Lillieville, a tale of adventure

Front matter

LILLIEVILLE A TALE OF ADVENTUEE LILLIEVILLE H Œale of Hoventuve BY MAURICE J. SEXTON LONDON DIGBY, LONG & CO., PUBLISHERS 18 BOUVERIE STREET, FLEET STREET, E.C. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. INTRODUCTORY ... . ! II. MURDER OF JOSEPH PENTON - - - 9 III. TRIAL OF JAMES PENTON— VERDICT - 14 IV. YOUNG JIM SAILS FOR LONDON - - 23 V. THE CONVICT SHIP - - - 32 VI. TASMANIA - - - - - - 39 VII. SIEGE.OF THE HUT - - - - 49 VIII. DESTRUCTION OF THE HUT — NEAVMAN TAKEN BY SAVAGES - - - - 58 IX. JIM SAVED BY THE CORK STEAMSHIP— VISIT TO IRELAND - - - - 71 X. SUPPOSED DEATH OF TERRY O'BRIAN — THE WAKE - - - - - - 80 XI. JIM FINDS FRIENDS IN LONDON - - 89 XII. THE CHILD SAVED FROM THE FIRE - - 98 XIII. SHARP, DRIVER AND COMPANY - - - 109 XIV. LIFE IN A BOILER FACTORY - - - Il8 XV. JIM IS PROMOTED - - - - 1 27 XVI.

STRIKE AVERTED — FRESH ADVENTURES - 136 XVII. JIM DISCOVERS AN OLD FRIEND - - 147 XVIII. NAPOLEON THE THIRD IN DANGER - - 1 56 XIX. FRENCH SOUP UNDER ENGLISH SUPERVISION - 1 CONTENTS. CHAr. PAGE XX. THE MURDERER'S REMORSE - - - 174 XXI. THE CONFESSION - - - - 1 82 XXII. DEPARTING FOR CHINA — THE CHALLENGE - 191 XXIII. THE DUEL — THE SHIP ON FIRE - - 200 XXIV. FRIGHTFUL SUFFERINGS - - - 208 XXV. AN AFRICAN COMMUNITY - - -217 XXVI.

Introduction

TO CHRISTIANITY - - 226 XXVII. BATTLE WITH SLAVERS - - - - 235 XXVIII. BOILER EXPLOSION .... 243 XXIX. LODGINGS FOR SINGLE MEN - - - 252 XXX. VIVISECTION - - - - - 261 XXXI. THE GILHAM FAMILY BROKEN UP - - 27O XXXII. TAKEN BY SLAVERS .... 277 XXXIII. MARCH AND MASSACRE OF THE SLAVES - 28 1 XXXIV. APPROACHING THE COUNTRY OF THE CANNIBALS 286 XXXV. DAWN OF CIVILISATION IN DARKEST AFRICA - 29 1 XXXVI. DIFFICULTY OF INSTRUCTING SAVAGES IN THEOLOGY ..... 297 XXXVII. IMPORTANT TRIAL— RIVAL MISSIONARIES - 304 XXXVIII. RELIGIOUS ANIMOSITIES— CIVIL AVAR - - 31 1 XXXIX. BASE TREACHERY— A AVFUL ATROCITY - - 317 XL. THE UNION JACK - - - - 326 XLI. VOYAGE TO AMERICA— THE FENIANS - - 333 XLII. SAFE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE - - 342 XLIII. THE GREAT CIVIL AVAR IN AMERICA— THE BATTLE ...... 349 XLIV. JIM SHOOTS THE BEARER OF A FLAG OF TRUCE ----.. 256 XLV.

JIM AND TERRY IN AUSTRALIA - - 359 XLVI. ADVENTURE AVITH ABORIGINES - - CONTENTS. CHAF. PAGE XLVII. JIM MEETS HIS FATHER - - - 372 XLVIII. ONCE MORE IN OLD IRELAND— GREAT DEMON- STRATION ..... 376 XLIX. BUTLER AND GORDON AGAIN - - - 384 L. THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT - - - 394 LI. MARRIAGES OF JIM AND TERRY— CONCLUSION

Preface

. " LILLIEVILLE " was written for a purpose. Like all other books, it is partly true ; and in order to discover whether my object would be readily ap parent to the mind of an ordinary person, I at first submitted my manuscript to a doctor of medicine for his opinion. The doctor read, and returned the book. He told me that he read it twice. "The first time," said he, "I laughed and cried so much that I missed the point; but upon perusing it, secondly, I clearly saw your object." He advised me to re write it, and omit the part which described vivisection. I next showed it to a clergyman, who laughed immoderately at parts, but disapproved of others ; he also said that he clearly understood the purpose of the book, but his view was neither that of the doctor, nor my own. Xll

PREFACE.

. Now, reader, I submit my story to you, and I leave your mind free and unbiased in the formation of an opinion of my object. Whatever your opinion may be, it will no doubt be as valuable as that of the priest or doctor. If you imitate all the virtues here described, and carefully avoid all the vices ; if you also laugh as heartily as both priest and doctor did, you will not be any the worse, and perhaps you may discern the author's purpose as clearly as either. MAURICE J. SEXTON. Millivall, 1894. LILLIEVILLE

Chapter I. Introductory

" Where'er I roam, whatever realms to see, My heart untravelled fondly turns to thee, Still to my brother turns with ceaseless pain And drags at each remove a lengthening chain." — Goldsmith. It was a damp chilly evening on the 9th of November in the year eighteen hundred and something, when the newlyelected Lord Mayor of London was entertaining the ministers of the day, together with those illustrious guests who are ever to be seen at the annual banquet of our civic king, that a party far more humble, though no less happy, had assembled iu the public room of the King's Head at Penzance. The same persons had assembled at the same date and in the same room for many years, and were perfectly well known to each other, they being tlie leading tradesmen of the town. But the reader must not think that the meeting at the King's Head had any connection with the distin guished assemblage at the Guild Hall, for the former was simply the anniversary of the opening of the house by its present landlord, on which occasion all comers were welcome to whatever they chose to drink aud none were allowed to pay..

This periodical hospitality, however, was in but little A LILLIEVILLE. 2 danger of being abused, for strangers very rarely came that way, and the regular customers amply repaid, during the rest of the year, for the one night's gratuitous entertain ment. These occasions had been consecrated to music, but as tbe King's Head boasted of no instrument, and the guests had become men of considerable weight, materially as well as morally, Apollo was certainly neglected, while Bacchus was worshipped with the fervour of unalterable conviction. This festive hall was dimly lighted with oil lamps, for at that date gas was not universal, but the bright fire shed a cheerful glow around the apartment. Each guest held a long clay pipe in his mouth, which he smoked with vigour, while before him stood a glass of hot liquor, consumption of ale or cider being strictly prohibited on these occasions.

Now this happy company had smoked themselves dry, and drank themselves warm, and were rapidly arriving at that condition when men, throwing off all reserve, converse freely about their own business or that of any one else whom they may happen to be acquainted with ; the conversation was, therefore, flowing freely. Tom Rowe, the butcher, had just related a most interesting anecdote of an infuriated cow that broke into the Town Hall while the council were arranging matters of grave local importance. Jim Trevannion, the farrier, was re lating how the parson's horse was injured through the ignorance of a rival smith, who drove a nail into his foot, whilst the landlord and the barber were quietly talking over old times. The landlord, James Penton, was a commonplace sort of man, about forty years of age, a little above the middle height, robust, as most Cornish men are.

Possessing a pleas ing countenance, and having the reputation of being strictly honourable in all his dealings, he possessed the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. Now James Penton had been in his early youth a worker in a tin mine, having been left fatherless at a very early age ; he also had a brother about two years younger than himself, named Joseph, and those two bids worked cheerfully to support their widowed mother up to the time of lier death, which occurred when James had attained his twenty-first year. The charm that had held this little family together was entirely broken by the death of Mrs. Penton. The younger lad,' Joseph, left LILLIEVILLE. 3 Cornwall almost immediately after the funeral, whereas James remained in Penzance, where he continued to work in the mines until he had attained the age of about twenty eight, when he married ; and having accumulated a little money he purchased the lease of the King's Head.

James' wedded life brought him one son, a well formed and hand some boy of eleven at the opening of our story. This boy was called James also, and as the father had keenly felt the want of education himself he endeavoured to prepare the son for the battle of life by giving him the best schooling the town could afford. James Penton, senior, had never forgotten his absent brother, and especially on the occasion of the annual carousal would his thoughts revert to the absent one. He had just lapsed into a fit of sad reflection whilst apparently listening to the barber, who was laughing loudly at his own story of how he had once, when an apprentice, shaved all the bushy whiskers off the head police constable, who came drunk to the shop during the absence of the master. His wife would not let him in at first, he continued, but the best of the fun was, he had to appear before the magistrate upon an important case the next day, and the magistrate, who was a blustering old fellow that couldn't bear to be spoken to, didn't know him with his whiskers off.

He had him locked up for three hours, as he wouldn't leave off talking. "The governor wouldn't believe it was done in our shop," he went ou, "and you never saw such a sight as when his whiskers were growing again ! Ha, ha, ha!" This caused such a roar of laughter that the landlord started from his reverie. " Why ! " cried Tom Rowe, " I don't believe Jim Penton heard a word of it." " No," added Trevannion ; " he's reckoning up how much water goes to a gallon of Plymouth gin." This was thought very smart, as there was an announcement over the bar of the King's Head to the effect that it was the only house in the neighbourhood where pure Ply mouth gin was to be had, and as the company were now in the best of humour a fresh peal of laughter followed. Just at this moment a tail man, carrying a travelling-bag and warmly and comfortably attired, stood in the doorway.

This man peered steadily into the faces of the company, scrutinising them anxiously one after the other, until his LILLIEVILLE. 4 gaze rested upon the face of James Penton, when he involuntarily made a step forward as though he were going to grasp the landlord. This movement caused some little sur prise, but the stranger, quickly recovering himself, sat down. " Took him for somebody else," said Tom Rowe. " He bas had an extra drop," said the barber in an under tone ; " see, he has got his eyes fixed on Jim Penton like anybody half tight." " Rather chilly outside, sir," observed Trevannion. The stranger started and replied, "Yes, very chilly in deed. Allow me to take the liberty, gentlemen, to ask you to empty your glasses ? I have this moment entered the town, and shall be most happy to take this opportunity of introducing myself to such a cheerful party."

Just then another stranger entered, similarly attired to the first comer, but a man of very different aspect ; the former person had an open, candid countenance, with a broad and high forehead, large hazel eyes set wide apart and a general air of well-to-do self-reliance ; whereas the latter was a thin, wiry, sallow-complexioned man with a very narrow forehead slightly receding, thick, bushy eye-brows and little steely eyes resembling those of a Spaniard. This latter person took a rapid glance round the room, and then quietly sat down beside Tom Rowe. " Now, gentlemen," continued the tall stranger, " empty your glasses ; I am cold and thirsty, and I am waiting for you." " You will excuse me, sir," said Jim Penton, " but a few friends assemble here every ninth of November, and it has always been a rule that no person shall pay for anything here on that night, and if you will make one of us we shall be delighted.

Come, sir, what will you take, and who shall I have the pleasure of introducing to my other friends here '? " The stranger stood silently gazing upon the landlord for some moments, and then exclaimed abruptly, " Is it possible? Are you James Penton ? " The landlord replied somewhat coolly, " That is my name, sir, as you may see by looking over — " " My brother, my dear brother," exclaimed the stranger, " I am Joseph ; don't you recognise me 1 " Thc brothers grasped each other warmly by the haud, for the recognition was mutual. LILLIEVILLE. 5 Joseph Penton insisted on breaking the rule of the house. He ordered the best supper it was possible to prepare, and a large bowl of punch, promising to relate to his brother and the company after supper all that he had gone through since he left his native town, observing that he had no desire for any secrecy.

Now while this was taking place, the sallow stranger had managed, as it were, to become one of the company without their being aware of it. He drew from his breast pocket a well-filled case of really good cigars, which he handed round to the company, and as the offer of a good cigar is in itself au introduction, this person took his place at the suppertable uninvited, but also unperceived, where he sat narrowly and silently observing the company, and taking mental notes of all that passed. Joseph Penton, on the contrary, was all life and gaiety ; he kept the company in a state of rapture with his adventures, anecdotes, and general descriptive powers, so that by the time supper was over, he was looked upon as a very old friend by the rest of the company. " Well, Joe ! " exclaimed James Penton after a pause in the conversation ; " you have not told us what you are doing at present, although from your appearance I should say that you are doiug very well."

" Yes, Jim," replied the brother, " I am doing very well indeed ; I have speculated and been successful, and I am now settled in the city of London, and my business, after paying all expenses, leaves two thousand a year clear of everything." " Two thousand a year clear ! " repeated the amazed brother ; " why, what an enormous amount ; and after all my time here I have barely got five hundred pounds saved." " That," replied Joseph, " is the very subject that has brought me here. The fact is, I find my business outgrow ing my ability to look after it, and I have determined to take a partner ; that partner need not possess auy knowledge of the business to commence with, but he must be an honest mau, and in that respect, my dear Jim, I am sure "i could never find a more suitable person than you, my dear brother."

James Penton was deeply affected by these words ; but he stammered something to the effect that he had no means LILLIEVILLE. of raising sufficieut funds to qualify him for partnership in such a lucrative business, but Joseph, quickly interrupting him, said : "Let me explain how you can do so. Sell this business of yours, which at best is mere drudgery. I will lend you a sufficient sum to enable you to become my partner, and you can repay me with the balance that may be left to you after drawing six hundred a year ; and, not knowing what circumstances I should find you in, I have brought a thousand pounds with me in this bag." Just then the pale stranger stooped to light his cigar, bending very close to the two brothers in doing so. The company, now feeling that they had had quite enough to drink, began to drop out one by one until Tom Rowe and the stranger alone remained.

Tom again related the incident of the runaway cow, to which the stranger listened with affected interest, and insisted upon having the glasses of the brothers, as well as his own and Tom's, refilled. Joseph Penton at length rose, declaring that he could remain up no longer. " Of course," said he, addressing his brother, " you can accommodate me with a bed . " " Certainly, my boy," replied James. " You can have an excellent bedroom which, being immediately over this apartment, is as warm as an oven ; and there is a balcony outside the window with a flight of steps leading to the garden. It is, in fact, the most pleasant room in the house both in summer and winter. You also will remain for the night . " he added, addressing the pale stranger. " No, thank you," replied the person addressed ; " my ship lies in Mount's Bay ; the distauce is not far, and I will depart at once ; but if this gentleman," he added, " will accompany me to the water - side, I shall be very glad."

Tom Rowe, to whom this was addressed, readily agreed to accompany the stranger, who thereupon took a very cordial farewell of the two brothers, and left the house in company with Rowe. Upou emerging into the street, Rowe appeared consider ably overcome by the effects of the night's drinking, and frequently requested the stranger to spend the remainder of the night at his house instead of going on board his vessel, but the stranger politely declined, saying that they would LILLIEVILLE. 7 soon be where a boat was waiting to put him on board. " Ah ! " he exclaimed, " here we are at the beach already." Rowe was very glad, although he thought they had at least another mile to walk, but the effects of the drink were fast telling upou him, and his ideas were anything but clear just then. " Hoy ! " cried the stranger, '; boat ahoy !

" Rowe heard no reply, but the stranger commenced giving directions as though a boat was very near. " Now, sir," said he to Rowe, " I must thank you for taking care of me. Don't you come too near the water. You see my boat, don't you ? " " Oh, yes," answered Rowe, who saw nothing, but was anxious to get away, as he felt every moment the effects of the night's drinking stealing over him with greater power. " Well, good-bye," cried the stranger ; " you will be sure to remember me if jtou see me again 1 " " Oh, yes, certainly," replied Rowe ; " good-night." " Pull away, my boys ! " shouted the stranger, addressing the men in the boat as Rowe supposed. Rowe now made for his own home, and soon came to some buildings which he had no recollection of seeing so near the bay. He staggered round the buildings, not having any idea of where he was, and then made for the open country.

The night was bazy. thc moon shone dull and red in the heavens without reflecting much light ou the earth beneath, and Tom Rowe, not knowing how far he was from the sea, or, indeed, not knowing where he was at all, continued to walk with some little caution. " I didn't think it took half as long to get there," he mused ; " but then we were talking, and company shortens a journey very much." Just then Tom thought some person ran past him, and he called out, but, receiving no answer, concluded that he must be mistaken, when he continued on his way, becoming a little sobered by the cold air and the long walk. Now, all this time Rowe had been unconsciously walking in a circle, or rather an irregular polygon, and would probably have continued to do so until daybreak had he not at length noticed that the moon, which was dimly to be seen, was sometimes on his right, and again on his left, sometimes right before him, and then again at his back.

" Why," he soliloquised upon making this discovery, " I have heard of LILLIEVILLE. people walking round and round in a fog, and I believe I have been doing the same thing. Now, I don't know either navigation or astronomy, but if I make straight for the moon, it will lead me somewhere in the end." Now, any system, be it ever so imperfect, is better than none at all, and Tom Rowe's newly acquired system of navigation quickly led him to a street, and to his satisfaction he soon saw the King's Head, and, as his own house was but a few doors to the left of it, be was about to pass on, when his attention was attracted by seeing a light moving about inside. Now, Tom had been sobered and considerably chilled by wandering about in the damp air and, not knowing what time it was, he went to the door and demanded admittance, but, although he distinctly heard footsteps moving about inside, no notice was taken of his knocking, when, after waiting a little time, he at last went home, and, going to bed, slept soundly for the rest of the night.

Now, Tom Rowe was usually an early riser, but on the morning of the tenth of November, he slept later than usual, and would have slept later still, had he not been awakened. Feeling himself rudely shaken, he looked up, and was considerably snrprised to see two police officers standing by his bedside. He asked what was the matter, aud was told that he had to answer a charge of being concerned in the murder of Joseph Penton. Tom at once jumped out of bed and commenced dressing, at the same time asking sundry questions of the police, and informing them of all he knew about Joseph Penton. The police cautioned him to be careful of what he said to them, as the conversation he might use would be taken dowu in writing, and would be used in evideuce against him.

Chapter II. Murder Of Joseph Penton

The usually quiet town of Penzance was thrown into a state of considerable excitement upon its becoming known that a murder had been committed at the King's Head under circumstances of great atrocity. Joseph Penton, the long absent brother of the landlord, was found dead, with his head nearly severed from his body. The landlord, and all the guests of the previous evening were arrested upon suspicion of being concerned in the murder, and after a long and careful preliminary investigation, suspicion began to attach itself to James Penton with damning force, and he was committed to take his trial for the wilful murder of his brother. How truly it is said that misfortunes seldom come singly ; but how imperfectly do we understand the wisdom of Pro vidence that has so arranged it that one misfortune is an antidote to another.

Many a man about to abandon him self to utter despair under the weight of oue calamity finds absolute relief in the advent of a second. And so it was with James Penton in his present trying ordeal. Upon leaving his brother, after having shown him to his room upon the night of his fearful death, James Penton retired to bed, his ideas considerably confused with the unusual quautity of drink that he had taken ; and after having been in bed some time, how long he did not know, he suddenly awoke with a feeling of terror, without being able to account for what had awakened him. He at first imagined that he had heard a voice calling upon him to get up ; but as his wife was sleeping quietly by his side, he knew that that had not occurred, for Mrs. Penton was a very light sleeper, whereas her husband slept usually very sound.

After remaining awake for some little time, a drowsy feeling gradually stole over him, and he was agaiu about to fall LILLIEVILLE. 10 asleep when he became again suddenly and quite unaccount ably perfectly awake. All desire for sleep having left him, he resolved without altogether knowing why, to see that all was right about the house. He therefore arose noiselessly, and taking the night lamp that was burning dimly, he first descended to the bar. Here he found everything in its accustomed place ; and he then entered the room that had been occupied by the company in the early part of the night. Here also, everything appeared undisturbed; but while standing in the middle of tbe room, the lamp which he held in his hand spluttered and went out, as if water had fallen on it. He involuntarily turned his face upwards, although he could see nothing in the darkness, and as he did so something dropped on his face, and upon wiping it with his hand it felt thick and oily.

Filled with alarm, he rushed to the room above in which his brother was sleeping, and opening the door gently, he called upon him by name, asking if anything was the matter. No answer was returned. He again called louder, but still no answer was re turned. He then walked to the bedside and felt with his hand until it rested on his brother's head, which rolled loosely on the pillow. He felt with his other hand to remove the clothes, when his fingers sank into a wide and bleeding wound. At first he imagined himself under the influence of a terrible nightmare. He felt his blood freezing in his veins. Cold perspiration poured from his face ; aud at length, shrieking with agony, he rushed from the room, aud in doing so, knocked down the groom, -who was just then coming upstairs with a candle in his hand.

The groom had no time to recognise who it was, but being a man of courage and activity, he at once grappled with Penton, and both rolled to the bottom of the stairs together. Penton was a strong man, and being theu wrought to a pitch of nervous frenzy, he struggled aud sought desperately to get away ; but the groom never lost his hold, and at length throwing Penton heavily, he grasped his throat, and held him down until a person came with a light. This person proved to be the general servant of the King's Head, a woman about forty years of age, and by no means weak either in body or mind. She advanced cautiously but firmly, holding a candle iu one hand and an empty and heavy candlestick in the other. " Is that you, Mary?" cried the groom. LILLIEVILLE. "Yes," replied the woman. " Who have you got there !

" " A thief," answered the groom. " Bring the light here." "Why! as true as I live," cried the woman, putting the candle in the candlestick, " it is Mr. Penton." The groom saw that it was, aud releasing his hold he rose to his feet and looked stupidly from one to the other. " Why, Mr. Penton," continued the woman, " whatever has happened? you are all over blood." Penton gasped, " My brother ! my brother ! " then shud dered and fell in a swoon. Mary, the servant, ran to Mrs. Penton, who was just theu calling to ascertain what was the matter, having missed her husband and hearing unusual noises about the house. They carried Penton, who was quite insensible, back to bed, and theu the groom, accompanied by Mary, went to the bedroom of the brother, where a sight met their gaze that might well have frozen their blood with horror.

The body of Joseph Penton lay on the bed, covered by some bed-clothes, but not in their regular way; for some of them had evidently been thrown about the room, which was smeared and spattered with blood in every direction, the clothes were torn iu several places, and the room presented ample evidence that a terrible struggle had taken place. As to the body of the unfortunate man, it was fearfully mutilated ; the chest bad received several cuts and stabs, the hands and arms were both badly cut, there were three or four minor cuts in the neck, and one that nearly severed the head from the body. The groom aud Mary clutched each other for mutual protection, turned very sick and walked slowly out of the room, their eyes all the time fixed on the open doorway as though they feared being followed by some frightful spectre.

Arrived at the bottom of the stairs, they looked with strange glances of inquiry at each other. And finally the groom said in husky tones, " Run for the police." The woman needed no second bidding. Upon the door being opened, she flew from the house, and as it was then daylight, she passed several persons, some of whom stared wonderingly at her terrified air, others jeered and made several vulgar remarks, to all of which she made no reply, but ran on wildly until she met two policemen standing talking together, to whom she breath- LILLIEVILLE. 12 lessly and excitedly related all that had occurred as far as her knowledge went. The police, with commendable promptitude, followed the woman to the King's Head, taking the precaution to call upon a surgeon on their way, requesting him to follow them as quickly as possible.