The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-11-15

.An OLtl-Ijnse StO9y.

The early years OF the reign of George Ill. was
the time of those gallant robbers, whose hue
clothes, high bearing, reckless hardihood, and
frequently good birth took away from the
superficial observer much of the darkness or the
crime actually surrounding their deeds and lives.
One in particular WAS notorious enough in his
brief day Tor most OF the qualities | have de-
scribeG as some times Attributes OF these knights
OF the road He WAS we'll connected, too, his
uncle being clers man in high church APP
pointment. His person was elegant, his manner
courtly, aud he was rash i'll all extraordinary de-
gree Mingling ireely in fashionable society in
bis real name, his deeds OF robbery were the talk
of the town under his assumed one His proper
designation was Richard Mowbray-that belong
ing 10 the road, his sole source OF revenue, was
Captain de Montmorenct patronymic high
sounding enough. do not mean, however, to i'll
fer that any suspected the mau oI fashion and the
hghwayman to be The same person that was
never known till thc event which | am going TO
relate took place.
Richard Mowbray had spent his own small pat
rimony, years before the period al which this
narrative commences, i'll The pleasures OF the
town; it had been melted in play y-houses, faro,
horsefesh, and hazard he had exhausted the
kindness and forbearance OF his relations, from
whom he had borrowed and begged Iill borrow
ing or begging became impraclicable. He had
known the most extreme follies aud, moreover,
when debts and poverty stared him grimly in the
face d; he knew not one useful art by which he
could support existence or pay dividends TO his
creditors. What was 10 be done2 He eluded q
Jail as long as he could, and one night, riding on
horseback, and meditating goomily on his evil
fortunes, he met-covered by the darkness from
all ldiscovery-at traveller well mounted -plethoric
laden with money bags, and bearing likewise
the burden of excessive fear.
1t was sudden thought-acted upon as sud-
denly. Resistance was not dreamed of. Now
bray made off with his booty, considerable enough
to repair his exhausted finances and to pay his
most pressing creditors. 1t was literally robbing
Peter to pay Paul. And SO by night, under
shelter of its darkness, did the ruined gentleman
become the highwayman. People who knew his
circumstances whispered their surprise when it
became known that Richard Mowbrsy had paid
his debts and that he himself made more than
his customary appearance. Now his fine person
was ever clad with the newest braveries OF the
day; and in his double character many con-
quest did be make, for he dsburdened ladies of
their Jewels and purses with SO fine manner
that the defrauded fair ones forgot their losses in
admiration of the charming despoiler and Rich
ard, in both his phases, drank deep draughts OF
pleasure till he drained the Crcean cup TO its
veriest dregs. Just as even pleasure became
wearisome, when festive and high-bred delights
paled upon his sated passions, and the lower ex-
tremes of licentiousness and hard drinking, ruff
fling, and fighting, diversified by the keen ex-
citement and threats of danger, which distinguish
ed his predatory existence, began to satiate, q
new light broke on the feverish atmosphere of
his life. He loved. Yes, Richard Mow6ray, the
ruined patrician. De Montmorency, the gallant
highwayman, who had hitherto resisted every
good or evil influence which Love, pure or earth
stained, offers to his votaries, succumbed to the
simple charms OF young, unlearned, unambi-
tious GIRL so youthful that her tastes and habits,
childish as they were, could be scarcely more so
than suited her years. Flavia Hardcourt had
just attained her sixteenth year-had never been
to boarding school, and loved nothing so much
even her birds and pet rabbits-as her dear old
father, an honest country gentleman, and wor
thy magistrate. Flavia had never been even to
London, for Mr.. Hardcourt resided at Avelng-
retired village, about twenty miles from the
metropolis Barring fox-hunting and hard
drinking, the old gentleman, on his side, took
pleasure only in the pretty, gentle girl, who, from
the hour of her birth-which event terminated
her mothers existence, had made her his con-
slant playmate and companion. And it was to
this simple wild flower that the gay man of plea
sure, naughty, reckless, unprincipled, improvi-
dent irreligious and rash presumed to lift his eyes,
to elevate his heart and, oh stranger still to this
being, the moral antipodes of her pure self, did
Flavia Hardcourt surrender her youthful, modest,
inestimable love. 1t must have been her very
childishness and purity that attracted the despe-
rate robber-the hardened libertine, now about
to commit his worst and most inexcusable crime
He had accidentally met Mr.. Hardcourt at
country hunt had, with others of his compan-
ions, been invited by that honest gentleman to a
rustic fete in honor of little Flavia's natal day
| day, be was wont to observe, TO him remarka-
| BILE for commemorative his greatest misfortune
and his intensest happiness and then and there
| the highwayman vowed to win and bear that
pure bud ofinnocent freshness and rare fragrance
| or to perish in the attempt. Master Richard
Mowbray unscrupulous De Montmoreney
will relate how you kept your vow.
| He haunted Aveling Grange till the chaste
young heart, the old fathers beloved darling,
surrendered itself into the highway man skeeping
| Perhaps Mr.. Hardcourt was not altogether best
| pleased at Favia's choice; but then she was his
| life-bis hope-and be trusted even when he
gave ber to a husband, that her love and doting
affection would still be his own besides, Now
| bray was we'll connected-boasted of his wealth !;
whereas very moderate portion would be hers
was received in modish circles, into which the
good old magistrate could never pretend TO pen
citrate; and, in short, what with his high bearing
| his handsome person, and insinuating tongue
Mr. Hardcourt had irrevocably promised to be-
stow his treasure into the keeping of the profit
gate, who numbered himself almost years enough
| to have been the father of the young girl, whom
| he testified the utmost impatience to call wife.
1t was during the time that Mr. Mowbray was
paying his court at Aveling, that the neighbor-
| hood began to be alarmed by a series of highway
| robberies, which men said could have been per-
petraied but by that celebrated knight Of the road
Captain de Montmorency. No one could stir
after nightfall without an attack, in which num-
bers were certainly not wanting.
"Cudgel me but vel have him yet" said old
Mr.. Hardcourt. 81 should glory myself in going
| to Tyburn to see the fellow turned OF. Ay, and
| would take my little Flavia TO see him go by in
the cart, with parson and a nosegay, eh, my
little girlf'
ooh, no, father" said Flavia, al could not
abide il, though he is such daring, wicked man,
whose name makes me shrink with fear and ter
ror whenever hear il. ! could never bear to
see such a dreadful sight-ii would haunt me till
my death"
The betrothed pair were together to visit Lon
don.
"But shall not dare" said the girl as walk
ing together in the od-fashioned Dutch garden,
she leant her young, sinless head on her guilty
lovers breast; ''I shall not dare take such a
journey, for fear Of the highwayman, Montmo-
reney."
Fear not, my sweet Flavia this breast shall
be pierced through ere DE Montmorency shall
cause one fear in thine"
Richard, sweetness, why do you leave us SC
early every evening2 Atsunset, have remarked
These are not London habits. All, does any
other than poor Flavia attract you oh, Richard
must die IL Il should be so could not live
aud know you were false"
Sweetest and best my purest love, could any
win me from you were it queen, think it not
II-I-ihe truth is, Flavia, ! have a poor, sick
friend not far from here; he is poor, i'll and-l-
IL"
''Say no more dearest. Oh, how much more
love you every day How good, how noble