San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-13

| literary treat Mr.. Horace said: Tel
me something about that clever young
aid-de-camp, Washington, who got Iro
quois BraddOck the privilege of dying
in his scalp. A brave fellow that! al
honor to your country, sir"
Mr.. George Selwyn, the wit, was also
a guest. He looked maliciously out OF
his "demure eyes" and said. You for.
get, Horny, that yOu used to name
Major Washington "a fanfaron,' and
laugh at him for calling the whiz OF
cannon balls "a delightful sound "
WhereupOn the host, little abashed,
laughed and said, Il wish such fan
farons' were more plenty in the army -
And the sparkling gossip did not relate
how he had put this nickname in black
and white in letter to Sir Horace
Mann, in whose correspondence it may
still be read, with abundance of other
secondhand jokes.
What gay visit it was of the young
pair in that brilliant moment of Eng
land.
While Brothertoft,. in the intervals of
urging his petition and remonstrance,
discussed all the sublime and beautiful
things that are dreamed of in philosophy
with Mr.. Burke, while he talked art
with Mr.. Reynolds, poetry with DR..
Goldsmith and de omnibus rebus with
DR., johnson, his wife was holding a lit
tie court of her own.
She was a new sensation with her
bold, willful beauty and her imperious
Americanism. A new sensation, and
quite annihilated all the traditions of
Mary Wortley Montagu and her Turk
ish dress, when she appeared at a mas
querade as POcahontas, in fringed and
quilted buckskin robe, moccasins and
otter cOronet with an eagles plume.
Il suppose that's scalping knife she's
playing with" said the Duke of Cur
goyle, inspecting her in this attire. "And,
by George, she looks as if she could use
it."
Then the ugly old monster and the
other blase men surrounded the colonial
beauty and fooled her with fattery.
Was she spoilt by this adulation?
Dear Edwin" she schemed in little
visit they made to Lincolnshire and the
ruins of old Brothertoft manor, "let us
buy back this estate and never return to
that raw America. You can go into
parliament, make one or two of your
beautiful speeches, and presently be
peer with stars and carriers"
Does a garter straighten leg? Does
a star ennOble a heart? Listen, my
love, do you not hear Great Tom of
Lincoln warning me, as he long ago
warned my ancestor, Go home again,
Brothertoft, liberty is in danger?'"
NO" she rejoined, petulantly, ga
loyal bell would not utter such treason
able notes. This is what l hear: Come
again, BrothertOft, lord of the old
manor" Liberty! Liberty! You tire me
with your idle fancies. Why will you
throw away name and fame:'
Il will try to gain them, since they
are precious to you, but they must come
in the way of duty"
There was peril in these ambitions
of hers; but the visionary husband
thought, Glow can l wonder that her
head is little turned with adulation?
She merits it all, my beautiful wife?
But she will presently get the court
glare out of her eyes. When our child
is born, pledge of our restored affec-
ton, she will recognize deeper and ten
derer duties"
The Brothertoft embassy was a social
success, but a political failure.
The lewd old dOlt of king sulkily
pooh pOOhed remonstrance and petition.
you ought to have redress" says
Pitt, but am hardly warm in my seat
of prime minister. can only be tacit
friend at present"
go home and wait, says Ben Frank
lin, a shrewd old Boston boy-fond of
tricks with kites, keys and kerchiefs-
who was at that time resident in Lon
don. "Wait awhile! l have not been
lingering thunderbOlts so long without
learning that people may pooh pooh at
the clouds, and say the flashes are only
heat lightning; but by and by they'll be
calling upon the cellars to take 'em in,
and the feather beds to cover 'em."
The Brothertofts went home. England
forgot them and relapsed into its belief,
that on the new continent the English
colonist could not remain even half civ
ilized Yengeese, but sank to absolute
Yankees, whose bows were contortions,
and smiles grimaces; whose language
was a nasal whoop of Anglo-lrOquois;
and who needed TO he bOluSed with
stamp acts and drenched with tea duties.
while Tom Gage and Jack Burgoyne
pried open their teeth with the sword.
There was one visible, tangible, pom
derable result of the Brothertofts' visit
to England.
I.nnr Rrnthnrtnft IN n.,l-- nh;ld ITO.