diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-8.txt | 2148 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-8.zip | bin | 49871 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-h.zip | bin | 257017 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-h/51785-h.htm | 2929 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 174790 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51785-h/images/header.png | bin | 30781 -> 0 bytes |
9 files changed, 17 insertions, 5077 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..232fab1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51785 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51785) diff --git a/old/51785-8.txt b/old/51785-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4a6ade7..0000000 --- a/old/51785-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2148 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, -Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877 - -Author: Various - -Editor: William Chambers - Robert Chambers - -Release Date: April 18, 2016 [EBook #51785] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL, DEC 8, 1877 *** - - - - -Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. - -Fourth Series - -CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. - -NO. 728. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1877. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -THE HIDDEN BOX. - -A TALE OF THE COVENANTERS. - - -Something like two centuries ago, while the persecution against the -Covenanters was raging in Scotland, many were forced, for conscience' -sake, to give up all and retire to out-of-the-way places, to be out of -the reach of their enemies. Among others, a well-to-do farmer of the -name of MacWilliam, reduced to penury by the fines imposed upon him and -the confiscation of his lands, withdrew from the home of his youth; -and having rented a moorland farm in a remote parish of a neighbouring -county, he settled down there with his wife and family. Hillfoot--for -such was the name of the farm--lay in a hollow between two hills of -moderate elevation, which rose with a gentle slope on each side. A burn -ran through the farm, and about two miles farther on, joined a river of -some importance. Almost at the confluence of the two the glen took a -sharp turn to the left, and thus rendered Hillfoot invisible from the -main road, which followed the course of the larger stream. - -Though the farm was of considerable extent, little more than a living -for the family could be made about it, for heather was more abundant on -the hills than grass; and good arable land was out of the question, for -the district was so late that cereals could barely ripen, and even the -meadows along the holms by the burn-side yielded but scanty crops. It -was in this place, however, that James MacWilliam had elected to spend -his latter days. All around the house the outlook was no doubt bleak -and bare and far from encouraging; but all that he loved most dearly -were with him, and if he had not the comfort and luxury of former days, -he had what he prized more than all earthly things--freedom to worship -God in the way it seemed best to himself. At the time of his removal -to Hillfoot he was about forty years of age, and his wife two or three -years his junior. They had been married some fifteen years, and two -children--a son and daughter--had blessed their union. John, a lad of -fourteen, assisted his father in the tending of their flocks and in the -working of the farm; while their daughter Barbara, two years younger, -helped her mother in the house; and although she was not strong enough -yet to do the heavy work, by the sweetness of her temper and the -blitheness of her nature her presence enlivened all about her and made -the heavy task seem light. - -Years rolled on; and though they often heard of the persecution -and dreadful punishment their fellow-countrymen, nay even their -fellow-parishioners were suffering, still in their remote and -unsuspected retreat they were allowed to live on in peace. Ten years -had passed, and with them many changes had come over Hillfoot and its -inmates. Death had not left it inviolate, for the wife and mother, not -strong at best, had been ill able to stand the privations and hardships -which the family had endured since settling there. It was with sad -hearts that her husband and family saw her pining away; and although -they put forth every effort and tried every expedient that love could -devise to prolong her life, she sank lower and lower; and when autumn -was merging into winter, and the heather-bells were beginning to -wither, she passed away. Barbara, on whose shoulders the household -duties had long before this fallen, was now no longer a girl, but a -comely lass of twenty-two. Her tall graceful figure, kindly manner, and -sweet disposition made her beloved by all who knew her, and brought her -many admirers. She had become betrothed to a young man, a shepherd on a -neighbouring farm, and but for the ailing health and subsequent death -of her mother, was to have been married the following summer. - -John, on whom, from the decrepitude of his father, the management of -the farm had now devolved, had applied himself with so much earnestness -to his task, and things had so prospered in his hands, that the family -were in a much better condition than they had ever been since their -coming there. - -Of all the neighbours they had come in contact with, James Morton of -Burnfoothill was the one with whom they had the most dealings. Morton's -wife had been dead for many years; but his only daughter Janet, a young -woman about Barbara's age, kept house for her father. At bottom, Morton -was an honourable enough man, but he was grasping and worldly, and -cared little for those things which his neighbour MacWilliam regarded -as most sacred. Between the old folks accordingly there had been little -coming and going; but Barbara and Janet were fast friends, for the two -girls had forgathered among the braes shortly after the former had come -to Hillfoot, and an intimacy was then formed which grew closer as they -grew older, and which now rendered the two almost inseparable. - -John MacWilliam had also found something of a kindred spirit in Janet, -and from taking a deep interest in her welfare, he gradually awoke to -the consciousness of regarding her with a true and honest affection. He -had long worshipped at a distance; but now that his mother was dead, -and his sister betrothed to a neighbouring swain, he determined to -approach the object of his love and tell her the state of his feelings. -An opportunity was not long in presenting itself. Janet came on a visit -to Hillfoot one lovely June afternoon, and in the evening, as she was -preparing to go home, John volunteered to accompany her. They sallied -out and wended their way down the burn-side. The sun was sinking behind -the hills; the sky was bright and clear and peaceful overhead, and as -the shadows lengthened, a dead calm seemed to descend on all things -around. Nothing was to be heard save the purling of the brook at their -feet, or the bleat of the lambs far up the hillside. The quiet beauty -touched the hearts of both as they tripped along, and caused them to -linger by the way, that they might the longer gaze on the tranquil -scene. Seating themselves on a grassy knowe, with the maiden's hand -clasped in his, he told in simple yet passionate language how he had -long regarded her with the deepest affection and that she alone could -make him happy. Need more be said? They rose to go, for the shadows -were deepening; and as they sauntered down the glen hand in hand, it -was agreed that he should ask her father's consent that very night. - -When they entered Burnfoothill, Morton was much surprised to see John -at such an unusual hour; and when he learned his errand, was not -overpleased, for he had calculated that his daughter, of whom he was -justly proud, would make a better match, since he was rich, and she -being his only child, was the heiress-apparent to all his possessions. -Accordingly, he would give his consent only on two conditions, and -these were, that John should buy Hillfoot and portion it to his -daughter! When John heard these conditions, his heart died within -him; and he parted that night from Janet like a man in a dream; and, -despairing of ever being able to fulfil the conditions, he retraced his -steps up the glen with a heavier heart and less elastic step than when -an hour or two before he had come down. When he reached home, he knelt -by his bedside and prayed to the Father of all mercies for help to -enable him to bear up with his trouble. - -Throughout the long night he pondered and racked his brain for some -expedient whereby he might raise the necessary funds and remove the -only obstacle between himself and his happiness, and carry Janet home -in triumph--his reward and joy. The day dawned; and as he prepared to -go forth to his first duty in the morning, that of looking after the -sheep, he felt as if there was no life in him--as if there was nothing -to live for now. But the old adage says truly--the darkest hour is -just before the dawn. Seizing his staff, he stalked forth and began -to ascend the hill. He had hardly reached the top when he saw right -in front of him a man looking carefully amongst the heather as if for -something he had lost. He appeared to be a stranger to the place; and -his dress shewed him to be no shepherd; and John, surprised that such a -person should be there at so early an hour, went forward and accosted -him. The stranger started when he heard a voice, for he had not noticed -any one approaching, but answered cheerily the 'Good-morrow' addressed -to him. At first he regarded his interrogator with some suspicion; but -the frank open countenance of the latter soon dispelled all doubt; and -when John asked whether he had lost anything, the stranger proceeded to -tell him the following story. - -He began: 'I am a captain in the Scottish army; and the other day while -sitting in my house in Edinburgh I received a message to come to the -Tolbooth jail, as an old friend desired very particularly to see me. -Wondering who this friend in the Tolbooth could be, I set out, and -having arrived there you can judge of my surprise when I recognised in -the prisoner before me an old comrade and fellow-officer, Bertram by -name. We had served together under Leslie, and had been fast friends. -After some years, Captain Bertram left his regiment and went up to -London. What he went for I could never learn, but I lost sight of -him from that time, until he sent for me to come to the Tolbooth. -His history he told me had been an eventful one; and he had passed -through much since I had seen him last. Amongst other things, he had -allied himself with the ringleaders in the Ryehouse Plot; and when -that conspiracy had become known to the government, my friend the -captain fled with all haste from London and made the best of his way -to Scotland. Though he had made many narrow escapes, he got across the -Border safe enough, and was congratulating himself on having at last -reached a haven of safety, when he learned to his surprise that the -limbs of the law were still on his track, and that even there he was -not safe. He hurried north as fast as possible, thinking to find refuge -in the Highland glens; but his pursuers had been gaining on him, and as -he was traversing this part of the country--I take it to be on the top -of this very hill--he saw his pursuers, a party of red-coats, come over -the top of yonder hill on the other side of the valley. He had carried -with him from England a small box of extremely valuable jewellery, by -selling which he would have as much as keep him in his old age and -forced retirement. But when he saw the soldiers so close on him, he -hid the box in a tuft of heather, so that if he were taken it might -not fall into the hands of his enemies; and if he did escape he might -have an opportunity of coming back and recovering it. He was, however, -captured before he reached Glasgow, which I believe is not more than -twelve miles from here; thence he was taken to Edinburgh and confined -in the Tolbooth, where I saw him. I interested myself in his case, and -used all my influence to get him set free; but the evidence of his -guilt was too decided to admit of a doubt, and the government was in -no forgiving mood. He was tried, condemned, and has been executed. The -night before his execution he sent for me and described the place where -he had left his box of valuables, and asked me to go and search for -them and take the use of them. From the description I got of the hill, -I think this must be the one, and my errand here this morning is to -find this lost treasure.' - -When he had finished his story, John immediately volunteered to help -him in his search for the box; and the stranger being nothing loath, -the two started to look, and continued the search until the sun had -mounted high in the heavens. The stranger, unused to the rough and -uneven ground of the hill, was completely knocked up, and determined -to give up the search as useless, remarking that it reminded him -of looking for a needle in a haystack. After being pressed to go -down and partake of some refreshments--which, however, the stranger -declined--and as they were on the point of parting, John asked him to -leave his address, so that if he did find the box, he would be able to -let him know. The stranger did so, and promised a handsome reward if -the box was found and brought to Edinburgh. They parted, the stranger -to make the best of his way to the village, which lay some four miles -off, and thence take horse to Glasgow; John to go his rounds amongst -the sheep, which had been neglected while the search was going on. - -Whilst he was thus occupied, he kept turning over in his mind what had -passed between the stranger and himself, and it suddenly occurred to -him that here was an opportunity of raising at least a little money, -for should he find the box, the stranger had promised a handsome -reward. At the thought, a wild tumultuous joy filled his breast, and -he eagerly hastened to finish his round and get back home, so that -when he had breakfasted he might renew the search. He was, however, -so far behind his usual time of arrival that he found his kinsfolk -in consternation at his protracted stay. Fearing some accident had -befallen his son, the old man was on the point of going out to seek for -him when he made his appearance. John told them the cause of his delay; -and also declared his intention of going out to continue the search as -soon as he had satisfied his hunger. - -The story told by her brother made a great impression on Barbara, and -she, after sitting wrapt in thought for a few minutes, exclaimed: 'It -_must_ have been him!' Her brother in surprise asked what she meant; -and then she told how, one afternoon two or three months before, she -had wandered up the burn-side with her seam in her hand, and had seen -a man running along the hill as fast as the nature of the ground would -permit; and as he ran she saw him halt, and as it were bend down -amongst the heather, and then start off to run again. She stood and -watched him till he went out of sight, thinking it was perhaps some -poor Covenanter chased by 'Kirke's Lambs,' who at that time were the -terror of the country; but having watched some time longer, and seeing -no one in pursuit, she concluded it would simply be a shepherd on -some errand of despatch, and thought no more about it. Her brother's -recital, however, had brought the circumstance to her memory; and -laying the two things together, she inferred that it must have been -Captain Bertram she had seen, and that when she saw him stoop, he had -concealed the box of valuables. - -When John heard his sister's story, he eagerly questioned her whether -she could trace the man's course along the hill or point out the place -where she had seen him stoop. Barbara was uncertain, but volunteered -to accompany her brother and indicate, so far as she could remember, -the spot he was so anxious to find. Hurriedly partaking of the food -his sister had prepared for him, in a very few minutes the two issued -forth to begin the search. They agreed that it would be better to go -to the place where she had been standing when she saw the fugitive, so -that she might have a better idea of where to look. They accordingly -held their way up the valley, and as they were going he told her all -that had passed the night before, and explained how it was that he was -so eager to fall in with the concealed treasure. She, with all the -ready sympathy of a sister, entered into his spirit; and when they -had reached the place where she thought she had been standing, she -proposed that he should go up the hill, and in that way she might be -more able to tell definitely at what distance the man had been out. -The suggestion seemed good, and was immediately carried out; and at -the distance of nearly half a mile from where she was standing, she -signalled him to stop. She immediately ascended, and as soon as she -had reached him the search began in earnest. Sticking his staff in -the ground where he had been standing, he hung his plaid upon it; and -then Barbara and he going out something like fifty yards, and taking -different directions, each described a semicircle with the plaid as -centre, meeting on the opposite side. They continued the process, -narrowing the circle every round, till they had come within five yards -of the plaid; but all to no purpose. The task seemed hopeless, and -they were on the point of abandoning the search in the space they had -inclosed with the first round, when Barbara, with a joyful cry, drew -forth the box from a thick bunch of heather! - -The two then hurried home to make known their good fortune to their -father, and also to consult how they should let Captain Hamilton, -John's friend of the morning, know that they had found the box. There -were no telegraph wires in those days which could flash the news to its -destination in a few minutes; nor were there even mails from so remote -a place, by which letters could be carried with anything like safety -or precision. The only way therefore that seemed to be advisable was -that John should take the box and carry it all the way to Edinburgh -and hand it over to the rightful owner. It was accordingly resolved -that he should start very early next morning, which would enable him -to reach Edinburgh that day, and take the box with him. To effectually -conceal it, Barbara put up two pairs of blankets of her own weaving -into a bundle, with the box inside; and when the east was beginning -to turn gray, John set out with his bundle on his back, and some -cakes and cheese in his pocket. On he trudged with a light step and -lighter heart, for he felt he was on the eve of having his dearest -wish fulfilled. Long before its inhabitants had begun to stir, he -passed through Glasgow, then an insignificant city compared with its -present grandeur and prosperity. While it was still early, halting -by the wayside he quenched his thirst at a neighbouring spring, and -then walked on, passing many villages by the way. By midday he reached -Falkirk, and having there done justice to his cakes and cheese, he -pushed on; and as the sun was sinking in the west he reached Edinburgh, -and with little difficulty sought out the address given him by his -friend the captain. - -He found that that gentleman lived in one of the most fashionable -houses in the town; and when he knocked at the door and asked to see -Captain Hamilton, the page told him in a very rough manner that his -master had no time to waste on such as he. John felt nettled at this -impertinence, but respectfully desired him to tell his master that -the shepherd with whom he had been speaking the morning before, was -at the door, and wished to see him. The page very reluctantly went; -and when he delivered his message, was not a little surprised to see -the alacrity with which his master obeyed the summons. The captain -took John into his private room, and there eagerly asked him if he -had found the box. For an answer, John quietly drew the article asked -for from his bundle and handed it to the captain, who took it, and -having produced the key which Bertram had given him when he told him -the story, opened the box and found the contents all safe. He did not -tell John what was the value of the jewels it contained; but after -having been made acquainted with the mode in which the treasure had -been recovered, he produced a bag containing one thousand guineas, and -handed it to the faithful shepherd, as the reward of his honesty and -fidelity. He at the same time pressed him to accept of his hospitality -for that night; to which John readily consented, being thoroughly worn -out by his long and tiresome journey. Ordering meat to be set before -his guest, he waited till he had had enough, and then conducted him to -a bedroom for the night. - -It would hardly be possible to describe the feelings of John when he -found himself alone. An overpowering sense of gratitude to his heavenly -Father filled his breast, and falling on his knees, he poured forth -a fervent prayer of thanksgiving for what he had received. In the -munificent reward he had earned, he saw the highest aim of his ambition -won, and his dearest hopes consummated. Having at length retired to -rest, his thoughts kept him awake for some time; but tired Nature soon -asserted herself, and he sunk into a deep and refreshing slumber, and -slept until the beams of the rising sun shining into his room roused -him, and warned him that it was time to be taking the road. He rose, -dressed himself, and was on the point of leaving, when the butler -knocked at the door and told him breakfast was laid for him in the -hall. Gratefully partaking of the offered cheer, he then set forth on -his journey homeward, where he arrived as the gloaming was deepening -into night. His story was soon told; and when he held forth the bag -of gold and declared how much it contained, and assured them that it -was all his own, his sister fairly broke down and wept for very joy. -John then told his father the whole story of how he had trudged to -the Scottish metropolis, and what he had there found; and he in the -fullness of his heart embraced his children, and thanked God who had -been so bountiful to them. - -There is little more to tell. The muirland farm changed owners, and the -house was repaired. James Morton was no longer opposed to the marriage -of his daughter Janet with John MacWilliam, for his son-in-law elect -was no longer a poor tenant farmer, but an independent laird; and -before another summer had come and gone, a new mistress had begun to -rule at Hillfoot, and Barbara had been wedded to her shepherd-swain. It -is unnecessary to follow them further in detail; suffice it to say that -John and Janet lived long and happily together, and had the pleasure of -seeing their sons and daughters grow up around them; and when he died, -he left Hillfoot to his eldest son, charging him neither to sell it nor -to leave it. Well and faithfully has that injunction been carried out, -for to this day a descendant of the MacWilliams is in possession of -Hillfoot. - - - - -FIRES AND THEIR CAUSES. - - -The oft-repeated words, 'Cause unknown,' appended to the daily reports -of the conflagrations which occur all over the country--such as that, -for instance, which lately occurred at Inveraray Castle, but which is -now supposed to have been caused by lightning--furnish matter for grave -reflection. A glance at the report of one of the largest fire brigades -will shew us that the causes (when ascertained) are of the most varied -description. It appears that the candle is the most destructive weapon -to be found in an ordinary household, for conflagrations lighted by its -help far outnumber those credited to any other cause. Curtains come -next on the black list. The next large figures are given to 'Spark -from fire,' followed by 'Foul flues.' Next in order may be noticed -'Gas,' 'Children playing with fire,' 'Tobacco-smoking,' 'Spontaneous -ignition,' and lastly 'Incendiarism.' - -There is no doubt that many a fire owes its origin to causes quite -beyond the control of the tenant of the house in which it occurs, and -that the scamping manner in which builders' work is often done is the -prime cause of many a fire which is put down as unaccounted for. The -ends of joists are left protruding into chimneys, or a thin hearthstone -is set upon a bed of timber. In both cases the wood becomes so dry and -hot that it is ready to take fire from the first spark that settles -near it. Overheated flues represent a source of danger which is also -attributable to the careless builder; for if the flue were so placed -that its heat could not affect adjacent woodwork, it would be always -as safe when hot as when cold. It is true that by act of parliament -builders are obliged to preserve a certain distance between flues and -timber; but surveyors cannot always reckon on their instructions being -carried out, and cases are unfortunately rare nowadays where workmen -will do their duty in such matters without constant supervision. Lath -and plaster divisions between houses are also illegal; but buildings, -and more especially warehouses, are now of such vast extent, that they -really represent aggregations of small houses in which the act of -parliament concerning party-walls becomes a dead-letter. - -Among the ascertained causes of fire are those which occur in the -various workshops where hazardous trades are carried on. These -naturally shew an increase since steam-power has become such a -universal aid to nearly every kind of human labour; necessitating -furnaces which remain kindled for weeks or months together. Apart from -this source of risk, there are numerous trades where such inflammables -as turpentine, naphtha, spirits of wine, and combinations of them in -the form of varnishes, are in daily use to a very large extent. The -familiarity which such constant use provokes breeds a contempt which -often resolves itself into a negligence almost criminal in its nature. -Drying-stoves afford another dangerous item in the list of fires -connected with the trades; japanners, cabinet-makers, and hosts of -others using such stoves as a necessity of their business. Hot-water -pipes for heating purposes also represent the cause of a large number -of fires, the most dangerous kind being those which are charged with -water and hermetically sealed. The reason of this is easily explained. -Water boils at a temperature far below that necessary to ignite -woodwork; but when confined in such pipes as we have described, it will -rise in temperature to an extent only measured by the strength of the -material which holds it. A soft metal plug is sometimes inserted in -these pipes, so that should any unusual degree of heat be approached, -it will melt out, and thus relieve the pressure; but such a good -precaution is by no means universal. - -The pipes which are used for carrying off heated air, and which are -placed above gas-burners, are too often allowed to pass between the -ceiling and the floor above without any regard to the obvious danger -incurred. The various close stoves which were introduced to public -notice at the time when the price of coal was suddenly doubled, -although no doubt economical, are not so safe as the old form of -kitchen range, which many a careful housewife has likened to a cavern. -The whole of the air which rises through the flue of a closed stove -actually passes through the fire, and thus attains a very exalted -temperature. In the old stoves, on the other hand, the hot air is -always largely diluted with that which is attracted to the chimney from -all quarters. It is evident therefore that the chances of fire in the -flue of the former are much greater than in that of the latter. - -Theatres may be said to combine within their walls all the risks which -we have as yet alluded to, for they represent factories where work of -a most diversified kind is carried on, and where both open and closed -fires are in constant use. At pantomime time especially, the number -of persons employed in the various workshops of a large theatre is to -the uninitiated quite marvellous. Carpenters and 'property-men' (those -clever workmen who can make everything from a bunch of carrots to a -parish pump) represent a constant source of danger from fire, in that -they deal with inflammable material, and require the aid of heat for -their size and glue. It is obviously important in a little kingdom -where all is make-believe--where the most solid masonry is wood and -canvas, where the greenest trees are dry as tinder, where even limpid -streams are flimsy muslin, nay, where the moon itself is but a piece -of oiled calico--that there should be no mistake about the reality of -the precautions against accidental fire. In most theatres, rules are in -force of the most stringent character, extending even to such details -as clearing so many times a day the accumulated shavings from the -carpenters' shops. If such a sensible law were enforced in other places -besides theatres, it would be a preventive measure of very great value. - -Shavings are perhaps the most dangerously inflammable things to be -found about a building. A block of wood is a difficult thing to set on -fire; but when reduced to the form of shavings, a mere spark will turn -it into a roaring fire. The same thing may be said in a minor degree -of a lump of iron, which when reduced to filings can be burnt in the -flame of a common candle. It is often this difference of bulk which -will decide whether a material is practically inflammable or not. Paper -affords another example of the same principle; tied tightly in bundles -it may smoulder, while in loose sheets its inflammability is evident. - -It is stated upon good authority that in one-third of the number of -fires which occur the cause is not ascertained. The plan long ago -adopted in New York, and which has led to a sensible diminution in -the number of fires there, has not, for some reason, found favour -with the authorities in this country. We allude to the custom of -convening a coroner's court to inquire into the origin of every fire -which takes place. There is little doubt that such inquiries would -educate thoughtful householders into taking precautions which might not -otherwise strike them as being at all necessary. The importance of such -precautions is manifest when we learn that in London alone there are on -the average three fires in every twenty-four hours. If this wholesale -destruction were reported of an Eastern city, where the houses are of -wood, and are sun-dried by incessant tropical heat, there would be some -excuse for it. But here at home, where bricks and mortar are so common, -it is certainly astonishing that fires should be so prevalent. - -It would seem that it is a much easier task to set an entire house -on fire, than it is with deliberate intention, and with proper -combustibles, to light a stove for the purpose of boiling a kettle. -This latter operation is not so simple as it appears to be, as any one -may prove who has not already tried his, or her, hand at it. In fact, -an efficient or bad house-servant may be almost at once detected by the -ease or difficulty with which she lights her fires. The inefficient -servant will place some crumpled paper in the grate, and will throw -the best part of a bundle of wood on the top of it, crowning the whole -with a smothering mass of coal; and will expect the fire to burn. -The good servant will, on the other hand, first clear her grate, so -as to insure a good draught; she will then place the wood above the -paper, crossing the sticks again and again; then the coals are put -in deftly one by one, affording interstices through which the flames -will love to linger; a light is applied; and the kettle will soon be -singing acknowledgments of the warm ardour with which it has been -wooed. Contrast this with the other picture, where double the fuel -is wasted, and where smoke and dirt make their appearance in lieu of -tea and toast. We venture to say that a badly managed kitchen fire, -with its train of unpunctual meals, leads to more general loss of -temper than all the other minor domestic troubles put together. The -stove is usually the scapegoat on which the offending servant lays -her incompetence (the cat clearly could establish an _alibi_); but -the most perfect of ranges would not remedy the fault. The only real -reason for such a state of things is the prevalence of sheer stupidity. -Molly's mother was taught by Molly's grandmother to light a fire in a -certain way, and Molly's descendants will, from persistence of habit, -continue to light fires in that manner, be it good or evil, until the -end of time. It is quite clear that the same stupidity which causes -an intentional fire to fail, will occasionally lead to a pyrotechnic -exhibition which has been quite unlooked for. For instance, cases are -not unknown where servants have used the contents of a powder-horn -for coaxing an obstinate fire to burn; the loss of a finger or two -generally giving them sufficient hint not to repeat the experiment. - -The general use of gas has done much to reduce the number of -conflagrations, for it has replaced other illuminators far more -dangerous; but it has at the same time contributed a cause of accident -which before its use could not exist. So long as people will insist on -looking for an escape of gas with a lighted candle, so long will their -rashness be rewarded with an explosion. It is not customary, where -there is a doubt as to whether a cask contains gunpowder or not, to -insert a red-hot poker into the bung-hole. Yet such a proceeding would -be scarcely less foolhardy than the detection of the presence of gas -by means of flame. The test in both cases is most thorough, but it is -too energetic in its action to be of any value but to those who wish to -rise in the world too suddenly. - -Drunkenness is a well-known source of burnt-out dwellings, the -habitual tippler being too often left to his own devices in the -matter of matches and candles. The usual faculty of double vision -with which an inebriated man is gifted, leads to a divided claim upon -the extinguisher, which naturally points to a disastrous sequel. Even -sober people will be guilty of the most hazardous habits, such as -novel-reading in bed with a candle placed near them on a chair; for -novels, like some other graver compositions, are occasionally apt to -induce slumber; and the first movement of the careless sleeper may -imperil his life, as well as the lives of others who may be under the -same roof with him. - -The caprices of female dress have also often led to fatal accidents -from fire, and crinoline skirts had in their day much to answer for. -But at the present time petticoats seem to have shrunk in volume to -the more moderate dimensions of an ordinary sack, so that we are not -likely to hear of accidents from this particular cause until some -fresh enormity is perpetrated in the name of fashion. We may mention -in this connection that tungstate of soda (a cheap salt) will render -muslins, &c. uninflammable. But strange to say, it is not generally -adopted, even on the stage, where the risks are so multiplied, because -it is said to prevent the starch drying with due stiffness! We have -all heard of what female courage is capable when little ones are in -danger, but we hardly thought that it was equal to the task of risking -precious life for the appearance of a muslin dress. We can only bow, -and say--nothing. - -Where fires have been traced to spontaneous combustion, it has -generally been found that some kind of decomposing vegetable matter -has been the active instrument in their production. Cotton-waste which -has been used for cleaning oily machinery and then thrown aside in some -forgotten corner, sawdust on which vegetable oil has been spilt, and -hemp, have each in its turn been convicted of incendiarism. The simple -remedy is _to avoid the accumulation of lumber and rubbish in places -where valuable goods and still more valuable lives are at stake_. -Occasionally fires have been accidentally caused by the concentration -of the sun's rays by means of a lens or of a globe of water, and -opticians have for this reason to be very careful in the arrangement of -their shop-windows. A case lately occurred where a fire was occasioned, -it was supposed, by a carafe of water that stood on the centre of a -table. The sun's rays had turned it into a burning-glass! It is stated, -with what amount of truth we cannot say, that fires in tropical forests -are sometimes caused by the heavy dewdrops attached to the foliage -acting the part of lenses. - -The advance which has been made during the last twenty years in all -appliances connected with the art of extinguishing fires, has done -much to limit or rather localise the dangers of such catastrophes; for -whereas in the old days the lumbering 'parish squirt' was the only -means of defence, we have now in all large towns steam fire-engines -capable of throwing an immense stream of water with force enough to -reach the topmost floors of very high buildings. The aforesaid 'squirt' -was capable of little more than wetting the outside of contiguous -buildings, with a view to prevent the spread of the original fire, -which generally burnt itself out. But now our engines furnish a power -which will often smother a large fire in the course of half an hour -or less. Moreover, our well organised fire brigades are trained to -convey the hose to the nucleus of the flames, and much heroism is shewn -in the carrying out of this dangerous duty. It will be especially -interesting to the readers of this _Journal_ to note that the first -really efficient brigade was formed in Edinburgh by the late lamented -Superintendent Braidwood. He was afterwards employed in a like service -for London, where his devotion to duty eventually cost him his life. -Like a true soldier, he died 'under fire.' - -And now for a few simple precautions. - -Let some member of the family visit every portion of the house before -it is shut up for the night. (While he is seeing to the safety of -the fires and lights, he can also give an eye to bolts and bars, and -thus fulfil another most necessary precaution.) See that there is no -glimmering of light beneath the bedroom doors for any unreasonable time -after the inmates have retired to rest. Insist on ascertaining the -cause of any smell of burning. It may be only a piece of rag safely -smouldering in a grate, but satisfy yourself upon the point without -delay. Do not rake out a fire at night, but allow it to burn itself out -in the grate. (We have already referred to the danger of hearthstones -set upon timber.) Do not allow an unused fireplace to be closed up with -a screen unless it is first ascertained that there is no collection -of soot in the chimney, and no communication with any other flue from -which a spark may come. Caution servants not to throw _hot_ ashes into -the dust-bin. Let the slightest escape of gas be remedied as soon as -possible, and remember that the common form of telescope gasalier -requires water at certain intervals, or it will become a source of -danger. Finally, forbid all kinds of petroleum and benzoline lamps to -be trimmed except by daylight. (A lamp was the initial cause of the -great Chicago fire.) - -Many other precautions will suggest themselves to the careful -housekeeper. But after all, the best precaution is common-sense, which, -however, is the least available, being the misnomer for a faculty which -is far from common. - - - - -A CAST OF THE NET. - -THE STORY OF A DETECTIVE OFFICER. - - -IN FOUR CHAPTERS.--CHAPTER II. - -By ten o'clock on the following morning I had sketched out my plan, -and more than that, I was down at the water-side and looking after -a lodging, for I never let the grass grow under my feet. I must -say, however, that I very much disliked the east end of London, and -especially the river-side part of it; everything was so dirty and -miserable and crowded, that to a man of really decent tastes like -myself, it was almost purgatory to pass a day in it. And on this -particular occasion the weather changed the very day I went there; it -was getting on towards late autumn (October in point of fact), and -we had been having most beautiful weather; but this very morning it -came on to rain, a close thick rain, and we didn't have three hours of -continuous fine weather while I stopped in the east. - -I was not likely to be very particular about my lodgings in one sense, -though in another I was more particular than any lodger that ever -came into the neighbourhood; and after a little trouble I pitched -upon a public-house again, chiefly because my going in and out would -attract less attention there than at a private house; so I secured a -small second-floor back room at the _Anchor and Five Mermaids_, or the -_Anchor_ as it was generally called, for shortness. - -The great recommendation of the _Anchor and Five Mermaids_ was that -it was nearly opposite to Byrle & Co.'s engineering shops, a ferry -existing between the two places; this ferry was reached by a narrow -dirty lane, which ran by the side of the _Anchor_, and I could see -that numbers of the workmen came across at dinner-time. The _Anchor_ -stood at the corner, one front looking on the lane, the other upon the -river; and once upon a time there had been, not exactly a tea-garden, -but arbours or 'boxes' in front of the house, where the customers used -to sit and watch the shipping; but this was all past now, and only the -miserable remains of the arbours were there; and it was as dull and -cheerless a place as the tavern to which Quilp took Sampson and Sally -Brass in the _Old Curiosity Shop_, of which indeed it reminded me every -time I looked at it. - -I always had a readiness for scraping acquaintances; in fact it is not -much use of your being a detective if you can't do this. If you can't -be jonnick with the biggest stranger or lowest rough, you are no use on -that lay. I really must avoid slang terms; but 'jonnick' means hearty -and jovial; on a 'lay' means being up to some game or business. Before -the first dinner-time had passed, I had got quite friendly with two -or three of Byrle's hands who came into the _Anchor_ to have their -beer; and I learned some particulars about the firm and then about the -gatekeeper, that helped me in my ideas. - -Directly after they had all gone back, I went over too, and the -dinner-traffic having ceased, I was the only passenger. The ferryman -did not like taking me alone, but he was bound to do it; and he looked -as sulky as if he was going to be flogged at a cart's tail. He was a -tall, bony-headed fellow, between fifty and sixty I should say; and I -noticed him particularly because of an uncommonly ugly squint in his -left eye. In accordance with my plan, I began talking cheerfully to -him while he was pushing off from the shore; but he didn't answer me -beyond a growl. Then I offered him some splendid chewing tobacco, which -a 'friend just over from America had given me.' Really and truly I had -bought it within a quarter of a mile of the _Anchor and Five Mermaids_, -but he wasn't to know that. _I_ can't chew; I hate the idea; but I put -a piece of the tobacco in my mouth, knowing how fond these waterside -men are of the practice, and how friendly they get with one of the same -tastes. To my surprise, he would not have it, and I was glad to pitch -my plug into the river when he turned his head away. But confound these -cock-eyed men! there is never any knowing where to have them. He had -not turned far enough, I suppose, or I didn't make proper allowances -for his squint; for as I threw my plug away with a shudder--it had -already turned me almost sick--I caught his plaguy cross-eye staring -full at me. I knew it was, by the expression on his face; that was my -only guide, for an astronomer could not have told by his eye in which -direction he was looking. - -The ferryman pulled well, however; and just as we got athwart the bows -of a short thick-looking craft--it is of no use my trying to say what -kind of a craft she was; I can't tell one from another--a voice hailed -us. 'Ay, ay,' says the boatman, lifting his sculls; 'do you want to go -ashore, captain?' 'Yes,' returned a voice; and I looked up and saw a -man leaning over the side of the vessel; and the boatman sending his -wherry close under the ship, the stranger slid down by a rope very -cleverly, and got in. Though the boatman had called him 'captain,' and -though he was very clever with the rope, he didn't look altogether like -a regular sailor; he was a dark full-faced man, with black eyes, a dark -moustache, and curly greasy-looking hair. - -The stranger said a few words in a very low tone to the boatman, -evidently to prevent my overhearing, and then nothing passed until we -landed. The sulky ferryman took his fee without a word; and I went -straight to the wicket-gate of Byrle's factory, where of course I found -the gatekeeper. I stated that I was in want of employment, and had -heard they were taking on labourers, and so had applied for a job. - -'No; I don't know as we want any more hands,' said the man, who was -sitting down in a little sentry-box; 'and we have had plenty of people -here; besides, you're lame, ain't you?' - -'A little,' I said, limping as I moved; 'not very bad: a kick from a -horse some years ago.' - -'Ah! you won't do for us then,' he said; 'but I'm sorry for you. _I'm_ -lame too, from a kick of a horse; I can't stand without my stick;' here -he rose up to let me see him; 'but you see I was hurt in the service, -and the firm have provided for me. I'm very sorry for you, for it's -hard to be slighted because you are a cripple. Here is sixpence, old -fellow, to get half a pint with, and I wish I could make it more.' - -I took the sixpence, and thanked him for his kindness; he deserved my -thanks, because he wasn't getting more than a pound a week, and had -four or five little children. I found this out afterwards. - -I was satisfied at having made a friend who might prove useful; but I -had one or two more questions to ask him, and was thinking how I could -best bring them in, when he said hurriedly: 'If you could get hold of -Mr Byrle by himself, he might do something for you, for he is a very -good sort; and you seem strong enough in every other way, and would -make a good watchman, I should think.' - -Yes; he did not know how good a one! - -'Mr Byrle senior or junior?' I asked, on the strength of my information -from the hands at the _Anchor_. - -'Junior! O lor! that wouldn't do at all!' exclaimed he with quite a -gasp, as if the idea took his breath away. 'It's a case of "O no, we -never mention it" with him. He's seldom at home, and when he is, he and -the old gentleman lead the very---- Here you have it! Here's Mr Forey, -the only foreman in the place who would listen to you. Now, speak up!' - -Mr Forey, a dark-whiskered, stoutly built man, came up, glancing keenly -at me as a stranger; so touching my cap, I again preferred my request -to be taken on as a labourer. - -'I don't like lame men,' he said; 'but there does not seem to be a -great deal the matter with you. You say you can have a first-rate -character. We shall be making changes next week, and there's no harm in -your looking round on Monday morning at nine sharp.--Stop! I can give -you a job now. Do you know how to get to T----?' - -'Yes, sir,' I said. - -'Then take this letter to Mr Byrle, and bring back an answer,' said Mr -Forey. 'If he is not at home, ask for Miss Doyle, who may open it. I -want an answer this afternoon; so cut off! Stay! here's a shilling for -your fare; it's only tenpence, you know; and I'll leave eighteenpence -with Bob here at the gate for your trouble.' - -I took the shilling, Bob winking triumphantly at me, as if to say it -was as good as done, and I left the yard. - -I was amused at having the commission, for I wondered what Mr Byrle -would say when he saw me, and whether my disguise was so complete -that he would not recognise me at all. That would be something like -a triumph, and I almost made up my mind that it would be so. Had Mr -Forey seen me hurrying to the station, he might again have said that -there did not seem much the matter with me; but I walked slowly enough -through the street in which the _Yarmouth Smack_ was situated, and had -a pretty good trial of my disguise and my nerves as I passed it. Peter -Tilley, dressed in a blue slop and cord trousers, so as to look like -a dock labourer or something of that kind, was leaning against the -door-post, lazily watching the passers-by. I made up my mind to try -him; so stopping at a lamp-post just opposite to him, I took out my -pipe, struck a match on the iron, coolly lit the tobacco, and after -one or two puffs, threw the match into the road and walked on. He never -knew me. It was all right. - -The drizzling rain came down again as I got out at T----; but luckily -Mr Byrle's house was not more than a quarter of a mile from the -station; and so resuming my limp, I got there without delay. The -man-servant who answered the door took my letter, but told me that the -old gentleman was not at home; then on finding Miss Doyle was to open -the letter and send an answer, told me to wait in a little room which -looked as if it was used as an office, having floor-cloth instead of -carpet, wooden chairs, and so forth. He was a careful servant, and -would not ask a stranger to wait in the hall, where coats and umbrellas -might be had by a sharp party. - -I had not waited long, when the door opened, and a young lady, whom I -of course judged to be Miss Doyle, came into the room. She was a dark, -keen-looking young party, and spoke rather sharply. 'You are to take an -answer back, I believe?' she said. - -'Yes, miss,' I answered, touching my forehead, for as you may suppose, -I held my cap in my hand. - -'Mr Forey only wishes me to send word; I am not to write,' she went on; -'he wants to know if Mr Byrle will be at the works to-morrow. He will -not. Tell Mr Forey he will leave town to-night, and not return until -the day after to-morrow. You understand?' She spoke very sharply; so I -said: 'Yes, miss,' sharply too, and touched my forehead again. - -'You need not wait,' she said; and opening the door, I saw the servant -waiting to let me out. I knuckled my forehead again, and putting on -rather a clumsier limp than before, got out of the house into the rain -and mud. Rain and mud! What did I care for rain and mud now? - -'Sergeant Nickham,' says I, when I got fairly out of range of her -windows, for I wouldn't trust _her_ with so much as a wink of -mine--'Sergeant Nickham,' I said, 'you are the boy! If you can't -command your face, there isn't a man in the force as can. If you -haven't got a memory for faces, find me the man who has, that's all -about it!' - -Why, of all the extraordinary capers that I ever tumbled to in my -life, I never came near such a caper as this. Miss Doyle! _That_ was -Miss Doyle, was it? Right enough, no doubt; but if she wasn't also the -sham clerk who came and found that I was put on the watch by Mr Byrle, -I didn't know a horse from a hedgehog--that's all. The quick look of -her eye, her sharp quick voice, the shape of her face, the very way -she stood--lor! it was all as clear as daylight. But then I thought, -and I kept on thinking till I had got back to the works, what could -_she_ have to do with stealing engine-fittings? 'Twasn't likely as she -had anything to do with that. It was past all question in my mind as -to her being the same party. I knew it for certain; and then came the -point--What did she dress herself up for and come a-spying on me and -her uncle?--for she was Mr Byrle's niece. - -I hadn't got to the bottom of this by any means, by the time I got back -to the works; however, I gave my message very respectfully to Mr Forey; -and offered Bob the gatekeeper his sixpence back, with many thanks. - -'No, old chap,' he says; 'keep it at present. If you get on regular, -I'll take it off you and a pint into the bargain the day you draw -your first week's cash; but a fellow out of work knows the vally of a -sixpence.' - -The same ferryman took me back; and his temper hadn't improved, I -found. I fancied too that he was particular watchful of me, and so -I was particular watchful of him; and from long practice I could do -it better and more secretly than he could, although he _had_ got a -cross-eye. Lor! I could tell when we were nearing that same ship that -the man climbed out of; I could tell it by the cunning way in which the -boatman looked at me, to see if I would take any special notice of it. -I didn't know what his little game might be, but I determined to spoil -it; so I stooped down, and was tying up my shoe, making quite a long -job of it, till after we had fairly passed the craft, and then I looked -up with an innocent face that quite settled him. - -Just as we pushed up to the hard (that's the landing-place), he says to -me: 'Do you often cross here?' - -'Not often,' I said; 'at anyrate, not yet. I generally cross a little -higher up.' (That was very true; about Westminster Bridge was my -place; if he liked to think I meant somewhere about Tooley Street or -Billingsgate, of course I couldn't help it.) 'But I have left my old -quarters, and so I shall often go this way.' - -'Ah,' he says, 'you live at the _Yarmouth Smack_, don't you?' - -'The what?' I said. 'Where's that?' - -'The _Yarmouth Smack_,' he says again, pointing to the side we had come -from. I knew where the _Yarmouth Smack_ was well enough; but I shook my -head, and said: 'No; I live on this side of the water; but I shall live -anywhere when I can get work.' - -He didn't say any more; I did not suppose he would; but there was -something uncommonly suspicious in his talking about the _Yarmouth -Smack_, something more than I could believe came from chance. - -In the lane, just as I was about to turn into the side door of the -_Anchor_, I met the foreign-looking captain, who must have crossed the -river before me, as I had last seen him on the other side. He knew -me, I could tell well enough, and I knew him; but I was not going to -let him see where I was going, so I passed the door of the _Anchor_, -limping on till he was clear; then I hurried in, went upstairs at once, -and was out in the old ruined arbours I have spoken of in a minute. -These overhung the river at high-water (it was nearly high-tide now), -and the landing-place of the ferry was close to them. The ferryman and -the captain were talking, as I expected they would be, while the boat -was waiting for passengers; and by standing in the corner box, I could -have heard every word they said, if they had spoken out, as honest -people should speak. But they were that artful and suspicious, although -they could not have known there was anybody listening, that they talked -almost in whispers, and I only caught the last bit from the ferryman. -'No,' he says; 'he's not the party; but I'll go up to the _Smack_ -to-night and make sure of the man.' - -Ah! as I thought; they were both in it somehow. But what a most -extraordinary fuss and Gunpowder Plot sort of business there was about -stealing a few bits of metal. I actually should have felt ashamed of -the East-enders, who are really some of the sharpest folks I ever came -across, if I had not felt there was a something behind, and that, by a -lucky accident, I seemed upon the point of finding it out. - -The night--my first night in the east too--was not to pass without -an adventure, and I had not seen the last of my new acquaintance the -captain. I got very tired of the company in the _Anchor_--not that I -mind who I mix with, and if there had been any of the factory hands -about the place, I would have sat with them until the house closed; but -they only came there at meal-times it seemed, or on their road home. So -I walked about the neighbourhood a bit; not because it was pleasant, -for it was a wet night; and what with the rain and the mud and the -drunken sailors and the fried-fish shops and the quarrelling there was -going on, it was anything but agreeable. The fact is I like to know -every court and alley in my district, and there _were_ some pretty -courts and alleys here. However, nobody thought me worth robbing, and -besides, I am always civil, so I never get interfered with. It's a -capital rule; the best I know; and costs nothing. - -When I was coming back, and had got pretty nearly to the _Anchor and -Five Mermaids_ again (it is very absurd to give such long signs to -public-houses), I saw a very pretty girl whom I had noticed before, -standing at a corner out of the rain; but it was not raining very much -now. She wasn't--well, I won't say what she was not, or what she was. -She was very pretty, I say, and was doing no harm there; but two or -three fellows coming by at the moment, one of them took hold of her -roughly, and finished by almost pushing her down. She got away from -him, and drew a door or two off; but his companions laughing at him -for being bested by a woman, he followed her, and on her pushing him -from her, gave her a back-handed smack in the face. There were several -men loitering about, smoking and so forth, and I heard one or two say -it was a shame; but none of them interfered; and I, being a little way -off, and not wanting to get into a row, might have passed this over; -but she called him a brute and a coward, and he went at her to strike -her again. She ran across the road to where I stood, to avoid him, and -he followed her. Then I saw it was my acquaintance the captain. - -He swore more horribly than ever I heard any one swear, and springing -forward, would certainly have hit her down; but I jumped between -them and knocked up his arm. 'Brayvo!' said some women, who had been -attracted by the girl's scream; and 'Brayvo!' said the men who hadn't -interfered. At once the captain turned on me, and let fly desperately -at my head; but I was not to be had in that way, and I stopped him and -returned a hit that I know must have loosened a couple of teeth; and -then he swore again, and began to pull off his coat. So did I. - -'Don't fight wid him, my darlin',' said an old Irishwoman, who was -selling herrings, laying her hand on my arm. 'You 're an honest English -boy, and these fellows will have a knife in ye if they can't bate ye -fair.' - -'No, Biddy, they shan't,' said one of the men coming forward, followed -by half-a-dozen more. 'If there's to be a fight, it shall be a fair -one; and mates, we'll put any fellow into six feet of mud who only -shews a knife.' - -His mates said so too, and they were a rough and likely lot for it, -and the river was within a score or so of yards. So with a scowl at -them (for I do believe now he meant murder; I didn't think of it then, -although I was a policeman), he rolled up his sleeves and came at me. - -He was a strong fellow, not so tall perhaps, but certainly heavier than -I was, and I daresay, from his manner, fancied he could fight. But -fight _me_! Why, a gent once offered through Alec Keene (he had seen -me spar in private at Alec's), to make it worth my while to leave the -police, and he would back me against any ten-stone-four man I fancied, -for a hundred; and I was half inclined to take it too, only something -important turned up just then. Well, in two rounds I settled the -captain. He tried to catch hold of me and throw me; but I knocked him -clean off his legs each round; and then his friends took him away. - -'There's one comfort at any rate in having had the row,' I thought: -'he'll never suppose I'm a detective after this.' - -I wished, however, it had never come off, there was such a fuss. Why, -if I could have drunk shillings and sixpences, I might have had them, I -do believe. In a place like that you get a crowd directly; and although -the affair did not last three minutes, there was a hundred men and as -many women too, anxious to treat me; and I was naturally obliged to -drink with one or two; not at the _Anchor_ though. - -The affair made such a stir, that I read in one of the local papers the -next week how Jem Mace had been down in the neighbourhood of the Docks, -incog.; and that for once the brute strength of a boxer had been used -in a good cause, and all that sort of nonsense. I know I have always -found the best class of boxers very good fellows. - -Of course I was vexed at this shindy having taken place so early, as -the quieter I kept myself the better; and I would have given five -pounds to have been out of it. My wishing this only shews you never -know what is coming; and something came out of this street fight that I -never expected. - - - - -SEA-LIONS. - - -The domestication of a pair of 'sea-lions' at the Brighton Aquarium, -and the subsequent addition, some few months ago, of a 'little -stranger' to this interesting family circle, afford an opportunity -for a brief description of some of the more prominent points in -the structure and habits of these little-known animals. The name -'sea-lion,' to begin with, is by no means so inappropriate or far -fetched as popular designations are usually found to be, when submitted -to scientific criticism. For the 'sea-lion' is included by zoologists -along with the seals and walruses in the great Carnivorous order of -quadrupeds, to which, it need hardly be remarked, the lions, tigers, -bears, dogs, and other flesh-eaters belong. The sea-lion is in fact a -large seal, and seals and walruses are simply marine bears; and if we -can imagine the body of a familiar bear to be somewhat elongated, and -that the limbs were converted into swimming paddles, we should obtain -a rough but essentially correct idea of the zoological position of the -seals and their neighbours. - -But whilst the seals and sea-lions are united with the walruses to form -a special group of carnivorous quadrupeds, adapted to lead a life in -the sea, there exist some very prominent points of difference between -the common seals and the less familiar sea-lions. The sea-lions and -their nearest allies are thus sometimes named 'Eared' seals, from the -possession of an outer ear; the latter appendage being absent in the -common or True seals. And whilst the common seals waddle in a most -ungainly fashion on land, the sea-lions are able to 'walk,' if not -elegantly, at least with a better show of comfort than their more -familiar neighbours. A glance at the structure of the sea-lion's feet, -or better still, a comparison of its members with those of the seal, -shews the reason of its greater skill and ability in progression on -the land. The fore-limbs of the seal are, so to speak buried in the -skin, below the elbow; only a small part of the fore-arm and hand being -thus free from the body. The hind-limbs of the seals, again, exist -in a permanently extended condition, and are disposed backwards in a -line with the tail and body. The hind-limbs, moreover, are frequently -united with the tail by means of a connecting fold of skin, and the -whole hinder extremity of the body in a seal may thus be regarded as -forming a large tail-fin. In swimming, the fore-limbs of the seal are -applied closely to the sides of the body, and serve as rudders; whilst -the hinder portion of the body, hinder limbs, and tail, constitute the -swimming-organs--a work for which by their great flexibility they are -perfectly adapted. - -In the sea-lions on the other hand the fore-limbs are free from the -skin and body to a much greater extent than in the seals. The 'hand' -itself in the sea-lion is exceedingly flexible, although completely -enclosed in a horny or leathery skin. The thumbs of this hand further -exist in a well developed state; all five fingers being of nearly the -same length in the seal. As regards the hind-feet of the sea-lion, -these members, like the fore-limbs, are freely separated from the -body, at least as far as the ankle and foot are concerned, and the -foot is turned outwards, forcibly reminding one of the conformation -of that organ in the bear. But we may only note by way of conclusion -to these zoological characters that the teeth of the sea-lion are -decidedly of a carnivorous type. Any one regarding the skull of a -sea-lion could readily form the idea that the animal which possessed -it was a flesh-eater. These animals usually possess thirty-six teeth; -the 'eye' teeth being of very large size, and so placed in the jaws -that any substance entering the mouth is firmly held by these teeth -and the adjoining front teeth. The 'grinders' of the sea-lion are -small, and do not appear to be of any very great use to the animal. -These creatures swallow their food--consisting of fishes, molluscs, and -sea-birds--whole, and when a large fish is divided in two, the portion -retained in the mouth is swallowed; the portion which tumbles into the -water being afterwards seized and duly swallowed in its turn. - -That the sea-lions are by no means destitute of the craft and cunning -of their land-neighbours, is proved by the fact that they capture such -birds as the penguins by lying motionless in the water, allowing merely -the tip of the nose to appear at the surface. The unwary bird, swooping -down upon the floating object, presumed to consist of something -eatable, is then seized and devoured by the concealed enemy. - -Sea-lions may be regarded as the unknown, or at anyrate unrecognised -benefactors of the fair sex, inasmuch as, from the rich _under-fur_ -which they possess, the favourite material known as 'seal-skin' is -obtained. This latter name is entirely misleading in its nature; the -much prized material being the produce of the sea-lion and not of a -true seal. The possession of this valuable under-fur has contributed -very largely to the causes of the indiscriminate attack which has for -years past been made upon the sea-lions. The spirit of commercial -enterprise has resulted in a war of extermination against these animals -in certain regions, from the effects of which it is doubtful if the -species can ultimately recover. - -The sea-lions differ materially from the seals in their geographical -distribution. The latter animals, as every casual reader of a natural -history text-book knows, inhabit temperate and northern seas. The -sea-lions, on the other hand, are found to be absent from all parts of -the Atlantic Ocean save its most southern portions. They are common -on the South American coasts, and are found inhabiting island-groups -which may be regarded as belonging to the same zoological province -as the latter continent. The mouth of the River Plate is stated as -the most northern boundary of these animals on the eastern side of -South America, whilst on the western or Pacific side of the New World -they are found on the Californian coasts, and are even met with on -the coasts of the Aleutian Isles and of Japan. The Pribylov Islands, -included in the Alaska group, are regarded as forming the most -northerly point of the sea-lions' distribution; and these islands--now -in the possession of the United States--together with the Falkland -Islands and the Cape of Good Hope, still form the three chief sources -from which the seal-fur or seal-skin of commerce is obtained. It is -also well ascertained that sea-lions occur at Kerguelen's Land, on the -New Zealand coasts, on the Tasmanian shores, and the east and south -coasts of Australia. - -The average length of a large male sea-lion ranges from six to seven -or eight feet, his weight averaging six hundred pounds. The females -are of much smaller size than the males, and measure from four and a -half to five feet in length; their weight being from one hundred to -one hundred and fifty pounds. These animals, as might be expected, -grow slowly, and attain their full dimensions the males in six, and -the females in four years. The habits of these animals are not only of -curious and interesting nature, but evince a decidedly high order of -intelligence. The haunts of the sea-lions are, in whalers' _parlance_, -named 'rookeries;' and in the disposition of what may be termed -their domestic arrangements, as well as in the regulation of their -family and personal matters, these creatures appear to be guided by -instincts which, like the social order of the ants and bees, are duly -perpetuated, and have become of hereditary character. The sea-lions -are migratory in habits, and disappear from the majority of the haunts -and breeding-places in winter. The males are few in number as compared -with the females or 'cows,' as they are termed; and each male receives -under his protection a larger or smaller number of females; the oldest -males possessing the largest number of dependants. In the early spring, -some old males appear to return first to the haunts and do duty as -reconnoitring parties; the advance-guard swimming about for several -days, then landing and cautiously investigating the state of the land; -their shore-visits being spent in a state of perpetual sniffing, and in -the careful examination of their old haunt. About a month or six weeks -after the arrival of the advance-guard, and after the inspection of the -land has been duly carried out, sure signs of the coming race begin -to appear in the form of hundreds of males, who select advantageous -positions on the beach, and await the arrival of their partners. Nor -is the period of waiting an uneventful one. The best situations on -the beach are fought for with eagerness, not to say ferocity. The -descriptions given of the combats of the males indicate that they are -of the most sanguinary description; frequent mutilations being the -results of this fight for a place on the reception-ground. - -On the arrival of the females, the younger males appear to do duty as -ushers, in marshalling the 'cows' to their places on the rocks and -cliffs above the beach; and the work of the selection of mates by the -males proceeds apace, until each happy family, consisting of a male -with a dozen or fifteen cows, has been duly constituted. The progress -of selection and sea-lion courtship is frequently, we regret to say, -attended with disastrous consequences to the lady-members of the -community. When a male, envious of the choice of his neighbour, sees -an opportunity, he does not hesitate to avail himself of the chance, -and not only to covet but literally to steal his neighbour's mate. The -desired 'cow' is unceremoniously lifted in the mouth of the captor, and -transferred with all possible expedition to his own family group. Great -is the sorrow of the bereaved male; but woe to both intruder and female -should the thief be discovered in the act! A fierce and sanguinary -fight ensues, and the hapless, passive, and altogether innocent cause -of the combat, may get dreadfully injured while the combat lasts. - -The young sea-lions usually appear to be born almost immediately -after the parents have landed and been allocated to their respective -establishments. One young is produced at a birth; the infant sea-lion -being of black colour and attaining the length of a foot. When they -are four weeks old, they enter the water, and speedily become expert -in swimming and diving; but it is alleged, and on good authority, that -occasionally the females encounter refractory offspring, and have to -exercise great patience in coaxing unwilling youngsters to enter the -sea. The families have settled down to their wonted existence by the -beginning of August; and we are informed that during the whole of the -period which intervenes between the arrival of the females and the -period last mentioned, the males have not only been most assiduous in -their attendance upon their families, but that they have also been -existing independently of any nutriment. The males exemplify a case of -living upon self, and appear to subsist by the reabsorption of their -fatty matters; in the same fashion as the bears, which retire fat and -well nourished to their winter-quarters, and appear in the succeeding -spring in a lean and emaciated condition. - -Regarding the sea-lions and their young at present in captivity in the -Brighton Aquarium, it is interesting to note the incidents connected -with the first 'bath' of baby _Otaria_. This prodigy in the way of an -aquarium specimen, tumbled accidentally into the water of his tank, and -apparently caused his mamma much anxiety. It is stated that he plunged -voluntarily into the water on a subsequent occasion, and appeared to -be perfectly at home in his native element; swimming and diving with -all the dexterity of an accomplished professor of the art of natation. -Being startled by some sound, the young otaria dived beneath the -surface of the water, the mother seizing her progeny by the neck, and -swimming ashore with it in her mouth. On the occasion of the writer's -visit to the Brighton Aquarium, the mother and young were disporting -themselves in the water; the male sitting up in the tank, and giving -vent to repeated sounds, resembling exactly the hoarse bark of a dog. -We may heartily re-echo the wish, that the happiness and amenity of -this interesting family may be disturbed by no untoward accident, if -for no other reason that they exist among us as the representatives of -a most interesting and now comparatively scarce group of quadrupeds. - -It has often been disputed by naturalists whether or not the sea-lions -possess a mane. There can be no doubt that the old males of one -species at anyrate, the _Otaria jubata_ or Cook's sea-lion, the most -common form on the South American coasts, possess a mane on the neck -and shoulders. Nine or ten different species of sea-lions are known -to zoologists, these species being distinguished from each other by -very distinct variations in the form and structure of the skull, in -the fur, &c. It must, however, be borne in mind, that the recognition -of the exact species to which a sea-lion belongs is frequently a very -difficult matter, owing to the differences perceptible in the fur of -the two sexes and in the fur of either sex, at different ages. - -The complaints of zoologists regarding the ill-regulated and -indiscriminate slaughter of the sea-lions are, it is to be feared, as -well founded as have been our own repeated remonstrances against the -wholesale slaughter of seals. The United States government, however, it -is satisfactory to learn, still regulate their sea-lion fisheries at -the Pribylov Islands in a methodical manner. Thus the young males alone -are killed, and the period during which they are taken extends from -June to October; whilst the total number of sea-lions killed annually -is limited. In the South Sea Islands, these animals were killed -in such numbers that they are now exceedingly scarce; British and -Americans alike, slaying the sea-lions without in the slightest degree -discriminating between the sexes, or between young and old seals. It -is to be hoped, for the sake of science as well as of commerce, that -time has taught us wisdom in this respect. We have seen how necessary -legislation has become to insure the prosperity of our home-fisheries; -and now that the Royal Commissioners have finished their labours in -behalf of crabs and lobsters, salmon and herring, it would be well -for the public interests if Mr Frank Buckland and his coadjutors were -empowered to look after the sea-lion and the seal. - - - - -ANCIENT STREETS AND HOMESTEADS OF ENGLAND. - - -With kindly regard for the names, the places, and the landmarks of our -forefathers, which may be called the sentimental side of our national -stability, are usually, but unfortunately not invariably combined the -good sense which improves but does not destroy, and the good taste -which recognises the intrinsic beauty of antiquity, its harmony with -our history, and the dignity which it lends to the present. Foreigners -are always deeply impressed by the 'ancientness' of England, by the -maintenance of the old names, and the blending together in our cities -of the convenience and luxury of modern life, with the memorials of a -past as grand as any country has to boast of, and marked by far less -vicissitude. - -Among the evidences of the stability of England to which the attention -of her own students of her history and that of foreign visitors may -most worthily be directed, is the minor monumental history which Mr -Alfred Rimmer illustrates, and whose value and interest the Dean of -Chester points out in an interesting volume entitled _Ancient Streets -and Homesteads of England_ (London: Macmillan & Co.); the history of -the old buildings which still remain in the old streets of our old -cities, in our villages and in our hamlets. - -It is pleasant to ramble with Mr Rimmer from county to county of -the old land, gathering as we go a great company from the past; and -assuredly all will agree that no better starting-point can be found -than Chester, the pride of archæologists, the boast of historians, -the city whose renown has been touched into equal brilliance and -tenderness by the genius of Sir Walter Scott. An American traveller -has well described the charm of the city. 'It is full,' he says, 'of -that delightful element of the crooked, the accidental, the unforeseen, -which, to eyes accustomed to eternal right angles and straight lines, -is the striking feature of European street scenery. The Chester streets -give us a perfect feast of crookedness--of those random corners, -projections, and recesses, those innumerable architectural surprises -and caprices and fantasies which offer such a delicious holiday to a -vision nourished upon brown stone fronts.' Shrewsbury perhaps gives at -first sight a more vivid picture of a fine old English town, but it -has not so many treasures hidden away under modern exteriors. It is -likely, Mr Rimmer tells us, that even the oldest inhabitant of Chester -is ignorant of the ancient relics which the city contains. Though the -origin of the famous 'Rows' is disputed--some antiquaries holding -them to belong to the Roman era of the city, and to have been simply -an extension of the vestibule of Roman architecture; while others -consider that they were built as a refuge for the citizens during any -sudden attack of the Welsh--there is but one estimate of their quaint -old-world beauty; and perhaps there is no relic of the past in all -England which has more stirring memories to arouse than Chester Castle, -with its Julius Cæsar's tower still standing firm against the influence -of time, and its tradition of Hugh Lupus Hall. - -Next to the completeness of the ancient walls of Chester, its carved -woodwork strikes the visitor as an instance of conservation. The carved -front of the house which belonged to Randal Holme, who left valuable -records of the city, is much more ancient than the date it bears -(1664); and though the house called Bishop Lloyd's is now divided into -tenements, the splendid remains of its ceilings and fireplaces are -preserved. A little beyond it stand the beautiful cottages, with their -carving intact, into which Stanley House has been divided. Here the -Earl of Derby, who was executed at Bolton in 1657, passed his last day. -Some of the famous carved oak furniture of this historic mansion found -its way a few years ago into the possession of Mr Sly, the landlord -of the celebrated _King's Arms Inn_ at Lancaster, and was sold in -the spring of the present year at the dispersion of his collection. -One magnificent black oak bedstead splendidly carved is now in the -possession of the Duke of Norfolk. Looking at the beautiful carved -fronts of the cottages, and thinking of the terrible time in which the -chief of the great House of Stanley left his ancestral home for ever, -we are reminded of the quaint story which the earl's gentleman, Mr -Bagaley, related concerning that departure. 'One Lieutenant Smith, a -rude fellow,' he says, 'came in with his hat on, and told my lord he -came from Colonel Duckenfield the governor, to tell his lordship he -must be ready for his journey to Bolton. My lord replied: "When would -have me to go?" "To-morrow, about six in the morning," said Smith. -"Well," said my lord, "commend me to the governor, and tell him I shall -be ready by that time." Then said Smith: "Doth your lordship know any -friend or servant that would do the thing your lordship knows of? It -would do well if you had a friend." My lord replied: "What do you -mean--to cut off my head?" Smith said: "Yes, my lord; if you could have -a friend." My lord said: "Nay, sir; if those men that would have my -head will not find one to cut it off, let it stand where it is."' - -The Blue Posts, 'God's Providence' House, with its inscription of -thanksgiving that its inmates had been spared from the plague; the -beautiful gabled house in Whitefriars, with its fine mouldings and -traceries, are but a few of the memorials of the past over which one -lingers in Chester, before passing on to the eastern part of the -county, where one finds a special treat in the old town of Congleton, -which presents features of successive periods of antiquity in its still -and picturesque streets, and is surrounded on all sides by venerable -family seats. Mr Rimmer's drawing of the old _Lion Inn_ gives a -charming idea of a black-and-white gabled hostelry, with a vast porch -resting on stone pillars, and supporting a room above it. The interior -preserves all its old characteristics, and has a quiet ponderousness -about it, as of an inn to which wayfarers came in coaches with armed -outriders on horseback, with led-horses charged with baggage, or in -heavy wagons. The idea of railways or smart dog-carts, or the pertness -of all modern vehicles in fact, in connection with the _Lion Inn_, has -a kind of impertinence about it. - -Over the Cheshire border in Shropshire there is a great deal of -interest for the student of the street architecture of the past; and in -that county picturesque old inns abound. We find one at Ellesmere, with -the grass growing in the vast courtyard, built round by the now empty -stables, which were so full of life and bustle in the old coaching -days. Mr Rimmer's very brief mention of Ellesmere implies that it is -a much less important place than in reality it is; and all he says -about Shropshire conveys an impression that he has not studied the -antiquarian aspect of his subject at all so deeply as its artistic. - -Two miles from Oswestry lies Whittington village, a perfect example of -the solid and beautiful in village architecture, with the gateway of -Peveril's Castle opening into it, and the birthplace of Sir Richard -Whittington left to the choice of the visitor. Oswestry itself is an -exceedingly interesting town; portions of the old wall still remain, -with several stone and half-timbered houses of great antiquity; but it -is seldom thoroughly explored, because the tourist is generally anxious -to reach the county town of Shropshire, that famous city of Shrewsbury, -which we know better perhaps through Shakspeare than through the -historical chronicles of its life. The author might, however, have -accorded more lengthened notice to Oswestry, which, if tradition may be -relied upon, dates from the fourth century of the Christian era, and -which undoubtedly derives its name from the overthrow and martyrdom of -Oswald, the Christian king of Northumberland, who was vanquished there -by Penda, the pagan king of Mercia. - -Oswestry is stated to have been the site of a castle built in 1149 by -Magod, one of the princes of Powys. It then passed, by marriage, into -the hands of a Norman lord of Cher; and it was here that in 1164 Henry -II. assembled the army with which he marched to Chirk, in his vain -attempt to subjugate the principality. In 1277 Edward I. surrounded the -town by a wall which was a mile in circumference, had four gates, and -was further defended by a moat. In the thirteenth century both castle -and town were destroyed by fire. Many scenes of our martial history -pass before the mind's eye of the visitor to Oswestry. In 1403, Owen -Glyndyr (or Glendower) marched from thence towards Shrewsbury at the -head of twelve thousand men, intending there to unite his forces to -those of the Earl of Northumberland and his son. Tradition, however, -alleges that by the time he reached Shelton, two miles from Shrewsbury, -he found the royal forces were engaged in battle with their enemy. The -story of that eventful day is one out of which to make a mental picture -as one contemplates the approach to Shrewsbury. Hotspur and his father -had encamped on the previous night at a place called Berwick, nearly -opposite Shelton, and they calculated on being joined there by Glendyr. -They sorely needed his aid; the rebel army numbered only fourteen -thousand men, while that of the king numbered twenty-six thousand. In -vain they waited; in vain a few unsuccessful attempts were made at a -compromise, and then at a place still known as Battlefield, and in a -field yet called 'the King's Croft,' the battle was joined. Before, -however, the first blow was struck, Harry Hotspur called for his sword, -and was informed by his attendant that he had left it at Berwick. The -iron warrior, who was about cheerfully to encounter a force greatly -outnumbering his own, turned pale. 'I perceive,' he said, 'that my -plough is drawing its last furrow, for a wizard told me that I should -perish at Berwick, which I vainly interpreted of that town in the -north.' - -The Welsh chieftain climbed into the tree and beheld the conflict; at -what period of the engagement is not told; but as he concluded the -king would be victorious, he quietly came down again, and leaving -Percy to defeat and death, marched back to his mountains. The old oak -yet remains; but for the forty years during which we have known it, -it has been in a failing condition. One by one its great boughs have -yielded to the storm, or broken beneath their own weight; and it is now -propped up with crutches and bound together with iron hoops. Probably -in another half-century the place which has known it for at least six -centuries will know it no more. - -One of Mr Rimmer's illustrations shews us a street in Shrewsbury -which may justly claim to be one of the most perfect examples of -English streets yet remaining, if not the most perfect. The beautiful -old gabled houses with their projecting richly carved fronts are in -excellent preservation, and for a considerable distance a person -walking down the middle of the street can touch them on each side; -such was the economy of room in walled cities, which renders their -physiognomy just the opposite to that of villages, in which the -wide spaces constitute an especial beauty. Behind the city rise the -Haughmond hills, clear and sharp, and wooded to their summits. Mr -Rimmer tells us, that when the sun rises red over these hills, and -especially if this red rising be accompanied by noise of wind, it is a -certain sign of a stormy day; thus proving the truth of Shakspeare's -description of how 'bloodily the sun began to peer above yon bosky -hill,' upon the fatal day of the battle of Shrewsbury. Says Prince -Henry to his father: - - The southern wind - Doth play the trumpet to his purposes; - And by the hollow whistling in the leaves - Foretells a tempest and a blustering day. - -We wish we could find in the facts a sanction for the author's -statement, that in no town in England are the interesting remains, -dear to the antiquary and the student, more scrupulously taken care of -than in Shrewsbury; but we have before us the eloquent and pleading -testimony to the contrary of Mr Ansell Day, the enthusiastic and -indefatigable champion of the rights and the dignity of the old city; -and on comparing his description of Shrewsbury a hundred years ago -with Shrewsbury as it now is, we learn how much has been lost within -a century. A hundred years ago, Shrewsbury boasted five churches -of renowned beauty. The Abbey and the collegiate church of St Mary -still remain, deeply interesting to the antiquary and to the visitor. -But what has been the fate of the three others--of St Chad's, of -St Alkmond's (so spacious, so beautiful, famous for its exquisite -tower, and built by a sister of King Alfred), and of St Julian's? St -Chad's requiring reparation, a country builder was employed, whose -well-intentioned performance caused the tower to fall in and destroy a -portion of the church. Instead of the damage being repaired, the old -church was pulled down, and an expensive, hideous, and inconvenient -structure was erected in its place. The other two churches were -destroyed, without even the excuse of preliminary damage; indeed so -strong and in such perfect repair were they, that their demolition -was an exceedingly costly process; and the buildings which replace -them are curiosities of ugliness. A hundred years ago, the ancient -town was surrounded by walls with square towers at intervals, alike -interesting and characteristic; only a few hundred yards of the wall -now remain, and one tower alone stands, the solitary memento of the -past. The ancient Abbey buildings too have been swept away; the Guesten -House, formerly the scene of splendid and historical hospitality; the -Refectory, where a parliament once assembled to meet its king; and -of all the grandeur of the past, only the ancient pulpit remains, a -beautiful object indeed, but an unmeaning one in its isolation. - -Wenlock, Bridgenorth, Ross, and Monmouth with its ancient massive -gate, bridge, and market-place, are full of beautiful remains; and -Worcester brings many a remembrance of the historic past before our -minds while we gaze on Mr Rimmer's drawings of the Corn-market, Friar -Street, and the Close of the beautiful cathedral, where Henry II. and -his queen were crowned, and King John is buried. In old Worcester, -the days of the Great Rebellion seem quite modern, and Charles II. -and his unlucky brother, men of only the recent past. A beautiful -and impressive drawing is that of the _New Inn_, Gloucester, that -hostelry of a strange history, for it was designed to accommodate the -pilgrims who used to go in crowds to the shrine raised in the Abbey -Church of Gloucester over the remains of the murdered King Edward II. -The vast old hostelry is enormously strong and massive, and covers an -immense area. It is fully half of timber, principally chestnut-wood. -Tewkesbury, Exeter, and Glastonbury are full of beautiful remains, -finely rendered in this book. The Abbot's Kitchen at Glastonbury is one -of the relics of the past best known in all England; here St Patrick -passed the last years of his life, and here King Arthur is said to have -been buried. - -At Winchester are found grand examples of the domestic architecture -of the fifteenth century, in addition to the superb ecclesiastical -edifices of the city; Cardinal Beaufort's Tower, and St Cross, -whose noble gateway, approached from the Southampton Road, is seen -through great elms and walnut-trees, where the long lines of quaint -high chimneys form with the church and the foliage an exquisitely -picturesque combination. We pass on in the artist's company to -Guildford, where the gateway of Esher Palace still remains to remind -us of Wolsey's residence there after his downfall; to Salisbury, which -differs from other old cities in having nothing Roman, Saxon, or Norman -about it, but being purely English and unique; to Canterbury, with -its wonderful wealth of antiquities, ecclesiastical, domestic, and -military, all preserved with jealous care; to Rochester, with its grand -and gloomy castle, and the noble cathedral, around which there hangs an -atmosphere of romance; to Rye, with its ancient grass-grown streets, -gabled houses, and church clock, said to be the oldest in England; to -St Albans, which has just been raised by the Queen to the dignity of -a city; and from whose abbey the first books printed in England were -issued; to Banbury, with its Old Parliament House, where Cromwell's -fateful parliament sat, and the _Roebuck Inn_, which contains a room -accounted the most beautiful Elizabethan apartment of the early style -in existence. This was Oliver's council-chamber, after the taking of -Banbury Castle. - -After visiting Ely, Ipswich, Norwich, Lady Jane Grey's house at -Leicester, and the crumbling ruins which only remain of the Abbey, we -are bidden to the Fen counties, whose picturesqueness few are aware of, -though their architectural beauties, especially those of Lincolnshire, -are well known; and we are shewn among many other curious things the -market-place at Oakham, all roofed and shingled with solid old oak. -There is a singular custom at Oakham: every peer of the realm on -first passing through the town has either to pay a fine or to present -the town with a shoe from his horse; the shoe is then nailed up on -the castle gate, or in some conspicuous part of the building. Queen -Elizabeth has left a memento of this nature at Oakham, as also have -George IV. and Queen Victoria. These shoes are often gilt, and stamped -with the name and arms of the donor. - -The county of Nottingham is also amply illustrated; and we find a -drawing of the famous _Saracen's Head Inn_ at Southwell, which dates -from the time of Henry IV., and where Charles I. gave himself up to the -Scotch commissioners. The beautiful Minster, and the splendid ruins of -the palace, once the residence of the archbishops of York, and many an -old house and quiet glimpse of the home-life of the long past, are to -be seen at Southwell, the place which monarchs and nobles vied with -each other to endow and adorn. Warwickshire is but little noticed in -this book beyond the inevitable Warwick Castle and Kenilworth; and -yet how rich the land of the elm is in village, street, and homestead -antiquity. - -We would have welcomed further details of Coventry, that most -interesting ancient city, the scene of the first days of the triumph -of Henry VII., and of one term of the dreary imprisonment of Mary, -Queen of Scots; the city of the wonderful church of St Michael, which -may truly be called a dream--a poem in stone. York, Beverley, Durham, -Lancaster, and Carlisle, all these the artist-author sets before us -with their treasures of architecture and illustration of the social -life of the past. Perhaps we linger longest over the noble views of -Durham Castle, and the majestic cathedral with its three grand towers, -which occupies one of the finest sites in England, and with the wooded -bluff beneath it, is reflected in the broad bosom of the Wear. The -author leads us so far north as Carlisle, but has not much to point -to there of great antiquity. The Border city had to fight too hard -for ages for her mere existence, to have means or leisure for the -beautifying or refining arts. Her name is otherwise writ in history. - -We are grateful to Mr Rimmer for this work, which will, we hope, give -the impulse to much more literature of a similar order. There is a -great need of closely studied and well-written histories of the old -cities and towns of the United Kingdom, which, if not conceived merely -in the dry antiquarian, nor yet in the simply picturesque artistic -spirit, would induce readers to recognise, and lead them to explore the -archæological treasures of their own countries, which may be reached -with ease, and might, with the assistance of books of this kind, be -studied with equal pleasure and profit. - - - - -JAPANESE FANS. - - -During the past few years, Japanese fans have become so popular in this -country, that a few brief remarks respecting them and the manner in -which they are manufactured--culled from the published Report by Her -Majesty's Consul on the trade of Hiogo and Osaka--may perhaps prove -acceptable to our readers. - -Osaka, we learn, is the principal city for the manufacture of the -_ogi_ or folding fans, which are those almost exclusively exported, -all descriptions of the bamboo kind being made there; the figures, -writing, &c. required for their adornment are executed at Kioto. The -prices vary from a few pence up to six pounds sterling per hundred, and -occasionally even higher prices are given, though the bulk consists -of the cheaper sorts. The superior kinds of fans, it may be mentioned -parenthetically, which are termed _uchiwa_ by the Japanese, are -manufactured at Kioto, and are extensively used by the better classes -of the natives. - -The following are the principal features in the account which Mr Consul -Annesley gives of the details connected with _ogi_ or folding fans. -As in many other branches of industry, the principle of division of -labour is carried out in the fan-making trade. The bamboo ribs are -made in Osaka and Kioto by private individuals in their own houses, -and combinations of the various notches cut in the lower part are left -to one of the finishing workmen, who forms the various patterns of the -handle according to plans prepared by the designer. In like manner the -designer gives out to the engravers the patterns which his experience -teaches him will be most likely to be saleable during the ensuing -season; and when the different blocks have been cut, it still rests -with him to say what colours are to be used for the two sides of each -fan. In fact, this official holds, if not the best paid, at anyrate -the most important position on the staff in ordinary. When the printed -sheets which are to form the two sides of the fans have been handed -over to the workman, together with the sets of bamboo slips which are -to form the ribs, his first business is to fold the two sheets of -which the fan is to be composed, so that they will retain the crease, -and this is done by putting them between two pieces of paper, well -saturated with oil, and properly creased. The four are then folded -together and placed under a heavy weight. - -When sufficient time has elapsed, the sheets are taken out, and the -moulds used again, the released sheets being packed up for at least -twenty-four hours in their folds. The next process is to take the -ribs, which are temporarily arranged in order on a wire, and 'set' -them into their places on one of the sheets, after it has been spread -out on a block and pasted. A dash of paste then gives the woodwork -adhesive powers, and that part of the process is finished by affixing -the remaining sheet of paper. The fan has to be folded up and opened -three or four times before the folds take the proper shape; and by the -time the fan is put by to dry, it has received far more handling than -any foreign paper could stand; indeed foreign paper has been tried, and -had to be given up, as unsuitable for the work; but with great care the -Osaka fan-makers had been able to make some fans with printed pictures -which had been sent over from America, though they were invariably -obliged to use one face of Japanese paper. - -The qualities of native paper now used are not nearly so good as those -of which the old fans were made, and in consequence, the style of -manufacture has had to be changed. Instead of first pasting the two -faces of the fan together and then running in pointed ribs, the ribs -are square and are pasted in their places in the manner described -above. The outside lacquered pieces and the fancy-work are all done in -Osaka and Kioto, and some of the designs in gold lacquer on bone are -really artistic; but the demand for the highly ornamented description -of fans is not sufficient to encourage the production of large -quantities of first-class work. When the insides are dry, the riveting -of the pieces together, including the outer covering, is rapidly done, -and a dash of varnish quickly finishes the fan. - -The highest price that was ever given for a fan in the days of -seclusion from the outer world rarely exceeded a sovereign; but since -the arrival of foreigners in the country, some few have been made to -order at prices varying from two to three pounds sterling. The general -prices of ordinary fans range from two or three shillings to three -pounds per hundred, though an extraordinarily expensive fan is turned -out at ten pounds per hundred. The sale of fans in olden times seldom -exceeded ten thousand a year for the whole country; but in recent years -no less than three millions per annum have been exported from the ports -of Osaka and Yokohama alone. In concluding these brief notes, it may be -interesting to mention that the number of fans ordered in Japan for the -Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia reached the large figure of eight -hundred thousand, the estimated cost of which was ten thousand pounds, -and that these were over and above the ordinary annual export alluded -to before. - - - - -THE PIXIES. - - -Among the superstitions still far from being extirpated in Wales and -some parts of Devonshire, is a belief in exceedingly small beings -known as pixies. From anything we can learn, the pixies resemble the -fairies of old English superstition, but with this difference, that -pixies possess that love of fun and mischief which reminds us of the -Puck of Shakspeare. When a pixy has been successful in any trick upon -travellers, it is said to send forth a peal of laughter and to tumble -head over heels to shew its delight; this has become proverbial in -Devonshire; so that if any one laughs immoderately, he is said to laugh -'like a pixy.' The following pixy story is still current. - -In a little country-place in the prettiest part of Devonshire there -lived a miller's daughter, who was betrothed to a young farmer of the -neighbourhood. For some time their course ran as smoothly as could be -desired. But the young man began to cast looks of suspicion on another -admirer of his betrothed, and to let a jealous demon rankle within -him, whispering to him that he no longer held the first place in the -damsel's affections. - -The miller's daughter, besides possessing considerable personal -attractions, had the reputation of being the neatest and most -industrious housewife in the place; and so the pixies, who invariably -tried to aid the industrious, took her under their especial protection. -They removed everything harmful from her path, and were always at hand -to do her a service; she herself meanwhile being quite unconscious of -the presence of the small people. One pixy used to place flowers on -her window-sill every morning, and the maiden innocently dreamt that -they were offerings from her lover, and prized them accordingly. One -morning early about this time the young man passed before her house, -and noticed the flowers upon the window-sill. Jealousy immediately -took possession of him, and he saw in the simple flowers the offerings -of a more favoured admirer. Just then the window was opened gently, -and the miller's daughter appeared; and unconscious of the watcher -lurking behind the hedge, she took up the rosebuds which formed her -morning's gift and pressed them to her lips. Then she withdrew, taking -the flowers with her, and leaving him to rage inwardly at what he -considered her perfidy. - -From that morning his behaviour towards her was changed, and he became -gloomy and morose, throwing out hints of his suspicions from time to -time, which troubled the gentle maiden, without her being able to -comprehend any reason for it all. But the pixies, seeing how matters -stood, determined to convince the moody fellow of her truth, and at the -same time to punish him for his unreasonable jealousy. So one evening, -when he was coming home from a market-town (perhaps top-heavy), he -was pixy-led in a meadow just below the miller's house, through which -he had to pass. Hosts of pixies gathered for the occasion, armed -with nettles, thistles, and small bushes of thorn-trees. With these -formidable weapons they pricked, stung, and mercilessly belaboured the -unfortunate young man, dancing around him with mocking gestures, and -chasing him from one end of the field to another. - -Thus harassed, they kept him until the morning dawned, when one pixy -came forward with a beautiful bunch of flowers, which he delivered -to another pixy, who carried it off, and climbing up the vine that -covered the side of the miller's house, laid the bouquet on the -maiden's window-sill. Then he disappeared, followed quickly by the rest -of the pixies, leaving the young man (who now saw from what quarter -the flowers had come) to meditate on the matter. The result of his -meditations was, that before another day was gone, he went to his -betrothed and told her the doubts he had gone through, and the manner -in which the pixies had freed him from those doubts; and the whole -affair was then settled to the satisfaction of everybody concerned, -including the pixies. - -Stories of this sort are wonderfully poetical, and may amuse young -folks, but they are two centuries out of date, and we may hope that -matters are educationally in train to supersede them by materials quite -as droll and a little more rational. - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row, LONDON, -and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH. - - * * * * * - -_All Rights Reserved._ - - * * * * * - -[Transcriber's Note--the following changes have been made to this text: - -Page 770: daugher changed to daughter.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular -Literature, Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL, DEC 8, 1877 *** - -***** This file should be named 51785-8.txt or 51785-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/7/8/51785/ - -Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/51785-8.zip b/old/51785-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index b14c732..0000000 --- a/old/51785-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51785-h.zip b/old/51785-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 704c8bc..0000000 --- a/old/51785-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51785-h/51785-h.htm b/old/51785-h/51785-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 35b4391..0000000 --- a/old/51785-h/51785-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2929 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Chambers's Journal, by Various. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -.ph3{ - text-align: center; - font-size: large; - font-weight: bold; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; -} - -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; -} /* page numbers */ - - - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -/* Poetry */ -.poem { - margin-left:10%; - margin-right:10%; - text-align: left; -} - -.poem br {display: none;} - -.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} - - .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} - .poem span.i24 {display: block; margin-left: 12em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, -Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877 - -Author: Various - -Editor: William Chambers - Robert Chambers - -Release Date: April 18, 2016 [EBook #51785] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL, DEC 8, 1877 *** - - - - -Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_769" id="Page_769">{769}</a></span></p> - -<h1>CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL<br /> -OF<br /> -POPULAR<br /> -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.</h1> - -<div> -<h2>CONTENTS</h2> - -<p class='center'> - -<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> - -<a href="#THE_HIDDEN_BOX">THE HIDDEN BOX.</a><br /> -<a href="#FIRES_AND_THEIR_CAUSES">FIRES AND THEIR CAUSES.</a><br /> -<a href="#A_CAST_OF_THE_NET">A CAST OF THE NET.</a><br /> -<a href="#SEA-LIONS">SEA-LIONS.</a><br /> -<a href="#ANCIENT_STREETS_AND_HOMESTEADS">ANCIENT STREETS AND HOMESTEADS OF ENGLAND.</a><br /> -<a href="#JAPANESE_FANS">JAPANESE FANS.</a><br /> -<a href="#THE_PIXIES">THE PIXIES.</a><br /> - -<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> - -</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/header.png" width="600" height="294" alt="Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art. Fourth Series. Conducted by William and Robert Chambers." /> -</div> - - -<hr class="full" /> -<div class="center"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="" width="85%"> -<tr><td align="left"><b><span class="smcap">No.</span> 728.</b></td><td align="center"><b>SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1877.</b></td><td align="right"><b><span class="smcap">Price</span> 1½<i>d.</i></b></td></tr> -</table></div></div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div> - - -<h2><a name="THE_HIDDEN_BOX" id="THE_HIDDEN_BOX">THE HIDDEN BOX.</a></h2> - -<p class='ph3'>A TALE OF THE COVENANTERS.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Something</span> like two centuries ago, while the persecution -against the Covenanters was raging in -Scotland, many were forced, for conscience' sake, -to give up all and retire to out-of-the-way places, -to be out of the reach of their enemies. Among -others, a well-to-do farmer of the name of MacWilliam, -reduced to penury by the fines imposed -upon him and the confiscation of his lands, withdrew -from the home of his youth; and having -rented a moorland farm in a remote parish of a -neighbouring county, he settled down there with -his wife and family. Hillfoot—for such was the -name of the farm—lay in a hollow between two -hills of moderate elevation, which rose with a -gentle slope on each side. A burn ran through -the farm, and about two miles farther on, joined -a river of some importance. Almost at the confluence -of the two the glen took a sharp turn to -the left, and thus rendered Hillfoot invisible from -the main road, which followed the course of the -larger stream.</p> - -<p>Though the farm was of considerable extent, -little more than a living for the family could be -made about it, for heather was more abundant -on the hills than grass; and good arable land -was out of the question, for the district was so -late that cereals could barely ripen, and even the -meadows along the holms by the burn-side yielded -but scanty crops. It was in this place, however, -that James MacWilliam had elected to spend -his latter days. All around the house the outlook -was no doubt bleak and bare and far from -encouraging; but all that he loved most dearly -were with him, and if he had not the comfort and -luxury of former days, he had what he prized -more than all earthly things—freedom to worship -God in the way it seemed best to himself. At -the time of his removal to Hillfoot he was about -forty years of age, and his wife two or three years -his junior. They had been married some fifteen -years, and two children—a son and daughter—had -blessed their union. John, a lad of fourteen, -assisted his father in the tending of their flocks -and in the working of the farm; while their -daughter Barbara, two years younger, helped her -mother in the house; and although she was not -strong enough yet to do the heavy work, by the -sweetness of her temper and the blitheness of her -nature her presence enlivened all about her and -made the heavy task seem light.</p> - -<p>Years rolled on; and though they often heard -of the persecution and dreadful punishment their -fellow-countrymen, nay even their fellow-parishioners -were suffering, still in their remote and -unsuspected retreat they were allowed to live on -in peace. Ten years had passed, and with them -many changes had come over Hillfoot and its -inmates. Death had not left it inviolate, for the -wife and mother, not strong at best, had been ill -able to stand the privations and hardships which -the family had endured since settling there. It -was with sad hearts that her husband and family -saw her pining away; and although they put forth -every effort and tried every expedient that love -could devise to prolong her life, she sank lower -and lower; and when autumn was merging into -winter, and the heather-bells were beginning to -wither, she passed away. Barbara, on whose -shoulders the household duties had long before -this fallen, was now no longer a girl, but a comely -lass of twenty-two. Her tall graceful figure, kindly -manner, and sweet disposition made her beloved -by all who knew her, and brought her many -admirers. She had become betrothed to a young -man, a shepherd on a neighbouring farm, and -but for the ailing health and subsequent death of -her mother, was to have been married the following -summer.</p> - -<p>John, on whom, from the decrepitude of his -father, the management of the farm had now -devolved, had applied himself with so much -earnestness to his task, and things had so prospered -in his hands, that the family were in a much better -condition than they had ever been since their -coming there.</p> - -<p>Of all the neighbours they had come in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_770" id="Page_770">{770}</a></span> -contact with, James Morton of Burnfoothill was -the one with whom they had the most dealings. -Morton's wife had been dead for many years; but -his only daughter Janet, a young woman about -Barbara's age, kept house for her father. At -bottom, Morton was an honourable enough man, -but he was grasping and worldly, and cared little -for those things which his neighbour MacWilliam -regarded as most sacred. Between the old folks -accordingly there had been little coming and -going; but Barbara and Janet were fast friends, for -the two girls had forgathered among the braes -shortly after the former had come to Hillfoot, and -an intimacy was then formed which grew closer -as they grew older, and which now rendered the -two almost inseparable.</p> - -<p>John MacWilliam had also found something of -a kindred spirit in Janet, and from taking a deep -interest in her welfare, he gradually awoke to -the consciousness of regarding her with a true -and honest affection. He had long worshipped at -a distance; but now that his mother was dead, -and his sister betrothed to a neighbouring swain, -he determined to approach the object of his -love and tell her the state of his feelings. An -opportunity was not long in presenting itself. -Janet came on a visit to Hillfoot one lovely -June afternoon, and in the evening, as she -was preparing to go home, John volunteered to -accompany her. They sallied out and wended -their way down the burn-side. The sun was -sinking behind the hills; the sky was bright and -clear and peaceful overhead, and as the shadows -lengthened, a dead calm seemed to descend on all -things around. Nothing was to be heard save the -purling of the brook at their feet, or the bleat of -the lambs far up the hillside. The quiet beauty -touched the hearts of both as they tripped along, -and caused them to linger by the way, that they -might the longer gaze on the tranquil scene. -Seating themselves on a grassy knowe, with the -maiden's hand clasped in his, he told in simple yet -passionate language how he had long regarded her -with the deepest affection and that she alone could -make him happy. Need more be said? They -rose to go, for the shadows were deepening; and -as they sauntered down the glen hand in hand, -it was agreed that he should ask her father's consent -that very night.</p> - -<p>When they entered Burnfoothill, Morton was -much surprised to see John at such an unusual -hour; and when he learned his errand, was not -overpleased, for he had calculated that his daughter, -of whom he was justly proud, would make a better -match, since he was rich, and she being his only -child, was the heiress-apparent to all his possessions. -Accordingly, he would give his consent -only on two conditions, and these were, that -John should buy Hillfoot and portion it to his -daughter! When John heard these conditions, -his heart died within him; and he parted that -night from Janet like a man in a dream; and, -despairing of ever being able to fulfil the conditions, -he retraced his steps up the glen with a -heavier heart and less elastic step than when an -hour or two before he had come down. When -he reached home, he knelt by his bedside and -prayed to the Father of all mercies for help to -enable him to bear up with his trouble.</p> - -<p>Throughout the long night he pondered and -racked his brain for some expedient whereby he -might raise the necessary funds and remove the -only obstacle between himself and his happiness, -and carry Janet home in triumph—his reward and -joy. The day dawned; and as he prepared to -go forth to his first duty in the morning, that of -looking after the sheep, he felt as if there was no -life in him—as if there was nothing to live for now. -But the old adage says truly—the darkest hour is -just before the dawn. Seizing his staff, he stalked -forth and began to ascend the hill. He had hardly -reached the top when he saw right in front of him -a man looking carefully amongst the heather as if -for something he had lost. He appeared to be a -stranger to the place; and his dress shewed him -to be no shepherd; and John, surprised that such a -person should be there at so early an hour, went -forward and accosted him. The stranger started -when he heard a voice, for he had not noticed -any one approaching, but answered cheerily the -'Good-morrow' addressed to him. At first he -regarded his interrogator with some suspicion; -but the frank open countenance of the latter soon -dispelled all doubt; and when John asked whether -he had lost anything, the stranger proceeded to -tell him the following story.</p> - -<p>He began: 'I am a captain in the Scottish -army; and the other day while sitting in my house -in Edinburgh I received a message to come to the -Tolbooth jail, as an old friend desired very particularly -to see me. Wondering who this friend in the -Tolbooth could be, I set out, and having arrived -there you can judge of my surprise when I recognised -in the prisoner before me an old comrade -and fellow-officer, Bertram by name. We had -served together under Leslie, and had been fast -friends. After some years, Captain Bertram left -his regiment and went up to London. What he -went for I could never learn, but I lost sight of -him from that time, until he sent for me to come -to the Tolbooth. His history he told me had -been an eventful one; and he had passed through -much since I had seen him last. Amongst other -things, he had allied himself with the ringleaders -in the Ryehouse Plot; and when that conspiracy -had become known to the government, my friend -the captain fled with all haste from London and -made the best of his way to Scotland. Though -he had made many narrow escapes, he got across -the Border safe enough, and was congratulating -himself on having at last reached a haven of safety, -when he learned to his surprise that the limbs of the -law were still on his track, and that even there he -was not safe. He hurried north as fast as possible, -thinking to find refuge in the Highland glens; but -his pursuers had been gaining on him, and as he -was traversing this part of the country—I take -it to be on the top of this very hill—he saw his -pursuers, a party of red-coats, come over the top -of yonder hill on the other side of the valley. -He had carried with him from England a small -box of extremely valuable jewellery, by selling -which he would have as much as keep him in his -old age and forced retirement. But when he -saw the soldiers so close on him, he hid the box -in a tuft of heather, so that if he were taken it -might not fall into the hands of his enemies; and -if he did escape he might have an opportunity -of coming back and recovering it. He was, however, -captured before he reached Glasgow, which I -believe is not more than twelve miles from here; -thence he was taken to Edinburgh and confined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_771" id="Page_771">{771}</a></span> -in the Tolbooth, where I saw him. I interested -myself in his case, and used all my influence to get -him set free; but the evidence of his guilt was too -decided to admit of a doubt, and the government -was in no forgiving mood. He was tried, condemned, -and has been executed. The night before -his execution he sent for me and described the place -where he had left his box of valuables, and asked -me to go and search for them and take the use of -them. From the description I got of the hill, I -think this must be the one, and my errand here -this morning is to find this lost treasure.'</p> - -<p>When he had finished his story, John immediately -volunteered to help him in his search -for the box; and the stranger being nothing loath, -the two started to look, and continued the search -until the sun had mounted high in the heavens. -The stranger, unused to the rough and uneven -ground of the hill, was completely knocked up, -and determined to give up the search as useless, -remarking that it reminded him of looking for -a needle in a haystack. After being pressed -to go down and partake of some refreshments—which, -however, the stranger declined—and as -they were on the point of parting, John asked -him to leave his address, so that if he did find the -box, he would be able to let him know. The -stranger did so, and promised a handsome reward -if the box was found and brought to Edinburgh. -They parted, the stranger to make the best of his -way to the village, which lay some four miles off, -and thence take horse to Glasgow; John to go -his rounds amongst the sheep, which had been -neglected while the search was going on.</p> - -<p>Whilst he was thus occupied, he kept turning -over in his mind what had passed between the -stranger and himself, and it suddenly occurred to -him that here was an opportunity of raising at -least a little money, for should he find the box, -the stranger had promised a handsome reward. -At the thought, a wild tumultuous joy filled his -breast, and he eagerly hastened to finish his round -and get back home, so that when he had breakfasted -he might renew the search. He was, -however, so far behind his usual time of arrival -that he found his kinsfolk in consternation at his -protracted stay. Fearing some accident had befallen -his son, the old man was on the point of -going out to seek for him when he made his -appearance. John told them the cause of his delay; -and also declared his intention of going out to -continue the search as soon as he had satisfied his -hunger.</p> - -<p>The story told by her brother made a great -impression on Barbara, and she, after sitting wrapt -in thought for a few minutes, exclaimed: 'It <i>must</i> -have been him!' Her brother in surprise asked -what she meant; and then she told how, one -afternoon two or three months before, she had -wandered up the burn-side with her seam in her -hand, and had seen a man running along the hill -as fast as the nature of the ground would permit; -and as he ran she saw him halt, and as it were -bend down amongst the heather, and then start -off to run again. She stood and watched him till -he went out of sight, thinking it was perhaps -some poor Covenanter chased by 'Kirke's Lambs,' -who at that time were the terror of the country; -but having watched some time longer, and seeing -no one in pursuit, she concluded it would simply -be a shepherd on some errand of despatch, and -thought no more about it. Her brother's recital, -however, had brought the circumstance to her -memory; and laying the two things together, she -inferred that it must have been Captain Bertram -she had seen, and that when she saw him stoop, -he had concealed the box of valuables.</p> - -<p>When John heard his sister's story, he eagerly -questioned her whether she could trace the man's -course along the hill or point out the place where -she had seen him stoop. Barbara was uncertain, -but volunteered to accompany her brother and -indicate, so far as she could remember, the spot he -was so anxious to find. Hurriedly partaking of -the food his sister had prepared for him, in a very -few minutes the two issued forth to begin the -search. They agreed that it would be better to go -to the place where she had been standing when she -saw the fugitive, so that she might have a better -idea of where to look. They accordingly held their -way up the valley, and as they were going he told -her all that had passed the night before, and -explained how it was that he was so eager to fall -in with the concealed treasure. She, with all the -ready sympathy of a sister, entered into his spirit; -and when they had reached the place where she -thought she had been standing, she proposed that -he should go up the hill, and in that way she -might be more able to tell definitely at what distance -the man had been out. The suggestion -seemed good, and was immediately carried out; -and at the distance of nearly half a mile from -where she was standing, she signalled him to -stop. She immediately ascended, and as soon as -she had reached him the search began in earnest. -Sticking his staff in the ground where he had -been standing, he hung his plaid upon it; and -then Barbara and he going out something like -fifty yards, and taking different directions, each -described a semicircle with the plaid as centre, -meeting on the opposite side. They continued -the process, narrowing the circle every round, -till they had come within five yards of the plaid; -but all to no purpose. The task seemed hopeless, -and they were on the point of abandoning the -search in the space they had inclosed with the -first round, when Barbara, with a joyful cry, drew -forth the box from a thick bunch of heather!</p> - -<p>The two then hurried home to make known -their good fortune to their father, and also to -consult how they should let Captain Hamilton, -John's friend of the morning, know that they had -found the box. There were no telegraph wires in -those days which could flash the news to its -destination in a few minutes; nor were there even -mails from so remote a place, by which letters -could be carried with anything like safety or -precision. The only way therefore that seemed to -be advisable was that John should take the box -and carry it all the way to Edinburgh and hand it -over to the rightful owner. It was accordingly -resolved that he should start very early next -morning, which would enable him to reach -Edinburgh that day, and take the box with him. -To effectually conceal it, Barbara put up two pairs -of blankets of her own weaving into a bundle, with -the box inside; and when the east was beginning -to turn gray, John set out with his bundle on his -back, and some cakes and cheese in his pocket. -On he trudged with a light step and lighter -heart, for he felt he was on the eve of having -his dearest wish fulfilled. Long before its inhabitants<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_772" id="Page_772">{772}</a></span> -had begun to stir, he passed through Glasgow, -then an insignificant city compared with its -present grandeur and prosperity. While it was -still early, halting by the wayside he quenched his -thirst at a neighbouring spring, and then walked -on, passing many villages by the way. By midday -he reached Falkirk, and having there done -justice to his cakes and cheese, he pushed on; and -as the sun was sinking in the west he reached -Edinburgh, and with little difficulty sought out -the address given him by his friend the captain.</p> - -<p>He found that that gentleman lived in one of the -most fashionable houses in the town; and when -he knocked at the door and asked to see Captain -Hamilton, the page told him in a very rough -manner that his master had no time to waste on -such as he. John felt nettled at this impertinence, -but respectfully desired him to tell his master that -the shepherd with whom he had been speaking -the morning before, was at the door, and wished to -see him. The page very reluctantly went; and -when he delivered his message, was not a little -surprised to see the alacrity with which his master -obeyed the summons. The captain took John into -his private room, and there eagerly asked him if he -had found the box. For an answer, John quietly -drew the article asked for from his bundle and -handed it to the captain, who took it, and having -produced the key which Bertram had given him -when he told him the story, opened the box and -found the contents all safe. He did not tell John -what was the value of the jewels it contained; but -after having been made acquainted with the mode -in which the treasure had been recovered, he produced -a bag containing one thousand guineas, and -handed it to the faithful shepherd, as the reward -of his honesty and fidelity. He at the same time -pressed him to accept of his hospitality for that -night; to which John readily consented, being -thoroughly worn out by his long and tiresome -journey. Ordering meat to be set before his guest, -he waited till he had had enough, and then conducted -him to a bedroom for the night.</p> - -<p>It would hardly be possible to describe the -feelings of John when he found himself alone. -An overpowering sense of gratitude to his -heavenly Father filled his breast, and falling on -his knees, he poured forth a fervent prayer of -thanksgiving for what he had received. In the -munificent reward he had earned, he saw the -highest aim of his ambition won, and his dearest -hopes consummated. Having at length retired to -rest, his thoughts kept him awake for some time; -but tired Nature soon asserted herself, and he sunk -into a deep and refreshing slumber, and slept until -the beams of the rising sun shining into his room -roused him, and warned him that it was time to -be taking the road. He rose, dressed himself, -and was on the point of leaving, when the butler -knocked at the door and told him breakfast was -laid for him in the hall. Gratefully partaking of -the offered cheer, he then set forth on his journey -homeward, where he arrived as the gloaming -was deepening into night. His story was soon -told; and when he held forth the bag of gold and -declared how much it contained, and assured them -that it was all his own, his sister fairly broke -down and wept for very joy. John then told his -father the whole story of how he had trudged -to the Scottish metropolis, and what he had -there found; and he in the fullness of his heart -embraced his children, and thanked God who had -been so bountiful to them.</p> - -<p>There is little more to tell. The muirland farm -changed owners, and the house was repaired. James -Morton was no longer opposed to the marriage of -his daughter Janet with John MacWilliam, for his -son-in-law elect was no longer a poor tenant -farmer, but an independent laird; and before -another summer had come and gone, a new mistress -had begun to rule at Hillfoot, and Barbara -had been wedded to her shepherd-swain. It is -unnecessary to follow them further in detail; -suffice it to say that John and Janet lived long and -happily together, and had the pleasure of seeing -their sons and daughters grow up around them; -and when he died, he left Hillfoot to his eldest -son, charging him neither to sell it nor to leave -it. Well and faithfully has that injunction been -carried out, for to this day a descendant of the -MacWilliams is in possession of Hillfoot.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="FIRES_AND_THEIR_CAUSES" id="FIRES_AND_THEIR_CAUSES">FIRES AND THEIR CAUSES.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> oft-repeated words, 'Cause unknown,' appended -to the daily reports of the conflagrations -which occur all over the country—such as that, -for instance, which lately occurred at Inveraray -Castle, but which is now supposed to have been -caused by lightning—furnish matter for grave -reflection. A glance at the report of one of -the largest fire brigades will shew us that -the causes (when ascertained) are of the most -varied description. It appears that the candle -is the most destructive weapon to be found in -an ordinary household, for conflagrations lighted -by its help far outnumber those credited to any -other cause. Curtains come next on the black list. -The next large figures are given to 'Spark from -fire,' followed by 'Foul flues.' Next in order -may be noticed 'Gas,' 'Children playing with -fire,' 'Tobacco-smoking,' 'Spontaneous ignition,' -and lastly 'Incendiarism.'</p> - -<p>There is no doubt that many a fire owes its -origin to causes quite beyond the control of the -tenant of the house in which it occurs, and that -the scamping manner in which builders' work is -often done is the prime cause of many a fire which -is put down as unaccounted for. The ends of -joists are left protruding into chimneys, or a thin -hearthstone is set upon a bed of timber. In both -cases the wood becomes so dry and hot that it is -ready to take fire from the first spark that settles -near it. Overheated flues represent a source of -danger which is also attributable to the careless -builder; for if the flue were so placed that its -heat could not affect adjacent woodwork, it would -be always as safe when hot as when cold. It is -true that by act of parliament builders are -obliged to preserve a certain distance between -flues and timber; but surveyors cannot always -reckon on their instructions being carried out, and -cases are unfortunately rare nowadays where -workmen will do their duty in such matters -without constant supervision. Lath and plaster -divisions between houses are also illegal; but -buildings, and more especially warehouses, are -now of such vast extent, that they really represent -aggregations of small houses in which the act of -parliament concerning party-walls becomes a dead-letter.</p> - -<p>Among the ascertained causes of fire are those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_773" id="Page_773">{773}</a></span> -which occur in the various workshops where -hazardous trades are carried on. These naturally -shew an increase since steam-power has become -such a universal aid to nearly every kind of -human labour; necessitating furnaces which remain -kindled for weeks or months together. -Apart from this source of risk, there are numerous -trades where such inflammables as turpentine, -naphtha, spirits of wine, and combinations of them -in the form of varnishes, are in daily use to a very -large extent. The familiarity which such constant -use provokes breeds a contempt which often resolves -itself into a negligence almost criminal in -its nature. Drying-stoves afford another dangerous -item in the list of fires connected with the trades; -japanners, cabinet-makers, and hosts of others using -such stoves as a necessity of their business. Hot-water -pipes for heating purposes also represent the -cause of a large number of fires, the most dangerous -kind being those which are charged with -water and hermetically sealed. The reason of this -is easily explained. Water boils at a temperature -far below that necessary to ignite woodwork; but -when confined in such pipes as we have described, -it will rise in temperature to an extent only -measured by the strength of the material which -holds it. A soft metal plug is sometimes inserted -in these pipes, so that should any unusual degree -of heat be approached, it will melt out, and thus -relieve the pressure; but such a good precaution -is by no means universal.</p> - -<p>The pipes which are used for carrying off -heated air, and which are placed above gas-burners, -are too often allowed to pass between the -ceiling and the floor above without any regard to -the obvious danger incurred. The various close -stoves which were introduced to public notice at -the time when the price of coal was suddenly -doubled, although no doubt economical, are not so -safe as the old form of kitchen range, which many -a careful housewife has likened to a cavern. The -whole of the air which rises through the flue of -a closed stove actually passes through the fire, and -thus attains a very exalted temperature. In the -old stoves, on the other hand, the hot air is always -largely diluted with that which is attracted to the -chimney from all quarters. It is evident therefore -that the chances of fire in the flue of the former -are much greater than in that of the latter.</p> - -<p>Theatres may be said to combine within their -walls all the risks which we have as yet alluded -to, for they represent factories where work of a -most diversified kind is carried on, and where both -open and closed fires are in constant use. At -pantomime time especially, the number of persons -employed in the various workshops of a large -theatre is to the uninitiated quite marvellous. -Carpenters and 'property-men' (those clever -workmen who can make everything from a bunch -of carrots to a parish pump) represent a constant -source of danger from fire, in that they deal with -inflammable material, and require the aid of heat -for their size and glue. It is obviously important -in a little kingdom where all is make-believe—where -the most solid masonry is wood and canvas, -where the greenest trees are dry as tinder, where -even limpid streams are flimsy muslin, nay, where -the moon itself is but a piece of oiled calico—that -there should be no mistake about the reality -of the precautions against accidental fire. In most -theatres, rules are in force of the most stringent -character, extending even to such details as -clearing so many times a day the accumulated -shavings from the carpenters' shops. If such a -sensible law were enforced in other places besides -theatres, it would be a preventive measure of very -great value.</p> - -<p>Shavings are perhaps the most dangerously inflammable -things to be found about a building. -A block of wood is a difficult thing to set on fire; -but when reduced to the form of shavings, a mere -spark will turn it into a roaring fire. The same -thing may be said in a minor degree of a lump of -iron, which when reduced to filings can be burnt -in the flame of a common candle. It is often this -difference of bulk which will decide whether a -material is practically inflammable or not. Paper -affords another example of the same principle; tied -tightly in bundles it may smoulder, while in loose -sheets its inflammability is evident.</p> - -<p>It is stated upon good authority that in one-third -of the number of fires which occur the cause is -not ascertained. The plan long ago adopted in -New York, and which has led to a sensible -diminution in the number of fires there, has not, -for some reason, found favour with the authorities -in this country. We allude to the custom of convening -a coroner's court to inquire into the origin -of every fire which takes place. There is little -doubt that such inquiries would educate thoughtful -householders into taking precautions which -might not otherwise strike them as being at all -necessary. The importance of such precautions is -manifest when we learn that in London alone -there are on the average three fires in every -twenty-four hours. If this wholesale destruction -were reported of an Eastern city, where the houses -are of wood, and are sun-dried by incessant -tropical heat, there would be some excuse for it. -But here at home, where bricks and mortar are -so common, it is certainly astonishing that fires -should be so prevalent.</p> - -<p>It would seem that it is a much easier task to -set an entire house on fire, than it is with deliberate -intention, and with proper combustibles, to -light a stove for the purpose of boiling a kettle. -This latter operation is not so simple as it appears -to be, as any one may prove who has not already -tried his, or her, hand at it. In fact, an efficient -or bad house-servant may be almost at once -detected by the ease or difficulty with which -she lights her fires. The inefficient servant will -place some crumpled paper in the grate, and will -throw the best part of a bundle of wood on the -top of it, crowning the whole with a smothering -mass of coal; and will expect the fire to burn. -The good servant will, on the other hand, first -clear her grate, so as to insure a good draught; -she will then place the wood above the paper, -crossing the sticks again and again; then the -coals are put in deftly one by one, affording interstices -through which the flames will love to -linger; a light is applied; and the kettle will -soon be singing acknowledgments of the warm -ardour with which it has been wooed. Contrast -this with the other picture, where double the fuel -is wasted, and where smoke and dirt make their -appearance in lieu of tea and toast. We venture -to say that a badly managed kitchen fire, with its -train of unpunctual meals, leads to more general -loss of temper than all the other minor domestic -troubles put together. The stove is usually the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_774" id="Page_774">{774}</a></span> -scapegoat on which the offending servant lays her -incompetence (the cat clearly could establish an -<i>alibi</i>); but the most perfect of ranges would not -remedy the fault. The only real reason for such -a state of things is the prevalence of sheer -stupidity. Molly's mother was taught by Molly's -grandmother to light a fire in a certain way, and -Molly's descendants will, from persistence of habit, -continue to light fires in that manner, be it good -or evil, until the end of time. It is quite clear -that the same stupidity which causes an intentional -fire to fail, will occasionally lead to a pyrotechnic -exhibition which has been quite unlooked -for. For instance, cases are not unknown where -servants have used the contents of a powder-horn -for coaxing an obstinate fire to burn; the loss of a -finger or two generally giving them sufficient hint -not to repeat the experiment.</p> - -<p>The general use of gas has done much to reduce -the number of conflagrations, for it has replaced -other illuminators far more dangerous; but it has -at the same time contributed a cause of accident -which before its use could not exist. So long as -people will insist on looking for an escape of gas -with a lighted candle, so long will their rashness -be rewarded with an explosion. It is not customary, -where there is a doubt as to whether a cask -contains gunpowder or not, to insert a red-hot -poker into the bung-hole. Yet such a proceeding -would be scarcely less foolhardy than the detection -of the presence of gas by means of flame. -The test in both cases is most thorough, but it is -too energetic in its action to be of any value but -to those who wish to rise in the world too -suddenly.</p> - -<p>Drunkenness is a well-known source of burnt-out -dwellings, the habitual tippler being too -often left to his own devices in the matter of -matches and candles. The usual faculty of double -vision with which an inebriated man is gifted, -leads to a divided claim upon the extinguisher, -which naturally points to a disastrous sequel. -Even sober people will be guilty of the most -hazardous habits, such as novel-reading in bed -with a candle placed near them on a chair; for -novels, like some other graver compositions, are -occasionally apt to induce slumber; and the first -movement of the careless sleeper may imperil his -life, as well as the lives of others who may be -under the same roof with him.</p> - -<p>The caprices of female dress have also often led -to fatal accidents from fire, and crinoline skirts -had in their day much to answer for. But at the -present time petticoats seem to have shrunk in -volume to the more moderate dimensions of an -ordinary sack, so that we are not likely to hear -of accidents from this particular cause until some -fresh enormity is perpetrated in the name of -fashion. We may mention in this connection -that tungstate of soda (a cheap salt) will render -muslins, &c. uninflammable. But strange to say, -it is not generally adopted, even on the stage, -where the risks are so multiplied, because it is said -to prevent the starch drying with due stiffness! -We have all heard of what female courage is -capable when little ones are in danger, but we -hardly thought that it was equal to the task of -risking precious life for the appearance of a muslin -dress. We can only bow, and say—nothing.</p> - -<p>Where fires have been traced to spontaneous -combustion, it has generally been found that some -kind of decomposing vegetable matter has been -the active instrument in their production. Cotton-waste -which has been used for cleaning oily -machinery and then thrown aside in some forgotten -corner, sawdust on which vegetable oil has -been spilt, and hemp, have each in its turn been -convicted of incendiarism. The simple remedy is -<i>to avoid the accumulation of lumber and rubbish -in places where valuable goods and still more -valuable lives are at stake</i>. Occasionally fires -have been accidentally caused by the concentration -of the sun's rays by means of a lens or of -a globe of water, and opticians have for this reason -to be very careful in the arrangement of their -shop-windows. A case lately occurred where a -fire was occasioned, it was supposed, by a carafe of -water that stood on the centre of a table. The -sun's rays had turned it into a burning-glass! It -is stated, with what amount of truth we cannot -say, that fires in tropical forests are sometimes -caused by the heavy dewdrops attached to the -foliage acting the part of lenses.</p> - -<p>The advance which has been made during the -last twenty years in all appliances connected with -the art of extinguishing fires, has done much to -limit or rather localise the dangers of such catastrophes; -for whereas in the old days the lumbering -'parish squirt' was the only means of defence, -we have now in all large towns steam fire-engines -capable of throwing an immense stream of water -with force enough to reach the topmost floors of -very high buildings. The aforesaid 'squirt' was -capable of little more than wetting the outside of -contiguous buildings, with a view to prevent the -spread of the original fire, which generally burnt -itself out. But now our engines furnish a power -which will often smother a large fire in the course -of half an hour or less. Moreover, our well organised -fire brigades are trained to convey the hose -to the nucleus of the flames, and much heroism -is shewn in the carrying out of this dangerous -duty. It will be especially interesting to the -readers of this <i>Journal</i> to note that the first really -efficient brigade was formed in Edinburgh by the -late lamented Superintendent Braidwood. He was -afterwards employed in a like service for London, -where his devotion to duty eventually cost him -his life. Like a true soldier, he died 'under fire.'</p> - -<p>And now for a few simple precautions.</p> - -<p>Let some member of the family visit every -portion of the house before it is shut up for the -night. (While he is seeing to the safety of the -fires and lights, he can also give an eye to bolts -and bars, and thus fulfil another most necessary -precaution.) See that there is no glimmering of -light beneath the bedroom doors for any unreasonable -time after the inmates have retired to rest. -Insist on ascertaining the cause of any smell of -burning. It may be only a piece of rag safely -smouldering in a grate, but satisfy yourself upon -the point without delay. Do not rake out a fire -at night, but allow it to burn itself out in the -grate. (We have already referred to the danger -of hearthstones set upon timber.) Do not allow -an unused fireplace to be closed up with a screen -unless it is first ascertained that there is no collection -of soot in the chimney, and no communication -with any other flue from which a spark may -come. Caution servants not to throw <i>hot</i> ashes -into the dust-bin. Let the slightest escape of gas -be remedied as soon as possible, and remember<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_775" id="Page_775">{775}</a></span> -that the common form of telescope gasalier requires -water at certain intervals, or it will become a -source of danger. Finally, forbid all kinds of -petroleum and benzoline lamps to be trimmed -except by daylight. (A lamp was the initial cause -of the great Chicago fire.)</p> - -<p>Many other precautions will suggest themselves -to the careful housekeeper. But after all, the best -precaution is common-sense, which, however, is -the least available, being the misnomer for a -faculty which is far from common.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="A_CAST_OF_THE_NET" id="A_CAST_OF_THE_NET">A CAST OF THE NET.</a></h2> - -<p class='ph3'>THE STORY OF A DETECTIVE OFFICER.</p> - - -<h3 title='CHAPTER II.'>IN FOUR CHAPTERS.—CHAPTER II.</h3> - -<p><span class="smcap">By</span> ten o'clock on the following morning I had -sketched out my plan, and more than that, I was -down at the water-side and looking after a lodging, -for I never let the grass grow under my feet. I -must say, however, that I very much disliked -the east end of London, and especially the river-side -part of it; everything was so dirty and -miserable and crowded, that to a man of really -decent tastes like myself, it was almost purgatory -to pass a day in it. And on this particular occasion -the weather changed the very day I went there; it -was getting on towards late autumn (October in -point of fact), and we had been having most -beautiful weather; but this very morning it came -on to rain, a close thick rain, and we didn't have -three hours of continuous fine weather while I -stopped in the east.</p> - -<p>I was not likely to be very particular about my -lodgings in one sense, though in another I was -more particular than any lodger that ever came -into the neighbourhood; and after a little trouble I -pitched upon a public-house again, chiefly because -my going in and out would attract less attention -there than at a private house; so I secured a small -second-floor back room at the <i>Anchor and Five -Mermaids</i>, or the <i>Anchor</i> as it was generally called, -for shortness.</p> - -<p>The great recommendation of the <i>Anchor and -Five Mermaids</i> was that it was nearly opposite to -Byrle & Co.'s engineering shops, a ferry existing -between the two places; this ferry was reached by a -narrow dirty lane, which ran by the side of the -<i>Anchor</i>, and I could see that numbers of the workmen -came across at dinner-time. The <i>Anchor</i> stood -at the corner, one front looking on the lane, the -other upon the river; and once upon a time there -had been, not exactly a tea-garden, but arbours or -'boxes' in front of the house, where the customers -used to sit and watch the shipping; but this was -all past now, and only the miserable remains of -the arbours were there; and it was as dull and -cheerless a place as the tavern to which Quilp took -Sampson and Sally Brass in the <i>Old Curiosity -Shop</i>, of which indeed it reminded me every time -I looked at it.</p> - -<p>I always had a readiness for scraping acquaintances; -in fact it is not much use of your being -a detective if you can't do this. If you can't -be jonnick with the biggest stranger or lowest -rough, you are no use on that lay. I really must -avoid slang terms; but 'jonnick' means hearty -and jovial; on a 'lay' means being up to some -game or business. Before the first dinner-time -had passed, I had got quite friendly with two or -three of Byrle's hands who came into the <i>Anchor</i> -to have their beer; and I learned some particulars -about the firm and then about the gatekeeper, that -helped me in my ideas.</p> - -<p>Directly after they had all gone back, I went -over too, and the dinner-traffic having ceased, I was -the only passenger. The ferryman did not like -taking me alone, but he was bound to do it; -and he looked as sulky as if he was going to be -flogged at a cart's tail. He was a tall, bony-headed -fellow, between fifty and sixty I should say; and -I noticed him particularly because of an uncommonly -ugly squint in his left eye. In accordance -with my plan, I began talking cheerfully to -him while he was pushing off from the shore; but -he didn't answer me beyond a growl. Then I -offered him some splendid chewing tobacco, which -a 'friend just over from America had given me.' -Really and truly I had bought it within a quarter -of a mile of the <i>Anchor and Five Mermaids</i>, but -he wasn't to know that. <i>I</i> can't chew; I hate the -idea; but I put a piece of the tobacco in my -mouth, knowing how fond these waterside men -are of the practice, and how friendly they get with -one of the same tastes. To my surprise, he would -not have it, and I was glad to pitch my plug into -the river when he turned his head away. But -confound these cock-eyed men! there is never -any knowing where to have them. He had not -turned far enough, I suppose, or I didn't make -proper allowances for his squint; for as I threw -my plug away with a shudder—it had already -turned me almost sick—I caught his plaguy cross-eye -staring full at me. I knew it was, by the -expression on his face; that was my only guide, -for an astronomer could not have told by his eye -in which direction he was looking.</p> - -<p>The ferryman pulled well, however; and just as -we got athwart the bows of a short thick-looking -craft—it is of no use my trying to say what kind -of a craft she was; I can't tell one from another—a -voice hailed us. 'Ay, ay,' says the boatman, -lifting his sculls; 'do you want to go ashore, -captain?' 'Yes,' returned a voice; and I looked -up and saw a man leaning over the side of the -vessel; and the boatman sending his wherry close -under the ship, the stranger slid down by a rope -very cleverly, and got in. Though the boatman -had called him 'captain,' and though he was very -clever with the rope, he didn't look altogether -like a regular sailor; he was a dark full-faced -man, with black eyes, a dark moustache, and curly -greasy-looking hair.</p> - -<p>The stranger said a few words in a very low -tone to the boatman, evidently to prevent my -overhearing, and then nothing passed until we -landed. The sulky ferryman took his fee without -a word; and I went straight to the wicket-gate of -Byrle's factory, where of course I found the gatekeeper. -I stated that I was in want of employment, -and had heard they were taking on labourers, and -so had applied for a job.</p> - -<p>'No; I don't know as we want any more hands,' -said the man, who was sitting down in a little -sentry-box; 'and we have had plenty of people -here; besides, you're lame, ain't you?'</p> - -<p>'A little,' I said, limping as I moved; 'not very -bad: a kick from a horse some years ago.'</p> - -<p>'Ah! you won't do for us then,' he said; 'but -I'm sorry for you. <i>I'm</i> lame too, from a kick of -a horse; I can't stand without my stick;' here he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_776" id="Page_776">{776}</a></span> -rose up to let me see him; 'but you see I was hurt -in the service, and the firm have provided for me. -I'm very sorry for you, for it's hard to be slighted -because you are a cripple. Here is sixpence, old -fellow, to get half a pint with, and I wish I could -make it more.'</p> - -<p>I took the sixpence, and thanked him for his -kindness; he deserved my thanks, because he wasn't -getting more than a pound a week, and had four -or five little children. I found this out afterwards.</p> - -<p>I was satisfied at having made a friend who -might prove useful; but I had one or two more -questions to ask him, and was thinking how I -could best bring them in, when he said hurriedly: -'If you could get hold of Mr Byrle by himself, he -might do something for you, for he is a very good -sort; and you seem strong enough in every other -way, and would make a good watchman, I should -think.'</p> - -<p>Yes; he did not know how good a one!</p> - -<p>'Mr Byrle senior or junior?' I asked, on the -strength of my information from the hands at the -<i>Anchor</i>.</p> - -<p>'Junior! O lor! that wouldn't do at all!' exclaimed -he with quite a gasp, as if the idea took -his breath away. 'It's a case of "O no, we never -mention it" with him. He's seldom at home, and -when he is, he and the old gentleman lead the -very—— Here you have it! Here's Mr Forey, -the only foreman in the place who would listen to -you. Now, speak up!'</p> - -<p>Mr Forey, a dark-whiskered, stoutly built man, -came up, glancing keenly at me as a stranger; so -touching my cap, I again preferred my request to -be taken on as a labourer.</p> - -<p>'I don't like lame men,' he said; 'but there does -not seem to be a great deal the matter with you. -You say you can have a first-rate character. We -shall be making changes next week, and there's -no harm in your looking round on Monday morning -at nine sharp.—Stop! I can give you a job -now. Do you know how to get to T——?'</p> - -<p>'Yes, sir,' I said.</p> - -<p>'Then take this letter to Mr Byrle, and bring -back an answer,' said Mr Forey. 'If he is not at -home, ask for Miss Doyle, who may open it. I -want an answer this afternoon; so cut off! Stay! -here's a shilling for your fare; it's only tenpence, -you know; and I'll leave eighteenpence with Bob -here at the gate for your trouble.'</p> - -<p>I took the shilling, Bob winking triumphantly -at me, as if to say it was as good as done, and I left -the yard.</p> - -<p>I was amused at having the commission, for I -wondered what Mr Byrle would say when he saw -me, and whether my disguise was so complete that -he would not recognise me at all. That would be -something like a triumph, and I almost made up -my mind that it would be so. Had Mr Forey seen -me hurrying to the station, he might again have -said that there did not seem much the matter with -me; but I walked slowly enough through the -street in which the <i>Yarmouth Smack</i> was situated, -and had a pretty good trial of my disguise and my -nerves as I passed it. Peter Tilley, dressed in a -blue slop and cord trousers, so as to look like a -dock labourer or something of that kind, was -leaning against the door-post, lazily watching the -passers-by. I made up my mind to try him; so -stopping at a lamp-post just opposite to him, I took -out my pipe, struck a match on the iron, coolly -lit the tobacco, and after one or two puffs, threw -the match into the road and walked on. He never -knew me. It was all right.</p> - -<p>The drizzling rain came down again as I got out -at T——; but luckily Mr Byrle's house was not -more than a quarter of a mile from the station; and -so resuming my limp, I got there without delay. -The man-servant who answered the door took -my letter, but told me that the old gentleman was -not at home; then on finding Miss Doyle was to -open the letter and send an answer, told me to -wait in a little room which looked as if it was -used as an office, having floor-cloth instead of -carpet, wooden chairs, and so forth. He was a -careful servant, and would not ask a stranger to -wait in the hall, where coats and umbrellas might -be had by a sharp party.</p> - -<p>I had not waited long, when the door opened, -and a young lady, whom I of course judged to -be Miss Doyle, came into the room. She was a -dark, keen-looking young party, and spoke rather -sharply. 'You are to take an answer back, I -believe?' she said.</p> - -<p>'Yes, miss,' I answered, touching my forehead, -for as you may suppose, I held my cap in my -hand.</p> - -<p>'Mr Forey only wishes me to send word; I am -not to write,' she went on; 'he wants to know if Mr -Byrle will be at the works to-morrow. He will -not. Tell Mr Forey he will leave town to-night, -and not return until the day after to-morrow. -You understand?' She spoke very sharply; so I -said: 'Yes, miss,' sharply too, and touched my -forehead again.</p> - -<p>'You need not wait,' she said; and opening the -door, I saw the servant waiting to let me out. I -knuckled my forehead again, and putting on -rather a clumsier limp than before, got out of the -house into the rain and mud. Rain and mud! -What did I care for rain and mud now?</p> - -<p>'Sergeant Nickham,' says I, when I got fairly -out of range of her windows, for I wouldn't trust -<i>her</i> with so much as a wink of mine—'Sergeant -Nickham,' I said, 'you are the boy! If you can't -command your face, there isn't a man in the force -as can. If you haven't got a memory for faces, -find me the man who has, that's all about it!'</p> - -<p>Why, of all the extraordinary capers that I -ever tumbled to in my life, I never came near -such a caper as this. Miss Doyle! <i>That</i> was -Miss Doyle, was it? Right enough, no doubt; -but if she wasn't also the sham clerk who -came and found that I was put on the watch -by Mr Byrle, I didn't know a horse from a -hedgehog—that's all. The quick look of her -eye, her sharp quick voice, the shape of her face, -the very way she stood—lor! it was all as clear -as daylight. But then I thought, and I kept on -thinking till I had got back to the works, what -could <i>she</i> have to do with stealing engine-fittings? -'Twasn't likely as she had anything to do with -that. It was past all question in my mind as to -her being the same party. I knew it for certain; -and then came the point—What did she dress -herself up for and come a-spying on me and her -uncle?—for she was Mr Byrle's niece.</p> - -<p>I hadn't got to the bottom of this by any means, -by the time I got back to the works; however, I -gave my message very respectfully to Mr Forey; -and offered Bob the gatekeeper his sixpence back, -with many thanks.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_777" id="Page_777">{777}</a></span></p> - -<p>'No, old chap,' he says; 'keep it at present. -If you get on regular, I'll take it off you and a -pint into the bargain the day you draw your first -week's cash; but a fellow out of work knows the -vally of a sixpence.'</p> - -<p>The same ferryman took me back; and his -temper hadn't improved, I found. I fancied too -that he was particular watchful of me, and so I -was particular watchful of him; and from long -practice I could do it better and more secretly -than he could, although he <i>had</i> got a cross-eye. -Lor! I could tell when we were nearing that -same ship that the man climbed out of; I could -tell it by the cunning way in which the boatman -looked at me, to see if I would take any special -notice of it. I didn't know what his little game -might be, but I determined to spoil it; so I -stooped down, and was tying up my shoe, making -quite a long job of it, till after we had fairly -passed the craft, and then I looked up with an -innocent face that quite settled him.</p> - -<p>Just as we pushed up to the hard (that's the -landing-place), he says to me: 'Do you often cross -here?'</p> - -<p>'Not often,' I said; 'at anyrate, not yet. I -generally cross a little higher up.' (That was very -true; about Westminster Bridge was my place; -if he liked to think I meant somewhere about -Tooley Street or Billingsgate, of course I couldn't -help it.) 'But I have left my old quarters, and so I -shall often go this way.'</p> - -<p>'Ah,' he says, 'you live at the <i>Yarmouth Smack</i>, -don't you?'</p> - -<p>'The what?' I said. 'Where's that?'</p> - -<p>'The <i>Yarmouth Smack</i>,' he says again, pointing -to the side we had come from. I knew where the -<i>Yarmouth Smack</i> was well enough; but I shook my -head, and said: 'No; I live on this side of the -water; but I shall live anywhere when I can get -work.'</p> - -<p>He didn't say any more; I did not suppose he -would; but there was something uncommonly suspicious -in his talking about the <i>Yarmouth Smack</i>, -something more than I could believe came from -chance.</p> - -<p>In the lane, just as I was about to turn into the -side door of the <i>Anchor</i>, I met the foreign-looking -captain, who must have crossed the river before -me, as I had last seen him on the other side. He -knew me, I could tell well enough, and I knew him; -but I was not going to let him see where I was -going, so I passed the door of the <i>Anchor</i>, limping -on till he was clear; then I hurried in, went upstairs -at once, and was out in the old ruined arbours -I have spoken of in a minute. These overhung -the river at high-water (it was nearly high-tide -now), and the landing-place of the ferry was close -to them. The ferryman and the captain were talking, -as I expected they would be, while the boat -was waiting for passengers; and by standing in the -corner box, I could have heard every word they -said, if they had spoken out, as honest people -should speak. But they were that artful and suspicious, -although they could not have known there -was anybody listening, that they talked almost in -whispers, and I only caught the last bit from the -ferryman. 'No,' he says; 'he's not the party; but -I'll go up to the <i>Smack</i> to-night and make sure of -the man.'</p> - -<p>Ah! as I thought; they were both in it somehow. -But what a most extraordinary fuss and Gunpowder -Plot sort of business there was about stealing -a few bits of metal. I actually should have -felt ashamed of the East-enders, who are really -some of the sharpest folks I ever came across, if -I had not felt there was a something behind, and -that, by a lucky accident, I seemed upon the point -of finding it out.</p> - -<p>The night—my first night in the east too—was -not to pass without an adventure, and I had not -seen the last of my new acquaintance the captain. -I got very tired of the company in the <i>Anchor</i>—not -that I mind who I mix with, and if there had -been any of the factory hands about the place, I -would have sat with them until the house closed; -but they only came there at meal-times it seemed, -or on their road home. So I walked about the -neighbourhood a bit; not because it was pleasant, -for it was a wet night; and what with the rain and -the mud and the drunken sailors and the fried-fish -shops and the quarrelling there was going on, -it was anything but agreeable. The fact is I like -to know every court and alley in my district, and -there <i>were</i> some pretty courts and alleys here. -However, nobody thought me worth robbing, and -besides, I am always civil, so I never get interfered -with. It's a capital rule; the best I know; and -costs nothing.</p> - -<p>When I was coming back, and had got pretty -nearly to the <i>Anchor and Five Mermaids</i> again (it is -very absurd to give such long signs to public-houses), -I saw a very pretty girl whom I had -noticed before, standing at a corner out of the -rain; but it was not raining very much now. She -wasn't—well, I won't say what she was not, or -what she was. She was very pretty, I say, and -was doing no harm there; but two or three fellows -coming by at the moment, one of them took hold -of her roughly, and finished by almost pushing -her down. She got away from him, and drew -a door or two off; but his companions laughing at -him for being bested by a woman, he followed -her, and on her pushing him from her, gave her -a back-handed smack in the face. There were -several men loitering about, smoking and so forth, -and I heard one or two say it was a shame; but -none of them interfered; and I, being a little way -off, and not wanting to get into a row, might have -passed this over; but she called him a brute and a -coward, and he went at her to strike her again. -She ran across the road to where I stood, to avoid -him, and he followed her. Then I saw it was my -acquaintance the captain.</p> - -<p>He swore more horribly than ever I heard any -one swear, and springing forward, would certainly -have hit her down; but I jumped between them -and knocked up his arm. 'Brayvo!' said some -women, who had been attracted by the girl's -scream; and 'Brayvo!' said the men who hadn't -interfered. At once the captain turned on me, -and let fly desperately at my head; but I was not -to be had in that way, and I stopped him and -returned a hit that I know must have loosened a -couple of teeth; and then he swore again, and -began to pull off his coat. So did I.</p> - -<p>'Don't fight wid him, my darlin',' said an old -Irishwoman, who was selling herrings, laying her -hand on my arm. 'You 're an honest English boy, -and these fellows will have a knife in ye if they -can't bate ye fair.'</p> - -<p>'No, Biddy, they shan't,' said one of the men -coming forward, followed by half-a-dozen more.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_778" id="Page_778">{778}</a></span> -'If there's to be a fight, it shall be a fair one; and -mates, we'll put any fellow into six feet of mud -who only shews a knife.'</p> - -<p>His mates said so too, and they were a rough -and likely lot for it, and the river was within a -score or so of yards. So with a scowl at them (for -I do believe now he meant murder; I didn't -think of it then, although I was a policeman), he -rolled up his sleeves and came at me.</p> - -<p>He was a strong fellow, not so tall perhaps, -but certainly heavier than I was, and I daresay, -from his manner, fancied he could fight. But -fight <i>me</i>! Why, a gent once offered through -Alec Keene (he had seen me spar in private at -Alec's), to make it worth my while to leave the -police, and he would back me against any ten-stone-four -man I fancied, for a hundred; and I -was half inclined to take it too, only something -important turned up just then. Well, in two -rounds I settled the captain. He tried to catch -hold of me and throw me; but I knocked him -clean off his legs each round; and then his friends -took him away.</p> - -<p>'There's one comfort at any rate in having had -the row,' I thought: 'he'll never suppose I'm a -detective after this.'</p> - -<p>I wished, however, it had never come off, there -was such a fuss. Why, if I could have drunk -shillings and sixpences, I might have had them, -I do believe. In a place like that you get a crowd -directly; and although the affair did not last three -minutes, there was a hundred men and as many -women too, anxious to treat me; and I was naturally -obliged to drink with one or two; not at the -<i>Anchor</i> though.</p> - -<p>The affair made such a stir, that I read in one of -the local papers the next week how Jem Mace had -been down in the neighbourhood of the Docks, -incog.; and that for once the brute strength of a -boxer had been used in a good cause, and all that -sort of nonsense. I know I have always found -the best class of boxers very good fellows.</p> - -<p>Of course I was vexed at this shindy having -taken place so early, as the quieter I kept myself -the better; and I would have given five pounds to -have been out of it. My wishing this only shews -you never know what is coming; and something -came out of this street fight that I never expected.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="SEA-LIONS" id="SEA-LIONS">SEA-LIONS.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> domestication of a pair of 'sea-lions' at the -Brighton Aquarium, and the subsequent addition, -some few months ago, of a 'little stranger' to this -interesting family circle, afford an opportunity -for a brief description of some of the more -prominent points in the structure and habits of -these little-known animals. The name 'sea-lion,' -to begin with, is by no means so inappropriate or -far fetched as popular designations are usually -found to be, when submitted to scientific criticism. -For the 'sea-lion' is included by zoologists along -with the seals and walruses in the great Carnivorous -order of quadrupeds, to which, it need hardly -be remarked, the lions, tigers, bears, dogs, and -other flesh-eaters belong. The sea-lion is in fact a -large seal, and seals and walruses are simply marine -bears; and if we can imagine the body of a -familiar bear to be somewhat elongated, and that -the limbs were converted into swimming paddles, -we should obtain a rough but essentially correct -idea of the zoological position of the seals and -their neighbours.</p> - -<p>But whilst the seals and sea-lions are united -with the walruses to form a special group of carnivorous -quadrupeds, adapted to lead a life in the -sea, there exist some very prominent points of -difference between the common seals and the -less familiar sea-lions. The sea-lions and their -nearest allies are thus sometimes named 'Eared' -seals, from the possession of an outer ear; the -latter appendage being absent in the common or -True seals. And whilst the common seals waddle -in a most ungainly fashion on land, the sea-lions -are able to 'walk,' if not elegantly, at least with a -better show of comfort than their more familiar -neighbours. A glance at the structure of the sea-lion's -feet, or better still, a comparison of its -members with those of the seal, shews the reason -of its greater skill and ability in progression on the -land. The fore-limbs of the seal are, so to speak -buried in the skin, below the elbow; only a small -part of the fore-arm and hand being thus free from -the body. The hind-limbs of the seals, again, -exist in a permanently extended condition, and are -disposed backwards in a line with the tail and -body. The hind-limbs, moreover, are frequently -united with the tail by means of a connecting fold -of skin, and the whole hinder extremity of the -body in a seal may thus be regarded as forming a -large tail-fin. In swimming, the fore-limbs of the -seal are applied closely to the sides of the body, and -serve as rudders; whilst the hinder portion of the -body, hinder limbs, and tail, constitute the swimming-organs—a -work for which by their great -flexibility they are perfectly adapted.</p> - -<p>In the sea-lions on the other hand the fore-limbs -are free from the skin and body to a much greater -extent than in the seals. The 'hand' itself in the -sea-lion is exceedingly flexible, although completely -enclosed in a horny or leathery skin. The thumbs -of this hand further exist in a well developed -state; all five fingers being of nearly the same -length in the seal. As regards the hind-feet of -the sea-lion, these members, like the fore-limbs, -are freely separated from the body, at least as -far as the ankle and foot are concerned, and the -foot is turned outwards, forcibly reminding one -of the conformation of that organ in the bear. -But we may only note by way of conclusion to -these zoological characters that the teeth of the -sea-lion are decidedly of a carnivorous type. Any -one regarding the skull of a sea-lion could readily -form the idea that the animal which possessed it -was a flesh-eater. These animals usually possess -thirty-six teeth; the 'eye' teeth being of very -large size, and so placed in the jaws that any -substance entering the mouth is firmly held by -these teeth and the adjoining front teeth. The -'grinders' of the sea-lion are small, and do not -appear to be of any very great use to the animal. -These creatures swallow their food—consisting of -fishes, molluscs, and sea-birds—whole, and when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_779" id="Page_779">{779}</a></span> -a large fish is divided in two, the portion retained -in the mouth is swallowed; the portion which -tumbles into the water being afterwards seized -and duly swallowed in its turn.</p> - -<p>That the sea-lions are by no means destitute -of the craft and cunning of their land-neighbours, -is proved by the fact that they capture such birds -as the penguins by lying motionless in the water, -allowing merely the tip of the nose to appear at -the surface. The unwary bird, swooping down -upon the floating object, presumed to consist of -something eatable, is then seized and devoured by -the concealed enemy.</p> - -<p>Sea-lions may be regarded as the unknown, -or at anyrate unrecognised benefactors of the fair -sex, inasmuch as, from the rich <i>under-fur</i> which -they possess, the favourite material known as 'seal-skin' -is obtained. This latter name is entirely -misleading in its nature; the much prized material -being the produce of the sea-lion and not of a true -seal. The possession of this valuable under-fur has -contributed very largely to the causes of the indiscriminate -attack which has for years past been -made upon the sea-lions. The spirit of commercial -enterprise has resulted in a war of extermination -against these animals in certain regions, from the -effects of which it is doubtful if the species can -ultimately recover.</p> - -<p>The sea-lions differ materially from the seals in -their geographical distribution. The latter animals, -as every casual reader of a natural history text-book -knows, inhabit temperate and northern seas. -The sea-lions, on the other hand, are found to be -absent from all parts of the Atlantic Ocean save -its most southern portions. They are common on -the South American coasts, and are found inhabiting -island-groups which may be regarded as belonging -to the same zoological province as the latter -continent. The mouth of the River Plate is stated -as the most northern boundary of these animals on -the eastern side of South America, whilst on the -western or Pacific side of the New World they are -found on the Californian coasts, and are even met -with on the coasts of the Aleutian Isles and of -Japan. The Pribylov Islands, included in the -Alaska group, are regarded as forming the most -northerly point of the sea-lions' distribution; and -these islands—now in the possession of the United -States—together with the Falkland Islands and the -Cape of Good Hope, still form the three chief -sources from which the seal-fur or seal-skin of commerce -is obtained. It is also well ascertained that -sea-lions occur at Kerguelen's Land, on the New -Zealand coasts, on the Tasmanian shores, and the -east and south coasts of Australia.</p> - -<p>The average length of a large male sea-lion -ranges from six to seven or eight feet, his weight -averaging six hundred pounds. The females are -of much smaller size than the males, and measure -from four and a half to five feet in length; their -weight being from one hundred to one hundred and -fifty pounds. These animals, as might be expected, -grow slowly, and attain their full dimensions the -males in six, and the females in four years. The -habits of these animals are not only of curious and -interesting nature, but evince a decidedly high order -of intelligence. The haunts of the sea-lions are, in -whalers' <i>parlance</i>, named 'rookeries;' and in the -disposition of what may be termed their domestic -arrangements, as well as in the regulation of their -family and personal matters, these creatures appear -to be guided by instincts which, like the social -order of the ants and bees, are duly perpetuated, -and have become of hereditary character. The -sea-lions are migratory in habits, and disappear -from the majority of the haunts and breeding-places -in winter. The males are few in number as -compared with the females or 'cows,' as they are -termed; and each male receives under his protection -a larger or smaller number of females; the -oldest males possessing the largest number of -dependants. In the early spring, some old males -appear to return first to the haunts and do duty -as reconnoitring parties; the advance-guard swimming -about for several days, then landing and -cautiously investigating the state of the land; -their shore-visits being spent in a state of perpetual -sniffing, and in the careful examination -of their old haunt. About a month or six -weeks after the arrival of the advance-guard, and -after the inspection of the land has been duly -carried out, sure signs of the coming race begin to -appear in the form of hundreds of males, who select -advantageous positions on the beach, and await the -arrival of their partners. Nor is the period of -waiting an uneventful one. The best situations on -the beach are fought for with eagerness, not to say -ferocity. The descriptions given of the combats -of the males indicate that they are of the most -sanguinary description; frequent mutilations being -the results of this fight for a place on the reception-ground.</p> - -<p>On the arrival of the females, the younger males -appear to do duty as ushers, in marshalling the -'cows' to their places on the rocks and cliffs above -the beach; and the work of the selection of mates -by the males proceeds apace, until each happy -family, consisting of a male with a dozen or fifteen -cows, has been duly constituted. The progress of -selection and sea-lion courtship is frequently, we -regret to say, attended with disastrous consequences -to the lady-members of the community. -When a male, envious of the choice of his neighbour, -sees an opportunity, he does not hesitate to -avail himself of the chance, and not only to covet -but literally to steal his neighbour's mate. The -desired 'cow' is unceremoniously lifted in the -mouth of the captor, and transferred with all -possible expedition to his own family group. Great -is the sorrow of the bereaved male; but woe to -both intruder and female should the thief be -discovered in the act! A fierce and sanguinary -fight ensues, and the hapless, passive, and altogether -innocent cause of the combat, may get -dreadfully injured while the combat lasts.</p> - -<p>The young sea-lions usually appear to be born -almost immediately after the parents have landed -and been allocated to their respective establishments. -One young is produced at a birth; the -infant sea-lion being of black colour and attaining -the length of a foot. When they are four weeks old, -they enter the water, and speedily become expert in -swimming and diving; but it is alleged, and on good -authority, that occasionally the females encounter -refractory offspring, and have to exercise great -patience in coaxing unwilling youngsters to enter -the sea. The families have settled down to their -wonted existence by the beginning of August; -and we are informed that during the whole of the -period which intervenes between the arrival of -the females and the period last mentioned, the -males have not only been most assiduous in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_780" id="Page_780">{780}</a></span> -attendance upon their families, but that they have -also been existing independently of any nutriment. -The males exemplify a case of living upon -self, and appear to subsist by the reabsorption of -their fatty matters; in the same fashion as the -bears, which retire fat and well nourished to their -winter-quarters, and appear in the succeeding -spring in a lean and emaciated condition.</p> - -<p>Regarding the sea-lions and their young at -present in captivity in the Brighton Aquarium, it -is interesting to note the incidents connected with -the first 'bath' of baby <i>Otaria</i>. This prodigy in -the way of an aquarium specimen, tumbled accidentally -into the water of his tank, and apparently -caused his mamma much anxiety. It is stated -that he plunged voluntarily into the water on a -subsequent occasion, and appeared to be perfectly -at home in his native element; swimming and -diving with all the dexterity of an accomplished -professor of the art of natation. Being startled by -some sound, the young otaria dived beneath the -surface of the water, the mother seizing her -progeny by the neck, and swimming ashore with -it in her mouth. On the occasion of the writer's -visit to the Brighton Aquarium, the mother and -young were disporting themselves in the water; -the male sitting up in the tank, and giving vent to -repeated sounds, resembling exactly the hoarse -bark of a dog. We may heartily re-echo the wish, -that the happiness and amenity of this interesting -family may be disturbed by no untoward accident, -if for no other reason that they exist among us as -the representatives of a most interesting and now -comparatively scarce group of quadrupeds.</p> - -<p>It has often been disputed by naturalists whether -or not the sea-lions possess a mane. There can be -no doubt that the old males of one species at anyrate, -the <i>Otaria jubata</i> or Cook's sea-lion, the most -common form on the South American coasts, -possess a mane on the neck and shoulders. Nine -or ten different species of sea-lions are known to -zoologists, these species being distinguished from -each other by very distinct variations in the form -and structure of the skull, in the fur, &c. It must, -however, be borne in mind, that the recognition -of the exact species to which a sea-lion belongs is -frequently a very difficult matter, owing to the -differences perceptible in the fur of the two sexes -and in the fur of either sex, at different ages.</p> - -<p>The complaints of zoologists regarding the ill-regulated -and indiscriminate slaughter of the sea-lions -are, it is to be feared, as well founded as -have been our own repeated remonstrances against -the wholesale slaughter of seals. The United -States government, however, it is satisfactory to -learn, still regulate their sea-lion fisheries at the -Pribylov Islands in a methodical manner. Thus -the young males alone are killed, and the period -during which they are taken extends from June -to October; whilst the total number of sea-lions -killed annually is limited. In the South Sea -Islands, these animals were killed in such numbers -that they are now exceedingly scarce; British and -Americans alike, slaying the sea-lions without in -the slightest degree discriminating between the -sexes, or between young and old seals. It is to be -hoped, for the sake of science as well as of commerce, -that time has taught us wisdom in this -respect. We have seen how necessary legislation -has become to insure the prosperity of our home-fisheries; -and now that the Royal Commissioners -have finished their labours in behalf of crabs and -lobsters, salmon and herring, it would be well for -the public interests if Mr Frank Buckland and his -coadjutors were empowered to look after the sea-lion -and the seal.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="ANCIENT_STREETS_AND_HOMESTEADS" id="ANCIENT_STREETS_AND_HOMESTEADS">ANCIENT STREETS AND HOMESTEADS -OF ENGLAND.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">With</span> kindly regard for the names, the places, -and the landmarks of our forefathers, which may -be called the sentimental side of our national -stability, are usually, but unfortunately not invariably -combined the good sense which improves -but does not destroy, and the good taste which -recognises the intrinsic beauty of antiquity, its -harmony with our history, and the dignity which -it lends to the present. Foreigners are always -deeply impressed by the 'ancientness' of England, -by the maintenance of the old names, and the -blending together in our cities of the convenience -and luxury of modern life, with the memorials of -a past as grand as any country has to boast of, -and marked by far less vicissitude.</p> - -<p>Among the evidences of the stability of England -to which the attention of her own students -of her history and that of foreign visitors may -most worthily be directed, is the minor monumental -history which Mr Alfred Rimmer illustrates, -and whose value and interest the Dean of -Chester points out in an interesting volume entitled -<i>Ancient Streets and Homesteads of England</i> -(London: Macmillan & Co.); the history of the -old buildings which still remain in the old streets -of our old cities, in our villages and in our -hamlets.</p> - -<p>It is pleasant to ramble with Mr Rimmer from -county to county of the old land, gathering as we -go a great company from the past; and assuredly -all will agree that no better starting-point can -be found than Chester, the pride of archæologists, -the boast of historians, the city whose renown -has been touched into equal brilliance and tenderness -by the genius of Sir Walter Scott. An -American traveller has well described the charm -of the city. 'It is full,' he says, 'of that delightful -element of the crooked, the accidental, -the unforeseen, which, to eyes accustomed to -eternal right angles and straight lines, is the -striking feature of European street scenery. The -Chester streets give us a perfect feast of crookedness—of -those random corners, projections, and -recesses, those innumerable architectural surprises -and caprices and fantasies which offer such a delicious -holiday to a vision nourished upon brown -stone fronts.' Shrewsbury perhaps gives at first -sight a more vivid picture of a fine old English -town, but it has not so many treasures hidden -away under modern exteriors. It is likely, Mr -Rimmer tells us, that even the oldest inhabitant -of Chester is ignorant of the ancient relics which -the city contains. Though the origin of the -famous 'Rows' is disputed—some antiquaries -holding them to belong to the Roman era of the -city, and to have been simply an extension of the -vestibule of Roman architecture; while others -consider that they were built as a refuge for the -citizens during any sudden attack of the Welsh—there -is but one estimate of their quaint old-world -beauty; and perhaps there is no relic of the past<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_781" id="Page_781">{781}</a></span> -in all England which has more stirring memories -to arouse than Chester Castle, with its Julius -Cæsar's tower still standing firm against the influence -of time, and its tradition of Hugh Lupus -Hall.</p> - -<p>Next to the completeness of the ancient walls -of Chester, its carved woodwork strikes the visitor -as an instance of conservation. The carved front -of the house which belonged to Randal Holme, -who left valuable records of the city, is much -more ancient than the date it bears (1664); and -though the house called Bishop Lloyd's is now -divided into tenements, the splendid remains of -its ceilings and fireplaces are preserved. A little -beyond it stand the beautiful cottages, with their -carving intact, into which Stanley House has been -divided. Here the Earl of Derby, who was executed -at Bolton in 1657, passed his last day. Some -of the famous carved oak furniture of this historic -mansion found its way a few years ago into the -possession of Mr Sly, the landlord of the celebrated -<i>King's Arms Inn</i> at Lancaster, and was sold in the -spring of the present year at the dispersion of his -collection. One magnificent black oak bedstead -splendidly carved is now in the possession of the -Duke of Norfolk. Looking at the beautiful carved -fronts of the cottages, and thinking of the terrible -time in which the chief of the great House of -Stanley left his ancestral home for ever, we are -reminded of the quaint story which the earl's -gentleman, Mr Bagaley, related concerning that -departure. 'One Lieutenant Smith, a rude fellow,' -he says, 'came in with his hat on, and told my -lord he came from Colonel Duckenfield the -governor, to tell his lordship he must be ready for -his journey to Bolton. My lord replied: "When -would have me to go?" "To-morrow, about -six in the morning," said Smith. "Well," said -my lord, "commend me to the governor, and tell -him I shall be ready by that time." Then said -Smith: "Doth your lordship know any friend or -servant that would do the thing your lordship -knows of? It would do well if you had a friend." -My lord replied: "What do you mean—to cut off -my head?" Smith said: "Yes, my lord; if you -could have a friend." My lord said: "Nay, sir; if -those men that would have my head will not find -one to cut it off, let it stand where it is."'</p> - -<p>The Blue Posts, 'God's Providence' House, with -its inscription of thanksgiving that its inmates had -been spared from the plague; the beautiful gabled -house in Whitefriars, with its fine mouldings and -traceries, are but a few of the memorials of the -past over which one lingers in Chester, before -passing on to the eastern part of the county, where -one finds a special treat in the old town of Congleton, -which presents features of successive periods of -antiquity in its still and picturesque streets, and is -surrounded on all sides by venerable family seats. -Mr Rimmer's drawing of the old <i>Lion Inn</i> gives a -charming idea of a black-and-white gabled hostelry, -with a vast porch resting on stone pillars, and supporting -a room above it. The interior preserves -all its old characteristics, and has a quiet ponderousness -about it, as of an inn to which wayfarers -came in coaches with armed outriders on horseback, -with led-horses charged with baggage, or in -heavy wagons. The idea of railways or smart dog-carts, -or the pertness of all modern vehicles in fact, -in connection with the <i>Lion Inn</i>, has a kind of -impertinence about it.</p> - -<p>Over the Cheshire border in Shropshire there is -a great deal of interest for the student of the street -architecture of the past; and in that county picturesque -old inns abound. We find one at Ellesmere, -with the grass growing in the vast courtyard, built -round by the now empty stables, which were so -full of life and bustle in the old coaching days. -Mr Rimmer's very brief mention of Ellesmere -implies that it is a much less important place than -in reality it is; and all he says about Shropshire -conveys an impression that he has not studied -the antiquarian aspect of his subject at all so -deeply as its artistic.</p> - -<p>Two miles from Oswestry lies Whittington -village, a perfect example of the solid and beautiful -in village architecture, with the gateway of -Peveril's Castle opening into it, and the birthplace -of Sir Richard Whittington left to the choice of -the visitor. Oswestry itself is an exceedingly -interesting town; portions of the old wall still -remain, with several stone and half-timbered -houses of great antiquity; but it is seldom thoroughly -explored, because the tourist is generally -anxious to reach the county town of Shropshire, -that famous city of Shrewsbury, which we know -better perhaps through Shakspeare than through -the historical chronicles of its life. The author -might, however, have accorded more lengthened -notice to Oswestry, which, if tradition may be -relied upon, dates from the fourth century of the -Christian era, and which undoubtedly derives its -name from the overthrow and martyrdom of -Oswald, the Christian king of Northumberland, who -was vanquished there by Penda, the pagan king of -Mercia.</p> - -<p>Oswestry is stated to have been the site of a -castle built in 1149 by Magod, one of the princes -of Powys. It then passed, by marriage, into the -hands of a Norman lord of Cher; and it was -here that in 1164 Henry II. assembled the army -with which he marched to Chirk, in his vain -attempt to subjugate the principality. In 1277 -Edward I. surrounded the town by a wall which -was a mile in circumference, had four gates, -and was further defended by a moat. In the -thirteenth century both castle and town were -destroyed by fire. Many scenes of our martial -history pass before the mind's eye of the visitor to -Oswestry. In 1403, Owen Glyndyr (or Glendower) -marched from thence towards Shrewsbury at the -head of twelve thousand men, intending there to -unite his forces to those of the Earl of Northumberland -and his son. Tradition, however, alleges that -by the time he reached Shelton, two miles from -Shrewsbury, he found the royal forces were -engaged in battle with their enemy. The story of -that eventful day is one out of which to make -a mental picture as one contemplates the approach -to Shrewsbury. Hotspur and his father had encamped -on the previous night at a place called -Berwick, nearly opposite Shelton, and they calculated -on being joined there by Glendyr. They -sorely needed his aid; the rebel army numbered -only fourteen thousand men, while that of the -king numbered twenty-six thousand. In vain they -waited; in vain a few unsuccessful attempts were -made at a compromise, and then at a place still -known as Battlefield, and in a field yet called -'the King's Croft,' the battle was joined. Before, -however, the first blow was struck, Harry Hotspur -called for his sword, and was informed by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_782" id="Page_782">{782}</a></span> -attendant that he had left it at Berwick. The -iron warrior, who was about cheerfully to encounter -a force greatly outnumbering his own, -turned pale. 'I perceive,' he said, 'that my plough -is drawing its last furrow, for a wizard told me -that I should perish at Berwick, which I vainly -interpreted of that town in the north.'</p> - -<p>The Welsh chieftain climbed into the tree and -beheld the conflict; at what period of the engagement -is not told; but as he concluded the king -would be victorious, he quietly came down -again, and leaving Percy to defeat and death, -marched back to his mountains. The old oak yet -remains; but for the forty years during which we -have known it, it has been in a failing condition. -One by one its great boughs have yielded to the -storm, or broken beneath their own weight; and -it is now propped up with crutches and bound -together with iron hoops. Probably in another -half-century the place which has known it for at -least six centuries will know it no more.</p> - -<p>One of Mr Rimmer's illustrations shews us a -street in Shrewsbury which may justly claim to -be one of the most perfect examples of English -streets yet remaining, if not the most perfect. The -beautiful old gabled houses with their projecting -richly carved fronts are in excellent preservation, -and for a considerable distance a person walking -down the middle of the street can touch them on -each side; such was the economy of room in -walled cities, which renders their physiognomy -just the opposite to that of villages, in which the -wide spaces constitute an especial beauty. Behind -the city rise the Haughmond hills, clear and sharp, -and wooded to their summits. Mr Rimmer tells -us, that when the sun rises red over these hills, -and especially if this red rising be accompanied by -noise of wind, it is a certain sign of a stormy day; -thus proving the truth of Shakspeare's description -of how 'bloodily the sun began to peer above yon -bosky hill,' upon the fatal day of the battle of -Shrewsbury. Says Prince Henry to his father:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i24">The southern wind<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Doth play the trumpet to his purposes;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">And by the hollow whistling in the leaves<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Foretells a tempest and a blustering day.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>We wish we could find in the facts a sanction -for the author's statement, that in no town in -England are the interesting remains, dear to the -antiquary and the student, more scrupulously taken -care of than in Shrewsbury; but we have before -us the eloquent and pleading testimony to the -contrary of Mr Ansell Day, the enthusiastic and -indefatigable champion of the rights and the dignity -of the old city; and on comparing his description -of Shrewsbury a hundred years ago with -Shrewsbury as it now is, we learn how much has -been lost within a century. A hundred years ago, -Shrewsbury boasted five churches of renowned -beauty. The Abbey and the collegiate church of -St Mary still remain, deeply interesting to the -antiquary and to the visitor. But what has been -the fate of the three others—of St Chad's, of St -Alkmond's (so spacious, so beautiful, famous for -its exquisite tower, and built by a sister of King -Alfred), and of St Julian's? St Chad's requiring -reparation, a country builder was employed, whose -well-intentioned performance caused the tower to -fall in and destroy a portion of the church. Instead -of the damage being repaired, the old church was -pulled down, and an expensive, hideous, and inconvenient -structure was erected in its place. The -other two churches were destroyed, without even -the excuse of preliminary damage; indeed so strong -and in such perfect repair were they, that their -demolition was an exceedingly costly process; and -the buildings which replace them are curiosities -of ugliness. A hundred years ago, the ancient -town was surrounded by walls with square towers -at intervals, alike interesting and characteristic; -only a few hundred yards of the wall now remain, -and one tower alone stands, the solitary memento -of the past. The ancient Abbey buildings too -have been swept away; the Guesten House, -formerly the scene of splendid and historical -hospitality; the Refectory, where a parliament once -assembled to meet its king; and of all the grandeur -of the past, only the ancient pulpit remains, a -beautiful object indeed, but an unmeaning one in -its isolation.</p> - -<p>Wenlock, Bridgenorth, Ross, and Monmouth -with its ancient massive gate, bridge, and market-place, -are full of beautiful remains; and Worcester -brings many a remembrance of the historic -past before our minds while we gaze on Mr -Rimmer's drawings of the Corn-market, Friar -Street, and the Close of the beautiful cathedral, -where Henry II. and his queen were crowned, and -King John is buried. In old Worcester, the -days of the Great Rebellion seem quite modern, -and Charles II. and his unlucky brother, men -of only the recent past. A beautiful and impressive -drawing is that of the <i>New Inn</i>, Gloucester, -that hostelry of a strange history, for it was -designed to accommodate the pilgrims who used to -go in crowds to the shrine raised in the Abbey -Church of Gloucester over the remains of the murdered -King Edward II. The vast old hostelry -is enormously strong and massive, and covers an -immense area. It is fully half of timber, principally -chestnut-wood. Tewkesbury, Exeter, and -Glastonbury are full of beautiful remains, finely -rendered in this book. The Abbot's Kitchen at -Glastonbury is one of the relics of the past best -known in all England; here St Patrick passed -the last years of his life, and here King Arthur is -said to have been buried.</p> - -<p>At Winchester are found grand examples of the -domestic architecture of the fifteenth century, in -addition to the superb ecclesiastical edifices of the -city; Cardinal Beaufort's Tower, and St Cross, -whose noble gateway, approached from the Southampton -Road, is seen through great elms and -walnut-trees, where the long lines of quaint high -chimneys form with the church and the foliage an -exquisitely picturesque combination. We pass on -in the artist's company to Guildford, where the -gateway of Esher Palace still remains to remind us -of Wolsey's residence there after his downfall; to -Salisbury, which differs from other old cities in -having nothing Roman, Saxon, or Norman about it, -but being purely English and unique; to Canterbury, -with its wonderful wealth of antiquities, -ecclesiastical, domestic, and military, all preserved -with jealous care; to Rochester, with its grand and -gloomy castle, and the noble cathedral, around -which there hangs an atmosphere of romance; to -Rye, with its ancient grass-grown streets, gabled -houses, and church clock, said to be the oldest -in England; to St Albans, which has just been -raised by the Queen to the dignity of a city;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_783" id="Page_783">{783}</a></span> -and from whose abbey the first books printed -in England were issued; to Banbury, with its Old -Parliament House, where Cromwell's fateful parliament -sat, and the <i>Roebuck Inn</i>, which contains -a room accounted the most beautiful Elizabethan -apartment of the early style in existence. This -was Oliver's council-chamber, after the taking of -Banbury Castle.</p> - -<p>After visiting Ely, Ipswich, Norwich, Lady -Jane Grey's house at Leicester, and the crumbling -ruins which only remain of the Abbey, we are -bidden to the Fen counties, whose picturesqueness -few are aware of, though their architectural -beauties, especially those of Lincolnshire, are -well known; and we are shewn among many other -curious things the market-place at Oakham, all -roofed and shingled with solid old oak. There is a -singular custom at Oakham: every peer of the -realm on first passing through the town has either -to pay a fine or to present the town with a shoe -from his horse; the shoe is then nailed up on the -castle gate, or in some conspicuous part of the -building. Queen Elizabeth has left a memento of -this nature at Oakham, as also have George IV. -and Queen Victoria. These shoes are often gilt, -and stamped with the name and arms of the donor.</p> - -<p>The county of Nottingham is also amply illustrated; -and we find a drawing of the famous -<i>Saracen's Head Inn</i> at Southwell, which dates -from the time of Henry IV., and where Charles I. -gave himself up to the Scotch commissioners. -The beautiful Minster, and the splendid ruins of -the palace, once the residence of the archbishops of -York, and many an old house and quiet glimpse of -the home-life of the long past, are to be seen at -Southwell, the place which monarchs and nobles -vied with each other to endow and adorn. Warwickshire -is but little noticed in this book beyond -the inevitable Warwick Castle and Kenilworth; -and yet how rich the land of the elm is in village, -street, and homestead antiquity.</p> - -<p>We would have welcomed further details of -Coventry, that most interesting ancient city, the -scene of the first days of the triumph of Henry -VII., and of one term of the dreary imprisonment -of Mary, Queen of Scots; the city of the wonderful -church of St Michael, which may truly be called a -dream—a poem in stone. York, Beverley, Durham, -Lancaster, and Carlisle, all these the artist-author -sets before us with their treasures of architecture -and illustration of the social life of the -past. Perhaps we linger longest over the noble -views of Durham Castle, and the majestic cathedral -with its three grand towers, which occupies one of -the finest sites in England, and with the wooded -bluff beneath it, is reflected in the broad bosom of -the Wear. The author leads us so far north as -Carlisle, but has not much to point to there of -great antiquity. The Border city had to fight too -hard for ages for her mere existence, to have means -or leisure for the beautifying or refining arts. Her -name is otherwise writ in history.</p> - -<p>We are grateful to Mr Rimmer for this work, -which will, we hope, give the impulse to much -more literature of a similar order. There is a great -need of closely studied and well-written histories -of the old cities and towns of the United Kingdom, -which, if not conceived merely in the dry antiquarian, -nor yet in the simply picturesque artistic -spirit, would induce readers to recognise, and lead -them to explore the archæological treasures of -their own countries, which may be reached with -ease, and might, with the assistance of books of -this kind, be studied with equal pleasure and -profit.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="JAPANESE_FANS" id="JAPANESE_FANS">JAPANESE FANS.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">During</span> the past few years, Japanese fans have -become so popular in this country, that a few brief -remarks respecting them and the manner in which -they are manufactured—culled from the published -Report by Her Majesty's Consul on the -trade of Hiogo and Osaka—may perhaps prove -acceptable to our readers.</p> - -<p>Osaka, we learn, is the principal city for the -manufacture of the <i>ogi</i> or folding fans, which are -those almost exclusively exported, all descriptions -of the bamboo kind being made there; the figures, -writing, &c. required for their adornment are -executed at Kioto. The prices vary from a few -pence up to six pounds sterling per hundred, and -occasionally even higher prices are given, though -the bulk consists of the cheaper sorts. The -superior kinds of fans, it may be mentioned parenthetically, -which are termed <i>uchiwa</i> by the -Japanese, are manufactured at Kioto, and are -extensively used by the better classes of the -natives.</p> - -<p>The following are the principal features in the -account which Mr Consul Annesley gives of the -details connected with <i>ogi</i> or folding fans. As -in many other branches of industry, the principle -of division of labour is carried out in the -fan-making trade. The bamboo ribs are made in -Osaka and Kioto by private individuals in their -own houses, and combinations of the various -notches cut in the lower part are left to one of -the finishing workmen, who forms the various -patterns of the handle according to plans prepared -by the designer. In like manner the designer -gives out to the engravers the patterns which -his experience teaches him will be most likely -to be saleable during the ensuing season; and -when the different blocks have been cut, it still -rests with him to say what colours are to be -used for the two sides of each fan. In fact, this -official holds, if not the best paid, at anyrate the -most important position on the staff in ordinary. -When the printed sheets which are to form the -two sides of the fans have been handed over to the -workman, together with the sets of bamboo slips -which are to form the ribs, his first business is to -fold the two sheets of which the fan is to be composed, -so that they will retain the crease, and this is -done by putting them between two pieces of paper, -well saturated with oil, and properly creased. -The four are then folded together and placed under -a heavy weight.</p> - -<p>When sufficient time has elapsed, the sheets -are taken out, and the moulds used again, the -released sheets being packed up for at least -twenty-four hours in their folds. The next process -is to take the ribs, which are temporarily -arranged in order on a wire, and 'set' them into -their places on one of the sheets, after it has been -spread out on a block and pasted. A dash of paste -then gives the woodwork adhesive powers, and -that part of the process is finished by affixing the -remaining sheet of paper. The fan has to be -folded up and opened three or four times before -the folds take the proper shape; and by the time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_784" id="Page_784">{784}</a></span> -the fan is put by to dry, it has received far more -handling than any foreign paper could stand; -indeed foreign paper has been tried, and had to -be given up, as unsuitable for the work; but with -great care the Osaka fan-makers had been able to -make some fans with printed pictures which had -been sent over from America, though they were -invariably obliged to use one face of Japanese -paper.</p> - -<p>The qualities of native paper now used are not -nearly so good as those of which the old fans -were made, and in consequence, the style of manufacture -has had to be changed. Instead of first -pasting the two faces of the fan together and then -running in pointed ribs, the ribs are square and -are pasted in their places in the manner described -above. The outside lacquered pieces and the fancy-work -are all done in Osaka and Kioto, and some -of the designs in gold lacquer on bone are really -artistic; but the demand for the highly ornamented -description of fans is not sufficient to encourage the -production of large quantities of first-class work. -When the insides are dry, the riveting of the -pieces together, including the outer covering, is -rapidly done, and a dash of varnish quickly finishes -the fan.</p> - -<p>The highest price that was ever given for a -fan in the days of seclusion from the outer world -rarely exceeded a sovereign; but since the arrival -of foreigners in the country, some few have been -made to order at prices varying from two to three -pounds sterling. The general prices of ordinary -fans range from two or three shillings to three -pounds per hundred, though an extraordinarily -expensive fan is turned out at ten pounds per -hundred. The sale of fans in olden times seldom -exceeded ten thousand a year for the whole country; -but in recent years no less than three millions per -annum have been exported from the ports of Osaka -and Yokohama alone. In concluding these brief -notes, it may be interesting to mention that the -number of fans ordered in Japan for the Centennial -Exhibition at Philadelphia reached the large figure -of eight hundred thousand, the estimated cost of -which was ten thousand pounds, and that these -were over and above the ordinary annual export -alluded to before.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /></div><div> -<h2><a name="THE_PIXIES" id="THE_PIXIES">THE PIXIES.</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Among</span> the superstitions still far from being extirpated -in Wales and some parts of Devonshire, is a -belief in exceedingly small beings known as pixies. -From anything we can learn, the pixies resemble -the fairies of old English superstition, but with -this difference, that pixies possess that love of fun -and mischief which reminds us of the Puck of -Shakspeare. When a pixy has been successful -in any trick upon travellers, it is said to send -forth a peal of laughter and to tumble head over -heels to shew its delight; this has become proverbial -in Devonshire; so that if any one laughs -immoderately, he is said to laugh 'like a pixy.' -The following pixy story is still current.</p> - -<p>In a little country-place in the prettiest part of -Devonshire there lived a miller's daughter, who -was betrothed to a young farmer of the neighbourhood. -For some time their course ran as -smoothly as could be desired. But the young -man began to cast looks of suspicion on another -admirer of his betrothed, and to let a jealous -demon rankle within him, whispering to him -that he no longer held the first place in the -damsel's affections.</p> - -<p>The miller's daughter, besides possessing considerable -personal attractions, had the reputation -of being the neatest and most industrious housewife -in the place; and so the pixies, who invariably -tried to aid the industrious, took her under -their especial protection. They removed everything -harmful from her path, and were always at -hand to do her a service; she herself meanwhile -being quite unconscious of the presence of the -small people. One pixy used to place flowers on -her window-sill every morning, and the maiden -innocently dreamt that they were offerings from -her lover, and prized them accordingly. One -morning early about this time the young man -passed before her house, and noticed the flowers -upon the window-sill. Jealousy immediately took -possession of him, and he saw in the simple flowers -the offerings of a more favoured admirer. Just then -the window was opened gently, and the miller's -daughter appeared; and unconscious of the watcher -lurking behind the hedge, she took up the rosebuds -which formed her morning's gift and pressed -them to her lips. Then she withdrew, taking the -flowers with her, and leaving him to rage inwardly -at what he considered her perfidy.</p> - -<p>From that morning his behaviour towards her -was changed, and he became gloomy and morose, -throwing out hints of his suspicions from time to -time, which troubled the gentle maiden, without -her being able to comprehend any reason for it all. -But the pixies, seeing how matters stood, determined -to convince the moody fellow of her truth, -and at the same time to punish him for his unreasonable -jealousy. So one evening, when he was -coming home from a market-town (perhaps top-heavy), -he was pixy-led in a meadow just below -the miller's house, through which he had to pass. -Hosts of pixies gathered for the occasion, armed -with nettles, thistles, and small bushes of thorn-trees. -With these formidable weapons they pricked, -stung, and mercilessly belaboured the unfortunate -young man, dancing around him with mocking -gestures, and chasing him from one end of the field -to another.</p> - -<p>Thus harassed, they kept him until the morning -dawned, when one pixy came forward with a -beautiful bunch of flowers, which he delivered to -another pixy, who carried it off, and climbing up -the vine that covered the side of the miller's -house, laid the bouquet on the maiden's window-sill. -Then he disappeared, followed quickly by -the rest of the pixies, leaving the young man (who -now saw from what quarter the flowers had come) -to meditate on the matter. The result of his -meditations was, that before another day was gone, -he went to his betrothed and told her the doubts -he had gone through, and the manner in which -the pixies had freed him from those doubts; and -the whole affair was then settled to the satisfaction -of everybody concerned, including the pixies.</p> - -<p>Stories of this sort are wonderfully poetical, and -may amuse young folks, but they are two centuries -out of date, and we may hope that matters -are educationally in train to supersede them by -materials quite as droll and a little more rational.</p></div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class='center'>Printed and Published by <span class="smcap">W. & R. Chambers</span>, 47 Paternoster -Row, <span class="smcap">London</span>, and 339 High Street, <span class="smcap">Edinburgh</span>.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class='center'><i>All Rights Reserved.</i></p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note—the following changes have been made to this text:<br /> -<br /> -Page 770: daugher changed to daughter.]</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular -Literature, Science, and Art, No. 728, December 8, 1877, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL, DEC 8, 1877 *** - -***** This file should be named 51785-h.htm or 51785-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/7/8/51785/ - -Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/51785-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/51785-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index cba0bc8..0000000 --- a/old/51785-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51785-h/images/header.png b/old/51785-h/images/header.png Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a93e37b..0000000 --- a/old/51785-h/images/header.png +++ /dev/null |
