LONDON TOWN TALK. "THAT 800 GUINEA MANTLE."

Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 79, 16 March 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

LONDON TOWN TALK. "THAT 800 GUINEA MANTLE."

The most interesting subject among the ladies is jnst now the 800 guinea mantle, which Messrs. Debenham & Storr had advertised for sale by auction, and to restrain which the Court of Chancery has been appealed to for an injunction. The vicechancellor, it seems, "hardly thought there could be an article of the kind so valuable," and the counsel for the mantle said there was probably not another. This ¦ is not quite true, for I remember the fur coat of the Czarewitch being appraised, when in England, at about the same sum in question. But for all that this was no doubt "a duck of a mantle," and the indignation of the female public at learning that there was an objection to its being sold by auction was excessive, not tjhat> they aU wanted to buy it, but to see it. [Mantles, by the bye, seem to improve by keeping, for this very one was sold in March last for 400 guineas.] The secret of the " injuction" was that the noble lady, its nominal proprietor, only' known to the auctioneers, as they said, "historically," had not paid the whole purchase money for the article in the first instance, and I am afraid that it was, in a manner, in pledge with some Viennese pawnbroker. Conceive the horror of proprietor, auctioneer, and pawnbroker if the moth had got into that mantle ! This splendid article and its history are of coarse of foreign origin. In England our supply of gorgeous facts is now drawn exclusively from the novelist; but it is almost worth while to live in barbarous and distant lands for the occurrences they still afford. For example, what tale of the " Arabian Nights " is more strange than that which comes from Orenburgh respecting the flight from that place of the captive ex-Khan of Khokand. How he set np as a horse-dealer, investing no' less than 150,000 roubles in that bnsiness, so that he should get the pick of all the horses of the country to escape upon, a scheme he always had in bis mind. After a long search he found what he wanted — a steed that would baffle all pursuit, and carry its rider without flagging ; and going out to hunt as usual one morning he never returned. The Cossacks are now after him across the desert, bat he has got two days' start, and will probably escape them. "They are fleet steeds that catch me," says he of Khokand. When I add that he is supposed to have taken the route of the River Emba, your geographical readers will know all about it, or at least as much as I can tell them. A CENTENARIAN CLERGYMAN. The Rev. Canon Beadon ( "may his years \ increase ") has been "congratulated by the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cobnrg " on attaining his 100 th birthday. To a lady, who once asked him the secret of his length of days and robust health, he is said to have replied in the usual formula about early hours, &c., but with this addendum, " and never wear a great coat." Now, this is all very well as addressed, to a lady, or even a gentleman of 90 whose habits are fixed, and who never has worn a great coat, but it is very dangerous advice for younger men. I knew a certain ancient judge who nearly killed three other judges, all young enough to be his sons — so that he would have gained nothing by it — by confiding to them that the great secret^ of longevity was "never to take anything cold into the stomach, and to exclude the external aidi" He had gone about for the last 50 years wrapped up to the eyes in a closed carriage, and had become acclimatised to that mode of life ; his skin was parchment, and his blood — well, I dont think he had any blood. But after a few months of this regime his young pupils had to give it np, and take to fresh air and exercise. SMALL SWINDLERS. The doings of the famous " Long Firm" have been quite thrown into the shade by those recently brought to light of a very short one, namely, Messrs. Jielmsley and Turnbull, of Hawick, general dealers. The senior partner is aged 16, the junior 14, and their transactions, though very various, seem only to have been carried on for a few months. The chief portion of their stock-in-trade was kept between the

joists and the roofs of the next house — a novel and inexpensive syßtem of warehousing, -which, however, was only a slight example of their extraordinary business talents. As bookkeepers they would have been a credit to any establishment, and into this branch of commerce they threw a touch of romance such as, unhappily, is but too rare in mercantile transactions. On the title-page of their ledger or daybook was inscribed by a pleasant touch of fancy, the following title, which indicated their occupation — " United Order of Outlaws"— while every page had such a veracious account of their proceedings as would have satisfied the strictest accountant. For instance, " what I have stolen in money" was followed by a long list of coins acquired in that particular way of business; and, what is very curious, and seems to indicate either a sense of humor of a habit of acquisition which did not shrink from gratifying itself even in the smallest matters from any morbid motions of Bentiment, the first item entered was, "One penny stolen from mother." Then follows, "What I have stolen out of shops," "What I have stolen from persons and places," &c, the whole combining the most practical statements with a naivete", and (almost) an innocence that would have done credit to the records of an amateur charity organisation society. Nor was the . future neglected by the two partners. In another daybook, or what one may venture to call, perhaps, a to-morrow book, there were memoranda, "What I have to steal," " What I have to take from tilts," &c, and also one very singular item, " What I have to write for," under which are the names of the required articles, including "medicines," "cosmetics," a volume of poetry, and "a cure for the nerves." In the first ledger there is also " What Turnbull has got by housekeeping," which would seem to indicate that the junior partner took that branch of business entirely jipon his own shoulders. They dealt in wet goods ¦as well as dry, for among the stock found on their (neighbor's) premises was a barrel of ale "stolen from • an hotel door." Messrs. Hemsley and Turnbull are at present in difficulties, their property being, as it were, in sequestration at the hands of the police j but I do hope that so strange an example of youthful assiduity, acquisitiveness, and habits of business, joined to a turn for romance (which will be something new to him), will not escape the biographical attentions of Mr. Smiles. If these young persons are not "self-made men," they certainly endeavored to become so, while they are striking examples of "self-help." GERMANS IN LOVB. Two curious examples have been just recorded of the simplicity and freedom from sentiment of the German character. A young girl just arrived from Bremer-Haven applied for advice to the judge of the Probate Court at Philadelphia, on the following circumstances : — She had come from her native land with the intention of marrying her lover, who awaited her in America, but on the voyage out Bhe became acquainted with another young man, and so far forgot her vows as to promise to marry him. The sight of her first lover, however, had renewed her loyalty to him, and — and. — well, would the judge decide for her what was best to be done done ? Before waiting for his decision No. 2 at once came forward, and instead of shooting his rival or himself, as a Frenchman would have done, gave up his claim upon the young woman, and announced his, intention to pay for the wedding breakfast. The second case occurred nearer home. Two German bakers had but one good pair of tousers between them, which the owner good-naturedly lent to the other twice a week, " when he went to court his young womans." One fine day the ungrateful lover made off with them, and the original proprietor brought him to Bowstreet .for the offence. Each man swore the trousers were his own, and at first it really seemed that possession — especially of a pair of trousers — did form nine points of the law. Never since the judgment of Solomon was a worthy magistrate so pnzzled, and it is just possible that like that sagacious monarch, he would have ordered the trousers to be divided between them, but for the opportune arrival of corroborative evidence. One has heard of " a light heart and a thin pair of breeches," but a light heart, or, at all events, a loving one, and only the occasional use of that necessary garment, one has not often heard of.