LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 858, 24 March 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

FAITHFUL TO THE LAST; OR THE

FALSE FINGER-POST.

An Acute Sensation Story.

Oxe bright mild morning in $w «arly spring of the year of grace one thousand eight hundred and sixty, that western pastime ground of New Cockaigne known as the park and property of Hyde lay stretched under a tender light in all the budding beauty of the vernal season. To the north the and stuccoed mansions of many &' rich noble or commoner stood in the sun, surrounded by. ike vast and splendid districts cf Tyburn and Westbumia. The arch of dassling white marble which marked the eastern and city-wards extremity of the park towered brilliantly conspicuous among these, whilst ths noble elms of the garden and chase of Kensington shut, crat the farther westward view.

The serpentining r\vnv, temptingly cool and fresh, bounded the eastern conhnes, and the. bursting foliage on its banks wound its way for a short distance, side by side with that vast strip of rotten earth known in the familiar parlance of the time as the "' Row.'

To this far-famed spot, where, as the custom was, the knights and dames were wont to congregate at matin-tide, to breathe their palfreys by a graceful amblp, anr 1 where the idlers of the town a£oo ( t would come to gape and gaze we. bid our reader bear us commny. Now the season was as. yet but young, a goodly multitude had here assembled, lured forth 'twould seem, as is the song of Maybirds, by genial waimth and sunshine. Up

and down they paced, ever and anon; and multifarious as were the types and styles of grace and loveliness, still one pervading tone of rank and birth was manifest in all. For being now but just past noon, none but the wealthy and the high born, whose greatest labor was the slaughtering of time, were likely to be seen. No flat caps or clothyards, none of the trading herd were here ; no 'prentice counter-jumper nor swart mechanic took this way for holiday. The vast uncleansed, as may be thought, were too securely held by the necessary following of their divers crafts.

Various were the groups of bravery and beauty that met the eye. Here and there some mounted cavaliers and dames would j mingle, and pursue their way side by side, as they beguiled the fleeting moments in mirthful converse. Then a graceful Amazon, with her trim attendant groom, would caracole her steed from end to end of this most pleasant riding-ground. Knots of beauteous damsals, in hat and plume, and habited in flowing skirts, cantered about and up and down; whilst the noble sires of these bright coveys once and again would ride beside their children, or hold back a while, with others of their age, to note and question on the points jof those high-mettled and welltrained palfreys, on which the greater number of this glittering host were mounted. Just as we, the faithful chroniclers of this history, take our stand, to listen and observe and lounge with many of those afoot, over against the railing dividing walk from ride, there comes a-cantering, with graceful ease and nonchalance, a knight, that, from his stalwart form and haughty mien, stands forth conspicuous from among the many of his class, that bears the impress • warrior ' in every look and gesture. Now and again he doffs his plumeless tall black hat, in recog nition of some passing fair, or slightly sways his head in the direction of a friend who greets him in like manner. No bending was there to the saddle-bow ; the time for that was gone, and fashion now ordained that the body should be held erect and firm, even when saluting Royalty itself. The helm alone was made to sweep the air, passing downwards to the full extent of the arm that raised it. This to the ladies only; for the men there was but the barest elevation of the ringer or the sideward inclination of the head, as just described. Our gallant soldier bestrides a chestnut destrier of goodly worth and easy action. And now he reins him in close to the spot by which we rest. A group of comrades lounge against the rail, and hail him with off-hand gesture in a way that bids him stay his progress. ' Look,' quoth one, whose beard had not yet tinged his smiling face, 'where comes De Schoozen; knows he yet, bethink you, of this most fashious change ?' 'Nay, I'll be sworn not yet,' replies a second ; ' for the route arrived but now. A good half-hour ago it had not left the quarters of the Guards of Horse.'

' Bid him stay and listen, then,' cried three or four, and at this moment, yielding to their signs, the knight he halts him, to converse with his friends.

With a hand well gloved in hue of lavender he stroked the long black bair that fringed his upper lip, and straightway asked the reason for this let and hindrance. ' No other,' was the answer, ' than we sail for India's torrid zone in but one short week from now.'

A sombre shade passed o'er the manly brow of Theodore de Schoozen, as swearing by the great Olympian god (an oath that of itself had proved his noble birth) he cried, ' Forsooth, I could confound such news : pest on the tidings !.' Then, musing for an instant, he continued' half aloud, 'Today; yes, to-day ; then I will speak.' Rousing himself from this momentary abstraction, he urged his friends to tell him ' were they sure.'

No doubt remained. The further converse went to show how, in another week, the gallant aquadrons of the 1000th, or the ' T'gor's own Dragoons,' would be taking ship at the port of Hampton in the south to do their doughtiest beneath the sun of Britain's Eastern empire. Much was the gossip that did here ensue. With some the subject seemed to be of small import; but for the most it east a gloom upon the company, and, in the haughty tones in vogue amongst the fashion and the soldiery of the day, various were the ejaculations this goodiy group poured forth. Blue wreaths from the fragrant weed hovered o'er them, whilst habited in ' mufti,' the term which then was used to mark the warrior in his garb of privacy, they backed their nether leg with the small riding cane with which, though then afoot, they nearly all were armed.

They stamped thei* feet and stroked the hair upon their lips, dallied with the pouch inserted in Tiheir snow-white vests, scented the sprig of tiower which bedecked the upper loophole of the super tunic in which their stalwart forms were clad, settled their hats a little more upon their fronts, or with an impatient gesture of the. hand across the forehead tilted them more aback upon their heads, to let, as it. would seem, the summer breeze play upon their heated brows, which done, th,a JieJia was once more adjusted to its prober iit. And then they swore, ha-yah-ed s juftd swore again. ' 'Fore gad,' spoke one-, ' this doth bore me past reclaim. ' Hor-wid,' saul another. ' Doose take i)t,' cried a third ; ' the season too but just begun, and all the fellows and all the people that one knows are now in town.' (To he continued.')