No letter arriving from my mother, I determined to run down and show, in plain terms, my desperate situation in love and law; for, without vanity be it written, I knew that I had made a deep impression on my fair enslaver, and that parental precaution had come too late. I was accordingly just on the point of departure when my father's old steward entered my chambers. He was a fine crusty specimen of the old school; he had nursed me as a child, and felt towards me almost a parental affection, He had been despatched to inform me of the hasty departure of my father and mother for Rome, after the receipt of a letter from my brother's tutor, stating the dangerous illness of my brother, who it seems had been living a little too fast in that gay city. I regretted much the intelligence he had brought, although I had been from childhood so estranged, as I have before written, from the rising sun, that my affection for him had never been cultivated as it ought to have been; yet I, of course, could not divest myself of feeling and regret for him as my brother. The old man, to whom I gave my confidence, felt much for my situation, but handled me very roughly, as was his wont, upon my extravagancies, but listened more leniently to the account I gave him of my young woman," as he termed her. That evening found him, with spectacles on nose, pish-ing and psha-ing over my sundry "little accounts," calling me all sorts of puppies and chaps, with the freedom given him by long service. When he had fished out something like a statement of my liabilities from my very rough way of keeping accounts, which horrified his methodical temper exceedingly, he took off his spectacles, put them carefully in their case, then winked at me with a sly, proud look, whereby I saw that all his good nature had returned, and told me in confidence that he was "rather warm," which I well knew before, and that he would settle the whole swarm of little accounts if I would promise to be a good boy, for he still considered me one, and never do so any more. As to the " young woman," he didn't utter a word of advice, but shut one eye with excessive vigour and poked me in the ribs. The next morning I heard some one enter my outer chamber and speak to the laundress. I jumped out of bed, opened my bedroom door, and stood a picturesque figure in my shirt, before my lady-love's pa. The confusion in my face could only be equalled by the bachelorlike confusion of the sitting-room, which was looking more disordered under the superintendence of my smutty-faced laundress. I shrank back, and hurriedly made myself fit to appear. I took him by the arm and led him out of the dust raised by the aforesaid miscalled cleaner, into the quiet little quadrangle of the inn. He here, after much hesitation, stated to me the cause of his visit, which arose from some conversation with his wife concerning me and his daughter. He glanced, as delicately as possible, at the young lady's feelings, although slight as it was, it made my heart beat a sudden tattoo. His offers of settlement were noble, consequent upon my father's responding in some degree in my behalf. I thanked him as well as my confused feelings would let me, and begged him immediately to correspond with my father, who, I had reason to hope, would, seeing my interests so deeply concerned, consent to some terms to contribute to my happiness. We shook hands and parted. The good old steward came to breakfast with me, and put sundry little receipts upon a file which he had brought with him, placing beside it a little account book, on one leaf of which he had entered a sum placed to my credit, and took much pains to show me how to register carefully the spending of it. I told him of my early visitor, when the slap he gave on the leg of his leather breeches echoed like the report of a gun through the adjoining chambers. Weeks rolled on, and I found myself alone in my chambers, when I received a letter sealed with black from my father, informing me of my brother's death, and begging me to hasten down to the family mansion and make preparations for their reception. The tone of his letter no longer sounded as if addressed to "number two." I was number one, and his pride, I cannot say affection, was bestowed only on the heir of his house, Need I write more of this "little account," than to say my destinies are accomplished. My wife certainly continually brings me in "little accounts," and although I have now the power of meeting them with a high hand, I feel an instinctive shudder at their very appearance or name, as being the bugbears of my early years. And my last advice to young men, who being human, must have "little accounts," is, on no account to let them run; for they invariably run towards the prison doors; and the moment a man enters there, for a slight attachment made by the law forces him after them, he is thenceforth of very "little account." JESSIE. BY ALFRED WAYMARK. I KNEW thee, Jessie, in that lovely time Shed a lustre o'er thy youthful prime, Like morning's blush on summer sea reposing; Love and laughter in thine eye did play, Thy fairy form with healthful beauty teeming ; The fairest sky that heralds in the day Was never yet with greater promise beaming. But few years pass'd-I gazed on thee again, Its bell-like music fill'd the heart with gladness; And to the ashy pallor of thy brow Faint lines of blue, ethereal hue had given,— As oft, amid a sky of fleecy snow, We dimly trace a glimpse of distant heaven. Oh! thou wert like the brilliant dew which shone, Too pure for earthly dwelling, thou hast flown Ere aught of woe had shadow'd life's young morning. I feel a pang, but may not shed a tear,— DONCASTER: ITS SPORTS AND SATURNALIA. BY THE AUTHOR OF 'GAMING, GAMING-HOUSES, AND GAMESTERS." THE course at Doncaster, under its present regulation, is free from every description of gambling booth or table. Formerly it was infested with gangs of the most desperate vagabonds that ever preyed on vulgar credulity, and every species of inventive machinery and novel implement of temptation was had recourse to, with a view to excite the cupidity of, and plunder the inexperienced. The most adroit of the London professors and houses, or schools, as they are termed, of itinerant thimbleriggers, and others, from all parts of the country, assembled, and were generally distributed over the course, and in every by-path thereto, to prey upon the credulous multitude; and so daring and desperate were their depredations, as well in regard to their practices on the course as to their delinquent mode of business in the town, that the magistracy of the county and the corporate authorities determined on their complete extirpation. At the period spoken of there were at the least from fifty to sixty houses or apartments engaged, in different quarters of the town, for the express purposes of play, most of them on the determined system of fraud and plunder; and so lax were the authorities of the town, that the doors of the respective houses were not only indiscriminately thrown open to all who presented themselves, but placards, absolutely printed by the mayor, (the chief authority of the town,) were posted, and every degree of publicity given to the proceedings within. Constables also (the minor authorities of magistracy) were placed at the entrances of the respective dens,—not to preserve peace and order, but (credat Judæus) to invite the passing multitude to the illicit pastime. In the High Street, between the Mansion House and Baxter's Gate, it was common to see a continuation of windows exhibiting the paraphernalia of the game of Un Deux Cinq. A cylinder or wheel, of gorgeous colouring, with an immense griffin's head in the centre, with extended jaws, grinning horror and destruction at the gaping crowd, and in juxtaposition with this caput horribile a large ivory ball, bearing numerous indentations on its surface, and coloured respectively black, red, and blue, the speculative points of the game, which, even in its recognised and understood character, was of most destructive result to a player, but which, under the roguery practised by means of false balls, (termed, in the technical slang of the thieves who adopted them, "strong Johnnies," from the circumstance, it is presumed, of their being weighted so as to produce and effect an extra strong pull against the player,) was certain and speedy ruin. The open streets of Doncaster, as well as the houses, swarmed with these infernal machines of plunder; and so daring was the villany practised, and so barefaced and extensive the robberies effected, so frequent, also, were the acts of personal outrage and violence committed on complaining parties, that remonstrance could no longer be resisted for the abatement of a nuisance which had reached so fearful an extreme, -dangerous alike to the visitor, and subversive of the best interests of the townspeople. High and low, rich and poor, were indiscriminately plundered; and those who escaped the evil consequences of play were in many instances robbed in the open streets of whatever they possessed, by some one or other of the many gangs of desperadoes who frequented the place for the avowed purpose of plunder, and who daringly placed themselves in front of the Betting Rooms, and other conspicuous positions, to watch their prey as they came out, and as daringly to attack them in the highway to their respective habitations. It is now about twenty years since the mayor and corporation of the town commenced their efforts to enforce an abatement of the nuisance. Their measures were not, in the first instance, of that decisive and determined character to meet the evil with effect, being chiefly confined to public notifications in the town and county papers, that gaming establishments would no longer be suffered either on the race-course or elsewhere, under the pains and penalties attaching to any violation of the prohibition. The corporate authorities were evidently aware that they had a difficult task to accomplish in the grand measure of reform. The constabulary force was most inadequate to enforce the regulations against any opposing powers by the hands of the desperate men they had to deal with. It should be stated also, that at that period the Betting Rooms had been but recently established, and the fact could not be concealed that most of the nobility, gentry, and other visitors, nightly congregated therein, to indulge in the speculations of play. Hence arose a difficulty how the general prohibition could be enforced without interference with the amusements of the higher grade. Regard being had to this point, it was generally concluded that the notifications were mere matter of form and pretext, and that there existed no real intention on the part of the authorities to adopt any practical means to put a stop to gaming, it was argued, and that with reason, that no partial suppression of play could be enforced; but that the law, in its just administration, must be applied with equal energy to major and minor delinquents,-to nobs and nobblers, there being virtually no distinction between the one and the other in the object and pursuit of gain by illicit means. Under the impression, then, that the proprietors of the Rooms, and their titled and privileged patrons, would remain unmolested in their sports and speculative games, the whole tribe of gamesters flocked as usual to their grand rendezvous; and no sooner was it known that the proprietors of the Subscription Rooms had made their usual tabular arrangements for play, than the whole denounced party took example, and again overwhelmed the town with hazard, roulette, thimble, E O, and Un deux cinq tables. For the first two days in the racing week they were unmolested in their avocations both on the course and in the town; but on the grand day of meeting, the St. Leger day, a bold, wellarranged, and determined plan was put in force, which terminated in the complete rout and extirpation of the grand gang of thieves and vagabonds who for years had infested the locality. Although on the morning of the day in question some whisperings and rumours were abroad that the authorities intended to enforce the prohibitions of which public notice had been given, yet they produced not the effect of deterring the tribe of plunderers from their pursuits, but.merely put them on the qui vive against attack. Their tables and implements of play were as usual pitched about the course, and, in protection thereof, some hundreds of most desperate characters hovered about, prepared for determined resistance, under any attempt to molest them. It appeared that a meeting of the county magistracy had been held in the town, and at such meeting the measure had been determined on to put down the evil by remonstrance and advice, but this failing, to adopt the alternative of force. As the hour of racing approached, the usual immense concourse of persons had assembled on the course; and in a field at the back of the refreshment booths, situated in the rear of the grand stand, were seen a multitude of persons congregated together, armed with bludgeons, and with large bags filled with flint-stones. A more desperate or determined set of men in appearance can scarcely be conceived. They had formed themselves in some order, to the number of five or six hundred strong, and appeared to be waiting an expected interruption and attack. About one o'clock a strong party of the magistracy, at the head of whom were the late Lord Wharncliffe, and his son, Mr. Stuart Wortley, Lords Milton, Spencer, and other noblemen and gentlemen, with their large retinue of tenants and servants on horseback, aided by the authorities of the town, and by many of the surrounding gentry and farmers, with certain townspeople sworn in for the occasion, appeared on the course, and were seen approaching the position taken up by the denounced thimble-riggers and their desperate gang. The cavalcade moved in most quiet order until they reached the narrow entrance to the field; and no sooner had two or three of the foremost of the magisterial party appeared, than a shower of flint-stones and other destructive missiles was directed against them. This bold, insolent, and outrageous proceeding put an end to all hope of successful remonstrance; and, no other course being left to the magistracy but that of determined attack, Lord Wharncliffe and his son, followed by other noblemen, gentlemen, and their followers, most gallantly rode in amongst the party, amidst a most destructive discharge of flints and flourish of bludgeons, which failed not to effect serious mischief. Lord Wharncliffe was severely wounded on the head by one of these missiles; but, notwithstanding the flow and loss of blood, his Lordship did not quit the field until after the complete rout of the gang. Although a lamentable affray in its consequences, it became ultimately ludicrous in its character; for, after a warfare of about a quarter of an hour only, during which the strong iron-handled hunting-whips of the noblemen, and gentry, and their servants, did most heavy execution on the heads and shoulders of their desperate enemies, the whole battalion of scamps were most effectually put hors de combat, and all their implements and machinery of play destroyed. The ludicrous part of the business was, that some twenty or thirty of the swift-footed of the beaten party were seen scouring the country, and making their flight over hedge and ditch to escape capture, but closely pursued by the grooms and tenants of Lords Fitzwilliam and other whippers-in, who laid on the lash with no light or sparing hand. The fray ended in the capture of about ninety of the most desperate of the gipsy and thimble-rigging school, and their safe lodgment (many severely wounded) in the cage under the grand stand, from whence they were in due course removed to prison. Nothing could possibly exceed the cool and determined courage of Lord Wharncliffe and his party against a host of most powerful and desperate characters. The effect of this result was, as may be imagined, most beneficial; for, inasmuch as most of the thimble-rigging vagabonds were engaged in the low, fraudulent gaming establishments in the town, they were fearful of |