Gentle Edith. A tale

Front matter

GENTLE EDITH. A TALE. r.v DR. T. LLOYD FOWLE. Author of "Memoir of Charles Dickens," "Life of Handel," "Versification of the Collects,'' " Musical and Un-musical Career ," and numerous Musical Works. LONDON: CHARING CROSS PUBLISHING COMPANY, LIMITED, 5, friar street, broadway, e.c, TO THE OLD FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES OF MY NATIVE PLACE WHO MAY STILL HAVE A Kindly Regard for me, SDps fnlititu is Inscribed IN KEMEMBKANCE OF BYGONE DAYS. PKEFACE. -oCaÆKII*'*^- To those readers of the present day who may imagine that the character of the facetious Guard is overdrawn, it should be explained that the position was occasionally filled by gentlemen of birth and education, and who, therefore, were privileged to laugh and joke with the passengers. Without disparaging a learned and lucrative Pro fession, it may be added that Mr. Wiseman faith fully represents a class of ignorant and unprincipled persons, who frequently illustrate their nefarious practices upon the non-legal and too confiding portion of the community at large.

CONTENTS. Chap. FADE I. An Extinguished, alias Distinguished Person 1 II. The " Quicksilver," and the Facetious Guard 16 III. The Baronet, and the Steward . . . 41 IV. A Mournful Ceremony, and a Sudden Exit 55 V. Queensbury, and a Visit to London . . 86 VI. An Eminent Lawyer . - . . . 100 VII. A Question of Church and State. . . 115 VIII. A First Appearance, and a Rescue . . 140 IX. The " Quicksilver " makes Merry . . . 168 X. Queensbury is Enthusiastic. . . . 197 XI. A Public recognition 210 XII. A Grand " Turn Out " 223 XIII. A Melancholy Departure . . . . 235 XIV. An Exciting Scene 252 XV. "Declined with Thanks." The Eminent Lawyer again 278 XVI. The Stylish Gentleman, and the Facetious Guard 293 XVII. Queensbury en Fete 310 XVIII. Gratitude and Enthusiasm*. . . 331 XIX. Gentle Edith at Home, and as an Authoress CONTENTS.

Chap. page XX. An Arrest 373 XXI. Generosity in High Life. A Vacancy well filled 391 XXII. Christmas at Queensbury. A Ghost Story 404 XXIII. A Death-bed Confession . . . . 433 XXIV. Humbugs. The last of the Eminent Lawyer 443 XXV. A Disclosure, and a Surprise . . . 450 XXVI. The Last of two Old Friends . . 469 XXVII. A Happy Restoration 474 XXVIII. A Special Engagement .... 484 XXIX. "Foe Better, and for Worse" . . . -cnCa^5xc»^»-

Chapter I. An Extinguished

alias DISTINGUISHED PERSON. To a thoughtful and contemplative mind the season of autumn must always impart a tinge of sadness. The whole face of Nature becomes changed, and that which the out ward eye perceives the inward mind can be no stranger to. Almost everything seems ready to decay, save the evergreen shrub which stands forth as an emblem of that life which never dies. The rich golden tints in the nobleman's park would appear to deceive us for a brief moment, so brilliant is the lustre they shed with the setting sun fast B sinking in the west. But their glory is short and of a transient date, for soon the gorgeous hues become too sombre to excite admiration ; the dead leaves fall around us on every side , and the trees raise their lofty boughs with all the appearance of never-ending barrenness and desolation.

The mind of youth dwells but little upon such a scene, the natural buoyancy and vigour of early days being at variance with contemplation. Middle age becomes grey and somewhat thoughtful at the prospect of descending the hill of life, and, beginning to view the outer world and all things therein under a different aspect, the mind is occasionally absorbed in medita tion. But it is to the fast-setting sun of threescore years and ten to whom autumn's fading hour reads her most solemn lesson. " And though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow ; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone." The light of life flickers daily more and more, and finally sinks to rest in the western horizon. Happy are they who, with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, can see in faith and hope the *' star in the east," " the bright and morning star."

We have been thus sentimental upon the subject of autumn because our story com mences at that season of the year — -namely, October, 1833. The proverb asserts that this month has twenty fine days, but such a declaration is scarcely warranted by facts. Many have a peculiar dislike to the month of October. There is a' singular dreariness in the shorten ing* of the days ; and, although the temperature of a fine day is pleasant and often bracing to the system, still there is the feeling that it is the eve of a long, cold winter, and that it is a month very trying to the constitution, as exhibiting all kinds of weather. It was on one of the aforesaid twenty fine days of the month in question, that the busy and crowded thoroughfare of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, was in a great state of bustle and excitement at the hour of 10 o'clock a.m. Not that such a circumstance was by any means unusual, for it was a thing of everyday occurrence, the Sabbath alone excepted.

Business men of every age and description are rushing in all directions, as if their very lives depended upon accomplishing a certain object within a given period. The pavement is so crowded with human beings, who seem all bent upon going a certain j)ace, and each one getting in the other's way, the unsatisfactory result is that no one goes fast enough to his own thinking. On and on they come in such countless numbers, as if all the people in the country had arrived to see how London was going on, and whether the modern Babylon was all it was stated to be. But the daily 10 a.m. excitement is at the " Spread Eagle," from which office the celebrated Quicksilver mail-coach departs for the West of England, harnessed with four match less horses. All is bustle and hurry, for the Coachman never fails to take the reins in hand at 10*30 to the very minute by St. Paul's Cathedral, which clock, however, he cannot see at the time of starting, but declares that his huge silver watch — about the size of a small turnip — ancl the metropolitan timekeeper never vary a minute from the first hour of January to the final one in December.

The Guard and Ostler are busy loading the coach, and endeavouring to turn to the best possible account the space at their disposal. " What box is this," inquired the Guard of the Ostler, ••without any address on it?" "Can't say," replied the Ostler; "but it was left here about an hour ago by an old female, who stated it belonged to a friend who is to be one of your passengers." " But having no name or address, it can not be put into the coach until the owner arrives to claim it," added the Guard. " You are pretty good in your judgment," replied the Ostler, " but I tell you what it is, Mr. Guard, that I think you had better be careful how you blows that horn of yourn to day, for I heard say an extinguished lord, or duke, or some of that big lot, had taken the box-seat. You are not a bad hexicutioner by no means when you goes steadily at it, but now and then, when you gets a-flourishing at the wariations, I don't think you does your self justice, and I am obliged to have a little drop of something short to take away a sort of queer feeling I gets when I hears you."

" Your compliments and your education are pretty well matched," replied the Guard, laughing in a good-humoured manner ; for, being a man superior to his position, he had the good sense not to be offended at the joke of one who was in every way his inferior. " Let me advise you to go to school," con tinued he, " before you give advice concerning my horn-playing, or any musical or other accomplishment. Your education is defi cient, my good friend. Did you ever go to school ? " " Yes, I did," replied the Ostler. " I was a native of Yorkshire, and my old guv'nor sent me to school one blustering day in March. It was on a Monday, and I ran away on the next Saturday, for they wal lopped me every day to keep me warm, I s'pose, for I never seed a bit of fire the whole week, although the weather was tarnation cold.

Anyways, Mr. Guard, my edication is good enough to help you, and to look arter the horses." "True enough," said the Guard, u only you made me laugh when you talked about an extinguished lord being a passenger to-day. The word extinguish means to put out, and that, I take it, the noble lord you allude to does not desire, as we might take advantage of his extinguished character by putting him out of the coach forty miles this side of his destination. Distinguished is the word you meant, and which signifies eminent. There is not a vast deal of difference in the sound of the two words, but a very great deal in their meaning." " They does sound very much alike," said the Ostler, " and I am not over partickler in some words I uses, so that they sounds all right to my ear. Shall I extinguish this box from the boot with no address on," added our humble friend, with a sly wink of the eye, and a marked stress on the first syllable of the unfortunate misused word.

"Yes," replied the Guard, "and yourself too, for the coach is fully loaded. My first lesson on education seems already to be well understood by you, whom I have known for many years to be an honest fellow. But there is some one wants to speak to me." Thus saying, the Guard descended from the coach, and addressed an elderly lady, who was accompanied by a very respectable looking person dressed in the deepest mourn ing, and apparently overwhelmed with the most profound grief. " Does this box without any name or direction on it belong to you ? " inquired the Guard, addressing the elder female of the two. " It belongs to Mrs. Seyah, who is now ready to take her seat for Queensbury, but she does not wish her name to appear. She has lost her husband, and is in a wild and distracted state, and not at all fit to under take a journey.

Although she wants for nothing (save true comfort of mind), if you will speak a kind word on the road to a poor lonely and disconsolate widow, she will feel it very much, and so shall I too. Goodbye, my dear," said the lady, with tears in her eyes. "May God comfort and cheer you in your affliction." "I will take care of your friend," replied the Guard, in a hearty but quick manner, for it wanted only five minutes to the time of starting the coach, and he hurried into the Office to get the way-bill. We have no duke or lord for the box-seat, Mr. Wisehead Ostler," said the Guard, ad dressing that learned individual. "It is Sir Edward Queensbury, Baronet, a gentleman who has, I hear, just come into a noble estate in Wiltshire, and a fine fellow he is, I have been told, but he is not up in punctuality unless he is here in two minutes from this time." ' ' Anyways you mind how you blows that horn of yourn," was the ready reply in an undertone of the Ostler, who was determined upon having a last word.

" If the gemman is a fine fellow, as you say, he aint far off from a lord, and he will 'specs you to give him a fine toone." At this moment a brougham, drawn by a pah* of iron-grey horses, drove rapidly up to the Coach Office, and a gentleman, with a fine commanding figure, speedily alighted accompanied by his servant. It was Sir Edward Queensbury. At the same time the Coachman — a j oily-looking personage dressed in a large drab coat and a white hat — made his appearance. (All of this fraternity appear to wear white hats and drab coats, and to possess a certain amount of joviality peculiar to themselves.) " Good morning, Coachman," said the Baronet, in a complaisant manner, " I trust I have not kept you waiting, but I was de tained a quarter of an hour longer than I intended at the Bank. I have driven here with all possible speed, knowing that the Quicksilver coach— like time and tide — waits for no man."

"You are punctual to the half -minute, Sir Edward," replied the Coachman, respectfully removing his hat — " it is just half after ten o'clock to within that short space of time." " That is drawing it rather too fine," added Sh* Edward, getting up at once to the boxseat ; " too near to be pleasant, Mr. Coach man." " Well, Sh* Edward," replied the Coach man, with reins in hand, and mounting to his dignified position, "they tells me that I cuts it rather too fine coming round some of the corners, but my horses knows what they are about, and so do I too." " Xo doubt such is the case, "continued the Baronet, "but as I have inherited a fine estate, I shall feel obliged if you will be considerate enough not to break my neck just imme diately. ' ' I should be sorry to do anything of the sort, Sir Edward," said the coachman, " and, as we have never had a reglar bad spill yet, I hope we shall not begin to-day at all events.

All right behind, Guard?" shouted the Coach man to that important individual. "All right, go it, Mr. Jehu," said the Guard, apparently contented with the whole arrangement of the coach, it being quite full with passengers ancl luggage both inside ancl out. Mr. Jehu — or rather the horses — lost not a moment to fulfil the request of the Guard to " go it." And the " go " of horseflesh harnessed to eminent coaches was a sight to see in those days, and always attracted the attention of by-standers and the public at large. The Coachman of the Quicksilver was very experienced at his post, ancl his way of handling his reins attracted the admiration of all who cared about such an accomplish ment. A slight introduction of the whip to the leader was quite sufficient intimation that he and his three companions were to proceed to "go it."

The Guard also — or rather his horn — commenced likewise to "go it," for that illustrious travelling musician considered that however eminent the Quicksilver coach might be in the opinion of the public, it would most unquestionably be shorn of half its dignity if unaccompanied by his musical talent Whereupon he proceeded to perform short interludes in B flat, at the conclusion of which he was evidently astonished that none of the passengers encored him. The Ostler stood with his hands in his breeches pocket watching the coach turn round into Cornhill, and, , GENTLE EDITH. putting one band up to lu^. ear, listened with rromifesl anxiety to the performauce pi hie -lcfil pnpU (as lif termed him) the Guard. 'onfountl it, 1 ' said he, slapping his thigh indigiutatly with I a* band., " (he fellow is at ■flat as bull beef, and / must 'go it, 3 as lie I to thf Coachman, aad have a drop of something .short qi I sli&ll begin to feelque^."

Meanwhile the Quick^Uver horses could only "go it" slnu-ly through the rrowded tlioronghfaiSBS fco tin West End, the alow vjooe, however, tending to shcfW "ft" fch.eh noble broed, and tbe skill p£ the driver in dodging in :■! ! ut between the brewer's dray and the lmckiiey carriage, and numerous >th •;• in Te difiainutive vehicles- A pan- .iij.de at the different coach oih< t'i take hi -iuall pai nurd previously iidiiig rlie kejr-uote pi arrival, and which -t. the White Horse, m Piccadilly, was tin se oi v;'i-mthe excitement "' rather an elderly gentleman whfl waa sliori in stature, and as round aa a small bee? laurel. As the ■ h stopped, he held up both his hand-, and shouted in a Stentoriau uumneias ll Coai hman, Guard, and every person in the coach were irrecoverably deaf : ■ — "A passenger for Andorer," putting the accent contrary to the usual custom on the second syllable.

" I say a passenger for Andover, inside or out." The Guard, as already stated, was a superior man to his position, but could never refrain from having a joke when an oppor tunity presented itself. Eyeing the corpulent gentleman with a broad grin, he exclaimed, "No room, sir, I assure you, not even for a band-box, and much less for a gentleman of your extensive dimensions. This is Tuesday. We shall be down again on Thursday, and shall be glad to reserve a place for you, if you will allow me to take your measurement at once ; my opinion being that you will require the place usually allotted to two persons, and I am sure you would not wish to rob the proprietors of the coach by j:>aying only a single fare." This was said in so good-tempered a man ner that the passengers could not avoid a titter at the expense of the round gentleman, who was actually for a moment speechless with rage, and dancing about the pavement in an excited way like a cat on hot bricks.

At length he shook both his fists at the Guard, and bellowed out in a most alarming tone, " I will report vou — report 3-our conduct, sir." The terrific accent upon the last syllable was a "report" indeed! It was impossible to have conceived that such a gun could have gone off from the lungs of any human crea ture ; but it did not leave the desired effect upon the Guard, who, taking his seat as the coach was again starting, commenced with his horn to " report " the further progress of the Quicksilver Mail towards the West of England.

Chapter II The

" QUICKSILVER " AND THE FACETIOUS GUARD. When we write of coaches how some minds will be carried back to the period when nine of the best and fastest coaches in England ran by the gate of their gravel walk. Who does not know the delight of children waiting to see a coach go by, or running after it in a state akin to wild joy ? Then, above all, the Guard blowing the horn as the coach rushes along was something wonderful and delightful ! To be that Guard seemed to be the height of youthful ambition ! Now-a-days there is no such pleasure experienced by children in seeing a train rush by with its shrill whistle, a^ if the engine was attempting to vie with a screech owl. Poor music indeed to a child's ear in the place of the imaginary beautiful horn ! Children of the present age know nothing of the delight experienced by girls and boys in the good old coaching days.

It may not be out of place, or uninterest ing, to give a brief account of the celebrated coach described in the last chapter. The Quicksilver Mail, which then ran from London to Devonport, was half a mile in the hour faster than any coach in England, and was justly regarded as one of the miracles of the road — a mile in the hour quicker than the Comet or the Defiance, and three miles quicker than the Regulator. The whole journey from the metropolis to the Devon and Comish frontiers — in all 227 miles — was performed in twenty-two hours. In the pre sent age of express trains, which tear through the country at the rate of a mile a minute — almost annihilating space, and, indeed, time itself — the feat may not appear so very exc traordinary. But it is stated to be greatly within the limit of facts that the difference between the pace of the Quicksilver Mail and the coaches which had preceded it, exhibits quite as surprising an increase in travelling speed as that between the pace of the Quick silver and the steam engine.

Eighty or ninety years from the present time the journey from London to York, 200 miles, used to take six days ; the journey from London to Exeter, frequently a fortnight ; that from London to Edinburgh about the same time. When Nimrod wrote his article in the Quarterly Review in 1836, coaches were doing the first of these journeys in twenty hours, the second in seventeen, and the third in forty. Coaches ran from Liverpool to Man chester in an hour and a half — only half-an hour more than the average time now con sumed in a railway journey; and when Lord Londonderry was able to write, "I was out hunting last season on a Monday near Brighton, and dined with my father in Merrion Square at six o'clock on the following Wednesday— distance 400 miles" — there really seemed some reason why the chronicler of his country's progress — comparing the present with the past — should burst forth with the exclamation, " Surely Dedalus is come amongst us again."

At the time we write we breakfast at by no means a very early hour in London, and dine in good time in Edinburgh with the greatest ease ; and it is asserted that when a short cut in the shape of a new line — the Team Vale — is opened, we shall have no difficulty in breakfasting in the English Capital, lunching in the Scotch, and return ing to London for a late dinner or early supper the same day. But to conclude the brief account of the Quicksilver Mail. George Tedder was the name of the famous coachman whom we have introduced at the commencement of our tale. Many may well remember him as a driver of the Quicksilver Mail more than thirty years ago. He was quite a celebrity in his way, and a very familiar person to passengers on the Queen's highway long before England was one vast network of iron roads ; and, besides handling the ribbons of the splendid team of the Quicksilver Mail, he had driven other coaches scarcely less eminent.

Of late years he was the most conspicuous whip of the four-in-hand which since the year 1867, runs throughout the summer months from London in Middlesex, to London-Super-Mare in Sussex ; and if the present generation wish to form any idea of the style, the apj)earance, and the general equipment of the old Quicksilver, they may see it in the London and Brighton, or the London and Seven Oaks Coach. For these the public is indebted to the enterprise of a limited number of private gentlemen, and Tedder used to handle the reins of these well-appointed and spanking teams, where the glossy and perfectly groomed horses, the unspotted brilliancy of the panels, and the trim Jehu, all contrast very strikingly with the slovenliness of the drivers, the steeds, and vehicles in the few corners of England where the iron road has not yet penetrated.

But we left the Quicksilver Mail just leaving the " White Horse " in Piccadilly, with the round gentleman perfectly furious at not being able to obtain a seat to " Ancfover," as he termed that somewhat ancient borough. His countenance flashed fire, or seemed ready to do so, being of a very scarlet complexion. "May they all be utterly blowed," at length he exclaimed with the same stentorian power of lungs, to the amazement and alarm of all around him ; and the obvious conclusion of which remarkable request could be no other than that he devoutly hoped that the coach and all belonging to it might be blown clean away, and never more heard of — which philanthropic wish might, however, be per haps more honoured in the non-fulfillment thereof than in the reverse manner. It was, of course, when the Quicksilver was entirely free from London, and in the open country, that the highest speed was attained, and that then this celebrated mail ran on in all its glory and renown.

As the coach was one of the greatest sights of the road, everyone knew the hour when it would pass, and old and young came out to see it — the old to wonder at the speed, and to thank their stars that they were neither inside or outside pas sengers ; and the young to clap their hands with delight, and to rush after the vehicle with as little chance of catching it as a donkey has of winning the Derby. The Guard is very persevering with his charming interludes, which, while highly gratifying and amusing to many, is very annoying to the ears of an elderly lady and gentleman who are inside passengers, and who have just dropped off to sleep (with no soul for music) immediately before the Guard has began to tune up for the benefit of the inhabitants of the different towns and villages through which the coach travels.

"Deuce take that horn," said the gentle man, waking up at an unusually loud blast, when the Guard had forgotten whether the style should be crescendo or decrescendo. "My dear," said his wife, "pray do not talk like that. The horn has awoke me also, and it is annoying, I confess, but consider that by saying ' deuce take the horn,' you are guilty of meaning, * deuce take the Guard ! ' and that is improper, and, moreover, the absence of that individual would be a serious loss to the passengers of the coach." " I don't quite see the loss to the coach," replied the gentleman, "on the contrary, we should gain in a twofold point of view, inas much as we should get rid of his confounded noise, and should save the fee we have to give him at the end of the journey." " Thinking of your money as usual," replied the lady; "there, do eat a sandwich and drink a glass of sherry, for goodness sake, and go to sleep again as fast as possible."

" Only to be awoke again by that fellow's trumpetting," said the unmusical gentleman, who, having devoured some capacious sandwiches, was endeavouring to swallow a glass of sherry, but the jolting of the coach seemed to imply that the wine would be deposited in any quarter but the desirable one. The outside passengers of a coach are a little world congregated together for a few hours, and small as such a world is, what different phases of character may be seen in one journey ! No two persons are travelling for the same object, and rarely to the same place. It is not often that an agreeable companion is met with, and conversation is limited. Such was the case on the present occasion. It was a remarkably fine day for the time of year, with a clear sky, and a gentle breeze that was quite refreshing.

There was nothing remarkable about the passengers, if we except one commercial gentleman who drank beer so incessantly as to suggest the idea that he must be the representative of some illustrious brewers for the benefit of their combined interests, and his constitution into the bargain. Certain it is, that he ought to have been a capital trade advertisement for some houses, more especially if the desired object was to prove by illustration that, delicious as the beverage is, it will occasionally, when imbibed without restriction, produce a thickness of speech and a feeling of a somnolent character, which on the outside of a coach, minus a pillow, is scarcely desirable. The gentleman in question — after bobbing forward and then back ward, then to one side, and then the other, much to the inconvenience of the passengers ■ — finally deposited his head on a band-box, and fell to sleep and to snore simultaneously.

The only other eccentric passenger calling for remark was a young gentleman under age, who ate pastry for such a length of time in such variety (without drinking anything whatever) that it was impossible to arrive at any other conclusion than that his luggage contained a portable pastrycook's shop. The Guard did not forget the bereaved passenger, but endeavoured to show her all the attention in his power, by constantly inquiring if in any way he could be of service to her ; but she only answered by a shake of the head, and which was more expressive than words. Tedder, the coachman, was always very particular in not intruding his conversation upon the person who occupied the box-seat, and more particularly so when he knew he was in the position of Sir Edward Queens bury. The Baronet also was naturally a silent man, and for some distance on the road no words passed on either side.

At length, on slackening speed at the foot of a hill, Tedder broke the silence — "I hope, sir Edward," said the coachman in a very respectful manner, " that you will not think I am intruding, if I offer you my congratulations on succeeding to the fine estate of Queensbury. Your late uncle often sat where you are now, and he was the best kind of gentleman that ever occupied the box-seat during my time. I wish you long life, and health and happiness, Sir Edward, to enjoy your property." "Accept my hearty thanks, Tedder," replied Sir Edward, " and I hope I shall not forget that wealth, and a high position amongst my fellow-creatures, involve equally high responsibilities." " No doubt of it, Sir Edward," said Tedder, " and as to responsibilities, that is what I say as to my position as coachman, for a great many lives are under my care in the course of the year, and I should break a great many necks, if I did not properly ;attend to my horses.