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How at Edgehill, at Newbury, and Marston Moor,
And at Naseby last, they broke the King's power;
How to Westminster Hall a proud captive they bring,
And in judgment sit on the life of a King.
But, recalling the scenes of that dreadful day,
The firm, proud mien of the King, the array

Of Puritan judges, who sternly heard

Death decreed to the King who had broken his word,
They called God to witness that justice was done,
That a monarch's blood could scarcely atone

For the nation's wrongs, and that 'twas God's word
That by it those should perish who took up the sword.
And sometimes they spoke of Cromwell's bright reign,
Of Charles on the throne of his father again,

Of the edict proclaiming all lives should be spared
Save those of the infamous judges who dared
To sentence their monarch to death. Then they tell
Of their hurried flight, of the sad farewell,
When parting from her who was dearer than life,
Whom one loved as daughter, the other as wife;
The long stormy voyage, the dreary strange land,
The search for them here by the King's command.
Now hidden in caves, now in forests they roam,
Till at last the poor wanderers have found a safe home
In the Parson's chamber, and there, sorely pressed,
These tempest-tossed souls have at last found a rest.
So years passed away, as in shadow and gloom
Two gray old men watch in the Parson's old room.

One bright Sabbath morn in the fall of the year
The people had gathered in church, to hear
Their minister preach from God's holy word.
The clang of the little shrill bell had been heard,
Sounding back from the hills till its notes died away,
And its rope in the centre aisle quietly lay;

Then, after the prayer, the rafters had rung

With the quaint old psalm which the people had sung.

And then came the sermon, profound and long,

Full of milk for the babes, and meat for the strong.

The boys were all buried in slumber profound,

And throughout the rude church you could hear no sound
Save the Parson's voice, droning ever the same.
The breeze through the wide western windows came,
And fluttered the leaves of the hymn-books there,
And played with the curls of a maiden's hair.

But hark! and there beats on the turf of the street

The quick, nervous tread of hurrying feet,

And then, through the window the people hear
A wild earnest cry, ringing loud and clear.

The minister pauses. The sleepers awake,

And startled and staring their day-dreams forsake;
Each man snatched his gun, and the mother pressed
The dear little babe more close to her breast,
And hearts beat more quickly, and cheeks grew white,
As turning around they all saw this sight.

A strange weird form in the doorway appeared,
For his locks were thin, and his floating beard,
Hanging down to his breast, was as white as snow,
While his quaint old dress told of times long ago.
Then his voice, loud and sharp, rung full on each ear:
"Men of Hadley! why sit ye in quiet here?

In the name of the Lord, I bid you arise,
For a blood-thirsty foe on your border lies.
Their weapons are gleaming as here ye sit,

And the savage's torch already is lit.

Bid the women and children in God's house stay,

I

And while we wield the sword, let them earnestly pray!"
There was clanging of arms, and trampling of feet.

Then the sounds died away as they marched down the street;
And the church was hushed, and there rose on the air
The trembling murmur of anxious prayer.

The records of Hadley have little to say
Of the victory gained on that Sabbath day,
But what history prudently left in the dark,
Tradition has faintly lit up with her spark.
And 'tis said that wherever the bloody fray
Raged hottest and sharpest, leading the way,
That floating white beard like a comet shone:
But who had delivered them never was known;
For when it was found that the danger was o'er,
The stranger had fled, and was seen never more.
And throughout New England, on many a night,
The story was told by the ember's light,
That on the Lord's Day, an angel appeared
At Hadley-an angel with shadowy beard,
Whose flaming sword dealt such terrible blows
That the town was saved from its savage foes.
And in village and forest, on hill and plain,
Wherever the fear of the Indians came,
The children would ask in their evening prayer,
For the angel of Hadley to shelter them there.
And if the shrewd town ever rightly guessed
Who the angel was, in its noble old breast
The dangerous truth for a century slept;
And this is the way that the secret was kept.

THE CAREER OF A JOKER.

F fine personal qualities, as a handsome fig- | to work, and produced "The Soldier's Return; ure and agreeable countenance, quick intel-or, What can Beauty do?" a comic opera, in ligence, and brilliant wit, with an unfailing flow two acts, first represented at Drury Lane in of animal spirits, were alone able to secure hap-1805. Its success was such as to stimulate him piness, THEODORE HOOK ought to have been to further efforts, and at the age of sixteen he among the happiest and most fortunate of man- became a successful dramatist and song-writer, kind, for he possessed them all. We know, how- the pet of the coulisses and green-room, to which ever, that something more is needed-above all, he had a free entrée, and the recipient of a handconscientiousness, sense of duty, or at least com- some income, rarely procurable by a man's permon prudence-to make life a true success. No sonal exertions at so early an age. The pieces man could more thoroughly illustrate the vanity written by him at this period comprise—“ Catch of all gifts where this is wanting than Theodore Him who Can ;" "The Invisible Girl;” “Tekeli, Hook. or the Siege of Mongratz;" "Killing no Murder," and others; but few, if any, of these now keep possession of the stage.

His early days were spent in an atmosphere which naturally tended to foster and develop his peculiar genius. His father was a favorite mu- As may have been expected, the more solid sical composer, whose house was the resort of branches of education seem to have been little all the popular characters of the day-musical, attended to in the case of Hook. The first school theatrical, and otherwise. Theodore was found to which he was sent was a "seminary for to have an exquisite ear for music, and soon be- young gentlemen" in Soho Square, where, by his came noted among his father's coteries as a first-own account, he used regularly to play the trurate singer and player on the piano-forte. One ant, amusing himself by wandering about the night he astonished the old gentleman by sing-streets, and devising all sorts of excuses to acing and accompanying on the instrument two songs, one serious and the other comic, which the latter had never heard before. On inquiry, they turned out to be original compositions, both as regarded words and music. Here an assistant was unexpectedly discovered, by the elder Hook, to aid him in his labors, as hitherto he had always been obliged to employ the services of some poetaster to furnish the libretto of his musical pieces. Thus encouraged Theodore set

count to his teacher for his absence. On one occasion, unfortunately for him, he had remained at home, asserting to his parents that a general holiday had been granted to the scholars. His brother on the same day, which happened to be the rejoicing for the peace of Amiens, was passing Theodore's school, and seeing it open, was induced to go in and make inquiries, from which he learned that the young vagabond had not shown face there for the last three weeks. The

result was his being locked up for the remainder | by this unexpected address, and the eyes of the of the day in the garret, and debarred from see- whole audience being turned on them, may be ing the illuminations and fire-works in the even- more readily imagined than described, and they ing. From this academy he was sent to a school fled from the house in dismay. in Cambridgeshire, and afterward to Harrow, where he had Lord Byron and Sir Robert Peel for his companions, but made little progress in classic learning, study and application being to him a most irksome drudgery. On the death of his step-mother in 1802, he was prematurely withdrawn from school, and from this period remained at home, in the enjoyment of the congenial atmosphere of his father's house, and the reputation and more solid advantages which the brilliancy of his talents enabled him to secure.

In the days of which we write, the abstraction of pump-handles and street-knockers was a favorite amusement of the young blades about town, some of whom prided themselves not a little in forming a museum of these trophies. Hook was behind no one in such freaks. One of them was the carrying off the figure of a Highlander, as large as life, from the door of a tobacconist, wrapping it up in a cloak, and tumbling it into a hackney-coach as “a friend, a very respectable man, but a little tipsy," with a request to the coachman to drive on. The following anec

will well bear repetition. On the occasion of the trial of Lord Melville, Hook had gone with a friend to Westminster Hall to witness the proAs the peers began to enter, a sim

"I beg your pardon, Sir, but pray who are those gentlemen in red now coming in?"

Hook's turn for quizzing and practical jokes was very early displayed, and innumerable anecdote is related in the "Ingoldsby Legends," but dotes are recorded of this propensity. They are connected chiefly with the theatre, to which his occupations constantly led him, and where he was the soul and mirth-inspirer of the motley ceedings. community behind the scenes. On one occa-ple-looking lady from the country touched his sion he nearly frightened Dowton, the comedian, arm, and said: out of his wits, by walking up to him instead of the proper personator of the part, and delivering a letter. On another, when Sheridan was contesting the seat for Westminster, the cry of "Sheridan forever!" was heard by the aston-ways come first." ished audience proceeding apparently from the evil spirit in the "Wood-Demon," and producing one of those incongruous effects which are so much relied on for raising a laugh in pantomime or burlesque.

"Those, ma'am," he replied, "are the barons of England; in these cases, the junior peers al

"Thank you, Sir, much obliged to you. Louisa, my dear (turning to her daughter, who accompanied her), tell Jane these are the barons of England; and the juniors (that's the youngest, you know) always goes first. Tell her to be sure and remember that when we get home." "Dear me, ma," said Louisa, can that gentleman be one of the youngest? I am sure he looks very old."

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This naïveté held out an irresistible temptation to Theodore, who, on the old lady pointing to the bishops, who came next in order, with scarlet and lawn sleeves over their doctors' robes, and asking, "What gentlemen are those?" replied: "Gentlemen, ma'am! these are not gentlemen; these are ladies, elderly ladies—the dowager-peeresses in their own right."

A mischievous trick of another kind, in which he was aided by Liston, may also be mentioned. A young gentleman of Hook's acquaintance had a great desire to witness a play, and also escort a fair cousin thither, but was terrified lest his going to a theatre should come to the knowledge of his father, a rigid Presbyterian, who held such places in abhorrence. He communicated his difficulties to his gay friend. "Never mind the governor, my dear fellow," was the reply; "trust to me; I'll arrange every thing-get you a couple of orders, secure places-front row; and nobody need know any thing about it." The tick- His interrogator looked at him rather susets were procured, and received with great thank-piciously, as if to find out whether or not he fulness by Mr. B—, who started with his relative for the play-house, and the pair soon found themselves absorbed in an ecstasy of delight in witnessing the drolleries of Liston. But what was their confusion when the comedian, advancing to the foot-lights during a burst of laughter at one of his performances, looked round the dress-circle with a mock-offended air, and exclaimed:

"I don't understand this conduct, ladies and gentlemen! I am not accustomed to be laughed at; I can't imagine what you can see ridiculous in me; why, I declare" (pointing at the centre box with his finger), "there's Harry B—, too, and his cousin Martha J-; what business have they to come here and laugh at me, I should like to know? I'll go and tell his father, and hear what he thinks of it!"

The consternation caused to the truant couple

was quizzing her; but reassured by the imperturbable air of gravity with which her glance was met, turned round again to her daughter and whispered: "Louisa, dear, the gentleman says that these are elderly ladies and dowagerpeeresses in their own right; tell Jane not to forget that."

Shortly afterward her attention was drawn to the Speaker of the House of Commons, with his richly-embroidered robes. "Pray, Sir," she exclaimed, "who is that fine-looking person opposite ?"

"That, ma'am, is Cardinal Wolsey."

"No, Sir!" was the angry rejoinder, “we knows a good deal better than that; Cardinal Wolsey has been dead and buried these many years."

"No such thing, my dear madam,” replied Hook, with the most extraordinary sang froid;

"it has indeed been so reported in the country, | worse than dine there.
but without the least foundation in truth; in fact,
these rascally newspapers will say any thing!"
The good lady looked thunder-struck, opened
her eyes and mouth to their widest compass,
and then, unable to say another word, or re-
main longer on the spot, hurried off with a
daughter in each hand, leaving the mischievous
wag and his friend to enjoy the joke.

He then alighted, rang the bell, and on being admitted to the presence of the worthy old citizen, said that he had often heard his name, which was celebrated throughout the civilized world, and that being in the neighborhood, he could not resist the temptation of calling and making the acquaintance of so distinguished a public character. The good man was quite tickled with the compliment; A well-known story is told of Hook and pressed his admirer and friend to stay dinner, Terry the actor making their way into a gentle- which was just ready; and a most jovial afterman's house with whom they had no acquaint-noon was spent, though on the way home the ance whatever, but the appetizing steams issuing gig containing Hook and his companion was from whose area gave indications of a glorious smashed to pieces by the refractory horse, and feast being in the course of preparation. The the two occupants had a narrow escape of their anecdote is perfectly true, though the real scene lives. Another of his adventures, in which he of the adventure was not, as commonly repre- seems to have taken his cue from Tony Lumpsented, a suburban villa on the banks of the kin, was driving up to an old gentleman's house, Thames, but a town-mansion somewhere in the ordering the servant who appeared to take his neighborhood of Soho Square. Hook caught at mare to the stable and rub her down well, and the idea suggested by Terry, that he should like then proceeding to the parlor stretched himself to make one of so jovial a party; and arranging at full length on the sofa and called for a glass with his friend that he should call for him there of brandy and water. On the master of the that evening at ten o'clock, hurried up the steps, house making his appearance and inquiring the gave a brisk rap with the knocker, and was at business of his visitor, Hook became more voonce admitted to the drawing-room. The room ciferous than ever, declared that he had never being full, no notice was taken of him at first, before met with such treatment in any inn, or and before the host discovered him, he had al- from any landlord, and ended by saying that ready made his way to the hearts of a knot of his host must be drunk, and he should certainly guests by his sallies of drollery. The master feel it his duty to report the circumstance to the of the house at last perceiving a stranger, went bench. The old gentleman was confounded, up and politely begged his name, as he felt but in a short time Hook pretended to discover rather at a loss. Hook replied with a perfect his blunder of having taken the house for an torrent of volubility, but expressed in the suavest inn, and made ten thousand apologies, adding and most fascinating terms, and effectually pre- that he had been induced to commit the mistake venting any interruption to his discourse. An by seeing over the entrance-gate a large vase of explanation at last came out, that he had mis- flowers, which, he imagined, indicated the sign taken both the house and the hour at which he of the Flower-pot. This said vase happened to ought to have dined with a friend. The old gentleman's civility then could not allow him to depart, as his friend's dinner-hour must now be long past, and a guest with such a flow of spirits must prove a most agreeable acquisition to his own table. Hook professed great reluctance to trespass thus on the hospitality of a perfect stranger, but was induced, seemingly with much difficulty, to remain and partake of dinner. So delightful a companion and so droll a fellow had never been met before, and so much mirth and jollity had never till now enlivened the mansion. At ten o'clock Mr. Terry was announced, and Hook, who had seated himself at the piano-forte, in the performance of one of his famous extemporaneous effusions, brought his song to a close as follows:

"I am very much pleased with your fare;
Your cellar's as prime as your cook;
My friend's Mr. Terry the player,
And I'm Mr. Theodore Hook!"

Nor was this by any means the only entertainment of the kind which his assurance and farcical powers enabled him to obtain. Passing one day in a gig with a friend by the villa of a retired chronometer-maker, he suddenly reined up, remarked to his friend what a comfortable little box that was, and that they might do

be cherished by its owner with special complacency as a most unique and chaste ornament, and here it was degraded to the level of a pothouse sign!

Another story is told of Hook, in which he improved on a well-known device related of Sheridan. Getting into a hackney-coach one day, and being unable to pay the fare, he be thought himself of the plan adopted by the celebrated wit just mentioned on a similar occasion, and hailed a friend whom he observed passing along the street. He made him get into the carriage beside him, but on comparing notes he found his companion equally devoid of cash as himself, and it was necessary to think of some other expedient. Presently they approached the house of a celebrated surgeon. Hook alighted, rushed to the door, and exclaimed hurriedly to the servant who opened it: "Is Mr. -at home? I must see him immediately. For God's sake do not lose an instant!" Ushered into the consulting-room, he exclaimed wildly to the surgeon,

"Thank Heaven! Pardon my incoherence, Sir; make allowance for the feelings of a husband, perhaps a father-your attendance, Sir, is instantly required - instantly-by Mrs. For mercy's sake, Sir, be off!"

"I'll be on my way immediately," replied the | among others, of the reckless selection, too often medical man. "I have only to get my instru- displayed in those days, in the choice of public ments and step into my carriage.'

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"Don't wait for your carriage," cried the pseudo-distressed parent; "get into mine, which is waiting at the door."

Esculapius readily complied, was hurried into the coach, and conveyed in a trice to the residence of an aged spinster, whose indignation and horror at the purport of his visit was beyond all bounds. The poor man was glad to beat a speedy retreat; but the fury of the old maiden lady was not all he was destined to undergo, as the hackney-coachman kept hold of him, and mulcted him in the full amount of the fare which Hook ought to have paid.

All these and similar escapades, however, were fairly eclipsed by the famous Berners Street hoax, which created such a sensation in London in 1809. By dispatching several thousands of letters to innumerable quarters he completely blocked up the entrances to the street, by an assemblage of the most heterogeneous kind. The parties written to had been requested to call on a certain day at the house of a lady residing at No. 54 Berners Street, against whom Hook and one or two of his friends had conceived a grudge. So successful was the trick that nearly all obeyed the summons. Coal-wagons heavily laden, carts of upholstery, vans with pianos and other articles, wedding and funeral coaches, all rumbled through, and filled up the adjoining streets and lanes; sweeps assembled with the implements of their trade; tailors with clothes that had been ordered; pastry-cooks with weddingcakes; undertakers with coffins; fish-mongers with cod-fishes, and butchers with legs of mut

ton.

officials. What might have been expected followed. The treasurer was about as fitted by nature for discharging the duties of such an office as a clown, in a pantomime, and the five years spent by him in the island were little more than a round of merriment and festivities. An investigation of his accounts at last took place, and a large deficit, ultimately fixed at about $60,000, was discovered. There seems no reason for believing that Hook had been guilty of the least embezzlement or mal-appropriation of the Government funds; but there can be no doubt that his negligence in regard to his duties was most reprehensible, trusting their performance entirely to a deputy, who committed suicide about the time of the inquiry being instituted. A criminal charge was made out against the unfortunate accountant-general, and in 1818 he was sent home under arrest. His buoyancy of spirits, however, never failed him, and meeting at St. Helena one of his old friends, who asked him if he was going home for his health, he replied, "Yes, I believe there's something wrong with the chest!"

On landing in England it was found that there was no ground for a criminal action against him, but that, as responsible for the acts of his deputy, his person and estate were amenable to civil proceedings. The whole of his property in the Mauritius and elsewhere was accordingly confiscated, and he underwent a long confinement, first in a sponging-house in Shire Lane, and afterward in the King's Bench Prison. Thrown again on his own resources, he produced several dramatic pieces, which achieved a respectable There were surgeons with their instru- amount of success. The great event, however, ments; lawyers with their papers and parch- at this period of his life, was his becoming edments; and clergymen with their books of de-itor of the John Bull newspaper, which, under votion. Such a Babel was never heard before his management, made itself conspicuous by its in London; and, to complete the business, who stinging and too often scurrilous attacks on the should drive up but the lord mayor in his state Whig party. An inexhaustible fund of metrical carriage, the governor of the Bank of England, lampoon and satire was ever at the command the chairman of the East India Company, and of its conductor, and he certainly dealt out his even a scion of royalty itself in the person of sarcasm with no sparing hand. Some of the the Duke of Gloucester. Hook and his confed- most famous of his effusions were directed against erates were meantime enjoying the fun from a Queen Caroline and her party at the time of the window in the neighborhood, but the consterna- celebrated trial. "Whyttington and his Catte," tion occasioned to the poor lady who had been the "Hunting of the Hare," and "Mrs. Mugmade the victim of the jest was nearly becoming gins's Visit to the Queen," were reckoned in too serious a matter. He never avowed him- their day by the Tories as uncommonly smart self as the originator of this trick, though there things. is no doubt of his being the prime actor in it. It was made the subject of a solemn investigation by many of the parties who had been duped, but so carefully had the precautions been taken to avoid detection that the inquiry proved entirely fruitless.

In 1813 Hook received the appointment, with a salary of $10,000 a year, of accountant-general and treasurer of the Mauritius, an office which one would have supposed to be the very antipodes to all his capacities and predilections. How it came to be conferred on him does not clearly appear; but it exhibits a memorable instance,

Have you been to Brandenburgh? heigh! ma'am, ho!

ma'am;

Oh yes! I have been, ma'am, to visit the queen, ma'am,

Have you been to Brandenburgh! ho!

With the rest of the gallantee show.
What did you see, ma'am? heigh! ma'am, ho! ma'am,
What did you see, ma'am? ho!

We saw a great dame, with a face as red as flame,

And a character spotless as ɛnow.

"Mrs. Muggins's Visit" was a satire on Queen Caroline's drawing-room, at Brandenburgh House, and is said to be a very good specimen of Hook's style in improvisation-an art which he possessed in a wonderful degree.

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