,illustration3    ,,chambers',s         
,,journal    ,,of    ,,popular          
,,literature1 ,,science1 ,,and ,,art    
,fifth ,series    ,,established ,,by    
,,william ,,and ,,robert ,,chambers1    
#ahcb    ,,conducted ,,by ,r4 ,,chambers
 7,,secundus7    ,,no4 #ch4--,,vol4 ,i4 
,,saturday1 ,,september #bj1 #ahhd4     
,,price #a;d4          ,,vaccination4   
,on the western side of ,trafalgar      
,square1 beneath the shadow of the      
great sea-lion ,admiral ,lord ,nelson1  
might have been seen1 until  recently1  
the statue of a pensive-looking almost  
beardless man seated  in a chair4 ,but a
 new location in ,kensington ,gardens   
has been selected  for this statue1     
which is that of ,dr ,jenner1 the       
discoverer of  vaccination4    ,edward  
,jenner was born at ,berkeley1 in       
,gloucestershire1 in #agdi1 his  father 
being vicar of that place4 ,he was      
apprenticed to a doctor at  ,sudbury1   
and afterwards came to ,london1 where   
for a time he served  under ,john       

,hunter4 ,after taking his diploma1 he  
returned to his native  place1 and it   
was here that he practised his          
profession1 and also made  that great   
discovery which has proved such an      
inestimable benefit to  mankind4 ,when  
he had become famous1 and universal     
appreciation bespoke  him a great man1  
he received many tempting offers and    
solicitations to  take up his abode in  
the metropolis2 but nothing succeeded in
 enticing  him from the rural scenes    
amidst which his medical triumphs had   
been  conceived4 ,his life sped         
tranquilly on amidst the rustics he     
loved so  well until the year #ahbc1    
when death somewhat suddenly terminated 
his  earthly career4    ,as the village 
and neighbourhood in which ,jenner      
served his  apprenticeship was mostly a 
grazing country1 he was thrown much     
amongst  farmers and their servants4 ,at
 a time when smallpox was raging among  
them1 his attention was attracted by    
hearing a milkmaid say that she  had    

once caught cowpox from the cows1 and   
therefore smallpox wouldn't  hurt her4  
,he was much struck with this remark2   
and on making inquiries1  he found it   
was a common belief about there1 that   
whoever caught  this disease from the   
cows was not liable to take smallpox4   
,it is  rather curious that just about  
the time that ,jenner was making these  
inquiries1 the same fact had been noted 
in ,sweden1 and some inquiries  were    
also set on foot there to investigate   
the matter4    ,with that talent for    
close observation and investigation     
which  distinguished him1 he pondered   
much over this remark of the milkmaid's1
  and made many inquiries of the medical
 men of the district4 ,from them  he    
obtained but little encouragement2 they 
had often heard the tale1  but had not  
much faith in it4 ,the subject seems to 
have impressed  itself greatly on his   
mind2 for we find him1 some three years 
later1  when he was in ,london with     
,john ,hunter1 mentioning it to him2 and

 that  distinguished man appears to have
 been struck with ,jenner's earnestness 
in the matter1 and gave him good advice3
 #8,don't think1 but try2 be  patient2  
be accurate4' ,this advice he           
perseveringly followed on his  return to
 his native place2 and by careful       
experiments elaborated the  great       
life-saving truth1 that cowpox might be 
disseminated from one  human being to   
another to the almost total extinction  
of smallpox4    ,the eastern practice of
 inoculation was first made known in    
this  country by ,lady ,wortley         
,montagu1 who was the wife of our       
ambassador  at ,constantinople1 where   
she had seen it tried with good effect4 
,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 disease4 ,it is a fact  
that the form  of smallpox thus         
communicated through the skin was less  
severe1 and  consequently less fatal1   

than when taken naturally1 as was       
abundantly  proved in this country4     
,but1 unfortunately1 inoculated smallpox
 was  as infectious as the natural      
smallpox--this fact forming the great   
distinction between inoculation and     
vaccination4 ,the inoculated person     
became a centre of infection1 and       
communicated it to many others4 ,it  was
 found after the introduction of        
inoculation that the mortality from     
smallpox increased from seventy-four to 
ninety-five in one thousand2  and many  
of those that recovered1 lost the sight 
of one or both eyes1  or were otherwise 
disfigured4 ,it is not to be wondered   
at1 with such  a state of things as this
 existing1 and the whole medical        
profession  at their wits' end for a    
remedy1 that ,jenner should be looked   
upon1 as  soon as vaccination became    
established1 as a saviour of his race4  
,it was while the ravages of smallpox   
were being felt and deplored  over the  
whole country1 that ,jenner was quietly 

investigating and  experimenting in his 
native village2 and gradually little    
facts and  incidents relating to cowpox 
were collected1 until in his own mind an
  opinion was firmly rooted that this   
disease communicated by the cow was  a  
safeguard against smallpox4 ,about the  
time when he had formed this  opinion1  
an accidental case of cowpox occurred in
 his neighbourhood1  and he caused      
drawings of the pustules to be made1 and
 took them with  him to ,london4 ,he    
showed them to some of the most eminent 
surgeons  and physicians of the day1 and
 explained his views2 but from none of  
them did he receive any encouragement1  
and from some1 nothing but  ridicule4   
,fortunately1 however1 he was not a man 
to be easily turned  aside from a       
purpose1 or disabused of an opinion that
 he saw good cause  for entertaining4   
,on returning home1 he was still as full
 of the idea  as ever1 and determined to
 persevere in his efforts2 although he  
saw  he must have proofs before he could

 get his professional brethren to       
listen to his theories4    ,it was on   
the #adth ,may #agif--;a day which is   
still commemorated in  ,berlin as a     
festival--that a boy was vaccinated with
 matter taken  from the hands of a      
milkmaid4 ,the disease was thus         
communicated to  the boy1 and he passed 
through it satisfactorily4 ,but now came
 the  anxious and critical trial for    
,jenner4 ,the same boy on the #ast of   
,july following was inoculated with the 
smallpox virus1 but he did not  take the
 disease4 ,in #agih ,jenner published   
his first pamphlet ,on  the ,causes and 
,effects of ,variola ,vaccine2 and      
later1 in the first  year of the present
 century1 he wrote that it was #8too    
manifest to  admit of controversy1 that 
the annihilation of the smallpox1 the   
most  dreadful scourge of the human     
species1 must be the final result of    
this  practice4' ,soon after this1 a    
parliamentary ,committee investigated   
and reported on the new discovery in    

terms of the most emphatic  approbation2
 and a declaration was signed by seventy
 of the chief  physicians and surgeons  
in ,london expressing their confidence  
in it4  ,the ,royal ,jennerian ,society 
was formed1 with ,jenner as ,president2 
and  thirteen stations for the          
vaccination of the public were opened in
  ,london1 in the hope of exterminating 
smallpox4    ,jenner's essay which      
explained his discovery had in the      
meantime been  translated into several  
foreign languages1 and had also found   
its way  to ,america1 where ,president  
,jefferson vaccinated1 by the help of   
his  sons-in-law1 about two hundred of  
his friends and neighbours4 ,from this  
time forward1 vaccination may be said to
 have taken a firm hold of the          
civilised world4    ,that vaccination   
has not done all that was claimed that  
it would do  by ,jenner1 is true1 as the
 occasionally recurring epidemics of the
  disease only too fatally testify4 ,but
 the gain from the time when  cities    

were depopulated and a large percentage 
of the whole human race  was scarred and
 disfigured by it1 to a time when no    
such suffering  is now experienced1 is a
 gain indeed1 although it be but an     
imperfect  one4 ,it is1 however1 almost 
beyond a doubt that had more attention  
been primarily paid to vaccination1 and 
had it not been performed in  the       
perfunctory manner in which it often was
 by medical men1 we should  now be in a 
better position with regard to smallpox 
than we are at the  present moment4 ,for
 it is a melancholy fact that although  
the first to  give vaccination to the   
world1 ,england has not made such good  
use of  it as most other nations4       
,feeling secure in the relief which it  
gave  to the vast amount of mortality1  
we have in a measure let pretty well    
alone1 while other nations have         
meanwhile enormously profited by the    
discovery4    ,it was ,mr ,simon1 the   
late medical officer of the ,privy      
,council1 who  published three admirable

 ,reports on the subject1 and probably  
brought  together more practical truths 
on vaccination than had ever before been
  collected1 that gave an impetus some  
few years ago to further inquiry4  ,it  
was stated at that time1 and with every 
appearance of truth1 that  the vaccine  
lymph becomes enfeebled in its          
protective power by a long  course of   
transmissions from arm to arm4 ,it was  
therefore proposed  that means should be
 taken for establishing a well-devised  
system of  renewal1 which would be      
likely to give greater certainty of     
results  and afford more permanent      
protection4 ,various attempts and       
suggestions  were made in this country  
to introduce vaccine matter from its    
original  source1 the cow1 or1 better   
still1 from the calf2 and ,mr ,ceeley1 a
  medical gentleman1 who1 like ,jenner1 
worked hard at the subject amidst  the  
worries and anxieties of a private      
practice1 made many experiments1  and   
did much to popularise the idea4        

,early in #ahhb1 the local government   
,board set up a small establishment  in 
,london for the purpose of affording    
facilities for vaccination  directly    
from the animal4 ,some time previously1 
a case of spontaneous  cowpox was       
accidentally discovered at ,bordeaux1   
and from this case our  government      
procured the virus which they are now   
imparting to a regular  succession of   
healthy calves1 each of which1 before   
undergoing the  ordeal1 is carefully    
examined by a ,privy-council veterinary 
officer1  to insure its being in perfect
 health4 ,the animal is then weighed1   
and led away for a few days to a        
comfortable stall1 and fed on sweet     
hay1 new milk1 and oil-cake4 ,an animal 
taken in on ,monday would on  ,thursday 
be led into the vaccinating-room1 and   
securely strapped to  the top of a table
 which is ingeniously constructed to tip
 down into  a vertical position4 ,the   
top of the table is then thrown over and
  secured horizontally1 the calf lying  

upon its side1 and presenting  the under
 surface of its body conveniently for   
the surgical part of  the proceeding4   
,the hair is first shaved off1 and then 
some slight  incisions about an inch    
long are made in the skin1 and the virus
  introduced4 ,this operation is        
performed in one part of a large room   
divided by a wooden partition4 ,to the  
other part of the room1 parents  will in
 a few days bring their children1 and   
have them vaccinated  directly from the 
animal thus prepared1 and may thus      
escape whatever  evils1 real or         
imaginary1 pertain to the practice of   
arm-to-arm  vaccination4 ,the calf      
having done its involuntary service to  
humanity1  is1 before dismissal1 again  
weighed1 and is usually found to have   
increased considerably--not1 it may be  
presumed1 in consequence of             
vaccination1 but from the good feeding  
it has received4    ,the practical      
results of vaccination from the animal  
direct1 are in  some respects somewhat  

dubious4 ,belgium and ,holland have long
 been  familiar with it2 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
 system4 ,whether the animal lymph is as
 potent a protector  from smallpox as   
that which has been passed through the  
human system1  cannot as yet be         
determined1 though there would seem to  
be no ground  for any reasonable doubt  
upon the subject4 ,that the humanising  
process does in some way1 at present    
quite inscrutable1 affect it1  seems    
evident from the fact that the vaccine  
from the calf loses its  efficacy       
somewhat sooner than that from the human
 subject4 ,it cannot  be stored for so  
long a time as the humanised lymph1 and 
this renders  its distribution somewhat 
difficult4 ,the best authorities1       
however1  are now inclined to the       
opinion that the difference in this     
respect is  not after all so great as   
was at first supposed4 ,the two         

scientific  men in charge of this       
station are1 however1 enthusiasts in    
this  department of medical             
investigation1 and it may be hoped that 
with the  enlarged sphere of operations 
which government is understood to be    
contemplating1 and aided by a           
well-appointed laboratory in connection 
with this establishment1 an important   
advance may soon be made in their       
knowledge of the subject4    ,compulsory
 vaccination has done much in other     
countries to free them  for long periods
 from this loathsome disease4 ,sweden   
and ,denmark  enjoyed absolute immunity 
for twenty years2 and in ,austria1 where
 very  stringent measures of compulsion 
are resorted to1 they succeeded in      
extirpating smallpox for long periods4  
,it was in #ahec that compulsion was    
first established in this country1  and 
as at first nearly every one obeyed the 
law1 it was attended with  very         
beneficial results4 ,at the registration
 of a birth1 the registrar  has to give 

notice of the necessity of having the   
child vaccinated  within four months1   
and the penalty for neglect4 ,from the  
registrar's  return1 it is seen at the  
local government ,board if a medical    
certificate attesting the vaccination as
 duly performed1 has been  returned4    
,assuming that every child is           
registered1 this system no doubt  would 
answer well2 but there is much reason to
 fear that many children  in ,london    
escape being registered1 and these do   
not come within the  cognisance of the  
local government ,board4 ,it is a       
question whether some  return should not
 be required from medical men of every  
child born  alive1 with the address of  
its parents4    ,absolute care in       
vaccination and its universal adoption1 
combined  with a compulsory             
re-vaccination on arriving at the age of
 puberty1  would without doubt have by  
this time fulfilled ,jenner's most      
sanguine  expectations1 and smallpox    
would have become extinct4 ,at the same 

time1 if the government make vaccination
 compulsory1 they have a most  important
 duty to the public to perform4 ,in the 
first place1 they  should undoubtedly   
ascertain that every known precaution is
 taken by  all public vaccinators to    
protect from harm1 or disease likely to 
arise  from vaccination1 those whom they
 compel to undergo the operation4       
,secondly1 none but properly certified  
practitioners should be appointed  to   
the stations4 ,it is not alone          
sufficient that they be skilful         
vaccinators1 they should also be able to
 take lymph skilfully from the  vesicles
 without the admixture of the minutest  
particle of blood4 ,an  ignorant or     
careless vaccinator may do more harm    
than it is possible  to trace4 ,thirdly1
 no lymph whatever should be used but   
that which is  microscopically examined 
by one who thoroughly understands his   
work1  and the public should be         
permitted to have a choice of either the
  humanised lymph or lymph direct from  

the calf4 ,if these precautions  were   
conscientiously carried out1 we should  
soon have less objection to  compulsion1
 and we should be in a fair way to      
seeing smallpox stamped  out4    ,in    
,america1 according to the ,asclepiad1  
the subject has received  careful       
attention4 ,the ,report of ,dr ,joseph  
,jones1 ,president of the  ,board of    
,health1 of the ,state of ,louisiana1   
extends to four hundred  pages1 and     
embraces everything connected with      
smallpox1 vaccination1  and spurious    
vaccination2 while drawings are freely  
interspersed to  illustrate1 from point 
to point1 the author's histories1 views1
 or  conclusions4 ,amongst the general  
conclusions which the author draws  at  
the close of his treatise1 the following
 are some of the most  important3 7a7   
,vaccination1 when carefully performed  
on ,jenner's  method1 is as complete a  
protection from smallpox now as it was  
in the  early part of the century2 7b7  
,without vaccination1 the application   

of steam and navigation and land travel 
would have1 during the past  fifty      
years1 scattered smallpox in every part 
of the habitable globe2  7c7            
,vaccination has not impaired the       
strength and vigour of the human  race1 
but has added vastly to the sum of human
 life1 happiness1 and  health2 7d7      
,inoculation for smallpox1 which        
preceded vaccination1  induced a        
comparatively mild and protective       
disease1 but multiplied the  foci of    
contagion1 kept smallpox perpetually    
alive1 and increased its  fatal ravages 
among mankind4          ,,by ,,mead     
,,and ,,stream4      ,,chapter          
,,xlvii4--,,under-,,currents4    ,shield
 had not been so perfectly frank with   
,philip as the latter  believed him to  
be4 ,for instance1 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 bill1 he had not   
admitted to  him that the signature was 

a forgery4    ,what he said to ,coutts  
was3 #8,looks queer--but don't know4    
,accustomed to  sign things that come   
through regular channel without looking 
close  into them4 ,will see what        
,hawkins and ,jackson have to say about 
it and  let you know4'    ,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 side4    #8,i do not think that 
any one looking at these would hesitate 
to say  that they were not written by   
the same hand4'    #8,don't know4 ,my   
hand shakes at times4 ,don't always sign
 in exactly the  same way4 ,not always  
sure of my own signature--when it comes 
back to me4  ,will inquire and let you  
know4'    #8,i am positive that the     
writing is not yours1 ,mr ,shield2 and  
,i should  never have touched the paper 
if there had been any signature of      
yours beside me at the time4 ,although  
the amount may not be of much           
consequence to you1 it will be a heavy  

loss to me4 ,but ,i could have no       
suspicion of there being anything wrong1
 when ,i saw ,philip's name to  the     
bill4'    #8,all right4 ,will           
inquire4--,good-day4'    ,when ,coutts  
left the room1 this big bearish man     
growled fiercely and  the growl ended in
 this note--#8,skunk4' ,he immediately  
telegraphed for  his friend ,mr         
,beecham2 and that was why ,beecham had 
so suddenly quitted  ,kingshope4    ,on 
the day on which ,madge made her        
memorable visit to ,london1 ,mr         
,beecham's conjuring friend1 ,bob       
,tuppit1 called at ,wrentham's cottage  
and asked for ,mrs ,wrentham4 ,she could
 not be seen for half an hour2 but      
,tuppit was ready to wait an hour or    
more1 if ,mrs ,wrentham's convenience   
should require it4 ,he was accordingly  
shown into the dining-room--the  place  
where ,wrentham spent the greater part  
of his evenings at home1  smoking and   
concocting schemes for the realisation  
of that grand vision  of his life--a    

comfortable income and a home somewhere 
in the sunny  south4    ,tuppit was a   
quick-eyed little man1 or he could not  
have earned his  living as a conjurer2  
and when he had turned himself round    
about  twice1 he had the character and  
position of every bit of furniture      
photographed on his mind's eye4 ,he     
looked longest at a heavy mahogany  desk
 which was bound with unusually massive 
brass clasps4    #8,what a duffer6' he  
said under his breath4 #8,he has got    
something in  there that will do for    
him2 and he puts on those big clasps    
like  labels1 every one saying as plain 
as plain can be3 8,look here1 if you    
want to find out my little game40 ,well1
 having gone in for this sort  of thing1
 he might have taken the trouble to     
learn the ,,abc of his  business4'      
,tuppit's nimble fingers went round the 
desk and tried its fastenings4          
#8,spring lock1 too4 ,so much the worse 
for him4 ,dier will pitch on it at      
once4'    ,the door burst open1 and     

little ,ada ,wrentham bounced in1 her   
pretty  cheeks healthfully flushed1 the 
hoop in her hand indicating how she had 
been engaged4    #8,o dear6' she        
exclaimed1 drawing back when she saw    
that there was a  stranger in the room4 
#8,don't go away--,i'm a friend of      
yours1' said ,tuppit quickly4--#8,don't 
you  remember me8 ,i saw you watching me
 when ,i was performing on the green  in
 the summer-time1 and you were with your
 nurse1 and you sent me a  penny4'      
,the child stopped1 stared1 then        
advanced a few paces timidly till she   
came to a sunbeam which crossed the     
room1 dividing it in two4 ,then she  put
 out her pretty hands1 moving them to   
and fro as if laving them in  the       
sunshine1 whilst her eyes were full of  
wonder4    #8,was it you did all those  
funny things with the cards and the     
pigeons  and the pennies1 and the orange
 and the glass of water8'    #8,that was
 me1 ,ada--you see ,i know your         
name--and if you like1 ,i will show  you

 some more funny things just now whilst 
,i am waiting for your mamma4'          
#8,i'll go and bring mamma4 ,she would  
like to see them too4'    #8,no1 no2    
don't go for her4 ,she will be here as  
soon as she is ready4  ,besides1 this is
 a trick ,i want to show you all to     
yourself4 ,you are  not afraid of the   
magician--are you8'    ,little ,ada     
peered at him through the sunbeam4 ,he  
was such a little man2  and although his
 cheeks were somewhat hollow and his    
complexion rather  sallow1 there was an 
expression of frank gentleness in his   
eyes which  at once inspired confidence4
 ,a child might trust him1 and a child  
is  quick to detect untrustworthy       
persons4    #8,i'm not afraid--why      
should ,i8' said ,ada laughing4         
#8,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    
lamp4'    #8,but that was a long time   

ago1' she said with an air of           
thoughtfulness2  #8and papa says there  
are no magicians--no real magicians--and
 no ghosts  now1 and that anybody who   
pretends to tell fortunes or to do magic
  things is'----    ,the child          
instinctively paused and turned her face
 away4    #8,is an impostor1 and ought  
to be taken up by the policeman1' said  
,tuppit1 cheerfully completing the      
sentence for her2 #8and he is quite     
right so far4 ,all the same1 ,ada1 there
 are great magicians always  close by   
us4 ,there is the ,good ,magician1      
,love1 who makes you fond of  your      
father and mother and ready to do kindly
 things for other people4  ,then there  
are the wicked magicians ,anger and     
,envy1 who make you hate  everybody and 
everybody hate you4 ,but you know ,i    
don't pretend to be  like them2 ,i only 
make-believe--that is1 ,i perform tricks
 and tell you  how they are done4'      
#8,is that all8' she said1 disappointed1
 allowing her hands to drop1 and        

passing through the sunbeam1 which had  
hitherto formed a golden bar  between   
them4    #8,that is all2 but you have to
 work a great deal before you can do so 
much4--,now1 here is this big desk--your
 papa opens it by magic2 but do  you    
know how it is done8'    #8,o yes2 he   
takes out a nail and pushes something   
in--but that's telling4  ,could you do  
it8 ,i have seen papa do it often1 and  
he did not mind me2  but he doesn't like
 anybody else to see him1 for he was    
angry one day  when nurse ,susan came in
 without knocking just as he was going  
to open  it4'    ,tuppit was already    
busy examining the brass screws4 ,he    
found one the  notch of which indicated 
that it was more frequently used than   
the  others4 ,a penknife served his     
purpose2 he took out the screw1 thrust a
  thin pencil into the hole2 pressed it1
 and the desk opened4    #8,oh1 how     
clever6--,that was just the way papa    
used to do it1 only he had  a brass     
thing for sticking into the hole1' said 

the child admiringly4  #8,i've tried to 
do it4'    ,there was nothing in the    
desk2 and ,tuppit1 with a long-drawn    
breath of  relief1 closed it1 replacing 
the screw as before4 ,but he had kept on
  chattering to the child all the time1 
and muttering parenthetically           
observations to himself4    #8,you must 
show your papa that you know how it is  
done1 ,ada4444 ,nothing  in it may tell 
for or against him4444 ,and he will     
think it so funny  that we should find  
it out4444 ,it's a sign that he knows   
the game is  up and is making ready to  
bolt4444 ,but you must tell him that it 
was  only a little bit of ,tuppit's     
conjuring1 and that he was glad to find 
nothing4'    ,ada drew back towards the 
door1 a little frightened by the change 
in  his manner1 which betrayed          
excitement in spite of his self-control4
    #8,i think--,i am beginning to be   
afraid of you now4 ,you are not like the
  good magician any more4'    #8,that's 
true1 ,ada1' he said humbly1 as he wiped

 his brow with that  wonderful silk     
handkerchief which was of so much use to
 him in his  professional exploits4     
,cold as the weather was1 he seemed to  
be  perspiring4 #8,but you know the     
change is only one of my tricks4 ,now1  
,i  will come back4 ,hey1 ,presto1      
change4444 ,there1 am ,i not smiling the
  same as before8'    #8,no2 you are    
not4 ,you are looking ugly4'    #8,ah1  
let me hide my head4'    ,he bent down  
with a would-be comical manner of       
astonishment and  chagrin4 ,the child   
laughed in a hesitating way1 as if not  
quite  reassured that it was all fun4   
,as he stooped1 his eye fell on a       
waste-paper basket under the table4 ,he 
snatched it out1 and found in it  a ball
 of blotting-paper which had been       
crumpled into that shape by an          
impatient hand4 ,this he smoothed out on
 the table and then held up so  that the
 sunbeam fell full upon it4    #8,this  
is the thing4 ,thank heaven1 it is in my
 hands4' ,he carefully  folded the paper

 and put it in his pocket4 ,then with   
real heartiness  he turned to the       
wondering child4 #8,now1 ,ada1 ,i can   
laugh again2 and if  there was time     
enough1 ,i would show you some beautiful
 things4 ,look  here1 for instance4     
,open your hand2 ,i place that penny in 
it4--,close  your hand4 ,you are sure   
you have the penny8'    #8,quite sure4' 
#8,presto1 change4 ,the penny is gone4' 
#8,no1 it isn't6' cried the child1      
laughing1 and opening her hand1         
displayed the penny lying on the palm4  
#8,keep it1 keep it1 my child2 you      
deserve it2 and take this shilling to   
keep it company1' said poor ,bob        
,tuppit1 who in his agitation had failed
  in one of the simplest tricks of the  
prestidigitator1 as his brethren  in the
 craft delight to call themselves4 ,at  
another time1 the failure  would have   
been humiliating to the last degree2 but
 at present the  conjurer was too much  
occupied with matters of grave          
importance to feel  his discomfiture4   

,mrs ,wrentham entered4    #8,i         
understand you bring a message from my  
husband1 sir1' she said in  her timid   
way4    #8,not exactly1 ma'am2 but ,i   
want to speak to you about him4 ,i am a 
friend of his1 or ,i should not be      
here4'    ,he glanced towards ,ada as he
 spoke1 suggesting by the look that the 
child should be sent out of the room4   
,but ,mrs ,wrentham was too simple  to  
understand the hint1 and ,tuppit was    
obliged to take the matter into  his own
 hand4    #8,i'll tell you what1 ,ada2  
you might be a good magician now1 if you
  like4 ,you could run out to the garden
 and pluck me a sprig of holly for  my  
little girl4 ,she is very fond of shrubs
 and flowers2 will you send  her some8' 
#8,o yes4 ,there is such a nice sprig of
 holly up at the summer-house that  ,i  
was keeping for ,christmas2 but your    
little girl shall have it4--,is she  as 
old as me8'    #8,just about the same   
age2 and now ,i look at you1 she is     
rather like  you4'    ,ada flew out at  

the door2 and ,tuppit turned eagerly to 
,mrs ,wrentham1  his little form seeming
 to enlarge with the earnestness of his 
speech4    #8,you are astonished1 ma'am1
 at the liberty ,i am taking2 but the   
fact is  your husband has got into 444  
well1 got into a scrape4--,please1 don't
  alarm yourself4 ,i hope we shall pull 
him through all right4 ,i only came  to 
warn you1 knowing that he might have    
forgotten it4'    #8,warn me about      
what8' exclaimed the lady1 trembling    
without knowing why4    #8,that a       
gentleman will call here to-day and make
 inquiries about your  husband4 ,answer 
him frankly1 and1 if you can manage it1 
do not look  as if you were afraid of   
him4 ,he is a good-natured chap1 and    
will not  press you very hard4 ,but you 
must try to be quite calm and say       
nothing  about my visit4'    ,the poor  
lady became pale immediately2 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 proclivities4 ,this       
good-natured friend was no doubt  trying
 to break the horrible truth to her as  
gently as possible4    #8,oh1 please    
tell me the worst at once4 ,is he much  
hurt--is he killed8'    ,bob ,tuppit    
stared2 but quickly comprehended the    
mistake which the wife  had made4       
#8,he is neither hurt nor killed1 and is
 likely to live for a good many  years  
to come1' he said reassuringly4 #8,he   
has got into a bother about  some money 
matters4 ,that is all4'    ,tuppit felt 
ashamed of himself as he uttered the    
last words4 ,what  would a broken leg or
 arm1 or even a broken neck1 have been  
compared  with the risk and disgrace of 
penal servitude8 ,but ,mrs ,wrentham had
 no  suspicion of such a danger1 and was
 relieved as soon as she heard that  her
 husband was physically unharmed4 ,as   
for a difficulty about money1  she was  
confident that he would easily arrange  
that2 so she promised  that she would   

answer any questions the gentleman who  
was coming might  have to ask2 for she  
knew nothing about her husband's money  
affairs1  and therefore had nothing to  
tell4    ,bob ,tuppit looked at her     
wistfully1 as if inclined to tell her   
more of  the real position2 but just    
then ,ada came bounding in with the     
holly  and ivy--looking so happy and    
glad1 that the man was unable to reveal 
the worst4    #8,they'll know soon      
enough1' he said to himself1 as he      
thankfully took  the bundle of shrubs   
and went his way4          ,,old        
,,provincial ,,fairs4      ,as a        
survival of one of the earliest         
institutions of this country1 the       
provincial fair is of special interest4 
,although it no longer retains  the     
functions for which it was originally   
founded1 yet its existence  amongst us  
points back to a distant period in our  
history1 when it not  only served as an 
important rendezvous for the furtherance
 of trade1  but was a centre whence the 

legislative enactments of the country   
were  proclaimed4 ,originally1 it would 
seem the fair was generally held  during
 the period of a saint's feast within   
the precincts of the church  or abbey1  
when worshippers and pilgrims assembled 
from all parts4  ,as the sacred         
building1 too1 was frequently in the    
open country1 or  near some village too 
small to provide adequate accommodation 
for the  vast throng assembled on this  
annual festival1 tents were pitched and 
stalls for provisions set up in the     
churchyard1 to supply the wants of  the 
visitors4 ,this practice soon induced   
country pedlars and traders  to come and
 offer their wares2 and hence in course 
of time it led to  the establishment of 
the commercial trade-marts known as     
#8fairs4' ,it  was not long1 however1   
before abuses crept up1 unseemly        
diversions  and excessive drinking      
causing no small offence4 ,for instance1
 in  the fourteenth year of ,henry      
,,iii4's reign1 the archdeacon within   

the  diocese of ,lincoln made inquiries 
into the custom of holding fairs  in    
churchyards2 the result being that they 
were shortly afterwards  discontinued in
 this diocese4 ,in the thirteenth year  
of ,edward ,,ii4's  reign1 a statute was
 passed prohibiting the keeping of a    
fair in any  churchyard4 ,but this law  
was in a great measure inoperative1 for 
markets seem to have been held in       
several ,yorkshire churchyards in the   
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries2 and 
two hundred years later1 the  same      
customs occurred in ,germany4           
,whatever the exact origin of our       
provincial fairs may be1 they are       
undoubtedly of great antiquity1         
although1 singular to say1 their        
charters are comparatively of modern    
date2 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 #8free fair at  ,st ,giles's     
,hill4' ,respecting this old fair1 we   

are told how1 on ,st  ,giles's eve1 the 
mayor1 bailiffs1 and citizens of        
,winchester gave up  to the bishop's    
officers the keys of the four city      
gates2 and that1  while it lasted1 the  
church appointed its own mayor1 bailiff1
 and  coroner4 ,the rules1 too1 for its 
regulation seem to have been very       
stringent2 officers being stationed on  
roads and bridges to take toll  upon all
 merchandise travelling in the direction
 of ,winchester4 ,a  tent of justice    
known as the ,pavilion was held in the  
centre of the  fair1 in which offences  
of various kinds were tried by the      
bishop's  officers4 ,every precaution1  
too1 was taken that all packages of     
goods  entering the city gates paid toll
 to the bishop1 who likewise received   
the forfeit of any wares that might be  
sold out of the fair within  a radius of
 seven miles4 #8,foreign merchants1'    
says ,mr ,morley1 #8came  to this fair  
and paid its tolls4 ,monasteries had    
also shops or houses  in its drapery1   

pottery1 or spicery streets1 used only  
at fair-time1  and held often by lease  
from the bishop4' ,this fair1 therefore1
 apart  from its historical value1 is   
interesting in so far as it was in many 
respects the model upon which succeeding
 ones in other places were  instituted4 
,fairs were occasionally granted to     
towns as a means for enabling them  to  
recover from the effects of war and     
other disasters2 and also as a  mark of 
favour from the ,crown4 ,thus1 ,edward  
,,iii4 founded a fair in the  town of   
,burnley in ,lancashire4 ,an amusing    
origin is given of #8,fools'  ,fair1'   
kept in the ,broad ,gate at ,lincoln on 
the #adth of ,september1  for the sale  
of cattle4 ,it is recorded how ,king    
,william and his queen  #8having visited
 ,lincoln1 made the citizens an offer to
 serve them in  any way they liked best4
 ,they asked for a fair1 though it was  
harvest1  when few people could attend  
it1 and though the town had no trade nor
  any manufacture4' ,stourbridge fair1  

once perhaps the largest in the  world1 
was specially granted by ,king ,john for
 the maintenance of a  hospital for     
lepers4 ,among other origins assigned to
 fairs1 may be  mentioned               
#8,pack-,monday fair1' which was in days
 gone by celebrated at  ,sherborne1 on  
the first ,monday after the #ajth       
,october4 ,it was ushered  in by the    
ringing of the great bell at a very     
early hour1 and by the  young people    
perambulating the streets with cows'    
horns4 ,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  churchyard1 blowing cows'  
horns in their rejoicings4 ,there can be
 no  doubt1 however1 that in many cases 
where the true origin of many of our    
old fairs has in the course of years    
been forgotten1 another has been        
invented in its place1 and handed down  
with every mark apparently of           
plausibility4    ,perhaps one of the    

most curious features of our provincial 
fairs is  to be found in the odd customs
 associated with them1 these possessing 
an additional interest1 as they help to 
illustrate the social life of  our      
forefathers4 ,thus1 from time           
immemorial1 it has been customary  at   
several of our large fairs--such as     
those kept up at ,portsmouth1           
,southampton1 ,chester1 and             
,macclesfield--to announce their opening
 by  hoisting a glove of unusual size in
 some conspicuous place4 ,this1 it  has 
been suggested1 is the earliest form of 
royal charter1 denoting  the king's     
glove--the custom being thus explained  
in the ,speculum  ,saxonicum3 #8,no one 
is allowed to set up a market or a mint 
without the  consent of the ordinary and
 judge of that place2 the king ought    
also to  send a glove1 as a sign of his 
consent to the same4' ,the charter for  
,lammas fair at ,exeter was formerly    
perpetuated by a huge glove1 stuffed    
and carried through the city on a long  

pole1 which was eventually  placed on   
the top of the ,guildhall1 where1 so    
long as it remained1  it indicated that 
the fair was still open4 ,a variation of
 this usage  prevailed at ,liverpool1   
where1 ten days before and after each   
fair-day1  a hand was exhibited in front
 of the town-hall--a sign which denoted 
that #8no person coming to or going from
 the town on business connected  with   
the fair can be arrested for debt within
 its liberty4' ,englefield1  in his     
,walk through ,southampton 7#ahje71     
describing the fair held on  ,trinity   
,monday at ,southampton1 says it was    
dissolved by the glove being  taken     
down1 #8which was at one time performed 
by the young men of the  town1 who fired
 at it till it was destroyed1 or they   
were tired of the  sport4' ,without     
enumerating further instances of this   
practice1 there  can be no doubt that1  
as ,mr ,leadam has shown in the         
,antiquary 7#ahhj71  the glove is the   
original #8sign-manual4'    ,one of the 

quaint features of ,charlton fair1      
formerly held on ,st ,luke's  ,day1 was 
the elaborate display of horns2 the     
booths not only being  decorated with   
them1 but most of the articles offered  
for sale having  representations of this
 emblem4 ,for a long time1 antiquaries  
were much  divided as to what connection
 there could be between horns and       
,charlton  fair1 and many conjectures   
were started without any satisfactory   
result4 ,at last1 however1 light was    
thrown on this much-disputed  question  
by an antiquary1 who pointed out that a 
horned ox is the old  medieval symbol of
 ,st ,luke1 the patron of the fair4 ,in 
support of this  explanation1 it was    
further added1 that although most of the
 painted  glass in ,charlton church was 
destroyed in the troublous times of the 
reign of ,charles ,i41 yet fragments    
remained of ,st ,luke's ox #8with  wings
 on his back1 and goodly horns on his   
head4' ,as an additional  illustration  
on this point1 we may quote the         

following extract from  ,aubrey's       
,remains of ,gentilisme and ,judaisme3  
#8,at ,stoke-,verdon1 in the  parish of 
,broad ,chalke1 ,wilts1 was a chapel    
dedicated to ,st ,luke1 who  is the     
patron saint of the horn-beasts and     
those that have to do with  them2       
wherefore the keepers and foresters of  
the ,new ,forest come hither  at ,st    
,luke's tide with their offerings to ,st
 ,luke1 that they might be  fortunate in
 their game1 the deer1 and other        
cattle4' ,many of those1  also1 who     
visited ,charlton fair wore a pair of   
horns on their heads1  and the men were 
attired in women's clothes2 a mode of   
masquerading  thus described by a writer
 of the last century3 #8,i remember     
being there  upon ,horn fair-day2 ,i was
 dressed in my landlady's best gown1 and
 other  women's attire4' ,referring to  
,st ,luke's ,day1 ,drake tells us in his
  ,eboracum that a fair was annually    
kept up at ,york for all sorts of       
small-wares1 and was popularly known as 

#8,dish-fair1' from the large  quantity 
of wooden dishes exposed for sale4 ,it  
was also characterised  by an old custom
 of #8bearing a wooden ladle in a sling 
on two stangs  about it1 carried by four
 sturdy labourers2 this being1 no doubt1
 in  ridicule of the meanness of the    
wares brought to the fair4' ,at         
,paignton  fair1 ,exeter1 it was        
customary1 says a correspondent of      
,notes and  ,queries1 to draw through   
the town a plum-pudding of immense size1
 and  afterwards to distribute it to the
 crowd4 ,the ingredients which on one   
occasion composed this pudding were as  
follows3 four hundred pounds of  flour1 
one hundred and seventy pounds of       
beef-suet1 one hundred and  forty pounds
 of raisins1 and two hundred and forty  
eggs4 ,it was kept  constantly boiling  
in a brewer's copper from the ,saturday 
morning to  the ,tuesday following1 when
 it was placed on a car profusely       
decorated  and drawn along the streets  
by eight oxen4    ,again1 among the     

numerous other customs which were       
attached to many of  our fairs may be   
mentioned that popularly designated as  
#8,walking the  ,fair4' ,thus1 at       
,wolverhampton1 on the eve of the great 
fair which took  place on the #ith of   
,july1 a procession of men in antique   
armour paraded  the town1 preceded by   
the local authorities4 ,according to    
tradition1  this ceremony took its rise 
when ,wolverhampton was a great emporium
  for wool and resorted to by merchants 
from all parts of ,england4 ,these      
processions1 however1 were in all       
probability the remains of the ,corpus  
,christi pageantry1 which was frequently
 celebrated at the yearly fairs4  ,at   
,avingham fair1 held about twelve miles 
from ,newcastle1 an amusing  ceremony   
was celebrated called #8,riding the     
,fair4' ,early in the morning  a        
procession moved from the principal     
alehouse in the village1 headed  by two 
pipers1 known as the #8,duke of         
,northumberland's pipers1' who1         

fancifully dressed up for the occasion1 
were mounted on horses gaily            
caparisoned1 and specially borrowed for 
the day4 ,these pipers1 followed  by the
 ,duke of ,northumberland's agent1      
bailiff1 and a numerous escort1  rode   
through the fair2 and after proclaiming 
it opened1 they #8walked  the boundary  
of all that was1 or had been1 common or 
waste land4'  ,riding the boundaries is 
still annually practised in many        
provincial  parishes4    ,we must not   
omit to mention the #8,procession of    
,lady ,godiva'--one of the  grandest of 
these shows1 and which has been the     
distinguishing feature  of ,coventry    
,show ,fair1 for many years one of the  
chief marts in the  kingdom4 ,this      
celebrated fair has generally commenced 
upon ,friday in  ,trinity-week1 the     
charter for it having been granted1 it  
is said1 by  ,henry ,,iii4 in the year  
#abah1 at the instigation of ,randle1   
,earl of  ,chester4 ,it is noteworthy1  
however1 that the tradition of ,lady    

,godiva  is not confined to ,coventry   
fair1 a similar one having been handed  
down  in the neighbourhood of ,st       
,briavel's1 ,gloucestershire4 ,thus     
,rudder1 in  his ,history of this county
 7#aggi71 tells us how1 formerly1 after 
divine  service on ,whitsunday1 pieces  
of bread and cheese were distributed to 
the congregation at church4 ,to defray  
the expenses1 every householder  in the 
parish paid a penny to the              
churchwardens1 and this was said to  be 
for the liberty of cutting and taking   
wood in ,hudnalls4 ,tradition  affirms  
that #8this privilege was obtained of   
some ,earl of ,hereford1  then lord of  
the ,forest of ,dean1 at the instance of
 his lady1 upon  the same hard terms    
that ,lady ,godiva obtained the         
privileges for the  citizens of         
,coventry4'    ,again1 at the           
,whitsuntide fair held at ,hinckley in  
,leicestershire1  one of the principal  
attractions was the procession of the   
millers1  who1 having assembled from all

 the neighbouring villages1 marched in  
grand array with the #8king of the      
millers' at their head4 ,from the       
various accounts recorded of this       
ceremony1 it appears that the dresses   
were generally most elaborate2 and one  
writer1 in #aghg1 describing  these     
shows1 says3 #8,the framework knitters1 
wool-combers1 butchers1  carpenters1 c41
 had each their plays1 and rode in      
companies bearing  allusions to their   
different trades4' ,then there was the  
well-known  practice of #8,crying the   
,fair4' ,thus1 in connection with       
,stourbridge  fair we read how in the   
year #aedh a proclamation was issued by 
the  university of ,cambridge in        
#8crying the fair1' in which it was     
directed1  among other clauses1 that    
#8no brewer sell into the fayer a       
barrell of  ale above two shillings2 no 
longe ale1 no red ale1 no ropye ale1 but
  good and holsome for man's body1 under
 the penaltie of forfeyture4'           
,ravenglass fair1 celebrated annually at

 ,muncaster in ,cumberland1 was  the    
scene of a peculiar ceremony1 which is  
thus described in ,lyson's  ,magna      
,britannia3 #8,the lord's steward was   
attended by the sergeant of  the borough
 of ,egremont with the insignia called  
the bow of ,egremont1  the foresters    
with their bows and horns1 and all the  
tenantry of the  forest of ,copeland1   
whose special service was to attend to  
the lord  and his representatives at    
,ravenglass fair1 and remain there      
during  its continuance4' ,in order1    
also1 to attract visitors1 various modes
  of diversion were contrived2 these    
generally succeeding in bringing        
together large concourses of people from
 outlying districts4 ,thus1             
occasionally1 a mock-mayor was          
appointed1 whose duty it was to try  any
 unfortunate person who on some         
trumped-up charge might be brought      
before him4 ,it has been suggested that 
these mock-trials may have  originated  
in the courts which were granted at     

fairs #8to take notice  of all manner of
 causes and disorders committed upon the
 place1 called  pie-powder1 because     
justice was done to any injured person  
before the  dust of the fair was off his
 feet4' ,a notable instance of this     
custom  was kept up at ,bodmin ,riding  
in ,cornwall1 on ,st ,thomas  ,becket's 
,day4 ,a mock-court having been         
summoned1 presided over by a ,lord of   
,misrule1 any unpopular individual so   
unlucky as to be captured was  dragged  
to answer a charge of felony2 the       
imputed crime being such as  his        
appearance might suggest--a negligence  
in his attire or a breach  of manners4  
,with ludicrous gravity1 we are told in 
the ,parochial  ,history of ,cornwall1  
#8a mock-trial was then commenced1 and  
judgment  was gravely pronounced1 when  
the culprit was hurried off to receive  
his punishment4 ,in this1 his apparel   
was generally a greater sufferer  than  
his person1 as it commonly terminated in
 his being thrown into the  water or the

 mire'--#8,take him before the ,mayor of
 ,halgaver2' #8,present  him in         
,halgaver ,court1' being old ,cornish   
proverbs4    ,a similar institution has 
existed from time immemorial at the     
little  town of ,penryn in ,cornwall1 at
 the annual festival of ,nutting1 when  
the #8,mayor of ,mylor' is chosen4      
,according to popular opinion1 says ,mr 
,hunt1 in his ,romances of the ,west of 
,england1 #8there is a clause in  the   
borough charter compelling the          
legitimate mayor to surrender his  power
 to the 8,mayor of ,mylor0 on the day in
 question1 and to lend the              
town-sergeant's paraphernalia to the    
gentlemen of the shears4' ,at the       
yearly fair1 too1 held in the village of
 ,tarleton1 a mock-mayor was  until a   
very few years ago elected1 this        
ceremony forming part of the            
after-dinner proceedings4 #8,three      
persons1' says a correspondent of       
,notes and ,queries1 #8were nominated1  
and it was the rule that each  candidate

 on receiving a vote should drink a     
glass of wine--a 8bumper0  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 installed4'   
,lastly1 referring to the days on which 
fairs were formerly held1 it  appears   
from ,the ,book of ,fairs that they were
 kept up on ,good-,friday  at ,st       
,austell1 ,cornwall2 ,droitwich1        
,worcestershire2 ,grinton1  ,yorkshire2 
,high-,budleigh1 ,devonshire2 and at    
,wimborne1 ,dorsetshire4 ,a             
correspondent of ,notes and ,queries    
says that he saw a #8brisk fair  going  
on in the little village of ,perran's   
,porth1 ,cornwall1 not far  from the    
curious oratory of ,st ,piran1 on       
,good-,friday in #ahgh4' ,in  some      
places1 too1 ,sunday seems to have been 
selected2 for in ,benson's  ,vindication
 of the ,methodists we find the         
following paragraph1 with  special      
reference to ,lincolnshire3 #8,wakes1   

feasts1 and dancing begin in  many      
parishes on the ,lord's ,day1 on which  
also some fairs and annual  markets are 
held4'          ,,the ,,last ,,of ,,the 
,,stuarts4    ,a ,,modern ,,romance4    
,i4--,,the ,,disinherited ,,prince4     
,it was the proud boast of the late ,mr 
,charles ,james ,stuart1 of             
,balquhalloch1 ,n4,b41 that he was the  
direct representative and lawful  heir  
of the unfortunate royal family of      
,scotland4 ,i do not quite know  how he 
derived his descent1 or from whom2 but  
,i feel sure that1 had  he lived at the 
beginning of the eighteenth instead of  
the nineteenth  century1 he would1 with 
considerable confidence1 have contested 
the  right of ,queen ,anne and the      
earlier ,georges to reign over the      
northern1  if not also the southern     
portion of ,great ,britain4 ,he was not 
born1  however1 until #agif2 and at that
 time there were in the ,highlands but  
few people who still chafed under       
,hanoverian rule4 ,when1 therefore1 as  

a young man1 he first went to ,london1  
instead of plotting rebellion  against  
the authority of ,king ,george ,,iii41  
he fell in love with an  ,english girl  
named ,eleanor ,tudor1 who also claimed1
 and1 ,i think1 not  without justice1 to
 be lineally descended from royal       
ancestors4 ,a  portrait of this lady was
 until quite recently in the possession 
of her  daughter1 ,miss ,stuart4 ,she   
was not beautiful2 and ,i strongly      
suspect  that ,mr ,stuart would not have
 wooed her1 had she borne any other name
  than ,tudor2 but the prospect of once 
more uniting the old kingly stocks  of  
,england and ,scotland proved too       
seductive to be resisted2 and in the    
summer of #ahag1 the laird married ,miss
 ,tudor at ,st ,james's1 ,piccadilly1   
and at once carried her off to his      
northern home4 ,in the following  year1 
,mrs ,stuart gave birth to the          
above-mentioned daughter1 who in due    
course received the name of ,henrietta  
,maria2 and when in #ahbj a son was     

also born at ,balquhalloch1 he was1 with
 equal fittingness1 baptised  ,charles  
,augustus4    ,the old laird died in    
#ahfa2 but in the meantime his son had  
grown up  and married a pretty but      
penniless governess2 and in #aheg a son1
 who  was named ,charles ,edward1 had   
been born to him4 ,mr ,charles ,augustus
  ,stuart1 who1 ,i regret to say1 had   
more respect for whisky than for  his   
magnificent ancestry1 was seized with   
apoplexy in #ahgh1 shortly  afterwards  
departing this life2 and in #ahhj1 when 
the events which  ,i am about to narrate
 began1 the only living representatives 
of the  old laird were his daughter     
,henrietta ,maria1 an eccentric lady of 
sixty-two2 and his grandson ,charles    
,edward1 a lively and1 ,i may add1      
rather unscrupulous fellow of           
three-and-twenty4    ,miss ,stuart was a
 tall and very dignified person4 ,twenty
 years  ago1 the thirsty cravings of    
,charles ,augustus had dragged him into 
pecuniary difficulties1 from which he   

only extricated himself by  selling     
,balquhalloch and all its contents to   
his sister2 and from that  time1 ,miss  
,stuart was mistress of the fine old    
house1 and maintained  herself there in 
a style almost worthy of the descendant 
of a hundred  kings4 ,she was rich1 her 
mother's relations having at different  
times bequeathed to her sums amounting  
in the aggregate to nearly              
three-quarters of a million2 and she was
 generous1 as all the poor  of her      
neighbourhood would gladly testify2 but1
 as ,i have already  said1 she was      
eccentric4 ,she regarded herself as a   
,british princess2  she insisted upon   
her servants treating her as such2 she  
lived in  considerable state1 and had a 
large household2 and whenever she had   
occasion to sign her name1 she signed it
 magnificently1 #8,henrietta  ,maria1   
,p4'    ,young ,charles ,edward1 on the 
other hand1 inherited no fortune worth  
speaking of4 ,his father had squandered 
his means in dissipation2 and  dying1   

left a paltry five thousand pounds1 upon
 the interest of which  the son1 until  
#ahhj1 lived in chambers in the ,inner  
,temple4 ,up to that  time he had no    
direct communication with his           
magnificent aunt1 who1  after purchasing
 ,balquhalloch1 had quarrelled with his 
father4 ,in the  spring of the year1    
however1 ,charles ,edward happened to be
 breakfasting  with his friend ,tom     
,checkstone1 who called his attention to
 the  following advertisement in the    
,morning ,post3    #8,a ,personage of   
rank requires the services of a private 
secretary4  ,applicant must be          
energetic1 well educated1 of good       
address1 and  willing to spend the      
greater part of his time in the         
country4--,send full  particulars to the
 ,steward of the ,household1            
,balquhalloch1 ,n4,b4'                  
#8,balquhalloch is your aunt's place2 is
 it not8 ,i wonder who has taken  it8'  
asked ,tom4    #8,no one has taken it4  
,my aunt always lives there2 and1 what  

is more1  she is the ,personage of      
rank4'    #8,your aunt6 ,have they been 
making her a peeress1 then8' demanded   
,tom  incredulously4    #8,she's a      
little weak in her head1 you know1 on   
the subject of our  supposed royal      
descent1' returned ,charles ,edward2    
#8and she insists upon  regarding       
herself as a princess4'    #8,and if she
 is a princess1 what are you1 ,charlie8'
    #8,oh1 ,i don't know4 ,i haven't    
troubled myself to go deeply into the   
matter2 but ,i suppose that in her      
estimation ,i am the legitimate king  of
 ,england1 or rather1 of ,great         
,britain4 ,my grandfather claimed to be 
the representative of the ,house of     
,stuart2 so1 of course1 as the only  son
 of his only son1 ,i inherit that great 
but somewhat barren honour4'    #8,well1
 ,i have made up my mind to write to    
your eccentric aunt's ,steward  of the  
,household1' said ,tom4 #8,i have little
 to do1 and1 what is far  more serious1 
little to live upon2 and if the         

,princess will give me  five hundred a  
year1 ,her ,royal ,highness shall have  
my services4--,is she  rich8'    #8,o   
yes4 ,i believe that she has a good     
twenty thousand a year1 if not  more4'  
#8,and yet she lets you live here on two
 hundred and fifty6 ,i can't  say much  
for her princely liberality4--,do you   
know any one who will  recommend me8    
,and who is this ,steward of hers8'     
#8,he is a ,scotchman1 named            
,m#8,dum--,donald ,m#8,dum4 ,he used to 
be merely a  kind of farm-bailiff2 but  
he falls in with all my aunt's whims1   
and ,i  rather fancy he is making a good
 thing out of his place4'    #8,not what
 you would call a very upright man8'    
hazarded ,tom4    #8,by no means4 ,from 
what ,i have heard1 ,i should take him  
to be a regular  money-grubber4 ,george 
,fegan1 of ,figblossom ,buildings1 who  
was in  ,scotland last autumn1 met him  
several times1 and told me all about    
him4'    #8,ah1 ,i shall go and see     
,fegan4 ,don't you mention the matter4  

,but  remember one thing3 if ,i get the 
appointment1 ,i'll guarantee that the   
old lady shall take you into immediate  
favour4 ,i have an idea1 a grand  one4  
,at present1 never mind what it is4 ,if 
this ,m#8,dum is as mercenary  as you   
make out1 we must raise money to bribe  
him to use his influence  on my behalf2 
and the question is1 how can we raise   
it8 ,all my modest  expectations are    
centred upon the death of my uncle      
,blighter1 who1 as  you know1 is already
 bedridden4 ,when he dies1 ,i shall come
 into a few  thousands4--,will you lend 
me a thousand1 if ,i want it8'          
,checkstone and ,stuart were old        
school-chums1 and although not          
altogether prompt in satisfying the     
demands of their tailors1 trusted  one  
another completely4    #8,i could       
realise my small investments1' said     
,charlie2 #8but by doing so  ,i should  
reduce my income by fifty pounds a year2
 so ,i hope that the  favours from my   
aunt won't be long in coming4'          

#8,then you shall realise2 and ,i'll    
give you my promissory-note for the     
amount4 ,but first ,i must see ,fegan   
and make inquiries4 ,i won't do         
anything risky2 trust me for that4      
,while ,i benefit myself1 ,i shall      
doubly benefit you4 ,when ,i have called
 on ,fegan1 ,i shall at once1 if        
necessary1 go down to ,balquhalloch and 
see the great ,m#8,dum4 ,when ,i wire   
to you1 you can realise2 and ,i can draw
 upon you for any sum up to a  thousand1
 eh8'    #8,so be it1' assented         
,charlie4 #8,and ,i hope you will get   
the appointment  and help me out of my  
difficulties4 ,why1 if only my aunt     
would do the  proper thing1 ,i could    
marry4 ,she might easily spare1 say1 a  
thousand  a year2 and with that addition
 to my income1 ,kate and ,i could do    
very  well4'    #8,that marrying craze  
of yours is like a millstone tied to    
your neck4  ,you ought to look out for a
 girl with money4 ,kate ,smith is an    
orphan1  and has no expectations2 and in

 any case1 you might--if you will       
forgive  my saying so--do better than   
marry a governess4'    #8,my father     
married a governess6' exclaimed ,charlie
 warmly4    #8,so much the worse4 ,the  
race will be ruined6 ,however1 we won't 
talk  about that now4 ,while you are a  
bachelor1 there is still hope2 and  you 
shall have your thousand a year very    
soon1 unless ,i am vastly               
mistaken4--,now ,i am off to see ,fegan2
 so good-bye4 ,if ,i go to ,scotland    
to-night1 you shall hear from me        
to-morrow4 ,all depends upon ,fegan's   
report of the great ,m#8,dum4'          
,,ii4--,,the ,,envoy ,,extraordinary4   
,fegan's report must have been at least 
to some extent favourable1 if  not      
actually encouraging1 for that evening  
,tom ,checkstone left town  by the      
limited mail for ,scotland4 ,for reasons
 that will presently  appear1 he took   
with him half-a-dozen boxes of very fine
 cigars and a  considerable quantity of 
personal luggage2 and1 contrary to his  

usual  habit1 he travelled first-class4 
,early on the morning of the next day   
but one1 after having spent a  portion  
of the previous night at the ,bagpipes  
,inn1 ,aberdumble1  he hired the best   
conveyance in the town1 and was driven  
over to  ,balquhalloch4    ,balquhalloch
 ,castle1 as all ,scotchmen and most    
,englishmen are no doubt  aware1 is a   
straggling building that dates back to  
the beginning of the  fifteenth century4
 ,it occupies an isolated position1 and 
consists of  a grim gray keep1          
surrounded by a circle of stables1      
store-rooms1 and  servants' quarters4   
,it was to this ancient abode that ,mr  
,tom ,checkstone was driven4 ,the       
carriage passed through the frowning    
gateway of the castle into a large      
courtyard1 in which several servants in 
livery stood ready to receive  it4 ,tom 
alighted1 and1 acting upon instructions 
which he had obtained  from ,george     
,fegan1 asked to see ,mr ,m#8,dum4 ,his 
card was carried to that  functionary1  

who at once professed his readiness to  
see his visitor in  his private room4   
,thither1 therefore1 ,tom was conducted2
 and scarcely  had he taken a seat ere  
the ,steward of the ,household entered4 
,mr ,m#8,dum was a short1 stout1        
red-faced man of about fifty years of   
age4  ,he was negligently dressed in a  
brown velvet shooting-suit1 and he was  
smoking a very large cigar4    #8,what  
can ,i do for you8' he asked bluntly4   
#8,i have come down1' said ,tom1 #8with 
an introduction from ,mr ,george  ,fegan
 of ,figblossom ,buildings1 ,london4'   
#8,yes2 ,i know him1' ejaculated        
,m#8,dum abruptly4    #8,and ,i wish1'  
continued ,tom1 #8to apply for a        
secretaryship which1 as ,i  see by an   
advertisement in the ,morning ,post1 is 
vacant4'    #8,well1 sit down1' said    
,m#8,dum1 as he threw himself into the  
most  comfortable chair in the room2    
#8and we will talk the matter over4'    
,and  he proceeded to help himself to a 
stiff glass of whisky from a decanter   

that stood upon a table at his side4    
#8,i think that ,i possess all the      
necessary qualifications1' began ,tom2  
#8but of that you must be the judge4    
,perhaps this letter from ,mr ,fegan    
will give you as much information as ,i 
can1' and he handed a sealed  missive to
 the ,steward4    ,m#8,dum took it1 and 
having opened it1 read aloud3           
#8,,my ,,dear ,,mr ,m#8,,dum--,my friend
 ,mr ,checkstone has seen in the        
paper that a secretary is wanted at     
,balquhalloch4 ,he is a      young man  
of means1 family1 good education1 and   
address2 he      is1 moreover1 a        
sociable companion2 and you may in all  
matters      rely upon his discretion4  
,i therefore highly recommend him to    
you4 ,i take advantage of his journey to
 ,scotland to send to you               
half-a-dozen boxes of very prime cigars2
 and remain yours very      faithfully1 
,,george ,,fegan4'    #8,and here are   
the cigars1' added ,tom1 pointing to a  
package which he  had brought in with   

him4    ,cigars were ,mr ,m#8,dum's     
second weakness4 ,his first was good    
whisky4 ,in  a moment his demeanour1    
which up to that point had been by no   
means  friendly1 altered4    #8,good6'  
he exclaimed4 #8,the letter1 so far as  
it goes1 is perfectly  satisfactory1 ,mr
 ,checkstone4--,now1 let us look at the 
matter as men of  business4 ,the fact is
 that ,miss ,stuart--the ,princess      
,henrietta ,maria  as we call her       
here--wants a well-educated amanuensis4 
,i manage her  estates and her          
household1 but--and ,i needn't attempt  
to disguise it--my  education has been  
neglected4 ,i am not good at            
letter-writing4 ,still1  ,i have worked 
my way gradually up into my present     
position1 and ,i am  not disposed to    
imperil it4 ,the man who comes here must
 be my ally4 ,he  will be paid four     
hundred a year1 and will keep his place 
as long as  he likes1 provided that he  
gets on well with me4 ,the ,princess is 
not  exacting1 although she is          

eccentric4 ,i do not suppose1 indeed1   
that the  work will be hard2 and as     
there is plenty of good shooting and    
fishing  down here1 the life is very    
pleasant4 ,i may tell you that ,mr      
,fegan has  already telegraphed to me   
announcing your visit1 and that ,i am   
upon the  whole prepared to engage you4'
    #8,you are very good1' returned     
,tom1 who1 however1 did not add that he 
knew the telegram in question had been  
sent1 and that he was perfectly  aware  
of its contents4 ,the words were3 #8,i  
send down ,checkstone for  secretary4   
,easy to manage4 ,perfectly innocent and
 harmless4' ,nor did  ,tom explain that 
he1 and not ,fegan1 was the real donor  
of the cigars4    #8,oh1 it is merely a 
matter of business1' rejoined ,m#8,dum4 
#8,i fancy  that we should get on       
together4 ,but1 since if you obtain the 
post you  will obtain it through my good
 offices1 and since ,i naturally desire 
to have some guarantee that the         
,princess's confidence in you will  not 

be misplaced1 you must excuse my asking 
whether you are prepared  to--well--to  
make some small--what shall we say--some
 small deposit1 some  trifling payment  
as a security1 you know8'    #8,nothing 
could be more reasonable1 ,mr ,m#8,dum1'
 said ,tom4    #8,i imagine1' continued 
the ,steward1 who was much encouraged by
 ,tom's  words1 #8that a premium1 say1  
of two years' salary would not1 under   
the circumstances1 be excessive2 for the
 post would practically be a            
permanency4 ,two years' salary would be 
eight hundred pounds4'    #8,yes2 ,i    
think that eight hundred pounds would   
not be excessive1' said  ,tom4 #8,i am  
ready to agree to pay that sum4'        
#8,that's good6 ,then ,i will introduce 
you to the ,princess4' ,and placing  his
 unfinished cigar in an ash-tray upon   
the table1 ,mr ,m#8,dum arose1 and  led 
the way through some long and cheerless 
stone passages into a more  pretentious 
and better furnished part of the huge   
building4 ,leaving ,tom  in a panelled  

anteroom1 he went forward to announce   
him2 and returning1  conducted the new  
secretary into the presence4    ,in a   
large armchair in a long low            
drawing-room sat the ,princess          
,henrietta ,maria4 ,tom bowed low as    
soon as he saw her1 and then--acting    
upon directions which had been supplied 
to him by ,mr ,fegan--advanced and      
respectfully kissed the tips of her     
outstretched fingers4    #8,mr ,m#8,dum 
tells me1' said the ,princess1 #8that   
you are in all respects  competent to   
act as our private secretary4 ,we       
particularly need the  services of an   
amanuensis just now1 because we are     
drawing up some  memoirs of our family4 
,the documents are here in the castle2  
but our  health does not permit of      
sufficient progress with the work4 ,are 
you  prepared to undertake the duties8' 
#8,i am1 your ,royal ,highness1'        
assented ,tom meekly1 as he stood before
  the majestic old lady4    #8,that is  
well4 ,and when can you begin those     

duties1 ,mr ,checkstone8'    #8,i am at 
any moment at your ,royal ,highness's   
disposal1' said ,tom4 #8,i  can even    
take up my residence here to-day1 should
 your ,royal ,highness  wish it4'       
#8,let it be so1 then1 ,mr ,checkstone4 
,mr ,m#8,dum shall conduct you to your  
apartments2 and ,i myself will take an  
early opportunity of visiting  them and 
of satisfying myself that you will be   
comfortable4'    ,the ,princess         
signified that the audience was over2   
and ,tom and the  ,steward backed out of
 the room1 bowing low as they went4     
#8,you should not have said that you    
would come in to-day1' said ,m#8,dum1   
as soon as the door was shut4 #8,and    
besides1 how can you do so8 ,where is   
your luggage8'    #8,it is at the inn at
 ,aberdumble1' answered ,tom4 #8,i      
thought1 under any  circumstances1 of   
staying in ,scotland for a few weeks2   
and so ,i came  prepared4'    #8,humph6'
 ejaculated ,m#8,dum1 who was somewhat  
annoyed at his protg's                  

precipitancy4--#8,now1 if you don't     
mind1 we will go back to my little      
office and complete our business        
arrangements4'    ,ten minutes later1   
,mr ,m#8,dum was the richer by a        
promissory-note for  eight hundred      
pounds1 and ,tom was formally installed 
as private  secretary to the ,princess  
,henrietta ,maria4 ,at the earliest     
possible  moment he sent back the       
conveyance to ,aberdumble1 instructing  
the  coachman to forward his luggage to 
the castle1 and intrusting the man  with
 two telegrams1 worded in ,french1 one  
being addressed to ,george  ,fegan1 and 
the other to ,charles ,edward ,stuart4  
,later in the day1 the ,princess        
requested him to attend her in the      
library2 and there1 without many        
preliminaries1 he began1 under her      
supervision1 to transcribe the contents 
of numerous musty documents  in         
,english1 and to translate those of     
others that were written in  ,french and
 ,latin4 ,he worked for only a couple of

 hours2 and then the  ,princess1 bidding
 him lay aside his pen1 sat and talked  
to him about  ,london1 about politics1  
and about books4 ,in the evening he     
played  chess and smoked with ,mr       
,m#8,dum2 and after the toddy had been  
done full  justice to1 he retired1 well 
satisfied1 to his own snug rooms on the 
second floor of the ancient keep4       
,thus did he spend his time for a week  
and more1 until one afternoon the       
,princess fell to talking about the sad 
fate of her family4    #8,the principle 
of divine right1' she said1 #8cannot be 
altered by  popular clamour4 ,it is a   
reality4 ,she who at present sits upon  
the  throne of these kingdoms is no more
 the ,queen than you are4 ,excellent    
woman though she is1 she is but the     
representative of usurpers4 ,true  kings
 cannot be made by vulgar acclamation1  
neither can wrong become  right by lapse
 of time4 ,but the blood of our race has
 been tainted4 ,our  royal brother of   
sacred memory--though1 to be sure1 he   

never recognised  his exalted           
position--married a commoner2 and how   
can ,i expect that the  child of that   
union should be worthy of his splendid  
ancestry8 ,ah1 that  child6 ,what       
possibilities are his1 if only he had   
the energy to seize  them6 ,but he cares
 nothing4 ,he is content to live        
obscure4 ,he will not  accept his       
destiny4'    #8,nay6' suggested ,tom2   
#8perhaps he lives obscure because he is
 poor4  ,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  ,britain4  
,your ,royal ,highness must not be      
unjust4'    #8,would that what you say  
were true6' ejaculated the ,princess4   
#8,but if  he only made some sign of his
 desire to win his own1 heaven knows    
that  ,i would aid him with my fortune1 
and even1 if need were1 with my life4'  
#8,your ,royal ,highness's sentiments   
are worthy of her great lineage1'  said 
,tom courteously4 #8,i happen to know   

that the facts are as ,i have  hinted2  
for1 although ,i have not yet mentioned 
it1 ,i have the honour of  your ,royal  
,highness's august nephew's             
acquaintance4 ,indeed1 ,i may say  the  
king deigns to honour me with his       
friendship4'    #8,the king6' exclaimed 
the ,princess1 with beaming eyes--#8the 
king6 ,you  have heard ,his ,majesty    
speak1 have seen ,his ,majesty walk1 and
 you have  not told me6 ,oh1 ,mr        
,checkstone1 ,i cannot tell you how it  
rejoices me  to have one of the king's  
friends in my service6--,what is ,his   
,majesty's  will8 ,what are ,his        
,majesty's plans8 ,you may trust me4 ,i 
am devoted  wholly and entirely to his  
interests4 ,how ,i have longed to learn 
of his  intention to take his rightful  
position6'    ,thus encouraged1 ,tom    
,checkstone related to the ,princess a  
very  plausible and interesting story1  
the main points of which he did not     
forget to communicate by letter to his  
friend in ,london4 ,he assured the      

,princess that poverty alone prevented  
the king from taking action2 that  ,his 
,majesty chafed grievously in his       
enforced seclusion2 and that the        
legitimate sovereign of ,great ,britain1
 in spite of the plebeian origin  of his
 mother1 was in all respects a worthy   
descendant of the ,jameses4    #8,then  
,his ,majesty must come hither1' said   
the ,princess4 #8,but ,i am  greatly in 
doubt whether ,i can place implicit     
confidence in ,mr ,m#8,dum4  ,he is an  
excellent servant1 but ,i fear he is not
 too loyal2 and we must  risk nothing4' 
#8,mr ,m#8,dum1' said ,tom1 #8has very  
well taken care of himself hitherto4    
,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  household4  
,i have his receipt for eight hundred   
pounds4'    #8,then1 we shall certainly 
dismiss him1' remarked the ,princess    
with  signs of rising anger4 #8,but1 as 
,i say1 he is withal an excellent       

servant1 and it would not become us to  
act towards him in anger4 ,i will       
pension him2 and when he has left the   
castle1 we may receive the king  without
 any risk2 for all my other servants    
have from their childhood  been devoted 
to the royal cause4'    ,the result of  
this conversation--all the details of   
which were  faithfully reported to      
,charlie ,stuart--was that ,mr ,m#8,dum1
 after a  somewhat stormy scene with the
 ,princess1 quitted ,balquhalloch1 with 
an eye to an eligible public-house in   
,glasgow2 and on the day of his         
departure1 the ,princess wrote a loyal  
and affectionate letter to her  nephew1 
and despatched it to him by the hands of
 her chaplain1 the ,rev4  ,octavius     
,m#8,fillan1 a priest who1 although he  
possessed no remarkable  degree of      
intelligence1 was of unimpeachable      
devotion to the ,princess1  and of great
 simplicity and kindness of heart4      
#8,our castle1' the letter  concluded1  
#8is held at your ,majesty's disposal2  

and all within it is at  your ,royal    
service4'    ,father ,m#8,fillan1 with  
much ceremony1 delivered the missive to 
,charlie  at his chambers in the ,inner 
,temple2 and #8the king' was pleased to 
say in reply that he would at his       
earliest convenience visit his          
well-beloved aunt in the north4    ,two 
or three days afterwards1 the second    
column of the ,times  contained an      
announcement to the effect that         
,catharine ,smith1 daughter  of the late
 ,john ,smith of ,manchester1 intended  
thenceforth to assume  the surname of   
,plantagenet1 and upon all future       
occasions to style  herself1 and be     
known as1 ,catharine ,plantagenet4      
,fortunately1 the  ,times was not       
studied at ,balquhalloch1 the ,princess 
reading only the  ,edinburgh ,courant1  
because it was a thorough-going ,tory   
journal1 and  the ,london ,morning      
,post1 because it was of eminently      
aristocratic  tone4    ,a week later1   
,charlie1 who had meantime received some

 long letters from  ,tom1 went down to  
,scotland4          ,,indian ,,jugglers4
    ,,by ,,an ,,anglo-,,indian4         
,the exhibition of feats of legerdemain 
is at all times entertaining2  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 ,north1 or ,messrs 
,maskelyne and ,cooke of the ,egyptian  
,hall1 ,london1  are not likely soon to 
forget the same4 ,in ,britain1 however1 
it is  only now and again that a        
magician of the first class1 who is     
likewise  a native of the ,british      
,isles1 appears4 ,eminent ,british      
jugglers are  few and far between4 ,but 
in the ancient ,east1 magic is1 and has 
from  time immemorial been1 much more   
generally cultivated4 ,india1 as every  
one who has resided in our great        
tropical dependency knows1 counts its   
jugglers by thousands4 ,indeed1 magic is
 there a recognised calling or          
business2 it descends from father to    

son2 and an ,indian juggler1 be  he     
,mussulman or ,hindu1 would not dream of
 teaching his son any other  business   
than his own--that of magic4 ,and so it 
comes about that the  supply of ,indian 
jugglers is both large and continuous4  
,the ,indian  juggler is a very humble  
individual2 he does not appear before   
his  audience in the glory of evening   
dress2 his only costume is a cloth      
bound round his loins4 ,and thus1 if    
coat-sleeves or pockets at all  assist  
in magic1 the ,indian juggler is at a   
decided disadvantage1 for  both his arms
 and legs are bare4 ,he is a thin1 an   
unnaturally thin1  wiry-looking         
individual--the ,indian juggler4 ,i do  
not know why he should  be thin1 but ,i 
do not recollect ever having seen a fat 
,indian juggler4  ,fat natives of ,india
 there are in plenty1 as those who have 
travelled  on ,indian railways know to  
the detriment of their olfactory nerves2
  but ,i cannot recall a single fat     
,indian magician4 ,again1 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 houses4 ,on  the    
contrary1 he appears meekly before you  
at the foot of your veranda  steps1     
obsequiously salaaming1 quite prepared  
to be turned away with  rough words1 but
 hoping to be invited up the steps to   
perform2 for he  knows that if he once  
reaches the top of the veranda steps1 he
 will1 an  hour thereafter1 be one      
rupee1 perhaps two rupees1 richer1 and  
he will  thus have earned his living for
 a week4 ,not a very liberal            
remuneration  this1 you may think2 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 man4       
,his performance is a remarkable one1   
though1 perhaps1 not more  remarkable   
than a first-class exhibition of magic  
in ,britain4 ,but  between the ,british 
and the ,indian juggler there is one    

great  and important difference4 ,the   
former has all the usual elaborate      
paraphernalia of home magical           
entertainments--a prepared stage1 back  
curtains1 tables1 chairs1 boxes1 c42 the
 latter has nothing of the  sort3 all   
his appliances are contained in a cotton
 bag which he carries  about with him2  
he is nearly naked2 and his stage is the
 ground or the  stone floor of a        
veranda4 ,very often two or three       
jugglers combine and  pay visits to the 
bungalows1 thus giving variety to the   
performance--for  each juggler has his  
own tricks4 ,recently1 ,i had a visit   
from an  amalgamated troupe consisting  
of seven members--five men1 one woman1  
and  a boy4 ,probably the seven had     
conjoined their entertainments for that 
particular day only1 and next day they  
might be performing separately  again4  
,if ,i give a description of what this  
party of seven did1 you  will have a    
fair idea of a juggling entertainment in
 ,india4    ,two of the seven--one man  

and the woman--performed a single trick 
only1  namely1 the famous basket trick4 
,the man took an oblong basket about    
two feet long1 one foot broad1 and1 say1
 a foot and a half high4 ,the  woman was
 bound hand and foot with ropes1 and put
 into a net made of  rope1 which was    
securely tied1 so that she was          
practically in a sack of  network4 ,she 
was then lifted and placed into the     
basket on her knees4  ,but a            
two-year-old child would have filled the
 basket1 and the result  was that the   
whole of the woman's person1 from the   
loins upwards1 was  above the basket4   
,the woman bent her head2 the juggler   
placed the  lid of the basket on her    
shoulders1 and then threw a sheet over  
the  whole--hiding both woman and basket
 from view4 ,in about a minute he       
pulled away the sheet1 folding it up in 
his hands1 and behold1 the lid  was in  
its proper place1 and the woman was     
gone6 ,the juggler now took a  sword    
about five feet long1 and with it he    

pierced the basket through  and through 
in all directions1 horizontally1        
diagonally1 upwards1 and  downwards2 but
 there was no sign of any one inside4   
,he even removed the  lid1 jumped into  
the basket with his feet1 and danced in 
it1 until one  came to the conclusion   
that1 wherever the woman had gone to1   
she was  not inside4 ,the juggler again 
took the sheet1 and after we had        
examined  it1 he spread it over the     
basket1 holding it tent-shaped1 the apex
  where his hand was being about three  
feet from the ground4 ,in a minute  he  
withdrew the sheet once more1 and behold
 the woman was back in her  old position
 on her knees in the basket2 but the    
ropes and net had  disappeared1 and she 
was now unbound4 ,this trick has a few  
variations1  one of which is that after 
the woman disappears1 the basket is     
handed  round to show its emptiness1 and
 some other trick is exhibited1 in the  
middle of which the female performer    
reappears before the audience ere  any  

one can notice where she comes from4    
,a third juggler now made his salaam1   
and began by performing the  beautiful  
mango-tree trick4 ,he took an           
earthenware pot1 filled it  with earth  
moistened with a little water1 and      
placed among the earth  a mango-seed    
which we had examined beforehand4 ,this 
done1 he threw a  sheet over the pot1   
and almost immediately removed it again1
 when we  beheld1 to our astonishment1  
that the seed had in the space of1 say1 
half a minute become a young mango-tree4
 ,again the sheet was thrown  over the  
pot1 and on being a second time removed1
 the mango-tree had  doubled in size4   
,the same process was repeated a third  
time1 and now  the tree was covered with
 small unripe mangoes4 ,this time the   
juggler  plucked the tree up out of the 
earth1 displaying the roots and the     
remains of the original mango-stone from
 which the tree was supposed to  have   
sprung4    ,the snake trick1 which was  
the next item in the entertainment1 is  

one  which has a peculiar fascination   
for native onlookers1 for the fatal     
ravages of poisonous serpents in ,india 
for centuries have produced  a horror of
 such reptiles among natives4 ,our      
juggler showed us a  parched skin which 
had once belonged to a large cobra4 ,we 
examined it  carefully1 and were quite  
sure it was a serpent's skin and nothing
  more4 ,he placed this skin in a       
circular straw basket about six inches  
deep4 ,the basket was likewise examined1
 and we found no double bottom  or any  
other peculiarity about it4 ,when he put
 the lid upon the basket1  it contained 
nothing but the empty skin--that we were
 equally well  assured of4 ,the         
wonderful sheet before mentioned was    
again brought  into requisition1 and was
 spread over the basket containing the  
dry  skin4 ,after the performance of    
some mystic manuvres in the air with a  
little wooden doll1 the sheet was       
withdrawn1 the lid removed1 and out  of 
the basket arose a huge hissing cobra1  

his hood spread in anger1  and his      
forked tongue darting in and out of his 
mouth4 ,some native  servants who were  
looking on fled precipitately in all    
directions2 but  the juggler quickly    
took out an ,indian musical             
instrument--not unlike  a miniature set 
of bagpipes--and began to play4 ,a      
change came over the  spirit of the     
cobra's spleen2 his anger died away2 he 
stood up with  half of his body in a    
perpendicular attitude1 and presently   
began to  sway to and fro in a sort of  
serpent dance to the music4 ,in a word1 
he  was charmed--for snake-charming is a
 reality1 and not a fiction1 strange  as
 it may seem to the people of ,britain4 
,the government of ,india offers a money
 reward for every poisonous snake       
killed in the country2 and the result is
 that there exists in ,india at  the    
present day a class of men1 called      
snake-charmers1 who earn their  living  
by going about in search of serpents4   
,they play on the peculiar  instrument  

before mentioned1 and if any serpent is 
within hearing  distance1 it is         
irresistibly attracted to the musician4 
,serpents will  leave the roots of      
hedges1 holes in walls1 come down trees1
 or forsake  paddy-fields1 if they hear 
this strange music4 ,they erect         
themselves  vertically before the       
player1 who at once seizes them by the  
throat1  and puts them in a large basket
 or bag he carries with him for the     
reception of unwise serpents4#a ,what   
became of the dry snake skin1 we  could 
not tell2 we never saw it again4    ,the
 next performer was an elderly          
patriarchal-looking man1 who  exhibited 
two trained tropical birds1 the names of
 which ,i forget4  ,these birds did some
 really astonishing things1 and their   
master  the patriarch must be a man of  
infinite patience4 ,for instance1 one   
actually loaded a small brass cannon set
 on a miniature gun-carriage1  pushed   
the charge home with a small ramrod1 and
 fired the piece off  by applying a     

lighted match1 held in its beak1 to the 
touchhole1  displaying not the slightest
 fear at the noise caused by the firing4
  ,the other bird would1 if its master  
threw any small object into the  air1   
seize the object in mid-air and bring it
 to the bird-trainer4    ,numbers five  
and six--man and boy--of the troupe were
 circus-wallahs1 and  gave a native     
gymnastic entertainment1 which1 as it   
did not materially  differ from a       
,british performance in the same line1  
need not be  detailed4    ,number seven 
was a juggler of divers accomplishments4
 ,he swallowed  swords1 and put an iron 
hook into his nostril1 bringing it out  
of his  mouth4 ,neither of these feats1 
however1 though undoubtedly genuine1 is 
pleasant to look at4 ,he blew fire and  
flames out of his mouth without         
revealing the origin or cause of the    
fire1 and apparently without  burning   
himself4 ,he took about half-a-dozen    
stones of the size of1 say1  a hen's egg
 out of his mouth2 how they got there1  

or how his mouth  contained them after  
they got there1 was a mystery4 ,he was  
talking  just before he began2 but on   
being asked a question in the middle of 
this stone performance1 he could not    
speak4 ,after discharging the big       
stones1 he wound up by disgorging about 
a handful of old nails and              
miscellaneous rubbish6    ,a much more  
pleasant trick to look at was the one   
which followed4 ,he  took a cocoa-nut   
shell with one end cut off1 and filled  
it with water4  ,in the water he placed 
a little piece of cork1 having a bent   
pin on one  side1 and two straight pins 
on the other side1 so that the cork as  
it  floated roughly resembled a         
lilliputian duck4 ,the cork lay dead in 
the  water1 and it was difficult to     
think what magic could possibly be got  
out of it4 ,presently the juggler1      
sitting about two yards off1 took out  a
 musical instrument and began to play a 
lively tune4 ,instantly the  imitation  
duck commenced to dance violently in the

 water1 suiting its  motions to the     
music4 ,the dancing continued till the  
tune was ended2  then the juggler       
ordered the duck to salaam2 and he was  
at once obeyed4  ,he even requested the 
buoyant cork to dive to the bottom of   
the water2  and his request was         
immediately complied with4 ,while the   
performance  was going on1 the cocoa-nut
 shell was standing almost at our feet1 
and  the performer was not only sitting 
beyond reach1 but both his hands  were  
employed in playing the instrument4     
,one more trick will finish my list4    
,our juggler told a native servant1     
whom he did not know1 to stretch out his
 arm palm upwards4 ,into the            
outstretched palm he placed a silver    
two-anna piece1 and--holding out  his   
own bony hand to show us that it was    
empty--he lifted the coin from  the     
servant's hand1 shut his own fist1      
reopened it in the twinkling of  an eye1
 and an enormous black scorpion dropped 
into the servant's palm4  ,the latter   

fled shrieking with terror1 for1 next to
 the serpent1 the  particular aversion  
of the ,hindu is the scorpion4    ,this 
finished the performance4 ,in the       
foregoing1 ,i have given as fair a      
description as ,i can of an ,indian     
juggling entertainment2 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  magician1 while   
the former suffers from numerous        
disadvantages which  the latter is      
entirely free from4      ,,footnotes3   
#a ,with regard to the theory of        
snake-charming1 opinions differ4 ,it is 
an undoubted fact that snakes will      
frequently emerge from hiding-places  at
 the sound of the #8charmer's' pipe2 but
 shrewd observers have reason  to       
suspect that a single snake can be made 
to do duty for many1 having  been taught
 to obey the summons of its master's    
music767 ,thus1 the wily  ,hindu will   
unobserved place his scaly pupil in some

 hole or crevice in  the neighbourhood  
of a bungalow1 or in the bungalow       
itself1 whence he  will lure it on a    
fitting occasion before an unsuspecting 
audience1  who1 deeming themselves well 
rid of an obnoxious intruder1 applaud1  
and remunerate the charmer for having   
secured and carried away his own        
property6--,,ed4          ,a ,,word ,,on
 ,,woman',s ,,work4    ,,by ,a ,,lady4  
,while education is doing much to       
relieve the question of the employment  
of women of some of the difficulties by 
which it has been surrounded1  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 comfort4 ,among   
the newer  occupations for the          
#8many'--few being as yet able to attain
 to the  height of the professions--are 
china and card painting2 but this market
  has become overstocked2 and it is     
almost unnecessary to add that only     

those who are artists in every sense of 
the word can hope for success1          
originality of design being as necessary
 as correct drawing and good  finish4   
,many women are now employed as clerks  
in insurance and other  offices1 and the
 movement has met with a large amount of
 success4 ,it  is to be hoped that this 
will stimulate others to follow the good
  example of finding employment for     
those who earnestly seek it1 and  such  
employment as they have proved          
themselves to be most fitted for4       
,numbers are employed in the            
,post-office2 but competition is very   
severe  in this branch of industry1 and 
it may be asked3 #8,what will become of 
the already overcrowded ranks of male   
clerks1 if a fresh contingent be        
admitted8' ,the reply1 ,i think1 should 
be3 #8,the man has many fields open  to 
him2 the woman1 few4'    ,shorthand     
writing may yet give employment to many 
women2 the  sewing-machine and the      
knitting-machine are also media for     

occupations  more or less lucrative1 but
 the main object of this article is to  
draw  attention to an invention lately  
brought to our notice in various ways1  
#8the ,scientific ,dress-cutting'--of   
,american origin--which is being so     
eagerly taken up by our countrywomen1   
hundreds flocking to the offices  in    
,london to learn the #8system'--some for
 the use of themselves and  families2   
others1 as a matter of business1        
intending as they do to  become         
certificated teachers and agents4 ,if   
any one is anxious or even  desirous of 
seeing earnest workers1 let him go to   
the rooms of the  ,association and he   
will be gratified indeed4 ,perhaps a few
 words from  one who has just spent some
 days there may not be unwelcome1 as    
many  are inquiring about ,scientific   
,dress-cutting4    ,arrived at #bgb     
,regent ,circus1 we are directed        
up-stairs2 and at the  top of the first 
flight we are directed to ascend a      
little higher1  and then we are shown   

into a small room1 where sits a         
gentleman1  who answers questions1      
receives fees1 writes receipts1 and     
finally1  courteously conducts us into  
classroom ,no4 #a4 ,there order reigns  
supreme4 ,on the walls are the #8drafts'
 to be copied by the pupils1  each and  
all correctly drawn by mathematical     
square measurement1  the calculations   
being made upon a #8chart4' ,we take a  
seat1 and are  soon lost in the         
mysteries of arriving at the due        
proportions of a  lady's figure4 ,one   
pupil looks up with a smile and says1   
#8,is it not  a fascinating employment8'
 another remarks in an under-tone1      
#8,well1  this is a study2' while       
another declares it to be #8simplicity  
itself2' and so the work goes on4 ,the  
teacher--whose patience is sorely  tried
 sometimes--always seems ready and      
willing to render the needful           
assistance1 and is kind and considerate 
alike to all4 ,to our query1  #8,how    
long does it take to learn this system8'

 the reply is1 #8,some learn  in a few  
lessons1 and some take longer4' ,one    
lady had attended the  classes #8on and 
off' for a month1 and attributed her    
prolonged study  to the lack of         
consecutive lessons4 ,but this is not   
always practicable  when ladies live at 
a distance and have home duties which   
keep them  away for days together4      
,before leaving1 we are introduced to   
the secretary1 who1 like the rest  of   
the inmates of the establishment1 until 
now has been a stranger to  us2 and as  
we are introduced1 and she raises her   
bright1 cheerful1  honest ,english face1
 we feel that with her we shall meet    
with a  friend able and willing to      
advise4 ,when we leave the first        
classroom1  we ascend more stairs1 and  
are ushered into a room where skirts    
are to be discoursed upon--the #8short' 
to the #8trained' skirt being  included 
in the lesson4 ,here we recognise faces 
we have seen in the  room below2 and1 as
 in the other room1 we find here also   

all classes  represented--from the young
 girl who is learning to save the tedium
 of  apprenticeship1 to the first-rate  
dressmaker2 and among the ladies1  those
 of small means1 who hope by the aid of 
the system to be better  able to make   
both ends meet at the close of another  
year2 to the lady  of ample means1 who  
has come partly out of curiosity1 and   
partly to  ascertain whether it is worth
 while to send her maid to take lessons1
  that her homemade dresses may in      
future be sure to fit well4 ,neither  is
 she the only lady nor the              
representative of the only class who    
make  at least some dresses at home1 for
 there is scarcely a household where    
this is not necessary now4    ,in this  
room we are measured2 and a curious and 
amusing performance it  is1 quite       
different in some respects from the way 
we should imagine  it to be best        
accomplished2 and here we may say that  
this feat is one  of the most important 
in the whole process4 ,next to it       

perhaps stands  the treatment of the    
shoulder4 ,instruction1 as to this is   
given in the  #8,hints on ,dressmaking1'
 with other valuable advice1 as also on 
the  #8chart1' which is part of the     
machinery sent by post with printed     
rules  for the sum of twenty-two        
shillings1 including the delicately made
  #8tracing-wheel4' ,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 themselves1 and then    
placed themselves in the hands  of a    
competent teacher2 and the extra pound  
charged for the course of  lessons is   
well laid out4 ,there is no hurry2 you  
can stay as long as  you please1 and    
will be kindly received2 and you will   
pass on from  stage to stage of the     
study until you are perfectly acquainted
 with the  whole1 each #8draft' being   
made separately and in its proper place 
in  the course of lessons4 ,cutting and 
fitting are certainly women's work1  and

 those who have taken up this new branch
 of industry benefit not  only          
themselves but others4    ,the          
advantages of this system over the old  
plan may be summed up in one            
word--economy2 for it saves time1       
trouble1 labour1 and material--time1  by
 its exactitude2 trouble1 by not        
requiring fitting or #8trying-on2'      
labour1 in the same way1 and by having  
the turnings cut and the  stitching-line
 marked1 which serves for a guide for   
tacking and  stitching2 and of material1
 by its method of dividing and cutting4 
,in  this way the study soon repays any 
one for her trouble and outlay2  added  
to which1 it is an interesting          
employment2 and many who have not  yet  
left the darkness of the old guesswork  
method will be surprised  that they held
 aloof so long1 when they see how great 
an advantage it  is to work             
scientifically instead of by #8rule of  
thumb4'    ,there are so many to whom   
economy is of vital importance1 that we 

can conceive of none to whom this new   
system does not come as a boon  indeed4 
,even those whose circumstances remove  
them from the necessity  of exercising  
it themselves1 cannot tell what is in   
the future for  their daughters1        
especially should they leave the old    
country and go  to sojourn in distant   
lands4 ,many a father pays what he      
considers  an exorbitant sum per annum  
in dressmaking4 ,one lady told us it was
  the case with her1 and that was her   
reason for #8going in for the new       
method1' as she had six daughters2 and  
hers is not an isolated case4    ,as    
agents are being appointed in the towns 
and cities in ,england and  other       
countries1 ladies will in future be     
saved the journey to ,london1  as they  
will be able to attend classes in their 
own neighbourhood1  as they do their    
cookery class4 ,as an agency1 the       
,society has found  employment for      
numbers of women1 who1 as far as we are 
aware1 are  satisfied with the results4 

,,the ,,steno-,,telegraph4      ,a new  
instrument1 as we announced last month1 
has recently been devised  by ,signor   
,michela1 which1 if successful1 is      
likely to supersede  altogether the     
present system of telegraphy4 ,by its   
aid1 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 
familiar4 ,this is certainly a great and
 valuable achievement2 and the          
instrument has this advantage over the  
more easily worked telephone1  that it  
leaves a record of the message behind4  
,the following brief description will   
assist the reader in comprehending  the 
method by which the instrument is       
worked4 ,it is simply a                 
printing-machine with two rows of ten   
keys each--six white and four  black2   
the keys press on twenty studs1 which by
 means of levers are  connected with    

twenty styles carrying the signs or     
characters used for  printing4 ,the     
printed characters represent twenty     
phonetic sounds1  which the inventor1 by
 combining the signs and skilfully      
grouping  the sounds in series1 claims  
to be sufficient to represent all the   
phonetic sounds in any language4 ,the   
system of stenography which he  employs 
has for three years been practically    
tested in the ,italian  ,senate2 and it 
is now for the first time employed for  
the electrical  transmission of words4  
,the person who transmits the message   
listens to  the words as they drop from 
the lips of the speaker2 he subjects    
them  to a process of mental analysis1  
arranges every syllable phonetically1   
touches the corresponding key on his    
instrument1 and there appears on  narrow
 slips of paper1 as if by magic1 a      
phonetic representation of the  speech  
to which he is listening--not only on   
the materials before him1  but on       
corresponding materials at the distant  

station with which his  instrument is   
connected4 ,he keeps his slips of paper 
as a record2 while  the slips at the    
receiving station are handed to persons1
 initiated  in the mysteries of this    
system of shorthand1 for translation4   
,nor  are its mysteries of an           
extraordinary character1 for it is said 
that  any intelligent person can        
translate this telegraphic shorthand    
after  fifteen days4 ,to transmit       
messages with facility1 a study and     
practice  of six months are necessary2  
and it is said that an expert hand can  
transmit as many as two hundred words in
 a minute4    ,the aim of the inventor  
is to telegraph by means of a keyboard  
instrument any speech1 no matter in what
 ,european language1 as fast as  it is  
spoken4 ,his invention may also be used 
for the ordinary purposes  of           
telegraphy1 with a great saving of time 
and labour4 ,the instrument  has been   
tried in the ,italian ,senate2 and it   
may be seen at work every  day at       

certain hours at ,no4 #a ,rue ,rossini1 
,paris4    ,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 delivered1 to the different    
newspaper offices throughout the  city  
and country4 ,it is not1 however1 the   
practice in this country--with  perhaps 
very rare exceptions--to reproduce      
verbatim reports of  parliamentary      
speeches2 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 station4 ,for       
country  newspapers it would be         
absolutely necessary to send condensed  
reports2  and this practice would be    
accompanied with disadvantages--trivial 
in some cases1 important in others4 ,no 
record would be kept in such  cases of  
the exact words used by the speaker1 and
 such records are  occasionally of great
 moment4 ,where speeches are transmitted

 in their  entirety to be afterwards    
translated1 or if necessary condensed1  
the system would possess many           
advantages4 ,several persons could be   
employed in translating from the printed
 slips1 and the copy handed  direct to  
the compositors4 ,it would1 however1 be 
attended with these  disadvantages1 that
 the transcription would not be made by 
the person  who hears the speech1 and   
consequently1 any errors in manipulation
  would probably pass uncorrected to the
 press2 while in condensing1 the        
telling points of a speech may not      
receive1 at the hands of any one who    
has not had the advantage of listening  
to the speaker1 that prominence  which  
they were intended to occupy4    ,the   
telephone has been used by the ,london  
press for a like purpose2  but although 
in ,london the distances are short1 it  
has not been found  successful in       
practice1 owing perhaps to the fact that
 it leaves no  record behind1 and that  
if it were used1 it would be necessary  

to  employ shorthand writers at the     
offices instead of in the ,house1 as at 
present4 ,the telephone is used1        
however1 to communicate to the writers  
of leading articles what is passing in  
the ,house1 so as to enable them  to    
compose their work in the newspaper     
office4    ,there can be no doubt1      
whatever the future of ,michela's       
instrument may  be1 that it is an       
improvement on the present system of    
telegraphy1 in  which each letter of a  
word is represented by a series of dots 
and  dashes2 and on this account1 and   
because it points out the direction in  
which improvements in our system may be 
effected1 we should give the  invention 
our encouragement and support4          
,,man ,,and ,,nature4      ,the         
,american ,naturalist draws attention to
 the well-known fact1 that  the larger  
game of the ,far ,west has been long    
diminishing in numbers4  ,this1 it goes 
on to say1 is especially true of the    
bison1 an animal  which is unable to    

escape from its pursuers1 and which can 
hardly be  called a game animal4 ,the   
once huge southern herd has been reduced
 to  a few individuals in ,north-western
 ,texas4 ,the ,dakota herd numbers only 
some seventy-five thousand head1 a      
number which will soon be reduced  to   
zero if the present rate of             
extermination continues4 ,the ,montana  
herd is now the object of relentless    
slaughter1 and will soon follow  the    
course of the other two herds4 ,when    
scattered individuals represent  these  
herds1 a few hunters will one day pick  
them off1 and the species  will be      
extinct4    ,let the government place a 
small herd in each of the national      
parks1  and let the number be maintained
 at a definite figure4 ,let the excess  
escape into the surrounding country1 so 
as to preserve the species for  the     
hunters4 ,let herds of moose1 elk1      
bighorn1 black and white-tailed  deer1  
and antelope1 be maintained in the same 
way4 ,let the ,carnivora  roam at will2 

and in a word1 protect nature from the  
destructive  outlawry of men whose      
prehistoric instincts are not yet dead4 
,let  the newer instinct of admiration  
for nature's wonders have scope4  ,let  
the desire for knowledge of nature's    
greatest mystery--life--have  some      
opportunity4 ,let there be kept a source
 of supply for zoological  societies and
 museums1 so that science may ever have 
material for  its investigations4 ,by   
securing the preservation of these      
noblest of  nature's works1 ,congress   
will be but extending the work it has so
  grandly sustained in the past1 in the 
support of scientific research  and the 
education of the people4                
,,michaelmas4          ,the brief       
,september days are waning fast1        
,and a soft mellow fragrance fills the  
air      ,with ,autumn's sweetest       
incense2 now the leaves      ,begin to  
colour1 and the varied hues      ,of    
scarlet1 amber1 russet1 crimson1 dun1   
,hang over wood and forest4             

,the bright stars      ,of the          
chrysanthemums dot everywhere      ,the 
cottage gardens2 the sweet mignonette   
,still sheds her perfume 'neath the     
fuchsia-bells2      ,scarlet geraniums  
and lobelias      ,are in their fullest 
glory2 here and there      ,a rose      
late-lingering shows her crimson cup1   
,though gone her beauteous fellows2 and 
aloft      ,the dahlia holds high her   
queenly head1      ,the sovereign       
absolute of all the band4        ,the   
swallows1 gathering for departure1 twit 
,their shrill farewell2 the dormouse and
 the bat      ,go into winter-quarters2 
short the days1      ,and chill the     
lengthening nights3                     
,for comes apace      ,mellow ,october1 
last of the three months      ,that own 
the ,autumn's reign2 then fogs and wet1 
,and snow and ice and wind-storms close 
the scene4           99       99        
99       99       99    ,printed and    
,published by ,w4  ,r4 ,,chambers1 #dg  
,paternoster ,row1 ,,london1  and #cci  

,high ,street1 ,,edinburgh4           99
       99       99       99       99    
,all ,rights ,reserved4