any language. The system of stenography which he -employs has for three years been practically tested in the Italian -Senate; and it is now for the first time employed for the electrical -transmission of words. The person who transmits the message listens to -the words as they drop from the lips of the speaker; he subjects them -to a process of mental analysis, arranges every syllable phonetically, -touches the corresponding key on his instrument, and there appears on -narrow slips of paper, as if by magic, a phonetic representation of the -speech to which he is listening—not only on the materials before him, -but on corresponding materials at the distant station with which his -instrument is connected. He keeps his slips of paper as a record; while -the slips at the receiving station are handed to persons, initiated -in the mysteries of this system of shorthand, for translation. Nor -are its mysteries of an extraordinary character, for it is said that -any intelligent person can translate this telegraphic shorthand after -fifteen days. To transmit messages with facility, a study and practice -of six months are necessary; and it is said that an expert hand can -transmit as many as two hundred words in a minute. - -The aim of the inventor is to telegraph by means of a keyboard -instrument any speech, no matter in what European language, as fast as -it is spoken. His invention may also be used for the ordinary purposes -of telegraphy, with a great saving of time and labour. The instrument -has been tried in the Italian Senate; and it may be seen at work every -day at certain hours at No. 1 Rue Rossini, Paris. - -The inventor claims that his instrument will be of especial value in -the transmission of parliamentary speeches in the exact words in which -they are delivered, to the different newspaper offices throughout the -city and country. It is not, however, the practice in this country—with -perhaps very rare exceptions—to reproduce verbatim reports of -parliamentary speeches; but it is possible that those who are expert -in the use of the instrument may be able to condense the reports and -at the same time transmit them to the distant station. For country -newspapers it would be absolutely necessary to send condensed reports; -and this practice would be accompanied with disadvantages—trivial -in some cases, important in others. No record would be kept in such -cases of the exact words used by the speaker, and such records are -occasionally of great moment. Where speeches are transmitted in their -entirety to be afterwards translated, or if necessary condensed, -the system would possess many advantages. Several persons could be -employed in translating from the printed slips, and the copy handed -direct to the compositors. It would, however, be attended with these -disadvantages, that the transcription would not be made by the person -who hears the speech, and consequently, any errors in manipulation -would probably pass uncorrected to the press; while in condensing, the -telling points of a speech may not receive, at the hands of any one who -has not had the advantage of listening to the speaker, that prominence -which they were intended to occupy. - -The telephone has been used by the London press for a like purpose; -but although in London the distances are short, it has not been found -successful in practice, owing perhaps to the fact that it leaves no -record behind, and that if it were used, it would be necessary to -employ shorthand writers at the offices instead of in the House, as at -present. The telephone is used, however, to communicate to the writers -of leading articles what is passing in the House, so as to enable them -to compose their work in the newspaper office. - -There can be no doubt, whatever the future of Michela’s instrument may -be, that it is an improvement on the present system of telegraphy, in -which each letter of a word is represented by a series of dots and -dashes; and on this account, and because it points out the direction in -which improvements in our system may be effected, we should give the -invention our encouragement and support. - - - - -MAN AND NATURE. - - -_The American Naturalist_ draws attention to the well-known fact, that -the larger game of the Far West has been long diminishing in numbers. -This, it goes on to say, is especially true of the bison, an animal -which is unable to escape from its pursuers, and which can hardly be -called a game animal. The once huge southern herd has been reduced to -a few individuals in North-western Texas. The Dakota herd numbers only -some seventy-five thousand head, a number which will soon be reduced -to zero if the present rate of extermination continues. The Montana -herd is now the object of relentless slaughter, and will soon follow -the course of the other two herds. When scattered individuals represent -these herds, a few hunters will one day pick them off, and the species -will be extinct. - -Let the government place a small herd in each of the national parks, -and let the number be maintained at a definite figure. Let the excess -escape into the surrounding country, so as to preserve the species for -the hunters. Let herds of moose, elk, bighorn, black and white-tailed -deer, and antelope, be maintained in the same way. Let the Carnivora -roam at will; and in a word, protect nature from the destructive -outlawry of men whose prehistoric instincts are not yet dead. Let -the newer instinct of admiration for nature’s wonders have scope. -Let the desire for knowledge of nature’s greatest mystery—life—have -some opportunity. Let there be kept a source of supply for zoological -societies and museums, so that science may ever have material for -its investigations. By securing the preservation of these noblest of -nature’s works, Congress will be but extending the work it has so -grandly sustained in the past, in the support of scientific research -and the education of the people. - - - - -MICHAELMAS. - - - The brief September days are waning fast, - And a soft mellow fragrance fills the air - With Autumn’s sweetest incense; now the leaves - Begin to colour, and the varied hues - Of scarlet, amber, russet, crimson, dun, - Hang over wood and forest. - The bright stars - Of the chrysanthemums dot everywhere - The cottage gardens; the sweet mignonette - Still sheds her perfume ’neath the fuchsia-bells; - Scarlet geraniums and lobelias - Are in their fullest glory; here and there - A rose late-lingering shows her crimson cup, - Though gone her beauteous fellows; and aloft - The dahlia holds high her queenly head, - The sovereign absolute of all the band. - - The swallows, gathering for departure, twit - Their shrill farewell; the dormouse and the bat - Go into winter-quarters; short the days, - And chill the lengthening nights: - For comes apace - Mellow October, last of the three months - That own the Autumn’s reign; then fogs and wet, - And snow and ice and wind-storms close the scene. - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row, LONDON, -and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH. - - * * * * * - -_All Rights Reserved._ - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 38, VOL. I, SEPTEMBER -20, 1884 *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 38, Vol. I, September 20, 1884</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Various </p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September 7, 2021 [eBook #66232]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Susan Skinner, Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 38, VOL. I, SEPTEMBER 20, 1884 ***</div> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_593">{593}</span></p> - -<h1>CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL<br /> -OF<br /> -POPULAR<br /> -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART</h1> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<p class='center'> - - -<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> - -<a href="#VACCINATION">VACCINATION.</a><br /> -<a href="#BY_MEAD_AND_STREAM">BY MEAD AND STREAM.</a><br /> -<a href="#OLD_PROVINCIAL_FAIRS">OLD PROVINCIAL FAIRS.</a><br /> -<a href="#THE_LAST_OF_THE_STUARTS">THE LAST OF THE STUARTS.</a><br /> -<a href="#INDIAN_JUGGLERS">INDIAN JUGGLERS.</a><br /> -<a href="#A_WORD_ON_WOMANS_WORK">A WORD ON WOMAN’S WORK.</a><br /> -<a href="#THE_STENO-TELEGRAPH">THE STENO-TELEGRAPH.</a><br /> -<a href="#MAN_AND_NATURE">MAN AND NATURE.</a><br /> -<a href="#MICHAELMAS">MICHAELMAS.</a><br /> - -<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> - -</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="figcenter w100" id="header" style="max-width: 43.75em;"> - <img class="w100" src="images/header.jpg" alt="Chambers’s Journal of Popular Literature, Science, -and Art. Fifth Series. Established by William and Robert Chambers, 1832. Conducted by R. Chambers (Secundus)." /> -</div> - - -<hr class="full" /> -<div class="center"> -<div class="header"> -<p class="floatl"><span class="smcap">No. 38.—Vol. I.</span></p> -<p class="floatr"><span class="smcap">Price</span> 1½<em>d.</em></p> -<p class="floatc">SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1884.</p> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="full" /> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="VACCINATION">VACCINATION.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the western side of Trafalgar Square, beneath -the shadow of the great sea-lion Admiral Lord -Nelson, might have been seen, until recently, the -statue of a pensive-looking almost beardless man -seated in a chair. But a new location in -Kensington Gardens has been selected for this -statue, which is that of Dr Jenner, the discoverer -of vaccination.</p> - -<p>Edward Jenner was born at Berkeley, in -Gloucestershire, in 1749, his father being vicar -of that place. He was apprenticed to a doctor -at Sudbury, and afterwards came to London, -where for a time he served under John Hunter. -After taking his diploma, he returned to his -native place, and it was here that he practised -his profession, and also made that great -discovery which has proved such an inestimable -benefit to mankind. When he had become -famous, and universal appreciation bespoke him -a great man, he received many tempting offers -and solicitations to take up his abode in the -metropolis; but nothing succeeded in enticing -him from the rural scenes amidst which his -medical triumphs had been conceived. His life -sped tranquilly on amidst the rustics he loved so -well until the year 1823, when death somewhat -suddenly terminated his earthly career.</p> - -<p>As the village and neighbourhood in which -Jenner served his apprenticeship was mostly -a grazing country, he was thrown much amongst -farmers and their servants. At a time when -smallpox was raging among them, his attention -was attracted by hearing a milkmaid say that -she had once caught cowpox from the cows, -and therefore smallpox wouldn’t hurt her. He -was much struck with this remark; and on -making inquiries, he found it was a common -belief about there, that whoever caught this -disease from the cows was not liable to take -smallpox. It is rather curious that just about -the time that Jenner was making these inquiries, -the same fact had been noted in Sweden, and -some inquiries were also set on foot there to -investigate the matter.</p> - -<p>With that talent for close observation and -investigation which distinguished him, he pondered -much over this remark of the milkmaid’s, -and made many inquiries of the medical men of -the district. From them he obtained but little -encouragement; they had often heard the tale, -but had not much faith in it. The subject seems -to have impressed itself greatly on his mind; for -we find him, some three years later, when he -was in London with John Hunter, mentioning -it to him; and that distinguished man appears -to have been struck with Jenner’s earnestness in -the matter, and gave him good advice: ‘Don’t -think, but try; be patient; be accurate.’ This -advice he perseveringly followed on his return -to his native place; and by careful experiments -elaborated the great life-saving truth, that cowpox -might be disseminated from one human being -to another to the almost total extinction of -smallpox.</p> - -<p>The eastern practice of inoculation was first -made known in this country by Lady Wortley -Montagu, who was the wife of our ambassador -at Constantinople, where she had seen it -tried with good effect. Inoculation consisted in -transferring the matter of the <i>smallpox</i> pustule -from the body of one suffering from the disease -to that of one not as yet affected by the disease. -It is a fact that the form of smallpox thus communicated -through the skin was less severe, and -consequently less fatal, than when taken naturally, -as was abundantly proved in this country. -But, unfortunately, inoculated smallpox was as -<i>infectious</i> as the natural smallpox—this fact forming -the great distinction between inoculation and -vaccination. The inoculated person became a -centre of infection, and communicated it to many -others. It was found after the introduction -of inoculation that the mortality from smallpox -increased from seventy-four to ninety-five -in one thousand; and many of those that -recovered, lost the sight of one or both eyes, -or were otherwise disfigured. It is not to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_594">{594}</span> -wondered at, with such a state of things as -this existing, and the whole medical profession -at their wits’ end for a remedy, that Jenner -should be looked upon, as soon as vaccination -became established, as a saviour of his race.</p> - -<p>It was while the ravages of smallpox were -being felt and deplored over the whole country, -that Jenner was quietly investigating and experimenting -in his native village; and gradually -little facts and incidents relating to cowpox were -collected, until in his own mind an opinion was -firmly rooted that this disease communicated by -the cow was a safeguard against smallpox. About -the time when he had formed this opinion, -an accidental case of cowpox occurred in his -neighbourhood, and he caused drawings of the -pustules to be made, and took them with him -to London. He showed them to some of the -most eminent surgeons and physicians of the -day, and explained his views; but from none -of them did he receive any encouragement, and -from some, nothing but ridicule. Fortunately, -however, he was not a man to be easily turned -aside from a purpose, or disabused of an opinion -that he saw good cause for entertaining. On -returning home, he was still as full of the idea -as ever, and determined to persevere in his -efforts; although he saw he must have proofs -before he could get his professional brethren to -listen to his theories.</p> - -<p>It was on the 14th May 1796—a day which -is still commemorated in Berlin as a festival—that -a boy was vaccinated with matter taken -from the hands of a milkmaid. The disease -was thus communicated to the boy, and he -passed through it satisfactorily. But now came -the anxious and critical trial for Jenner. The -same boy on the 1st of July following was -inoculated with the smallpox virus, but he did -not take the disease. In 1798 Jenner published -his first pamphlet <i>On the Causes and Effects of -Variola Vaccine</i>; and later, in the first year of -the present century, he wrote that it was ‘too -manifest to admit of controversy, that the annihilation -of the smallpox, the most dreadful -scourge of the human species, must be the final -result of this practice.’ Soon after this, a parliamentary -Committee investigated and reported on -the new discovery in terms of the most emphatic -approbation; and a declaration was signed by -seventy of the chief physicians and surgeons -in London expressing their confidence in it. -The Royal Jennerian Society was formed, with -Jenner as President; and thirteen stations for -the vaccination of the public were opened in -London, in the hope of exterminating smallpox.</p> - -<p>Jenner’s essay which explained his discovery -had in the meantime been translated into several -foreign languages, and had also found its way -to America, where President Jefferson vaccinated, -by the help of his sons-in-law, about two hundred -of his friends and neighbours. From this -time forward, vaccination may be said to have -taken a firm hold of the civilised world.</p> - -<p>That vaccination has not done all that was -claimed that it would do by Jenner, is true, -as the occasionally recurring epidemics of the -disease only too fatally testify. But the gain -from the time when cities were depopulated -and a large percentage of the whole human -race was scarred and disfigured by it, to a -time when no such suffering is now experienced, -is a gain indeed, although it be but an -imperfect one. It is, however, almost beyond -a doubt that had more attention been primarily -paid to vaccination, and had it not been performed -in the perfunctory manner in which it -often was by medical men, we should now be -in a better position with regard to smallpox than -we are at the present moment. For it is a -melancholy fact that although the first to give -vaccination to the world, England has not made -such good use of it as most other nations. -Feeling secure in the relief which it gave to -the vast amount of mortality, we have in a -measure let pretty well alone, while other nations -have meanwhile enormously profited by the discovery.</p> - -<p>It was Mr Simon, the late medical officer of -the Privy Council, who published three admirable -Reports on the subject, and probably brought -together more practical truths on vaccination than -had ever before been collected, that gave an -impetus some few years ago to further inquiry. -It was stated at that time, and with every appearance -of truth, that the vaccine lymph becomes -enfeebled in its protective power by a long -course of transmissions from arm to arm. It -was therefore proposed that means should be -taken for establishing a well-devised system of -renewal, which would be likely to give greater -certainty of results and afford more permanent -protection. Various attempts and suggestions -were made in this country to introduce vaccine -matter from its original source, the cow, or, -better still, from the calf; and Mr Ceeley, a -medical gentleman, who, like Jenner, worked -hard at the subject amidst the worries and -anxieties of a private practice, made many -experiments, and did much to popularise the -idea.</p> - -<p>Early in 1882, the local government Board -set up a small establishment in London for the -purpose of affording facilities for vaccination -directly from the animal. Some time previously, -a case of spontaneous cowpox was accidentally -discovered at Bordeaux, and from this case our -government procured the virus which they are -now imparting to a regular succession of healthy -calves, each of which, before undergoing the -ordeal, is carefully examined by a Privy-council -veterinary officer, to insure its being in perfect -health. The animal is then weighed, and led -away for a few days to a comfortable stall, -and fed on sweet hay, new milk, and oil-cake. -An animal taken in on Monday would -on Thursday be led into the vaccinating-room, -and securely strapped to the top of a table -which is ingeniously constructed to tip down -into a vertical position. The top of the table is -then thrown over and secured horizontally, the -calf lying upon its side, and presenting the under -surface of its body conveniently for the surgical -part of the proceeding. The hair is first shaved -off, and then some slight incisions about an -inch long are made in the skin, and the virus -introduced. This operation is performed in -one part of a large room divided by a wooden -partition. To the other part of the room, parents -will in a few days bring their children, and have -them vaccinated directly from the animal thus -prepared, and may thus escape whatever evils,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_595">{595}</span> -real or imaginary, pertain to the practice of arm-to-arm -vaccination. The calf having done its -involuntary service to humanity, is, before dismissal, -again weighed, and is usually found to -have increased considerably—not, it may be presumed, -in consequence of vaccination, but from -the good feeding it has received.</p> - -<p>The practical results of vaccination from -the animal direct, are in some respects somewhat -dubious. Belgium and Holland have -long been familiar with it; but still there -appears to be a lack of trustworthy records as -to the efficacy of the process as compared with -the arm-to-arm system. Whether the animal -lymph is as potent a protector from smallpox -as that which has been passed through the -human system, cannot as yet be determined, -though there would seem to be no ground -for any reasonable doubt upon the subject. -That the humanising process does in some -way, at present quite inscrutable, affect it, -seems evident from the fact that the vaccine -from the calf loses its efficacy somewhat sooner -than that from the human subject. It cannot -be stored for so long a time as the humanised -lymph, and this renders its distribution somewhat -difficult. The best authorities, however, -are now inclined to the opinion that the difference -in this respect is not after all so great -as was at first supposed. The two scientific -men in charge of this station are, however, -enthusiasts in this department of medical investigation, -and it may be hoped that with the -enlarged sphere of operations which government -is understood to be contemplating, and aided by -a well-appointed laboratory in connection with -this establishment, an important advance may -soon be made in their knowledge of the subject.</p> - -<p>Compulsory vaccination has done much in -other countries to free them for long periods -from this loathsome disease. Sweden and Denmark -enjoyed absolute immunity for twenty -years; and in Austria, where very stringent -measures of compulsion are resorted to, they -succeeded in extirpating smallpox for long -periods.</p> - -<p>It was in 1853 that compulsion was first established -in this country, and as at first nearly every -one obeyed the law, it was attended with very -beneficial results. At the registration of a birth, -the registrar has to give notice of the necessity -of having the child vaccinated within four months, -and the penalty for neglect. From the registrar’s -return, it is seen at the local government Board -if a medical certificate attesting the vaccination -as duly performed, has been returned. Assuming -that every child is registered, this system no -doubt would answer well; but there is much -reason to fear that many children in London -escape being registered, and these do not come -within the cognisance of the local government -Board. It is a question whether some return -should not be required from medical men of -every child born alive, with the address of its -parents.</p> - -<p>Absolute care in vaccination and its universal -adoption, combined with a compulsory re-vaccination -on arriving at the age of puberty, would -without doubt have by this time fulfilled Jenner’s -most sanguine expectations, and smallpox would -have become extinct. At the same time, if the -government make vaccination compulsory, they -have a most important duty to the public to -perform. In the first place, they should undoubtedly -ascertain that every known precaution -is taken by all public vaccinators to protect from -harm, or disease likely to arise from vaccination, -those whom they compel to undergo the operation. -Secondly, none but properly certified practitioners -should be appointed to the stations. It -is not alone sufficient that they be skilful vaccinators, -they should also be able to take lymph -skilfully from the vesicles without the admixture -of the minutest particle of blood. An ignorant -or careless vaccinator may do more harm than -it is possible to trace. Thirdly, no lymph whatever -should be used but that which is microscopically -examined by one who thoroughly -understands his work, and the public should -be permitted to have a choice of either the -humanised lymph or lymph direct from the -calf. If these precautions were conscientiously -carried out, we should soon have less objection -to compulsion, and we should be in a fair way -to seeing smallpox stamped out.</p> - -<p>In America, according to the <i>Asclepiad</i>, the -subject has received careful attention. The Report -of Dr Joseph Jones, President of the Board of -Health, of the State of Louisiana, extends to four -hundred pages, and embraces everything connected -with smallpox, vaccination, and spurious vaccination; -while drawings are freely interspersed -to illustrate, from point to point, the author’s -histories, views, or conclusions. Amongst the -general conclusions which the author draws at -the close of his treatise, the following are some -of the most important: (<i>a</i>) Vaccination, when -carefully performed on Jenner’s method, is as -complete a protection from smallpox now as it -was in the early part of the century; (<i>b</i>) Without -vaccination, the application of steam and navigation -and land travel would have, during the -past fifty years, scattered smallpox in every part -of the habitable globe; (<i>c</i>) Vaccination has not -impaired the strength and vigour of the human -race, but has added vastly to the sum of human -life, happiness, and health; (<i>d</i>) Inoculation for -smallpox, which preceded vaccination, induced a -comparatively mild and protective disease, but -multiplied the foci of contagion, kept smallpox -perpetually alive, and increased its fatal ravages -among mankind.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak x-ebookmaker-important" id="BY_MEAD_AND_STREAM">BY MEAD AND STREAM.</h2> -</div> - - -<h3>CHAPTER XLVII.—UNDER-CURRENTS.</h3> - -<p><span class="smcap">Shield</span> had not been so perfectly frank with -Philip as the latter believed him to be. For -instance, he had not mentioned that when Coutts -came to him with affected concern on account of -the position in which his brother might be -placed by the forged bill, he had not admitted -to him that the signature was a forgery.</p> - -<p>What he said to Coutts was: ‘Looks queer—but -don’t know. Accustomed to sign things that -come through regular channel without looking -close into them. Will see what Hawkins and -Jackson have to say about it and let you -know.’</p> - -<p>Then Coutts took from his pocket a note -which had been written to his brother by Austin<span class="pagenum" id="Page_596">{596}</span> -Shield and placed the two signatures side by -side.</p> - -<p>‘I do not think that any one looking at these -would hesitate to say that they were not written -by the same hand.’</p> - -<p>‘Don’t know. My hand shakes at times. -Don’t always sign in exactly the same way. -Not always sure of my own signature—when it -comes back to me. Will inquire and let you -know.’</p> - -<p>‘I am positive that the writing is not yours, -Mr Shield; and I should never have touched the -paper if there had been any signature of yours -beside me at the time. Although the amount -may not be of much consequence to you, it will -be a heavy loss to me. But I could have no -suspicion of there being anything wrong, when -I saw Philip’s name to the bill.’</p> - -<p>‘All right. Will inquire.—Good-day.’</p> - -<p>When Coutts left the room, this big bearish -man growled fiercely and the growl ended in this -note—‘Skunk.’ He immediately telegraphed for -his friend Mr Beecham; and that was why -Beecham had so suddenly quitted Kingshope.</p> - -<p>On the day on which Madge made her -memorable visit to London, Mr Beecham’s conjuring -friend, Bob Tuppit, called at Wrentham’s -cottage and asked for Mrs Wrentham. She -could not be seen for half an hour; but Tuppit -was ready to wait an hour or more, if Mrs -Wrentham’s convenience should require it. He -was accordingly shown into the dining-room—the -place where Wrentham spent the greater -part of his evenings at home, smoking and concocting -schemes for the realisation of that grand -vision of his life—a comfortable income and a -home somewhere in the sunny south.</p> - -<p>Tuppit was a quick-eyed little man, or he -could not have earned his living as a conjurer; -and when he had turned himself round about -twice, he had the character and position of every -bit of furniture photographed on his mind’s eye. -He looked longest at a heavy mahogany desk -which was bound with unusually massive brass -clasps.</p> - -<p>‘What a duffer!’ he said under his breath. -‘He has got something in there that will do for -him; and he puts on those big clasps like labels, -every one saying as plain as plain can be: “Look -here, if you want to find out my little game.” -Well, having gone in for this sort of thing, he -might have taken the trouble to learn the ABC -of his business.’</p> - -<p>Tuppit’s nimble fingers went round the desk -and tried its fastenings.</p> - -<p>‘Spring lock, too. So much the worse for -him. Dier will pitch on it at once.’</p> - -<p>The door burst open, and little Ada Wrentham -bounced in, her pretty cheeks healthfully flushed, -the hoop in her hand indicating how she had -been engaged.</p> - -<p>‘O dear!’ she exclaimed, drawing back when -she saw that there was a stranger in the room.</p> - -<p>‘Don’t go away—I’m a friend of yours,’ said -Tuppit quickly.—‘Don’t you remember me? I -saw you watching me when I was performing -on the green in the summer-time, and you -were with your nurse, and you sent me a -penny.’</p> - -<p>The child stopped, stared, then advanced a -few paces timidly till she came to a sunbeam -which crossed the room, dividing it in two. -Then she put out her pretty hands, moving -them to and fro as if laving them in the -sunshine, whilst her eyes were full of wonder.</p> - -<p>‘Was it you did all those funny things with -the cards and the pigeons and the pennies, and -the orange and the glass of water?’</p> - -<p>‘That was me, Ada—you see I know your -name—and if you like, I will show you some -more funny things just now whilst I am waiting -for your mamma.’</p> - -<p>‘I’ll go and bring mamma. She would like -to see them too.’</p> - -<p>‘No, no; don’t go for her. She will be here -as soon as she is ready. Besides, this is a trick -I want to show you all to yourself. You are -not afraid of the magician—are you?’</p> - -<p>Little Ada peered at him through the -sunbeam. He was such a little man; and -although his cheeks were somewhat hollow and -his complexion rather sallow, there was an -expression of frank gentleness in his eyes -which at once inspired confidence. A child -might trust him, and a child is quick to -detect untrustworthy persons.</p> - -<p>‘I’m not afraid—why should I?’ said Ada -laughing.</p> - -<p>‘Because you do not know me—at least you -do not know me enough to be quite sure that -I am not the wicked magician who tried so -hard to kill Aladdin because he got hold of -the wonderful lamp.’</p> - -<p>‘But that was a long time ago,’ she said -with an air of thoughtfulness; ‘and papa says -there are no magicians—no real magicians—and -no ghosts now, and that anybody who -pretends to tell fortunes or to do magic things -is’——</p> - -<p>The child instinctively paused and turned her -face away.</p> - -<p>‘Is an impostor, and ought to be taken up -by the policeman,’ said Tuppit, cheerfully completing -the sentence for her; ‘and he is quite -right so far. All the same, Ada, there are -great magicians always close by us. There is -the Good Magician, Love, who makes you fond -of your father and mother and ready to do -kindly things for other people. Then there -are the wicked magicians Anger and Envy, who -make you hate everybody and everybody hate -you. But you know I don’t pretend to be like -them; I only make-believe—that is, I perform -tricks and tell you how they are done.’</p> - -<p>‘Is that all?’ she said, disappointed, allowing -her hands to drop, and passing through the -sunbeam, which had hitherto formed a golden -bar between them.</p> - -<p>‘That is all; but you have to work a great -deal before you can do so much.—Now, here is -this big desk—your papa opens it by magic; -but do you know how it is done?’</p> - -<p>‘O yes; he takes out a nail and pushes something -in—but that’s telling. Could you do it? -I have seen papa do it often, and he did not mind -me; but he doesn’t like anybody else to see him, -for he was angry one day when nurse Susan -came in without knocking just as he was going -to open it.’</p> - -<p>Tuppit was already busy examining the brass -screws. He found one the notch of which indicated -that it was more frequently used than the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_597">{597}</span> -others. A penknife served his purpose; he took -out the screw, thrust a thin pencil into the hole; -pressed it, and the desk opened.</p> - -<p>‘Oh, how clever!—That was just the way papa -used to do it, only he had a brass thing for sticking -into the hole,’ said the child admiringly. -‘I’ve tried to do it.’</p> - -<p>There was nothing in the desk; and Tuppit, -with a long-drawn breath of relief, closed it, -replacing the screw as before. But he had kept -on chattering to the child all the time, and -muttering parenthetically observations to himself.</p> - -<p>‘You must show your papa that you know -how it is done, Ada.... Nothing in it may -tell for or against him.... And he will think -it so funny that we should find it out.... It’s -a sign that he knows the game is up and is -making ready to bolt.... But you must tell -him that it was only a little bit of Tuppit’s conjuring, -and that he was glad to find nothing.’</p> - -<p>Ada drew back towards the door, a little -frightened by the change in his manner, which -betrayed excitement in spite of his self-control.</p> - -<p>‘I think—I am beginning to be afraid of you -now. You are not like the good magician any -more.’</p> - -<p>‘That’s true, Ada,’ he said humbly, as he wiped -his brow with that wonderful silk handkerchief -which was of so much use to him in his professional -exploits. Cold as the weather was, he -seemed to be perspiring. ‘But you know the -change is only one of my tricks. Now, I will -come back. Hey, Presto, change.... There, -am I not smiling the same as before?’</p> - -<p>‘No; you are not. You are looking ugly.’</p> - -<p>‘Ah, let me hide my head.’</p> - -<p>He bent down with a would-be comical -manner of astonishment and chagrin. The child -laughed in a hesitating way, as if not quite reassured -that it was all fun. As he stooped, his -eye fell on a waste-paper basket under the table. -He snatched it out, and found in it a ball of -blotting-paper which had been crumpled into -that shape by an impatient hand. This he -smoothed out on the table and then held up -so that the sunbeam fell full upon it.</p> - -<p>‘This is the thing. Thank heaven, it is in -my hands.’ He carefully folded the paper and -put it in his pocket. Then with real heartiness -he turned to the wondering child. ‘Now, Ada, -I can laugh again; and if there was time enough, -I would show you some beautiful things. Look -here, for instance. Open your hand; I place that -penny in it.—Close your hand. You are sure -you have the penny?’</p> - -<p>‘Quite sure.’</p> - -<p>‘Presto, change. The penny is gone.’</p> - -<p>‘No, it isn’t!’ cried the child, laughing, and -opening her hand, displayed the penny lying on -the palm.</p> - -<p>‘Keep it, keep it, my child; you deserve it; and -take this shilling to keep it company,’ said poor -Bob Tuppit, who in his agitation had failed in -one of the simplest tricks of the prestidigitator, -as his brethren in the craft delight to call themselves. -At another time, the failure would have -been humiliating to the last degree; but at -present the conjurer was too much occupied -with matters of grave importance to feel his -discomfiture.</p> - -<p>Mrs Wrentham entered.</p> - -<p>‘I understand you bring a message from my -husband, sir,’ she said in her timid way.</p> - -<p>‘Not exactly, ma’am; but I want to speak to -you about him. I am a friend of his, or I should -not be here.’</p> - -<p>He glanced towards Ada as he spoke, suggesting -by the look that the child should be sent out of -the room. But Mrs Wrentham was too simple -to understand the hint, and Tuppit was obliged -to take the matter into his own hand.</p> - -<p>‘I’ll tell you what, Ada; you might be a -good magician now, if you like. You could run -out to the garden and pluck me a sprig of holly -for my little girl. She is very fond of shrubs -and flowers; will you send her some?’</p> - -<p>‘O yes. There is such a nice sprig of holly -up at the summer-house that I was keeping for -Christmas; but your little girl shall have it.—Is -she as old as me?’</p> - -<p>‘Just about the same age; and now I look at -you, she is rather like you.’</p> - -<p>Ada flew out at the door; and Tuppit turned -eagerly to Mrs Wrentham, his little form seeming -to enlarge with the earnestness of his speech.</p> - -<p>‘You are astonished, ma’am, at the liberty I -am taking; but the fact is your husband has got -into ... well, got into a scrape.—Please, don’t -alarm yourself. I hope we shall pull him through -all right. I only came to warn you, knowing -that he might have forgotten it.’</p> - -<p>‘Warn me about what?’ exclaimed the lady, -trembling without knowing why.</p> - -<p>‘That a gentleman will call here to-day and -make inquiries about your husband. Answer -him frankly, and, if you can manage it, do not -look as if you were afraid of him. He is a good-natured -chap, and will not press you very hard. -But you must try to be quite calm and say -nothing about my visit.’</p> - -<p>The poor lady became pale immediately; and -the first dreadful thought which occurred to her -was that Wrentham had met with a serious accident -of some sort—she had never approved of his -horse-racing and horse-dealing proclivities. This -good-natured friend was no doubt trying to break -the horrible truth to her as gently as possible.</p> - -<p>‘Oh, please tell me the worst at once. Is he -much hurt—is he killed?’</p> - -<p>Bob Tuppit stared; but quickly comprehended -the mistake which the wife had made.</p> - -<p>‘He is neither hurt nor killed, and is likely -to live for a good many years to come,’ he said -reassuringly. ‘He has got into a bother about -some money matters. That is all.’</p> - -<p>Tuppit felt ashamed of himself as he uttered -the last words. What would a broken leg or arm, -or even a broken neck, have been compared with -the risk and disgrace of penal servitude? But -Mrs Wrentham had no suspicion of such a danger, -and was relieved as soon as she heard that her -husband was physically unharmed. As for a -difficulty about money, she was confident that -he would easily arrange that; so she promised -that she would answer any questions the gentleman -who was coming might have to ask; for -she knew nothing about her husband’s money -affairs, and therefore had nothing to tell.</p> - -<p>Bob Tuppit looked at her wistfully, as if -inclined to tell her more of the real position; -but just then Ada came bounding in with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_598">{598}</span> -holly and ivy—looking so happy and glad, that -the man was unable to reveal the worst.</p> - -<p>‘They’ll know soon enough,’ he said to himself, -as he thankfully took the bundle of shrubs -and went his way.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="OLD_PROVINCIAL_FAIRS">OLD PROVINCIAL FAIRS.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">As</span> a survival of one of the earliest institutions -of this country, the provincial fair is of special -interest. Although it no longer retains the -functions for which it was originally founded, yet -its existence amongst us points back to a distant -period in our history, when it not only served -as an important rendezvous for the furtherance of -trade, but was a centre whence the legislative -enactments of the country were proclaimed. Originally, -it would seem the fair was generally held -during the period of a saint’s feast within the -precincts of the church or abbey, when worshippers -and pilgrims assembled from all parts. As the -sacred building, too, was frequently in the open -country, or near some village too small to provide -adequate accommodation for the vast throng -assembled on this annual festival, tents were -pitched and stalls for provisions set up in the -churchyard, to supply the wants of the visitors. -This practice soon induced country pedlars and -traders to come and offer their wares; and hence -in course of time it led to the establishment of the -commercial trade-marts known as ‘fairs.’ It was -not long, however, before abuses crept up, unseemly -diversions and excessive drinking causing -no small offence. For instance, in the fourteenth -year of Henry III.’s reign, the archdeacon -within the diocese of Lincoln made inquiries into -the custom of holding fairs in churchyards; the -result being that they were shortly afterwards -discontinued in this diocese. In the thirteenth -year of Edward II.’s reign, a statute was passed -prohibiting the keeping of a fair in any churchyard. -But this law was in a great measure -inoperative, for markets seem to have been held -in several Yorkshire churchyards in the fourteenth -and fifteenth centuries; and two hundred -years later, the same customs occurred in Germany.</p> - -<p>Whatever the exact origin of our provincial -fairs may be, they are undoubtedly of great -antiquity, although, singular to say, their charters -are comparatively of modern date; the first -recorded grant in this country apparently being -that of William the Conqueror to the Bishop -of Winchester for leave to hold an annual -‘free fair at St Giles’s Hill.’ Respecting this -old fair, we are told how, on St Giles’s eve, -the mayor, bailiffs, and citizens of Winchester -gave up to the bishop’s officers the keys of -the four city gates; and that, while it lasted, -the church appointed its own mayor, bailiff, -and coroner. The rules, too, for its regulation -seem to have been very stringent; officers -being stationed on roads and bridges to take toll -upon all merchandise travelling in the direction -of Winchester. A tent of justice known as the -Pavilion was held in the centre of the fair, in -which offences of various kinds were tried by -the bishop’s officers. Every precaution, too, -was taken that all packages of goods entering the -city gates paid toll to the bishop, who likewise -received the forfeit of any wares that might be -sold out of the fair within a radius of seven miles. -‘Foreign merchants,’ says Mr Morley, ‘came to -this fair and paid its tolls. Monasteries had -also shops or houses in its drapery, pottery, or -spicery streets, used only at fair-time, and held -often by lease from the bishop.’ This fair, therefore, -apart from its historical value, is interesting -in so far as it was in many respects the model -upon which succeeding ones in other places were -instituted.</p> - -<p>Fairs were occasionally granted to towns as -a means for enabling them to recover from -the effects of war and other disasters; and also -as a mark of favour from the Crown. Thus, -Edward III. founded a fair in the town of -Burnley in Lancashire. An amusing origin -is given of ‘Fools’ Fair,’ kept in the Broad Gate -at Lincoln on the 14th of September, for the sale -of cattle. It is recorded how King William and -his queen ‘having visited Lincoln, made the -citizens an offer to serve them in any way they -liked best. They asked for a fair, though it was -harvest, when few people could attend it, and -though the town had no trade nor any manufacture.’ -Stourbridge fair, once perhaps the -largest in the world, was specially granted by -King John for the maintenance of a hospital for -lepers. Among other origins assigned to fairs, -may be mentioned ‘Pack-Monday fair,’ which -was in days gone by celebrated at Sherborne, on -the first Monday after the 10th October. It was -ushered in by the ringing of the great bell at a -very early hour, and by the young people perambulating -the streets with cows’ horns. Tradition -asserts that this fair originated at the completion -of the building of the church—at the -completion of which the workmen held a fair -in the churchyard, blowing cows’ horns in their -rejoicings. There can be no doubt, however, -that in many cases where the true origin of many -of our old fairs has in the course of years been -forgotten, another has been invented in its place, -and handed down with every mark apparently of -plausibility.</p> - -<p>Perhaps one of the most curious features of our -provincial fairs is to be found in the odd customs -associated with them, these possessing an additional -interest, as they help to illustrate the social -life of our forefathers. Thus, from time immemorial, -it has been customary at several of our -large fairs—such as those kept up at Portsmouth, -Southampton, Chester, and Macclesfield—to announce -their opening by hoisting a glove of -unusual size in some conspicuous place. This, -it has been suggested, is the earliest form of royal -charter, denoting the king’s glove—the custom -being thus explained in the <i>Speculum Saxonicum</i>: -‘No one is allowed to set up a market or a mint -without the consent of the ordinary and judge of -that place; the king ought also to send a glove, -as a sign of his consent to the same.’ The charter -for Lammas fair at Exeter was formerly perpetuated -by a huge glove, stuffed and carried -through the city on a long pole, which was eventually -placed on the top of the Guildhall, where, -so long as it remained, it indicated that the fair -was still open. A variation of this usage prevailed -at Liverpool, where, ten days before and -after each fair-day, a hand was exhibited in front -of the town-hall—a sign which denoted that ‘no -person coming to or going from the town on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_599">{599}</span> -business connected with the fair can be arrested -for debt within its liberty.’ Englefield, in his -<i>Walk through Southampton</i> (1805), describing the -fair held on Trinity Monday at Southampton, -says it was dissolved by the glove being taken -down, ‘which was at one time performed by the -young men of the town, who fired at it till it -was destroyed, or they were tired of the sport.’ -Without enumerating further instances of this -practice, there can be no doubt that, as Mr -Leadam has shown in the <i>Antiquary</i> (1880), the -glove is the original ‘sign-manual.’</p> - -<p>One of the quaint features of Charlton fair, -formerly held on St Luke’s Day, was the elaborate -display of horns; the booths not only being -decorated with them, but most of the articles -offered for sale having representations of this -emblem. For a long time, antiquaries were much -divided as to what connection there could be -between horns and Charlton fair, and many -conjectures were started without any satisfactory -result. At last, however, light was thrown on -this much-disputed question by an antiquary, who -pointed out that a horned ox is the old medieval -symbol of St Luke, the patron of the fair. In -support of this explanation, it was further added, -that although most of the painted glass in Charlton -church was destroyed in the troublous times -of the reign of Charles I., yet fragments remained -of St Luke’s ox ‘with wings on his back, -and goodly horns on his head.’ As an additional -illustration on this point, we may quote the following -extract from Aubrey’s <i>Remains of Gentilisme -and Judaisme</i>: ‘At Stoke-Verdon, in the parish -of Broad Chalke, Wilts, was a chapel dedicated -to St Luke, who is the patron saint of the horn-beasts -and those that have to do with them; -wherefore the keepers and foresters of the New -Forest come hither at St Luke’s tide with their -offerings to St Luke, that they might be fortunate -in their game, the deer, and other cattle.’ Many -of those, also, who visited Charlton fair wore a -pair of horns on their heads, and the men were -attired in women’s clothes; a mode of masquerading -thus described by a writer of the last -century: ‘I remember being there upon Horn -fair-day; I was dressed in my landlady’s best -gown, and other women’s attire.’ Referring to -St Luke’s Day, Drake tells us in his <i>Eboracum</i> -that a fair was annually kept up at York for all -sorts of small-wares, and was popularly known -as ‘Dish-fair,’ from the large quantity of wooden -dishes exposed for sale. It was also characterised -by an old custom of ‘bearing a wooden ladle in -a sling on two stangs about it, carried by four -sturdy labourers; this being, no doubt, in ridicule -of the meanness of the wares brought to the fair.’ -At Paignton fair, Exeter, it was customary, says -a correspondent of <i>Notes and Queries</i>, to draw -through the town a plum-pudding of immense -size, and afterwards to distribute it to the crowd. -The ingredients which on one occasion composed -this pudding were as follows: four hundred -pounds of flour, one hundred and seventy pounds -of beef-suet, one hundred and forty pounds of -raisins, and two hundred and forty eggs. It was -kept constantly boiling in a brewer’s copper -from the Saturday morning to the Tuesday -following, when it was placed on a car profusely -decorated and drawn along the streets by eight -oxen.</p> - -<p>Again, among the numerous other customs -which were attached to many of our fairs may -be mentioned that popularly designated as -‘Walking the Fair.’ Thus, at Wolverhampton, -on the eve of the great fair which took place -on the 9th of July, a procession of men in -antique armour paraded the town, preceded by -the local authorities. According to tradition, this -ceremony took its rise when Wolverhampton was -a great emporium for wool and resorted to by -merchants from all parts of England. These -processions, however, were in all probability the -remains of the Corpus Christi pageantry, which -was frequently celebrated at the yearly fairs. -At Avingham fair, held about twelve miles from -Newcastle, an amusing ceremony was celebrated -called ‘Riding the Fair.’ Early in the morning -a procession moved from the principal alehouse -in the village, headed by two pipers, known as -the ‘Duke of Northumberland’s pipers,’ who, -fancifully dressed up for the occasion, were -mounted on horses gaily caparisoned, and specially -borrowed for the day. These pipers, followed -by the Duke of Northumberland’s agent, bailiff, -and a numerous escort, rode through the fair; -and after proclaiming it opened, they ‘walked -the boundary of all that was, or had been, -common or waste land.’ Riding the boundaries -is still annually practised in many provincial -parishes.</p> - -<p>We must not omit to mention the ‘Procession -of Lady Godiva’—one of the grandest of these -shows, and which has been the distinguishing -feature of Coventry Show Fair, for many years -one of the chief marts in the kingdom. This -celebrated fair has generally commenced upon -Friday in Trinity-week, the charter for it having -been granted, it is said, by Henry III. in the -year 1218, at the instigation of Randle, Earl of -Chester. It is noteworthy, however, that the -tradition of Lady Godiva is not confined to -Coventry fair, a similar one having been handed -down in the neighbourhood of St Briavel’s, -Gloucestershire. Thus Rudder, in his History of -this county (1779), tells us how, formerly, after -divine service on Whitsunday, pieces of bread -and cheese were distributed to the congregation -at church. To defray the expenses, every householder -in the parish paid a penny to the -churchwardens, and this was said to be for the -liberty of cutting and taking wood in Hudnalls. -Tradition affirms that ‘this privilege was -obtained of some Earl of Hereford, then lord of -the Forest of Dean, at the instance of his lady, -upon the same hard terms that Lady Godiva -obtained the privileges for the citizens of -Coventry.’</p> - -<p>Again, at the Whitsuntide fair held at Hinckley -in Leicestershire, one of the principal attractions -was the procession of the millers, who, having -assembled from all the neighbouring villages, -marched in grand array with the ‘king of -the millers’ at their head. From the various -accounts recorded of this ceremony, it appears -that the dresses were generally most elaborate; -and one writer, in 1787, describing these shows, -says: ‘The framework knitters, wool-combers, -butchers, carpenters, &c., had each their plays, -and rode in companies bearing allusions to their -different trades.’ Then there was the well-known -practice of ‘Crying the Fair.’ Thus, in connection<span class="pagenum" id="Page_600">{600}</span> -with Stourbridge fair we read how in the year -1548 a proclamation was issued by the university -of Cambridge in ‘crying the fair,’ in which -it was directed, among other clauses, that ‘no -brewer sell into the fayer a barrell of ale above -two shillings; no longe ale, no red ale, no ropye -ale, but good and holsome for man’s body, under -the penaltie of forfeyture.’</p> - -<p>Ravenglass fair, celebrated annually at Muncaster -in Cumberland, was the scene of a peculiar -ceremony, which is thus described in -Lyson’s <i>Magna Britannia</i>: ‘The lord’s steward -was attended by the sergeant of the borough of -Egremont with the insignia called the bow of -Egremont, the foresters with their bows and horns, -and all the tenantry of the forest of Copeland, -whose special service was to attend to the lord -and his representatives at Ravenglass fair, and -remain there during its continuance.’ In order, -also, to attract visitors, various modes of diversion -were contrived; these generally succeeding in -bringing together large concourses of people from -outlying districts. Thus, occasionally, a mock-mayor -was appointed, whose duty it was to try -any unfortunate person who on some trumped-up -charge might be brought before him. It has -been suggested that these mock-trials may have -originated in the courts which were granted at -fairs ‘to take notice of all manner of causes and -disorders committed upon the place, called pie-powder, -because justice was done to any injured -person before the dust of the fair was off his -feet.’ A notable instance of this custom was -kept up at Bodmin Riding in Cornwall, on St -Thomas à Becket’s Day. A mock-court having -been summoned, presided over by a Lord of -Misrule, any unpopular individual so unlucky as -to be captured was dragged to answer a charge -of felony; the imputed crime being such as his -appearance might suggest—a negligence in his -attire or a breach of manners. With ludicrous -gravity, we are told in the <i>Parochial History of -Cornwall</i>, ‘a mock-trial was then commenced, -and judgment was gravely pronounced, when -the culprit was hurried off to receive his punishment. -In this, his apparel was generally a -greater sufferer than his person, as it commonly -terminated in his being thrown into the water -or the mire’—‘Take him before the Mayor of -Halgaver;’ ‘Present him in Halgaver Court,’ -being old Cornish proverbs.</p> - -<p>A similar institution has existed from time -immemorial at the little town of Penryn in -Cornwall, at the annual festival of Nutting, when -the ‘Mayor of Mylor’ is chosen. According to -popular opinion, says Mr Hunt, in his <i>Romances -of the West of England</i>, ‘there is a clause in the -borough charter compelling the legitimate mayor -to surrender his power to the “Mayor of Mylor” -on the day in question, and to lend the town-sergeant’s -paraphernalia to the gentlemen of the -shears.’ At the yearly fair, too, held in the -village of Tarleton, a mock-mayor was until a -very few years ago elected, this ceremony forming -part of the after-dinner proceedings. ‘Three persons,’ -says a correspondent of <i>Notes and Queries</i>, -‘were nominated, and it was the rule that each -candidate on receiving a vote should drink a -glass of wine—a “bumper” to the health of the -voter—so that the one elected was not very -steady on his feet when all the company had -polled and the newly elected mayor had to be -installed.’</p> - -<p>Lastly, referring to the days on which fairs -were formerly held, it appears from <i>The Book of -Fairs</i> that they were kept up on Good-Friday -at St Austell, Cornwall; Droitwich, Worcestershire; -Grinton, Yorkshire; High-Budleigh, Devonshire; -and at Wimborne, Dorsetshire. A correspondent -of <i>Notes and Queries</i> says that he saw -a ‘brisk fair going on in the little village of -Perran’s Porth, Cornwall, not far from the curious -oratory of St Piran, on Good-Friday in 1878.’ In -some places, too, Sunday seems to have been -selected; for in Benson’s <i>Vindication of the -Methodists</i> we find the following paragraph, -with special reference to Lincolnshire: ‘Wakes, -feasts, and dancing begin in many parishes on -the Lord’s Day, on which also some fairs and -annual markets are held.’</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_LAST_OF_THE_STUARTS">THE LAST OF THE STUARTS.</h2> -</div> -<p class="ph3">A MODERN ROMANCE.</p> - - -<h3>I.—THE DISINHERITED PRINCE.</h3> - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was the proud boast of the late Mr Charles -James Stuart, of Balquhalloch, N.B., that he -was the direct representative and lawful heir -of the unfortunate royal family of Scotland. I -do not quite know how he derived his descent, -or from whom; but I feel sure that, had he -lived at the beginning of the eighteenth instead -of the nineteenth century, he would, with considerable -confidence, have contested the right of -Queen Anne and the earlier Georges to reign -over the northern, if not also the southern -portion of Great Britain. He was not born, -however, until 1796; and at that time there -were in the Highlands but few people who -still chafed under Hanoverian rule. When, -therefore, as a young man, he first went to -London, instead of plotting rebellion against the -authority of King George III., he fell in love -with an English girl named Eleanor Tudor, -who also claimed, and, I think, not without -justice, to be lineally descended from royal -ancestors. A portrait of this lady was until -quite recently in the possession of her daughter, -Miss Stuart. She was not beautiful; and I -strongly suspect that Mr Stuart would not -have wooed her, had she borne any other name -than Tudor; but the prospect of once more -uniting the old kingly stocks of England and -Scotland proved too seductive to be resisted; -and in the summer of 1817, the laird married -Miss Tudor at St James’s, Piccadilly, and at -once carried her off to his northern home. In -the following year, Mrs Stuart gave birth to the -above-mentioned daughter, who in due course -received the name of Henrietta Maria; and when -in 1820 a son was also born at Balquhalloch, -he was, with equal fittingness, baptised Charles -Augustus.</p> - -<p>The old laird died in 1861; but in the -meantime his son had grown up and married -a pretty but penniless governess; and in 1857 -a son, who was named Charles Edward, had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_601">{601}</span> -born to him. Mr Charles Augustus Stuart, who, -I regret to say, had more respect for whisky -than for his magnificent ancestry, was seized -with apoplexy in 1878, shortly afterwards departing -this life; and in 1880, when the events -which I am about to narrate began, the only -living representatives of the old laird were his -daughter Henrietta Maria, an eccentric lady of -sixty-two; and his grandson Charles Edward, -a lively and, I may add, rather unscrupulous -fellow of three-and-twenty.</p> - -<p>Miss Stuart was a tall and very dignified -person. Twenty years ago, the thirsty cravings -of Charles Augustus had dragged him into -pecuniary difficulties, from which he only extricated -himself by selling Balquhalloch and all -its contents to his sister; and from that time, -Miss Stuart was mistress of the fine old house, -and maintained herself there in a style almost -worthy of the descendant of a hundred kings. -She was rich, her mother’s relations having -at different times bequeathed to her sums -amounting in the aggregate to nearly three-quarters -of a million; and she was generous, as -all the poor of her neighbourhood would gladly -testify; but, as I have already said, she was -eccentric. She regarded herself as a British -princess; she insisted upon her servants treating -her as such; she lived in considerable state, -and had a large household; and whenever she -had occasion to sign her name, she signed it -magnificently, ‘Henrietta Maria, P.’</p> - -<p>Young Charles Edward, on the other hand, -inherited no fortune worth speaking of. His -father had squandered his means in dissipation; -and dying, left a paltry five thousand pounds, -upon the interest of which the son, until 1880, -lived in chambers in the Inner Temple. Up -to that time he had no direct communication -with his magnificent aunt, who, after purchasing -Balquhalloch, had quarrelled with his father. -In the spring of the year, however, Charles -Edward happened to be breakfasting with his -friend Tom Checkstone, who called his attention -to the following advertisement in the <i>Morning -Post</i>:</p> - -<p>‘A Personage of rank requires the services of -a private secretary. Applicant must be energetic, -well educated, of good address, and willing -to spend the greater part of his time in the -country.—Send full particulars to the Steward -of the Household, Balquhalloch, N.B.’</p> - -<p>‘Balquhalloch is your aunt’s place; is it not? -I wonder who has taken it?’ asked Tom.</p> - -<p>‘No one has taken it. My aunt always lives -there; and, what is more, she is the Personage -of rank.’</p> - -<p>‘Your aunt! Have they been making her a -peeress, then?’ demanded Tom incredulously.</p> - -<p>‘She’s a little weak in her head, you know, -on the subject of our supposed royal descent,’ -returned Charles Edward; ‘and she insists upon -regarding herself as a princess.’</p> - -<p>‘And if she is a princess, what are you, -Charlie?’</p> - -<p>‘Oh, I don’t know. I haven’t troubled myself -to go deeply into the matter; but I suppose -that in her estimation I am the legitimate king -of England, or rather, of Great Britain. My -grandfather claimed to be the representative of -the House of Stuart; so, of course, as the only -son of his only son, I inherit that great but -somewhat barren honour.’</p> - -<p>‘Well, I have made up my mind to write -to your eccentric aunt’s Steward of the Household,’ -said Tom. ‘I have little to do, and, what -is far more serious, little to live upon; and if -the Princess will give me five hundred a year, -Her Royal Highness shall have my services.—Is -she rich?’</p> - -<p>‘O yes. I believe that she has a good twenty -thousand a year, if not more.’</p> - -<p>‘And yet she lets you live here on two hundred -and fifty! I can’t say much for her princely -liberality.—Do you know any one who will -recommend me? And who is this Steward of -hers?’</p> - -<p>‘He is a Scotchman, named M‘Dum—Donald -M‘Dum. He used to be merely a kind of farm-bailiff; -but he falls in with all my aunt’s whims, -and I rather fancy he is making a good thing -out of his place.’</p> - -<p>‘Not what you would call a very upright -man?’ hazarded Tom.</p> - -<p>‘By no means. From what I have heard, I -should take him to be a regular money-grubber. -George Fegan, of Figblossom Buildings, who was -in Scotland last autumn, met him several times, -and told me all about him.’</p> - -<p>‘Ah, I shall go and see Fegan. Don’t you -mention the matter. But remember one thing: -if I get the appointment, I’ll guarantee that the -old lady shall take you into immediate favour. -I have an idea, a grand one. At present, never -mind what it is. If this M‘Dum is as mercenary -as you make out, we must raise money to bribe -him to use his influence on my behalf; and the -question is, how can we raise it? All my modest -expectations are centred upon the death of my -uncle Blighter, who, as you know, is already -bedridden. When he dies, I shall come into a -few thousands.—Will you lend me a thousand, -if I want it?’</p> - -<p>Checkstone and Stuart were old school-chums, -and although not altogether prompt in satisfying -the demands of their tailors, trusted one another -completely.</p> - -<p>‘I could realise my small investments,’ said -Charlie; ‘but by doing so I should reduce my -income by fifty pounds a year; so I hope that -the favours from my aunt won’t be long in -coming.’</p> - -<p>‘Then you shall realise; and I’ll give you my -promissory-note for the amount. But first I must -see Fegan and make inquiries. I won’t do anything -risky; trust me for that. While I benefit -myself, I shall doubly benefit you. When I have -called on Fegan, I shall at once, if necessary, go -down to Balquhalloch and see the great M‘Dum. -When I wire to you, you can realise; and I -can draw upon you for any sum up to a thousand, -eh?’</p> - -<p>‘So be it,’ assented Charlie. ‘And I hope -you will get the appointment and help me out -of my difficulties. Why, if only my aunt would -do the proper thing, I could marry. She might -easily spare, say, a thousand a year; and with -that addition to my income, Kate and I could -do very well.’</p> - -<p>‘That marrying craze of yours is like a millstone -tied to your neck. You ought to look out -for a girl with money. Kate Smith is an orphan,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_602">{602}</span> -and has no expectations; and in any case, you -might—if you will forgive my saying so—do -better than marry a governess.’</p> - -<p>‘My father married a governess!’ exclaimed -Charlie warmly.</p> - -<p>‘So much the worse. The race will be ruined! -However, we won’t talk about that now. While -you are a bachelor, there is still hope; and you -shall have your thousand a year very soon, -unless I am vastly mistaken.—Now I am off to -see Fegan; so good-bye. If I go to Scotland -to-night, you shall hear from me to-morrow. -All depends upon Fegan’s report of the great -M‘Dum.’</p> - - -<h3>II.—THE ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY.</h3> - -<p>Fegan’s report must have been at least to some -extent favourable, if not actually encouraging, -for that evening Tom Checkstone left town by -the limited mail for Scotland. For reasons that -will presently appear, he took with him half-a-dozen -boxes of very fine cigars and a considerable -quantity of personal luggage; and, contrary -to his usual habit, he travelled first-class.</p> - -<p>Early on the morning of the next day but -one, after having spent a portion of the previous -night at the <i>Bagpipes Inn</i>, Aberdumble, he hired -the best conveyance in the town, and was driven -over to Balquhalloch.</p> - -<p>Balquhalloch Castle, as all Scotchmen and -most Englishmen are no doubt aware, is a -straggling building that dates back to the beginning -of the fifteenth century. It occupies an -isolated position, and consists of a grim gray -keep, surrounded by a circle of stables, store-rooms, -and servants’ quarters.</p> - -<p>It was to this ancient abode that Mr Tom -Checkstone was driven. The carriage passed -through the frowning gateway of the castle into -a large courtyard, in which several servants in -livery stood ready to receive it. Tom alighted, -and, acting upon instructions which he had -obtained from George Fegan, asked to see Mr -M‘Dum. His card was carried to that functionary, -who at once professed his readiness to -see his visitor in his private room. Thither, -therefore, Tom was conducted; and scarcely had -he taken a seat ere the Steward of the Household -entered.</p> - -<p>Mr M‘Dum was a short, stout, red-faced man -of about fifty years of age. He was negligently -dressed in a brown velvet shooting-suit, and he -was smoking a very large cigar.</p> - -<p>‘What can I do for you?’ he asked bluntly.</p> - -<p>‘I have come down,’ said Tom, ‘with an introduction -from Mr George Fegan of Figblossom -Buildings, London.’</p> - -<p>‘Yes; I know him,’ ejaculated M‘Dum -abruptly.</p> - -<p>‘And I wish,’ continued Tom, ‘to apply for a -secretaryship which, as I see by an advertisement -in the <i>Morning Post</i>, is vacant.’</p> - -<p>‘Well, sit down,’ said M‘Dum, as he threw -himself into the most comfortable chair in the -room; ‘and we will talk the matter over.’ And -he proceeded to help himself to a stiff glass of -whisky from a decanter that stood upon a table -at his side.</p> - -<p>‘I think that I possess all the necessary qualifications,’ -began Tom; ‘but of that you must -be the judge. Perhaps this letter from Mr Fegan -will give you as much information as I can,’ -and he handed a sealed missive to the Steward.</p> - -<p>M‘Dum took it, and having opened it, read -aloud:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>‘<span class="smcap">My dear Mr M‘Dum</span>—My friend Mr Checkstone -has seen in the paper that a secretary is -wanted at Balquhalloch. He is a young man -of means, family, good education, and address; -he is, moreover, a sociable companion; and you -may in all matters rely upon his discretion. I -therefore highly recommend him to you. I take -advantage of his journey to Scotland to send -to you half-a-dozen boxes of very prime cigars; -and remain yours very faithfully,</p> - -<p class="right"> -<span class="smcap">George Fegan</span>.’ -</p> -</div> - -<p>‘And here are the cigars,’ added Tom, pointing -to a package which he had brought in with him.</p> - -<p>Cigars were Mr M‘Dum’s second weakness. -His first was good whisky. In a moment his -demeanour, which up to that point had been by -no means friendly, altered.</p> - -<p>‘Good!’ he exclaimed. ‘The letter, so far -as it goes, is perfectly satisfactory, Mr Checkstone.—Now, -let us look at the matter as men -of business. The fact is that Miss Stuart—the -Princess Henrietta Maria as we call her here—wants -a well-educated amanuensis. I manage -her estates and her household, but—and I needn’t -attempt to disguise it—my education has been -neglected. I am not good at letter-writing. Still, -I have worked my way gradually up into my -present position, and I am not disposed to imperil -it. The man who comes here must be my ally. -He will be paid four hundred a year, and will -keep his place as long as he likes, provided that -he gets on well with me. The Princess is not -exacting, although she is eccentric. I do not -suppose, indeed, that the work will be hard; and -as there is plenty of good shooting and fishing -down here, the life is very pleasant. I may tell -you that Mr Fegan has already telegraphed to -me announcing your visit, and that I am upon -the whole prepared to engage you.’</p> - -<p>‘You are very good,’ returned Tom, who, -however, did not add that he knew the telegram -in question had been sent, and that he was perfectly -aware of its contents. The words were: -‘I send down Checkstone for secretary. Easy to -manage. Perfectly innocent and harmless.’ Nor -did Tom explain that he, and not Fegan, was -the real donor of the cigars.</p> - -<p>‘Oh, it is merely a matter of business,’ rejoined -M‘Dum. ‘I fancy that we should get on together. -But, since if you obtain the post you -will obtain it through my good offices, and since -I naturally desire to have some guarantee that -the Princess’s confidence in you will not be misplaced, -you must excuse my asking whether you -are prepared to—well—to make some small—what -shall we say—some small deposit, some trifling -payment as a security, you know?’</p> - -<p>‘Nothing could be more reasonable, Mr M‘Dum,’ -said Tom.</p> - -<p>‘I imagine,’ continued the Steward, who was -much encouraged by Tom’s words, ‘that a premium, -say, of two years’ salary would not, under -the circumstances, be excessive; for the post -would practically be a permanency. Two years’ -salary would be eight hundred pounds.’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_603">{603}</span></p> - -<p>‘Yes; I think that eight hundred pounds would -not be excessive,’ said Tom. ‘I am ready to -agree to pay that sum.’</p> - -<p>‘That’s good! Then I will introduce you to -the Princess.’ And placing his unfinished cigar in -an ash-tray upon the table, Mr M‘Dum arose, and -led the way through some long and cheerless stone -passages into a more pretentious and better furnished -part of the huge building. Leaving Tom -in a panelled anteroom, he went forward to -announce him; and returning, conducted the new -secretary into the presence.</p> - -<p>In a large armchair in a long low drawing-room -sat the Princess Henrietta Maria. Tom bowed -low as soon as he saw her, and then—acting upon -directions which had been supplied to him by -Mr Fegan—advanced and respectfully kissed the -tips of her outstretched fingers.</p> - -<p>‘Mr M‘Dum tells me,’ said the Princess, ‘that -you are in all respects competent to act as our -private secretary. We particularly need the services -of an amanuensis just now, because we -are drawing up some memoirs of our family. -The documents are here in the castle; but our -health does not permit of sufficient progress -with the work. Are you prepared to undertake -the duties?’</p> - -<p>‘I am, your Royal Highness,’ assented Tom -meekly, as he stood before the majestic old lady.</p> - -<p>‘That is well. And when can you begin those -duties, Mr Checkstone?’</p> - -<p>‘I am at any moment at your Royal Highness’s -disposal,’ said Tom. ‘I can even take up my -residence here to-day, should your Royal Highness -wish it.’</p> - -<p>‘Let it be so, then, Mr Checkstone. Mr M‘Dum -shall conduct you to your apartments; and I -myself will take an early opportunity of visiting -them and of satisfying myself that you will be -comfortable.’</p> - -<p>The Princess signified that the audience was -over; and Tom and the Steward backed out of -the room, bowing low as they went.</p> - -<p>‘You should not have said that you would -come in to-day,’ said M‘Dum, as soon as the door -was shut. ‘And besides, how can you do so? -Where is your luggage?’</p> - -<p>‘It is at the inn at Aberdumble,’ answered -Tom. ‘I thought, under any circumstances, of -staying in Scotland for a few weeks; and so I -came prepared.’</p> - -<p>‘Humph!’ ejaculated M‘Dum, who was somewhat -annoyed at his protégé’s precipitancy.—‘Now, -if you don’t mind, we will go back to my little -office and complete our business arrangements.’</p> - -<p>Ten minutes later, Mr M‘Dum was the richer -by a promissory-note for eight hundred pounds, -and Tom was formally installed as private secretary -to the Princess Henrietta Maria. At the -earliest possible moment he sent back the conveyance -to Aberdumble, instructing the coachman to -forward his luggage to the castle, and intrusting -the man with two telegrams, worded in French, -one being addressed to George Fegan, and the -other to Charles Edward Stuart.</p> - -<p>Later in the day, the Princess requested him -to attend her in the library; and there, without -many preliminaries, he began, under her supervision, -to transcribe the contents of numerous -musty documents in English, and to translate -those of others that were written in French and -Latin. He worked for only a couple of hours; -and then the Princess, bidding him lay aside his -pen, sat and talked to him about London, about -politics, and about books. In the evening he -played chess and smoked with Mr M‘Dum; and -after the toddy had been done full justice to, -he retired, well satisfied, to his own snug rooms -on the second floor of the ancient keep.</p> - -<p>Thus did he spend his time for a week and -more, until one afternoon the Princess fell to -talking about the sad fate of her family.</p> - -<p>‘The principle of divine right,’ she said, ‘cannot -be altered by popular clamour. It is a reality. -She who at present sits upon the throne of -these kingdoms is no more the Queen than you -are. Excellent woman though she is, she is but -the representative of usurpers. True kings cannot -be made by vulgar acclamation, neither can -wrong become right by lapse of time. But the -blood of our race has been tainted. Our royal -brother of sacred memory—though, to be sure, he -never recognised his exalted position—married -a commoner; and how can I expect that the child -of that union should be worthy of his splendid -ancestry? Ah, that child! What possibilities -are his, if only he had the energy to seize them! -But he cares nothing. He is content to live -obscure. He will not accept his destiny.’</p> - -<p>‘Nay!’ suggested Tom; ‘perhaps he lives -obscure because he is poor. Perhaps he is too -proud to let it be known that he who exists upon -a miserable two hundred and fifty pounds a year -is the king of Great Britain. Your Royal Highness -must not be unjust.’</p> - -<p>‘Would that what you say were true!’ ejaculated -the Princess. ‘But if he only made some -sign of his desire to win his own, heaven knows -that I would aid him with my fortune, and even, -if need were, with my life.’</p> - -<p>‘Your Royal Highness’s sentiments are worthy -of her great lineage,’ said Tom courteously. ‘I -happen to know that the facts are as I have -hinted; for, although I have not yet mentioned -it, I have the honour of your Royal Highness’s -august nephew’s acquaintance. Indeed, I may -say the king deigns to honour me with his friendship.’</p> - -<p>‘The king!’ exclaimed the Princess, with -beaming eyes—‘the king! You have heard His -Majesty speak, have seen His Majesty walk, -and you have not told me! Oh, Mr Checkstone, -I cannot tell you how it rejoices me to have one -of the king’s friends in my service!—What is His -Majesty’s will? What are His Majesty’s plans? -You may trust me. I am devoted wholly and -entirely to his interests. How I have longed -to learn of his intention to take his rightful -position!’</p> - -<p>Thus encouraged, Tom Checkstone related to -the Princess a very plausible and interesting -story, the main points of which he did not forget -to communicate by letter to his friend in London. -He assured the Princess that poverty alone prevented -the king from taking action; that His -Majesty chafed grievously in his enforced seclusion; -and that the legitimate sovereign of Great -Britain, in spite of the plebeian origin of his -mother, was in all respects a worthy descendant -of the Jameses.</p> - -<p>‘Then His Majesty must come hither,’ said the -Princess. ‘But I am greatly in doubt whether<span class="pagenum" id="Page_604">{604}</span> -I can place implicit confidence in Mr M‘Dum. -He is an excellent servant, but I fear he is not -too loyal; and we must risk nothing.’</p> - -<p>‘Mr M‘Dum,’ said Tom, ‘has very well taken -care of himself hitherto. Your Royal Highness -is perhaps not aware that he accepted a bribe -from me when I applied for my present position -in your Royal Highness’s household. I have -his receipt for eight hundred pounds.’</p> - -<p>‘Then, we shall certainly dismiss him,’ remarked -the Princess with signs of rising anger. ‘But, as -I say, he is withal an excellent servant, and it -would not become us to act towards him in -anger. I will pension him; and when he has -left the castle, we may receive the king without -any risk; for all my other servants have from -their childhood been devoted to the royal cause.’</p> - -<p>The result of this conversation—all the details -of which were faithfully reported to Charlie -Stuart—was that Mr M‘Dum, after a somewhat -stormy scene with the Princess, quitted Balquhalloch, -with an eye to an eligible public-house -in Glasgow; and on the day of his departure, the -Princess wrote a loyal and affectionate letter to -her nephew, and despatched it to him by the -hands of her chaplain, the Rev. Octavius M‘Fillan, -a priest who, although he possessed no remarkable -degree of intelligence, was of unimpeachable -devotion to the Princess, and of great simplicity -and kindness of heart. ‘Our castle,’ the letter -concluded, ‘is held at your Majesty’s disposal; -and all within it is at your Royal service.’</p> - -<p>Father M‘Fillan, with much ceremony, delivered -the missive to Charlie at his chambers -in the Inner Temple; and ‘the king’ was pleased -to say in reply that he would at his earliest -convenience visit his well-beloved aunt in the -north.</p> - -<p>Two or three days afterwards, the second -column of the <i>Times</i> contained an announcement -to the effect that Catharine Smith, daughter of -the late John Smith of Manchester, intended -thenceforth to assume the surname of Plantagenet, -and upon all future occasions to style herself, and -be known as, Catharine Plantagenet. Fortunately, -the <i>Times</i> was not studied at Balquhalloch, the -Princess reading only the <i>Edinburgh Courant</i>, -because it was a thorough-going Tory journal, -and the London <i>Morning Post</i>, because it was of -eminently aristocratic tone.</p> - -<p>A week later, Charlie, who had meantime -received some long letters from Tom, went down -to Scotland.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="INDIAN_JUGGLERS">INDIAN JUGGLERS.</h2> -</div> -<p class="ph3">BY AN ANGLO-INDIAN.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> exhibition of feats of legerdemain is at all -times entertaining; and those who have had the -pleasure of witnessing the performances of such -accomplished professors of the art of magic as the -late Wizard of the North, or Messrs Maskelyne -and Cooke of the Egyptian Hall, London, are not -likely soon to forget the same. In Britain, however, -it is only now and again that a magician -of the first class, who is likewise a native of the -British Isles, appears. Eminent British jugglers -are few and far between. But in the ancient -East, magic is, and has from time immemorial -been, much more generally cultivated. India, -as every one who has resided in our great -tropical dependency knows, counts its jugglers -by thousands. Indeed, magic is there a recognised -calling or business; it descends from father -to son; and an Indian juggler, be he Mussulman -or Hindu, would not dream of teaching his -son any other business than his own—that of -magic. And so it comes about that the supply -of Indian jugglers is both large and continuous. -The Indian juggler is a very humble individual; -he does not appear before his audience in the -glory of evening dress; his only costume is a -cloth bound round his loins. And thus, if coat-sleeves -or pockets at all assist in magic, the -Indian juggler is at a decided disadvantage, for -both his arms and legs are bare. He is a thin, -an unnaturally thin, wiry-looking individual—the -Indian juggler. I do not know why he -should be thin, but I do not recollect ever having -seen a fat Indian juggler. Fat natives of India -there are in plenty, as those who have travelled -on Indian railways know to the detriment of -their olfactory nerves; but I cannot recall a -single fat Indian magician. Again, the Indian -juggler does not appear before his audience with -the swagger of the man who knows his power -to command the applause of crowded houses. On -the contrary, he appears meekly before you at -the foot of your veranda steps, obsequiously -salaaming, quite prepared to be turned away -with rough words, but hoping to be invited up -the steps to perform; for he knows that if he -once reaches the top of the veranda steps, he -will, an hour thereafter, be one rupee, perhaps -two rupees, richer, and he will thus have earned -his living for a week. Not a very liberal -remuneration this, you may think; and yet it -is a fact that a juggler whose receipts amounted -to ten rupees—say eighteen shillings in one -month—would consider himself a fortunate man.</p> - -<p>His performance is a remarkable one, though, -perhaps, not more remarkable than a first-class -exhibition of magic in Britain. But between the -British and the Indian juggler there is one great -and important difference. The former has all -the usual elaborate paraphernalia of home magical -entertainments—a prepared stage, back curtains, -tables, chairs, boxes, &c.; the latter has nothing -of the sort: all his appliances are contained in -a cotton bag which he carries about with him; -he is nearly naked; and his stage is the ground -or the stone floor of a veranda. Very often two -or three jugglers combine and pay visits to the -bungalows, thus giving variety to the performance—for -each juggler has his own tricks. Recently, -I had a visit from an amalgamated troupe consisting -of seven members—five men, one woman, -and a boy. Probably the seven had conjoined -their entertainments for that particular day only, -and next day they might be performing separately -again. If I give a description of what this party -of seven did, you will have a fair idea of a -juggling entertainment in India.</p> - -<p>Two of the seven—one man and the woman—performed -a single trick only, namely, the famous -basket trick. The man took an oblong basket -about two feet long, one foot broad, and, say, a -foot and a half high. The woman was bound -hand and foot with ropes, and put into a net made<span class="pagenum" id="Page_605">{605}</span> -of rope, which was securely tied, so that she was -practically in a sack of network. She was then -lifted and placed into the basket on her knees. -But a two-year-old child would have filled the -basket, and the result was that the whole of the -woman’s person, from the loins upwards, was -above the basket. The woman bent her head; -the juggler placed the lid of the basket on her -shoulders, and then threw a sheet over the whole—hiding -both woman and basket from view. In -about a minute he pulled away the sheet, folding -it up in his hands, and behold, the lid was -in its proper place, and the woman was gone! -The juggler now took a sword about five feet long, -and with it he pierced the basket through and -through in all directions, horizontally, diagonally, -upwards, and downwards; but there was no sign -of any one inside. He even removed the lid, -jumped into the basket with his feet, and danced -in it, until one came to the conclusion that, wherever -the woman had gone to, she was not inside. -The juggler again took the sheet, and after we had -examined it, he spread it over the basket, holding -it tent-shaped, the apex where his hand was being -about three feet from the ground. In a minute -he withdrew the sheet once more, and behold the -woman was back in her old position on her knees -in the basket; but the ropes and net had disappeared, -and she was now unbound. This trick -has a few variations, one of which is that after -the woman disappears, the basket is handed round -to show its emptiness, and some other trick is -exhibited, in the middle of which the female performer -reappears before the audience ere any one -can notice where she comes from.</p> - -<p>A third juggler now made his salaam, and began -by performing the beautiful mango-tree trick. He -took an earthenware pot, filled it with earth -moistened with a little water, and placed among -the earth a mango-seed which we had examined -beforehand. This done, he threw a sheet over -the pot, and almost immediately removed it again, -when we beheld, to our astonishment, that the -seed had in the space of, say, half a minute become -a young mango-tree. Again the sheet was thrown -over the pot, and on being a second time removed, -the mango-tree had doubled in size. The same -process was repeated a third time, and now the -tree was covered with small unripe mangoes. This -time the juggler plucked the tree up out of the -earth, displaying the roots and the remains of the -original mango-stone from which the tree was -supposed to have sprung.</p> - -<p>The snake trick, which was the next item in -the entertainment, is one which has a peculiar -fascination for native onlookers, for the fatal -ravages of poisonous serpents in India for centuries -have produced a horror of such reptiles -among natives. Our juggler showed us a parched -skin which had once belonged to a large cobra. -We examined it carefully, and were quite sure it -was a serpent’s skin and nothing more. He -placed this skin in a circular straw basket about -six inches deep. The basket was likewise examined, -and we found no double bottom or any -other peculiarity about it. When he put the lid -upon the basket, it contained nothing but the -empty skin—that we were equally well assured -of. The wonderful sheet before mentioned was -again brought into requisition, and was spread -over the basket containing the dry skin. After -the performance of some mystic manœuvres in -the air with a little wooden doll, the sheet was -withdrawn, the lid removed, and out of the -basket arose a huge hissing cobra, his hood spread -in anger, and his forked tongue darting in and -out of his mouth. Some native servants who -were looking on fled precipitately in all directions; -but the juggler quickly took out an Indian -musical instrument—not unlike a miniature set -of bagpipes—and began to play. A change came -over the spirit of the cobra’s spleen; his anger -died away; he stood up with half of his body in -a perpendicular attitude, and presently began to -sway to and fro in a sort of serpent dance to the -music. In a word, he was charmed—for snake-charming -is a reality, and not a fiction, strange -as it may seem to the people of Britain.</p> - -<p>The government of India offers a money reward -for every poisonous snake killed in the country; -and the result is that there exists in India at -the present day a class of men, called snake-charmers, -who earn their living by going about -in search of serpents. They play on the peculiar -instrument before mentioned, and if any -serpent is within hearing distance, it is irresistibly -attracted to the musician. Serpents will -leave the roots of hedges, holes in walls, come -down trees, or forsake paddy-fields, if they hear -this strange music. They erect themselves vertically -before the player, who at once seizes them -by the throat, and puts them in a large basket -or bag he carries with him for the reception of -unwise serpents.<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> What became of the dry -snake skin, we could not tell; we never saw it -again.</p> - -<p>The next performer was an elderly patriarchal-looking -man, who exhibited two trained tropical -birds, the names of which I forget. These birds -did some really astonishing things, and their -master the patriarch must be a man of infinite -patience. For instance, one actually loaded a -small brass cannon set on a miniature gun-carriage, -pushed the charge home with a small -ramrod, and fired the piece off by applying a -lighted match, held in its beak, to the touchhole, -displaying not the slightest fear at the noise -caused by the firing. The other bird would, if -its master threw any small object into the air, -seize the object in mid-air and bring it to the -bird-trainer.</p> - -<p>Numbers five and six—man and boy—of the -troupe were circus-wallahs, and gave a native -gymnastic entertainment, which, as it did not -materially differ from a British performance in -the same line, need not be detailed.</p> - -<p>Number seven was a juggler of divers accomplishments. -He swallowed swords, and put an -iron hook into his nostril, bringing it out of his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_606">{606}</span> -mouth. Neither of these feats, however, though -undoubtedly genuine, is pleasant to look at. He -blew fire and flames out of his mouth without -revealing the origin or cause of the fire, and -apparently without burning himself. He took -about half-a-dozen stones of the size of, say, a -hen’s egg out of his mouth; how they got there, -or how his mouth contained them after they got -there, was a mystery. He was talking just before -he began; but on being asked a question in the -middle of this stone performance, he could not -speak. After discharging the big stones, he -wound up by disgorging about a handful of old -nails and miscellaneous rubbish!</p> - -<p>A much more pleasant trick to look at was -the one which followed. He took a cocoa-nut -shell with one end cut off, and filled it with water. -In the water he placed a little piece of cork, -having a bent pin on one side, and two straight -pins on the other side, so that the cork as it -floated roughly resembled a lilliputian duck. -The cork lay dead in the water, and it was difficult -to think what magic could possibly be got -out of it. Presently the juggler, sitting about -two yards off, took out a musical instrument and -began to play a lively tune. Instantly the imitation -duck commenced to dance violently in the -water, suiting its motions to the music. The -dancing continued till the tune was ended; then -the juggler ordered the duck to salaam; and he -was at once obeyed. He even requested the -buoyant cork to dive to the bottom of the water; -and his request was immediately complied with. -While the performance was going on, the cocoa-nut -shell was standing almost at our feet, and the -performer was not only sitting beyond reach, but -both his hands were employed in playing the -instrument.</p> - -<p>One more trick will finish my list. Our juggler -told a native servant, whom he did not know, -to stretch out his arm palm upwards. Into the -outstretched palm he placed a silver two-anna -piece, and—holding out his own bony hand to -show us that it was empty—he lifted the coin -from the servant’s hand, shut his own fist, reopened -it in the twinkling of an eye, and an -enormous black scorpion dropped into the servant’s -palm. The latter fled shrieking with terror, for, -next to the serpent, the particular aversion of the -Hindu is the scorpion.</p> - -<p>This finished the performance. In the foregoing, -I have given as fair a description as I can -of an Indian juggling entertainment; and probably -you will agree with me in thinking that -the feats of the poor Indian juggler are quite as -wonderful as those of a first-class British magician, -while the former suffers from numerous disadvantages -which the latter is entirely free from.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="A_WORD_ON_WOMANS_WORK">A WORD ON WOMAN’S WORK.</h2> -</div> -<p class="ph3">BY A LADY.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">While</span> education is doing much to relieve the -question of the employment of women of some -of the difficulties by which it has been surrounded, -there is still great need of further -effort ere the three million of women who are -compelled to earn their daily bread shall be -enabled to do so with anything approaching ease -and comfort. Among the newer occupations for -the ‘many’—few being as yet able to attain to -the height of the professions—are china and card -painting; but this market has become overstocked; -and it is almost unnecessary to add that -only those who are artists in every sense of the -word can hope for success, originality of design -being as necessary as correct drawing and good -finish. Many women are now employed as -clerks in insurance and other offices, and the -movement has met with a large amount of -success. It is to be hoped that this will stimulate -others to follow the good example of finding -employment for those who earnestly seek -it, and such employment as they have proved -themselves to be most fitted for. Numbers are -employed in the Post-office; but competition -is very severe in this branch of industry, and -it may be asked: ‘What will become of the -already overcrowded ranks of male clerks, if -a fresh contingent be admitted?’ The reply, -I think, should be: ‘The man has many fields -open to him; the woman, few.’</p> - -<p>Shorthand writing may yet give employment -to many women; the sewing-machine and the -knitting-machine are also media for occupations -more or less lucrative, but the main object of this -article is to draw attention to an invention lately -brought to our notice in various ways, ‘the Scientific -Dress-cutting’—of American origin—which -is being so eagerly taken up by our countrywomen, -hundreds flocking to the offices in London -to learn the ‘system’—some for the use of themselves -and families; others, as a matter of business, -intending as they do to become certificated -teachers and agents. If any one is anxious or -even desirous of seeing earnest workers, let him -go to the rooms of the Association and he will -be gratified indeed. Perhaps a few words from -one who has just spent some days there may -not be unwelcome, as many are inquiring about -Scientific Dress-cutting.</p> - -<p>Arrived at 272 Regent Circus, we are directed -up-stairs; and at the top of the first flight we -are directed to ascend a little higher, and then -we are shown into a small room, where sits a -gentleman, who answers questions, receives fees, -writes receipts, and finally, courteously conducts -us into classroom No. 1. There order reigns -supreme. On the walls are the ‘drafts’ to be -copied by the pupils, each and all correctly drawn -by mathematical square measurement, the calculations -being made upon a ‘chart.’ We take a -seat, and are soon lost in the mysteries of arriving -at the due proportions of a lady’s figure. One -pupil looks up with a smile and says, ‘Is it not -a fascinating employment?’ another remarks -in an under-tone, ‘Well, this <i>is</i> a study;’ while -another declares it to be ‘simplicity itself;’ and so -the work goes on. The teacher—whose patience -is sorely tried sometimes—always seems ready -and willing to render the needful assistance, and -is kind and considerate alike to all. To our -query, ‘How long does it take to learn this -system?’ the reply is, ‘Some learn in a few -lessons, and some take longer.’ One lady had -attended the classes ‘on and off’ for a month, -and attributed her prolonged study to the lack -of consecutive lessons. But this is not always -practicable when ladies live at a distance and -have home duties which keep them away for days -together.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_607">{607}</span></p> - -<p>Before leaving, we are introduced to the secretary, -who, like the rest of the inmates of the -establishment, until now has been a stranger to -us; and as we are introduced, and she raises her -bright, cheerful, honest English face, we feel -that with her we shall meet with a friend able -and willing to advise. When we leave the first -classroom, we ascend more stairs, and are ushered -into a room where skirts are to be discoursed -upon—the ‘short’ to the ‘trained’ skirt being -included in the lesson. Here we recognise faces -we have seen in the room below; and, as in the -other room, we find here also all classes represented—from -the young girl who is learning to -save the tedium of apprenticeship, to the first-rate -dressmaker; and among the ladies, those of -small means, who hope by the aid of the system -to be better able to make both ends meet at -the close of another year; to the lady of ample -means, who has come partly out of curiosity, -and partly to ascertain whether it is worth while -to send her maid to take lessons, that her homemade -dresses may in future be sure to fit well. -Neither is she the only lady nor the representative -of the only class who make at least some -dresses at home, for there is scarcely a household -where this is not necessary now.</p> - -<p>In this room we are measured; and a curious -and amusing performance it is, quite different in -some respects from the way we should imagine -it to be best accomplished; and here we may -say that this feat is one of the most important -in the whole process. Next to it perhaps stands -the treatment of the shoulder. Instruction, as -to this is given in the ‘Hints on Dressmaking,’ -with other valuable advice, as also on the -‘chart,’ which is part of the machinery sent by -post with printed rules for the sum of twenty-two -shillings, including the delicately made -‘tracing-wheel.’ But to attend a class for instruction -is an advantage scarcely to be estimated -by those who have not first tried to master the -difficulties by themselves, and then placed themselves -in the hands of a competent teacher; and -the extra pound charged for the course of lessons -is well laid out. There is no hurry; you can -stay as long as you please, and will be kindly -received; and you will pass on from stage to -stage of the study until you are perfectly acquainted -with the whole, each ‘draft’ being made -separately and in its proper place in the course -of lessons. Cutting and fitting are certainly -women’s work, and those who have taken up this -new branch of industry benefit not only themselves -but others.</p> - -<p>The advantages of this system over the old -plan may be summed up in one word—economy; -for it saves time, trouble, labour, and material—time, -by its exactitude; trouble, by not requiring -fitting or ‘trying-on;’ labour, in the same way, -and by having the turnings cut and the stitching-line -marked, which serves for a guide for tacking -and stitching; and of material, by its method of -dividing and cutting. In this way the study -soon repays any one for her trouble and outlay; -added to which, it is an interesting employment; -and many who have not yet left the darkness of -the old guesswork method will be surprised that -they held aloof so long, when they see how -great an advantage it is to work scientifically -instead of by ‘rule of thumb.’</p> - -<p>There are so many to whom economy is of -vital importance, that we can conceive of none -to whom this new system does not come as a -boon indeed. Even those whose circumstances -remove them from the necessity of exercising -it themselves, cannot tell what is in the future -for their daughters, especially should they leave -the old country and go to sojourn in distant -lands. Many a father pays what he considers an -exorbitant sum per annum in dressmaking. One -lady told us it was the case with her, and that -was her reason for ‘going in for the new method,’ -as she had six daughters; and hers is not an -isolated case.</p> - -<p>As agents are being appointed in the towns -and cities in England and other countries, -ladies will in future be saved the journey to -London, as they will be able to attend classes -in their own neighbourhood, as they do their -cookery class. As an agency, the Society has -found employment for numbers of women, who, -as far as we are aware, are satisfied with the -results.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_STENO-TELEGRAPH">THE STENO-TELEGRAPH.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">A new</span> instrument, as we announced last month, -has recently been devised by Signor Michela, -which, if successful, is likely to supersede altogether -the present system of telegraphy. By -its aid, the inventor states that it is possible -to transmit from one hundred and seventy to -two hundred words a minute—or about the rate -at which the majority of speeches are delivered—in -any language with which the operator is -familiar. This is certainly a great and valuable -achievement; and the instrument has this -advantage over the more easily worked telephone, -that it leaves a record of the message behind.</p> - -<p>The following brief description will assist the -reader in comprehending the method by which -the instrument is worked. It is simply a -printing-machine with two rows of ten keys each—six -white and four black; the keys press on -twenty studs, which by means of levers are -connected with twenty styles carrying the signs -or characters used for printing. The printed -characters represent twenty phonetic sounds, -which the inventor, by combining the signs and -skilfully grouping the sounds in series, claims -to be sufficient to represent all the phonetic -sounds in any language. The system of stenography -which he employs has for three years -been practically tested in the Italian Senate; and -it is now for the first time employed for the -electrical transmission of words. The person -who transmits the message listens to the words -as they drop from the lips of the speaker; he -subjects them to a process of mental analysis, -arranges every syllable phonetically, touches the -corresponding key on his instrument, and there -appears on narrow slips of paper, as if by -magic, a phonetic representation of the speech -to which he is listening—not only on the -materials before him, but on corresponding -materials at the distant station with which his -instrument is connected. He keeps his slips of -paper as a record; while the slips at the -receiving station are handed to persons, initiated -in the mysteries of this system of shorthand,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_608">{608}</span> -for translation. Nor are its mysteries of an -extraordinary character, for it is said that -any intelligent person can translate this telegraphic -shorthand after fifteen days. To transmit -messages with facility, a study and practice -of six months are necessary; and it is said -that an expert hand can transmit as many as -two hundred words in a minute.</p> - -<p>The aim of the inventor is to telegraph -by means of a keyboard instrument any -speech, no matter in what European language, -as fast as it is spoken. His invention may -also be used for the ordinary purposes of telegraphy, -with a great saving of time and labour. -The instrument has been tried in the Italian -Senate; and it may be seen at work every day -at certain hours at No. 1 Rue Rossini, Paris.</p> - -<p>The inventor claims that his instrument will -be of especial value in the transmission of parliamentary -speeches in the exact words in which -they are delivered, to the different newspaper -offices throughout the city and country. It is -not, however, the practice in this country—with -perhaps very rare exceptions—to reproduce verbatim -reports of parliamentary speeches; but it -is possible that those who are expert in the use -of the instrument may be able to condense the -reports and at the same time transmit them to -the distant station. For country newspapers it -would be absolutely necessary to send condensed -reports; and this practice would be accompanied -with disadvantages—trivial in some cases, important -in others. No record would be kept in such -cases of the exact words used by the speaker, -and such records are occasionally of great moment. -Where speeches are transmitted in their entirety -to be afterwards translated, or if necessary condensed, -the system would possess many advantages. -Several persons could be employed in -translating from the printed slips, and the copy -handed direct to the compositors. It would, -however, be attended with these disadvantages, -that the transcription would not be made by the -person who hears the speech, and consequently, -any errors in manipulation would probably pass -uncorrected to the press; while in condensing, -the telling points of a speech may not receive, -at the hands of any one who has not had the -advantage of listening to the speaker, that prominence -which they were intended to occupy.</p> - -<p>The telephone has been used by the London -press for a like purpose; but although in London -the distances are short, it has not been found -successful in practice, owing perhaps to the fact -that it leaves no record behind, and that if it -were used, it would be necessary to employ shorthand -writers at the offices instead of in the House, -as at present. The telephone is used, however, -to communicate to the writers of leading articles -what is passing in the House, so as to enable -them to compose their work in the newspaper -office.</p> - -<p>There can be no doubt, whatever the future -of Michela’s instrument may be, that it is an -improvement on the present system of telegraphy, -in which each letter of a word is represented -by a series of dots and dashes; and on -this account, and because it points out the direction -in which improvements in our system may -be effected, we should give the invention our -encouragement and support.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MAN_AND_NATURE">MAN AND NATURE.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><i>The American Naturalist</i> draws attention to the -well-known fact, that the larger game of the Far -West has been long diminishing in numbers. -This, it goes on to say, is especially true of the -bison, an animal which is unable to escape from -its pursuers, and which can hardly be called a -game animal. The once huge southern herd has -been reduced to a few individuals in North-western -Texas. The Dakota herd numbers only -some seventy-five thousand head, a number which -will soon be reduced to zero if the present rate -of extermination continues. The Montana herd -is now the object of relentless slaughter, and will -soon follow the course of the other two herds. -When scattered individuals represent these herds, -a few hunters will one day pick them off, and -the species will be extinct.</p> - -<p>Let the government place a small herd in each -of the national parks, and let the number be -maintained at a definite figure. Let the excess -escape into the surrounding country, so as to -preserve the species for the hunters. Let herds -of moose, elk, bighorn, black and white-tailed -deer, and antelope, be maintained in the same -way. Let the Carnivora roam at will; and in -a word, protect nature from the destructive outlawry -of men whose prehistoric instincts are not -yet dead. Let the newer instinct of admiration -for nature’s wonders have scope. Let the desire -for knowledge of nature’s greatest mystery—life—have -some opportunity. Let there be kept a -source of supply for zoological societies and -museums, so that science may ever have material -for its investigations. By securing the preservation -of these noblest of nature’s works, Congress -will be but extending the work it has so grandly -sustained in the past, in the support of scientific -research and the education of the people.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MICHAELMAS">MICHAELMAS.</h2> -</div> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0"><span class="smcap">The</span> brief September days are waning fast,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And a soft mellow fragrance fills the air</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With Autumn’s sweetest incense; now the leaves</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Begin to colour, and the varied hues</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Of scarlet, amber, russet, crimson, dun,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Hang over wood and forest.</div> - <div class="verse indent28">The bright stars</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Of the chrysanthemums dot everywhere</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The cottage gardens; the sweet mignonette</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Still sheds her perfume ’neath the fuchsia-bells;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Scarlet geraniums and lobelias</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Are in their fullest glory; here and there</div> - <div class="verse indent0">A rose late-lingering shows her crimson cup,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Though gone her beauteous fellows; and aloft</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The dahlia holds high her queenly head,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The sovereign absolute of all the band.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">The swallows, gathering for departure, twit</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Their shrill farewell; the dormouse and the bat</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Go into winter-quarters; short the days,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And chill the lengthening nights:</div> - <div class="verse indent34">For comes apace</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Mellow October, last of the three months</div> - <div class="verse indent0">That own the Autumn’s reign; then fogs and wet,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And snow and ice and wind-storms close the scene.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center">Printed and Published by <span class="smcap">W. & R. Chambers</span>, 47 Paternoster -Row, <span class="smcap">London</span>, and 339 High Street, <span class="smcap">Edinburgh</span>.</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center"><i>All Rights Reserved.</i></p> - -<hr class="full" /> - - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="ph3">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> With regard to the theory of snake-charming, -opinions differ. It is an undoubted fact that snakes -will frequently emerge from hiding-places at the sound -of the ‘charmer’s’ pipe; but shrewd observers have -reason to suspect that a single snake can be made to -do duty for many, having been taught to obey the summons -of its master’s music(!) Thus, the wily Hindu will -unobserved place his scaly pupil in some hole or crevice -in the neighbourhood of a bungalow, or in the bungalow -itself, whence he will lure it on a fitting occasion before -an unsuspecting audience, who, deeming themselves well -rid of an obnoxious intruder, applaud, and remunerate -the charmer for having secured and carried away his -own property!—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span></p> - -</div> -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 38, VOL. 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