The Grange advance., 1874-07-22
"A HIGHWAYMAN's BRIDE.
by WALTER WINWOOD.

"a 0AO12 " a NAN = onAOG.
by WALTER wlNwooD.
Tile early years Of the reign OF George
Ill. was the time Of those gallant robbers,
whose fine clothes, high bearing, reckless
I.lardihood, and frequently good birth,
took away from tie superficial observer
much ef the darkness of the crime actually
surrounding their deeds and lives.
One in particular was notorious enough
in his briel day for most Of the qualities l
have described, as sometimes attributes of
these knights of the road. He was we'll
connected, too, his uncle being clergy
anan in nigh church appointment. His
person was elegant, his manners courtly,
and he was rash in an extraordinary de-
gree. Mingling freely in fashionable
society in his real name, his deeds of rob-
hcry were the talk Of his town under his
assumed one. His proper designation was
Richard Mowbray-that belonging to the
road, his sole source OF revenue, was Cap
tain de Montmorency-a patronymic, hig4-
sounding enough. do not mean, how
ever, to inter that any suspected the man
of fashion and the highwayman to be one
and the same person that was never
known till the event which am going to
relate took place.
Richard Mowbray had spent his own
small patrimony, years before tine period
ut which this narrative commences, in the
pleasures OF the town; it had melted in
,play-houses, faro, horse-hesh and hazard !;
he had exhausted the kindness and for
bearance Of his relations, from whom he
had borrowed and begged, till borrowing
and begging became impracticable. He
iaad known most extremes Of life and,
moreover, when debts and poverty stared
him grimly in the face, he knew not one
useful art by which he could support ex-
sistcnce, or pay dividends to his creditors.
as long as he could, and one eventtul
ting gloomily on his evil fortunes, he met
covered by the darkness from all dis
.covery-a traveller we'll mounted-plethor-
+ic-laden with money-bags, and bearing
likewisd the burden OF excessive fear.
1t was sudden thought-acted upon as
suddenly. Resistance was not dreamed Of.
Nov bray made OF with his booty, consid-
.erably enough to repair his exhausted
finances and to pay his most pressing cred
itors. 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 Mowbray had paid his debts, and
that he himself made more than his Gus
to,nary appearance. Now his fine person
was ever clad in the newest braveries of the
day and in his double character many a
conquest did he make, for he disburdened
ladies Of their jewels and purses with sc
fine manner, that the defrauded fair ones
forgot their losses in admiration of the
charming despoiler: and Richard, in both
his phases, drank deep draughts Of pleas
ure, till he drained the Circean cup to it:
veriest dregs. Just as even pleasure be.
came wearisome, when festive and high
bred delights palled on his sated passions
and the lower extremes of licentiousnes.
and hard drinking, ruthing and fighting
diversified by the keen excitement anc
threats Of danger, which distinguished hi
predatory existence began to satiate, a ne Y
light broke on the feverish atmosphere 0
his life. He loved! Yes! Richard Now
bray, the ruined patrician. De Montmo
rency, the gallant highwayman, who hac
hitherto resisted every good or evil indu
~ence which Love, pure or earth stained
offers to his votaries, succumbed to tn,
simple charms Of a young, unlearned, un
ambitious girl, so youthful, that even he
tastes and habits, childish as they were
could he scarcely more so than suited he
years. Flavia Hardcourt had Just attained
her sixteenth year-had never been to 3
boarding- school, and loved nothing s,
much-even her birds and pet rabbits-a
her dear old father, an honest country gen
tlemAn, and worthy magistrate. Flaw
had never been even to London, for MI
Hardcourt resided at Aveling-a retire,
village, about twenty miles from the me
tropolis. Barring fox.hunting and har
drinking, the old gentleman, on his sid
took pleasure only in the pretty, gentl
girl, who, from the hour of her birth
which event terminated her mothers e.
istence-had made her his constant play
mate and companion. And it was to tn
simple wild-Aower that the man of plea.
ure, naughty, reckless, unprincipled, in
provident, irreligious and rash, presume
to lift his eyes, to elevate his heart; an,
oh, stranger still to this being the NOR
antipodes of her pure self, did Flaw
Hardcourt surrender her youthful. modes
ipestimable love. It must have been h,
very childishness and purity that attracte
the desperate robber-the hardened libe
tine, now about to commit his worst au
most inexcusable crime. He had acc
dentally met Mr.. H&rdcourt At co>nt,
hunt; had, with others Of his companion
.been invited by that honest gsntlsman to