Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-02-10
MONSIEUR on WALL.
A, Incident From tins Career OF ""'
Gallant Highwaymnn.

m Incident th'
Gallant Highwsymnn'
The following is an extract from the
"Memoirs of Monsieur Du Vail, con.
tanning the history OF his me ana
leath. whereupon are annexed his last
speech aud epitaph;
He with his Squadron overtakes Il
Coach which they had set over N'sh',
having Intelligence of Booty Oh
four hundred Pounds in it. In the
coach was Knight, his Lady, and
only one Serving maid, who, perceiv-
inc five Horsomen making up to them
presently imagined that they were be-
set. and they were confirmed in this
Apprehension by seeing them whisper
to one another and ride backward and
forward. The lady, to show that she
was not afraid, takes a flageolet out OF
her pocket and plays. Du Vail takes
the Hint, plays also. and exccllently
we'll, upon a flageolet of his own, and
in this Posture he rides up to the Coach
side. Sir says he to the Person in
the Coach, your Lady plays excel
lently, and / doubt not but that she
dances as well. Will you please to
walk out of the Coach and let me have
the Honor to dance one Currant with
her upon the Heath?' Sir said the
Person in the Coach, i dare not deny
any thing to one of your Quality and
good Mind. You seem a Gentleman,
and your Request is very reasonable.
Which said. the Lacquey opens the Boot,
out comes the knight, Du Vail leaps
, lightly off his horse, and hands the
Lady out of the Coach. They danced.
and here it was that Du Vail performed
Marvels; the best Masters in London,
except those who are French, not
being able to show such footing as he
did in his great French Riding Boots.
The Dancing being over (there being
no violins, Du Vail sang the Curranl
himself), he waits on the Lady to hei
Coach. As the Knight was going in,
says Du Vail to him: Sir, you have
forgot to pay the Musick. NO, l have
not, replies the Knight; and, putting
his Hand under the Seat of the Coach
pulls out a hundred Pounds in Bag
and delivers it to him, which Du Val
took with a very good grace anf
courteously answered: Sir, you are
liberal, and shall have no cause to re
pent your doing so; this Liberality O
yours shall excuse you the other Three
Hundred Pounds, and giving thu
Word that if he met with any more
Of the Crew he might pass undis
turbed, he civilly takes his leave o
him. He manifested his agility o
body by lightly dismounting off hi
horse, and with Ease and Freedom
getting up again when he took hi
Leave; his excellent Department b,
his incompatible Dancing and hi
graceful manner of taking the hun
dred Pounds.
That so gifted and elegant a ruffial
as thisshould, in an age of gayety ant
, tine manners, when morality was neve
, considered, have met his fate by havin
II cart pulled away from under him, is
to my thinking, melancholy reflectio
on the ingratitude of mankind. Why
this was man after Charles III. s ow
heart, and not unlike him, except tina
he was better looking. To do tn
King justice, however, | think he woul
have spared the highwayman if he ha
had his way. 1t was the Judge VIII
presided ut the trial who hung the az
complished Claude, as it was tn
Judge who with so fragrant q disrt
gard for right feeling interpreted tn
solemn post-mortem celebrations, whe
the defunct hero lay in state in tn
Tangiers Tavern, st. Giles, in ROOF
=, covered with black cloth, his hears
= blazing with escutcheons, eight wa
4 tapers burning, and as many tall ger
= tlemen with black cloaks in attent
! ance. "Mum was the word, as if fe
: fear of disturbing the sleeping lior
and the night was stormy and rain,
as if the heavens had sympathized wit
'. the ladies, echoed over their sigh
wept over again their tears. "-Londo
illustrated Magazine.