The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-07-02
A FAMOUS GENTLEMAN OF THE ROAD.
Curious and Dron Anectinta from the life
of Claude Duvai.

In the days of King Charles the
Second there lived one OF the the most
noted gentlemen of the road, Claude
Duval, as gallant and pretty fellow as
ever danced upon nothing at all under
occasion of whose death the author of
"Hudibras" wrote Pindaric ode, and
who had such taking way with the
women that in his last hours, as Cap
tain johnson tells US, abundance of
ladies, and those not of the meanest
quality, visited him in prison, and in
terceded for his pardon, and not a few
accompanied him to the gallows, under
their wizards, with swollen eyes and
blubbered cheeks" :"
Of him it is told that one day, on
hearing news of Il Knight and his lady
travelling into the country with G4OO
in their coach, he and three others
spurred after them, and by-and-by
came up with them upon lonely heath
little way out of town. The coach
was stopped, and when the knight
looked out of the window he saw
wicked-looking scamp in a vizard-mask
at the horses heads, another holding
the cold rim of pistol against his
coachman's ear.and still another stand
ing over the position.
A polite gentleman, most excellently
well dressed, rode up to the coach upon
fine horse, and doffed his hat with an
air that was worth coming that dis
tance to see; for. be it mentioned, the
lady in the coach was "a fine, sprightly
creature"
The polite gentleman was Monsieur
Claude Duval.
Sir said he to the knight Il make
no doubt that your lady Ounces excel
lentIy well. VIII you be pleased to
step out of the coach, and let me have
the honor of dancing one courant with
her upon the heath?"
There is" said the knight. lifting
his hat with an air almost equal to that
of the other-''there is no refusing
such polite request, sir You seem
to be man of generosity, and that
which you ask is perfectly reasonable"
Thereupon the footman was called,
the steps were dropped, the door
opened, and the knight clambered out.
Duval himself handed the lady down.
''It was" bursts forth the old chron-
icle that speaks of this-''it WAS sur
prising to see how gracefully he moved
upon the heath. Scarce 4 dancing
master in London but would have been
proud to have shown such agility in u
pair of dancing pumps as Duyal showed
in great pair of French riding boots u
At last the dance was ended, and he
handed the lady back into the coach
again with all the gallantry conceiv-
able. But as the light was about to
follow, Sir" said he, ''you have for
got 20 pay the piper"
His worship pulled long face, but
there was no help for it. Out from
under the seat of the coach he pulled
bag containing hundred guineas and
handed it to Duval, who received it
with a bow that was almost worth the
money to see.
Sir" said he, ''your generosity and
liberality are only exceeded by your
noble behavior, and have saved you the
other 9300 which you have in the coach
with YOU" For the rogue had knowl-
edge of every farthing of the. money
and where it was hidden, and might
have had it all, had he not, by some
sudden quirk of his crazy wits been
pleased to dance $500 of it away in
heavy pair Of riding boots on a grassy
heath with fine lady of quality.
Such is one of a legion of similar
chapbook stories, all ringing with
certain feeling of open-handed gener-
osity, and all of counterfeit metal; for
as in this the poor good knight lost one
hundred guineas of honest moneys so in
them all some innocent victim suffers.
But always he is rich or powerful, and
so chapbook Literature sees nothing of
the smart he suffers; it is blind upon
that side.-Hoa0ard Pyle, 5n Harper'S
Adgdsine.