MISTAKEN HEROIS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1860, 26 February 1892, Page 4

MISTAKEN HEROIS

To the youthful mind the exploits of highwaymen have always had a peculiar charm. This is due possibly to the exceedingly pleisant manner romance writers have of introducing them. Such writers as Lord Lytton and Harrison Ainsworth depict them as men with a certain amount of honour, and who do a vast amount of good ; but such in life was not the case. The notorious Dick Turpin, as the son of a country innkeeper, started life well. He served his apprenticeship as a butcher, and s?t up for himself; but dishonesty was a part of his nature, and being detected in cattle stealing, he had to fly from justice. Smuggling at first claimed his attention, but through a quarrel with his chief he gave that up and headed a band of deersteelers who at that time infested Epping Forest. This becoming too dangerous, he next took to burglary, and struck terror into the hearts of the simple householders of Kent and Esssx. After narrowly escaping arrest on one occasion, when three of his compinions were taken and executed, Turpin made his way to Cambridgeshire, where he met and entered into partnership with the rascally highwayman named King. As no landlord would harbour them, the two men dug a cave in a piece of waste land, its entrance being hidden by brambles, where they and their horses took up their abode. All provisions were supplied by Turpin's wife. After a time the existof the cave became known, and during several attempts to take the robbers many lives were lost. Eventually King would seem to have quarrelled with Turpin, as he betrayed his haunts to several men, who, anxious to obtain the promised reward, burst in upon them. In the struggle that fo'lowed King was killed, but Turpin escaped and appeared in Lincolnshire, where he lived for a time by sheep and horse stealing. One day, however, having out of bravado shot some barndoor fowls, the villagers, in a fury, seized him, not knowing who he was, but soon the cry was raised that " here was Turpin at last." He was carried to York Castle, and, being tried, was sentenced to death. Without remorse he met his death, up to the last spending his time in drinking and joking, and thus miserably died the hero of fiction, Dick Turpin, at the early age of 33. Turpin was a noted rider, but his celebrated ride on Black Bess from London to York is now belitred to have no foundation in fact.

THE GIANT'S CHAIR. In Dolgelly, in the North of Wales, there is a mountain celebrated in folklore, poetry, and song as Cader Idris, or Idria's Chair. The hollow, couchlike excivation on the top of the mountain has given the peak its name. According to the Welsh bards, the depression was caused by the Giant Idris long using it as a chair. There is a local tradition in North Wales that whoever passes the night in the giant's Chair will be found in the morning either dead, crazy, or endowed with the highest poetical aspirations.

Idris is variously represented in Welsh tradition as a prince, magician, sorcerer, and astronomer, the only thin? on which all authorities agree being his immense statue. The " Lake of the Three Pebbles," which lie? at the foot of the Giant's Chair, contains three large blocks of stone, which Idris is said to have once poured out of his boots. The smallest of these stones will weigh a ton and a half.—St. Louis Republic.