, 1875-11-28

WALTER SAVAGE LAND0R.
Some Of His Freaks.
| Gofdry for December.
Late in 1903 Laudor. in sudden freak, wen1
| to Spain to fight against the French. Landing
| at corunua, he gave 10000 reals to the inhabit-
ants Of town which had been burned, and pro
posed to equip and pay thousand volunte GERS
with whom be would 70 on foot, aud fight With
| them 81 under the command of any brave Span.
lard who had taken up arms in defense of reli.
| Rlon and liberty" He returned to England in q
few weeks, without seeing service IN the field
But this escapade perhaps WAS OF service to him
| in the composition OF his tragedy Of Count
| Julian" work not unworthy OF the author OF
"Gebir," began about this time, and completed
three years later.
He now set bis heart upon the purchase OF
Llanthony Abbey, an estate upon the border OF
Wales. He sold the estate which had already
fallen to him, and which had been 10 the family
100 years., His mother sold one of those which
WAS hers in right for E2o, 900, and gave him the
| money, subject to IN annuity OF E4:0; mo,
money was borrowed for Improvements in all
shout 960, 900 Was e1pended. "Llanthony," he
wrote long afterward. ''is noble estate. 1t
produces everything but herbage, corn. and
money. It is about 8 miles long, and planted
million of trees on it, Lived there Iittlo moro
than eight months altogether, aud built house
to pull It down again." OF the million of trees,
however, more than nine out OF ten existed only
in bis imagination.
Landor's experience here was ANYTHING but q
pleasant one. By his OWN account never Was o
mock and long suffering landlord so bullied aud
cheated by his arrogant tenants. They wontd
not pay their rent out down bis trees poached
his game. insuited him at his own door, and
menaced him with VIOLENCE. One Of them had
threatened aome mischief; Lapdor posted q
handbin accusing him OF meditat'ng felony,
was prosecuted for libel, aud cast in danages-
He was not 90 good terms WITH his neghbo1s.
He applied IN vain to the Lord Lieutenant Of
the county to ba appointed on the commission
Of the peace, although there was no magistrate
within ten miles OF him. Within three years
from the time of the purchase. Lsndor was
thoroughly disguised. He would sell it if ho
could. for less than half OF what it had cost him.
And in the meanwhile he would leave England
and go to France. Hepca arose new and still
worse trouble.
Three years before he had suddenly fallen ia
lore. bv no meaus Tor tae first time. II have
sispence, and with very few accomplishments.
She is pretty, graceful and good-tempered-
three things indispensable to my happiness"
He seems never to have thought thar good tenn
Per on his part might be Indispensable to her
happiness. After turning his back upon Llan-
thony, he tarlied q little while ou the island OF
Jersey, accompanied by his wife and her sister.
He had made up hs mind to reside in France
she bad made UP her MUD te the contrary. He
dlsliked TO have any talk about it abe would
drive him TO distraction ;; she 1etorted that
things had come to fine pass II he mus: never
be contradictcd. aud finally called him some-
thing like an old brute. He Was almost 40. per-
haps twice her age. Before dayoreak he was up
aud of aone fJT Franco. nobody for month
knowing what bad become of him.
But in his beautiful Italian home, from which
he could shut out everything disagreeabio. and
admit onis those Persons whom he liked, and
who liked him. Lando' could not be at peace.
fe" weeks before he took possession If it be had
involved himself In quarrel with the autho1i-
ties. One Of his servants had stolen some of
nls plate. He made complaint to the police,
adding that since the offense had been commit
ted under bis roof be did not expect to obtsin
redress. The chief asked, in no pleasant tone,
whv he PRESUMED to say this. 1andor replied
that picture had been purloiued from him not
long before by some ono to whom it had been
intrusted, and, when he laid the matter before
the President Of the buon gocerno, hs was told
his neigbbo1s be should be sent out
OF Tuscany. Tho Chef Of Police shrugged his
shoulders, and said. "The President of the buon
gooer:no does what he secs good" ''Then tell
him for me, f." shouted Landor, "that If be uses
such threats again l will dag him bv The throat
before tho Grand Duke" Next day he was sum-
moned before the President and ordered to be I
out OF the Duchy in three days. He said be
would not so in three days, and would stay as
long aa he pleased. He wrote to the Grand |
Duke, and in tho meanwhiie took trip to the !
baths Of Lrcca. The Grand Duke decided that |
be had complied with the order to leave the |
Duohy, and might come back when he pleased. |
He had hardly got INTO his villa when he feli in
70 another quarrel His nearest neighbor was |
u. Antolr, an old attache Of the French Lega-
lion. Some dispute arose about water coulse |
which irrigated the 1auds OF each. ..At hrst," |
'ays Lsndor, ~ gave up to him everything
ae asked; but bearing that I had sad T
would give up everything rather than have
awsuit, he made fresh pretensions. which must
Eesiat, as without the water must lose the pro-
luco of nearly d hundred lemon trees. each ut
east century old. They have enjoyed this
sater unrestricted for above forty years" In
he course Of the dispute the Frenchman charged !
.andor With stating what was untrue. Lam
Tor challenged MIN, and put the matter In The
lands Of Mr.. klrkup. one Of his friends. An
alr's frleod Vas the French Minister. The two
net and agreed that there should be no fighting;
here we're faults on both sides, and both must
make and accept mutual explanations. The
'ranchman was quite ready, but it ~as hard
FORK for Kirkup to bring Landor around, al
hough hs had promised to abide By thu decision
t his second, who had already lost one friend
D duel, and bad no mind to loso another. The
r1Rinal dispute appears to have been kept up
iter9ard. for We find Lander subsequently
'r1tins Of being prosecuted by rascal about .