Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-05-15

4
of under the iame of Paradise
lost.''
..IIdir17:alh IL 7sF Mr. Drydcnl'' roaped
a drswny fellow with a butcher blue
apron.
They said he was a-gittin' old,''
cried a porter, looking after the poet
as he entered the coifee-house; shut
to my mind he looks just as fresh as
ever
t'Who dye say that stout gentloE
man isF'' asked a light haired lad,
whose rudds checks and countrified
dress betrayed tEat this was his first
visit 70 Ethdon.
-tWho's he, do you say, Chawba-
CONF" answered his neighbor. why,
wherever can you have been livin'
all your life, not to know him? that's
Mr.. John Dryden, the great poet, as
dimes with the king every day.
''Dines with the king every day!'
echoed the countrrman in amazement:
'Eh but wish was him.
''You needn't do that, my boy
said sharp-looking little journeymap
tailor; ''for he's as poor as rat. and
owes hundred guineas into the bar
gain. Hell see the inside of debtors
prison afore iortG, or my names not
Timothy Smithson!'
ais that really sop asked a tall;
handsome man, in n very rich dress,
who had just got out of his carriage
at the door of the coffee house. ''Are
you certain of what you say?''
'-Quitc certain, if it nleases your
q.
ing his cap rcspcctfully-for Charles
SackvilIe (Lord DorsctJ was as wen
known in London as the dome of st.
Paul's itself, being. in truth, tho
most generous as well as tho ti6hest
of English mobiles. Its our people
he owes the bill TO, and master says
he means to. get his money one way
or another
The carl made no answer, but
walked into the coffcc-housc, muir
mcring to himself:
IL could pay the debt easy enough;
but it wouldn't please my old friend
to know his difficulties are published:
I must find som6 other way
The group assembled within was
one That any painter would have
loved to copy, for every man in il
bore n name which will live as long
as the history of England itself.
There was the brilliant, witty,
heartless Sir Charles Scdlcy, many
of whose sayings are still quoted by
men that have forgotten who Said
them. There was the smooth-tOn-
gued Arlington and the boisterous
/ ESfl,nropn oy,I f1,,1 1ns
Montague. There, too, was the wild
Duke of Buckingham, upon whose
handsome features the mad career
that destroyed the largest fortune
and the strongest constitution in
England had already stamped the
impress of premature age and un-
timely death.
And there, somc|$ hat !%an and liag-
gard from long excess, but still beau
tiful and graceful, sat the widest
and witticst and most reckless of them
all, John Wiimct, Earl of Rochester.
Welcome, my illustrious name
sakc!" cried Scdlcy, with his little;
twinkling laugh. ''You come, as
usual, just Mt the right moment. We
arc discussing which of us is the best
at writing an impromptu, aud We
. cannot agree"
I'll settle for you thenl'' cried
= Dorset, struck with n sudden thought:
1--WE will each write n piece of i'm
promptu verse or prose, and Dryden,
t whose judgement no one can question,
will honor US by naming the success
! full one.
'tAgrcedl'' cried all with one voice.
And TO work they went Mt once,
: while Dryden, turning his chair
around, watched them with smile
, which showed how thoroughly he en-
joyed the post assigned to him.
: Among the most famous wits of the
day one might have well expected n
very close sharp contest; but, to oeycry-
ones amazement Dorset pushed his
paper across the table 10 Dryden al
most before any of the others had
4 well begun theirs.
''Our friend must have thought, =
whispered Etheregc to Rochester,
THAT the prize was to the quickest
piece, not to the best. His contribu-
. ton must consist of nothing but date
and signature, judging from the time
he's taken over it. -
"Hc looks pleased enough, how
ever,' said Rochester, in the same
. tone. ''Dcpend upon it he has hit
upon scine good idea.
: 1T certainly appeared as If he had,
for when all the imprOmptus were fin
ished and handed in. Dryden, after a
} Britf examination of them; aston
, isbed every one by deciding in favor
! of Dorset.
Rochester, Who had fully expected
! the first place himself, eagerly snatch
. ed up Dorset's paper. and instantly
broke into shout of laughter, echoed
} by all the rest, as they read the prize
composition, which ran as follows:
PAY to John Dryden on demand,
r the sum of 100 guineas.
DoRsEr."