Mayne Reid Part 13

At the "cannibal's" next appearance, he was looking a little more civilised, and the ma.n.u.script in time, through the help of Captain Mayne Reid, developed into a three volume novel, published in 1864, under the t.i.tle of "Lost Lenore; or the Adventures of a Rolling Stone."

In the preface Mayne Reid scarcely takes sufficient credit to himself for the part he played; he had recast and nearly rewritten the whole work before it was placed in the publisher's hands. He says:

"A 'Rolling Stone' came tumbling across my track. There was a crystalline sparkle about it, proclaiming it no common pebble. I took it up, and submitted it to examination--it proved to be a diamond! A diamond of the 'first water,' slightly encrusted with quartz, needing but the chisel of the lapidary to lay bare its brilliant beauties to the gaze of an admiring world. Charles Beach is the proprietor of this precious gem; I, but the artisan intrusted with its setting. If my share of the task has been attended with labour, it has been a 'labour of love,' for which I shall feel amply rewarded in listening to the congratulations which are due--and will certainly be given--to the lucky owner of the 'Rolling Stone,' the finder of 'Lost Lenore.'"

CHAPTER TWELVE.

BRICKS AND MORTAR.

The next novel from his pen was "The White Gauntlett," an historical romance of the time of Charles the First. Many of the scenes are laid in Buckinghams.h.i.+re.

During the same year, 1863, "The Ocean Waifs" was appearing in the _Boys Journal_, and the following year "The Boy Slaves" was written for the same magazine. After an interval of six years Captain Reid now satisfied his boy readers as to the fate of Karl and Caspar, the young "Plant Hunters," in the sequel called "The Cliff Climbers."

The _Boys' Journal_, 1865, contained his next boys' book, "Afloat in the Forest."

This year the wonderful tale of "The Headless Horseman" made its first appearance. There was a large coloured lithograph to be seen at all the railway stations and bookstalls of a handsome black horse, with a rider, in Mexican striped blanket, booted and spurred--all complete, but wanting a head! By many, this work is considered Mayne Reid's masterpiece. It is translated into Russian, and the circulation is stated to be the largest of any English author in Russia. Captain Mayne Reid is the most popular English novelist there.

In addition to his novels and books for boys, Mayne Reid is the author of numerous short stories and magazine sketches, most of which are published in collected form.

The author's many eccentricities were the theme of his rural neighbours'

gossip. During his residence at Gerrards Cross, the gallant Captain attended church more for the purpose of studying the bonnets than anything else. His inattention to the service, as also his dandyism in dress, were alike commented upon. One morning the post brought him the following, sent anonymously by a young lady:

"A friend who is deeply interested in Captain Mayne Reid's spiritual welfare forwards a prayer book, with the sincere wish that it may induce him to behave more reverently in church, and in reminding him that there is such a colour as lavender, hopes that the everlasting lemon kids may be varied!" This was accompanied by an infinitesimal prayer book, and a pair of lavender _cotton_ gloves.

The vicar also presented him with a large church service; so the Captain's spiritual welfare was well looked after just then.

One of the humbler members of the congregation, a labouring man, had also noticed the non use of a prayer book, and accosted the Captain one day, thus: "Ah, sir, I see you don't require no book; you be a scholard." The poor man evidently thinking that he knew it all by heart.

Between the years 1862 and 1865 Captain Mayne Reid built himself a house in the style of a Mexican hacienda, with flat roof. In front of the house he constructed an artificial pond--a circular basin lined with cement, a jet of water in the centre--probably to remind him of the alligator and the sisters Loupe, and Luz, to whom we are introduced in "The Rifle Rangers." He also built some model cottages and a reading room.

He made his own bricks, employing a regular staff of brick makers, and was his own architect. During the time of the building he would be up at six o'clock every morning to look after the workmen, and woe betide any who were the least negligent in their duty. The Captain's voice would be heard afar off, and one might fancy he was again storming Chapultepec, or that a troop of his wild Indians on the "war-path" had suddenly invaded the quiet village.

This unfortunate mania for bricks and mortar, combined with other circ.u.mstances, ended disastrously, and Mayne Reid had to give up his country home, returning to London towards the end of 1866, to begin the world over again. His spirit was still undaunted, and in spite of failing health he succeeded, after many struggles and disappointments, in re-establis.h.i.+ng himself.

On Sat.u.r.day, April 27th, 1867, there appeared in the streets of London the first number of a new penny evening journal, called _The Little Times_. It was an almost exact counterpart of _The Times_ in miniature.

In the first column was:

"Births.--On the 27th inst., at 275 and a half, Strand, London, _The Times_, of a _Little Times_.

"Marriages.--On the 6th inst., at Brussels, Philip Coburg to Mary Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. No cards.

"Deaths.--On the 12th inst., at Saint Stephen's, Westminster, Mr Gladstone's amendment to the Reform Bill, deeply lamented by Lord Derby."

This paper was Captain Reid's first enterprise after his bankruptcy.

The Publisher's advertis.e.m.e.nt was "_The Little Times_ will be published daily as soon as possible after the receipt of the morning mails and telegrams.

"Its latest edition will contain all the news received up to the dispatch of the evening mails for the country.

"Subscribers in the provinces will thus receive the latest London and Foreign Intelligence before it can reach them by the morning papers.

"About the political leaning of _The Little Times_ nothing need here be said. Its spirit and proclivities will soon be discovered.

"It is scarcely necessary to point out to men of business the advantage of using _The Little Times_ as an advertising medium.

"No quack or immoral advertis.e.m.e.nts will be admitted into its columns-- the Publisher reserving to himself the right to decide as to their character.

"The terms for advertising will be One penny per word, and Two pence per word for the t.i.tle in Capitals. No advertis.e.m.e.nt charged less than Two s.h.i.+llings.

"It is hoped that _The Little Times_ will be found in the shop of every newsvendor, and on the stalls of every railway station. If not, a note of requisition addressed to the Publisher will ensure not only an answer but a prompt supply."

It was a stupendous undertaking for him, as he not only edited and wrote the leaders, as well as the feuilletons of the paper, but did other literary work at the same time. We give the following "editorial" from his pen, under date of May 6, 1866:

"We are on the eve of an event that will startle, not only the people of this country, but Europe and the whole world.

"Our information comes from high and indubitable authority; though we do not consider ourselves at liberty, at the present moment, to give details. The vagueness of our statement does not imply its unsubstantiality. All we will now venture to affirm is: that neither the ma.s.s of the English population, nor public opinion on the Continent, is prepared for the occurrence; and without indicating the party in the State taking the initiative, or the precise intent and plan of the action contemplated, we simply refer to it as having all the characteristics of a _coup d'etat_.

"The action this day taken by the Ministry, in the matter of the Hyde Park demonstration, may a.s.sist in the interpretation of the event to which we allude."

"Our first word this day is for the working men of the metropolis; and we should give it to them in the shape of advice, but that we know it would reach them too late. If damage is to be done, it will be begun before we get upon the scene, and our presence there would have no influence in staying it. If windows are to be smashed the stones will commence flying before three o'clock, and when stones are in the air no quiet peacemaker will be tolerated.

"But you are not going about your business in the right way. On the contrary, all wrong. _You have no right to a.s.semble in the Park_.

"We do not speak of the Park as being private property, or belonging to the Crown. We deny such a doctrine _in toto_. Neither that Park, nor any other to which the Crown claims owners.h.i.+p by fossil fictions of old statutory law. It belongs to the nation, but no part or portion of the nation has the right to use it for party purposes without the consent of the whole, and that consent should be obtained through the only authority that can legally grant it--the Legislative Government of the people. We know that this user is claimed by a thing which calls itself Government, in the shape of a Privy Council--not only claimed but enjoyed, without thought of illegality. We have militia trainings, fancy fairs, grand cavalcades of idleness and elegance, with roads cut to accommodate them. All this without asking either Parliament or people. But all this without asking is wrong--positively and legally wrong. If such privileges were asked, neither Parliament nor people would be slow to refuse them. Certainly not the Parliament, and as certainly not the English people, who have never been addicted to a dog-in-the-manger policy when the sport of their aristocracy required permission. The sting lies in your not being consulted, and now the greater sting in being yourselves refused a share of the same privilege.

Is this not the true explanation of your present ill-humour? We would risk a wager that it is.

"For all that you have no right to a.s.semble in the Park, as you declare yourselves determined upon doing."

He was compelled to abandon _The Little Times_ for want of funds, and also from his health breaking down under the strain of night and day work.

After resting a while, Mayne Reid wrote "The Finger of Fate," the first part of which appeared in the _Boy's Own Magazine_, December, 1867.

"The Finger of Fate" has since earned a fame its author never antic.i.p.ated for it, his widow having to defend her rights (and that successfully) in the Chancery Division against an infringement of the copyright, and a leader in _The Times_ was devoted to the subject. The book ends with a trial in favour of the plaintiff!

He had also a short tale, "The Fatal Cord," running in a periodical, the _Boys of England_, and had engaged to write "The Planter Pirate" for the same paper.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

NEW YORK.

In October, 1867, Captain and Mrs Mayne Reid went to the United States, arriving at Newport, Rhode Island, in November. Here they took a furnished cottage for the winter.

Soon after his arrival Captain Reid was eagerly sought by different publishers who wished to get his name. At Newport he wrote "The Child Wife," for which _Frank Leslie's Paper_ paid him 8,000 dollars for the right of first appearance in its columns. "The Child Wife" was published by Ward, Lock and Tyler, in 3 volumes, in 1868, and is now issued in one volume by Messrs Sonnenschein and Co. The proprietor of the _Fireside Companion_ also paid 5,000 dollars to run "The Finger of Fate" in his paper. Mayne Reid had as much work for his pen as he could get through, and was now speculating upon bringing out a boys' magazine of his own in New York.

In December, 1868, the first number of _Onward_, Mayne Reid's magazine, appeared; he continued in the editors.h.i.+p for 14 months, doing other literary work in addition, till his health completely gave way, and the magazine was abandoned.