LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2351, 15 October 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

BINGING THE CHANGES. The Honourable Algernon Willoughby, although he had only reached ‘ the sacred age ’ of thrce-and-twenty since his departure from the classic shades of Oxford, had lived a tolerably fast life. The money ho was entitled to on coming of age, some £lO 000, he had literally made * duoks and drakes ’ of ; and at the time our sketch commences this youthful fledgling of the aristocracy was, to use a common phrase, ‘ deucodly hard up.’ ! ■ The turf had proved to him an ignis fatuus, and, whether It was Epsom, Ascot, or Newmarket, somehow or another Inok appeared always against him ; and one black Monday followed another block Monday, as far as settling was concerned, with wonderful uniformity. The Honour, able Algernon’s chambers in the Albany were expensive, and the little box at Brompton, where Miss Montresor received hie attentions, was a never-ceasing ' drain

noon hia shattered resources. Ascot was just over, tho London season beginning to wane, when we find the Honourable Algernon and Captain Duval indulging in a post prandial cigar in Willoughby’s chambers.

‘ Deuced unlucky at Ascot! I stood an outsider for the Stakes, and of course a favourite won. For the Hunt Cup vice versa, I stood tho favourite, and an outsider cantered in. ’

‘ Ascot was a grod week, too, I fancy, for the talent,’ replied Duval. ‘Maybe it was, bat my talent unfortunately never developed itself save In standing losses. Fact is Duval, I think of running over to Jersey to-morrow to see the old dad, and unless I can get him to let me have an advance out of the family patrimony the Jews will foreclose upon me, and I am a ruined man.’

‘ Egad, Willoughby, I had no idea things were so serious as that ’

1 Indeed, my friend, they are. Bluff, the Bond street tailor, holds £7OOO of my dishonoured acceptances Confound It! the fellow’s commenced bankruptcy proceedings against me by the aid of his solicitors, Messrs Hardake, Nailutn and Collorum, a highly respectable firm of city vampires, who thrive upon the unhallowed pickings of insolvency procedure ’ ‘Well, all I can say, old boy, I wish yfu luck with the old man; but If your governor’s as hard a nail as mine your obanoo is smalt indeed.’

* Mine’s hard enough, hut if I talk about honour and family disgrace, &0., 1 fancy I can work the oracle. My dad’s pride would urge him to part with every penny he possessed rather than the finger of calumny should bo pointed against the Willoughby family.’ * A very commendable form of pride, my dear boy, and one yon no doubt can play satisfactorily with.’ A knock was hoard at the door. ‘ Come in, Blane—you hypocritical old scoundrel. What’s yonr latest little game, eh ?’ * Special “ Standard’,’ sir,’ replied Blane, the Honorable Algernon’s body servant. * Open it—glance over It—read out the latest betting, and inform if there’s anything of Importance happened.’ ‘ Betting, sir ; Northumberland Plate—4 to 1 Special Pleader, 7 to 1 Bryant Boy, 100 to 8 Durham, 100 to 7 any other. Leger—6 to 4 Kilbee, 3 tol Perplexity, 10 to 1 Donovan, taken freely. ’ ‘Good ; and what’s the news, Blane ?’ * Horrible murder, sir. ’ ‘Horrible murder, Indeed. Egad! I wish It was the Bond-street tailor was murdered. There, that will do—throw it do wn—leave the room, Blane. I shall ba back in time for Goodwood, Duval, from Jersey, laden, I hope, with golden paternal spoil.’ * Good-night, old fellow,’ replied Duval; ‘ I must bo trotting.’ * And, by tho bye, so must I; I promised the Montrusor to pay my respects this evening—what think you of the Montreaor ?' ‘A deuced fine woman I If it’s not an impertinent question, where did you pick her up?’

1 Pick her up, my dear boy ? There, put on your hat, and as we stroll down ticcadilly, if yon take my arm. I’ll tell you the atory of my love. The two friends strolled, smoki’g their cigars, down Piccadilly, Willoughby, who was evidently in a talkative vein, recurred to the Montresor episode. ‘ You asked me where I picked her up ; on the stage, of course. I spotted her two years ago, quite a parvenu, when she had just changed her Christian name to Olara and her surname to Montresor—Sarah Smith is her legitimate cognomen. Bless you. she was a straggling, raw-boned, weak-eyed girl, playing chambermaids* parts ard general utility in a . rovlnclal theatre, with a munificent salary of eighteen shillings a week, residing in a wretched garret, living npon pettitoes and polonies. 1 soon altered her tout ensemble, substituted a Brompton villa for the garret, and boned turkeys, pate de foie gras, and cold game in lieu of pettitoes and polonies.’ 1 And she does her protector credit, no doubt. Well, good night, old fellow. Your way lies due west, whilst mine is south-west. You shall hear from me from Jersey,’ * Ta-ta 1* The following evening Willoughby, according to his intention, left for Jersey, whilst on the subsequent day Captain Duval called in on the Bond street tailor to endeavour to get that worthy to discount a little bit of ‘ stiff ’ ‘Utterly in possible, C ptaln Duval! Quite out of the question. Even a hundred per cent, would not tempt me. lam tied up for money. That infernal young Willoughby baa let £7OOO cf his acceptances go back, and my banker’s balance Is absolutely overdrawn ’ * Bosh, Bluff. Your balance overdrawn I I wish I had only one-quarter of what stands to your account at Herrles, Farquhar and Co.’ 'Do you,’ drily replied the tailor. * Besides, Willoughby’s all right; he only left last night for Jersey, to raise the wind from his governor. ’ * Jersey, did you eay 7’ ‘ Yes; Is there anything wonderful about Jersey, considering hla father resides there for the benefit of his health ?’ * No, oh no ; only it rather singular you should have mentioned Jersey. Perhaps you don’t know the laws of Jersey, Captain Duval P’ * Well, I cannot say that I am particularly au fait with Jersey, or Jeiaey laws Iv’e heard of Jersey brandy being d d bad.’ •Well, then, allwv me to inform yon I’ll do your little bill for £lso three months 60 per cent., mind—you'll do me a great service, I can sign judgment against Willoughby—that I will do to-day; to-night I leave for Jersey, and to-morrow, by the laws of Jersey, on that judgment I can arrest Willoughby and his titled father. The Earl, no doubt, will stump up rather than allow his aristocratic son to remain under the stigma of a Jersey prison. lam just going down to my lawyers in the city, Messrs Hardaker, Naolen and Co.; shall be back at three, and if you look in I will have a cheque ready for you for your little bill,’

The worthy tsilor followed up the scent speedily . His solicitors bad already that day signed judgment against Willoughby, and, armed with the judgment and the bills, the worthy Bluff, after returning to hia Bond street shop, and arranging a few little financial matters, departed the same evening for Jersey, Meantime Duval had not been idle. He immediately saw how, by the indiscretion of his tongue, he has rendered his friend Willoughby liable to the tailor’s tender mercies and without a moment’s delay telegraphed over to Willoughby : ‘ Bluff, Bond street. ‘Tailor is going over to-night, via Southampton, with bills and judgment, to arrest you. Beware!’ Willoughby received tho message about midday, ‘Confound it; how unfortunate! something must be done. The governor’s promised to remit me the desired cash to London in a few days. If this Infernal tailor arrests me all will be required to pay him. By Jove, nothing venture, nothing win. A brilliant idea. I’ll consult my friend Sautfn, the avocat; and, as if luck wonld have it, here he comes. M. Sauton, yon were uppermost in my mind.’ * You flatter me, sir.’

•By no menus I have just received a telegraphic message that a man named Bluff, who owes me some £SOOO, is en route for Jersey. Unfortunat -ly 1 leave by boat for England to morrow at six in the morning, and he will not arrive till twelve. la there any mode of detaining him ?’ * The easiest, my dear air, In the world. Just come to my office and make the attestation of debt. Immediately ho steps on Jersey soil I will see he is arrested, and safely lodged in Glonoester House!’ This attestation was speedily completed in due form. Willoughby departed by the early morning boat, and on the arrival of the Southampton boat, the 111-starred tailor, notwithstanding protestation after protestation, was at once r rested at the suit of the Hon, Algernon Willoughby, and It required some days before the unfortunate nintn part of a man, Blnff, could obtain bail and get his release. In the meantime Willoughby received the paternal cash, had a glorious Goodwood week, landing coup after covp, which enabled him to taka up his dla honored J 57000 acceptances, the tailor undertaking, In consideration of his so doing, not to proceed further In a threatened action for falsa imprisonment. The story soon got wind ; and If you want a bill discounted by Bluff, of the West End, let me advise you to make no reference to Jersey or Jersey law, or your ohanoe of cash will be small indeed.