Mayne Reid Part 12

"It was not long after breakfast before I wrote and posted a formal little note:

"'Dear Captain Reid,--As you asked me last night to send you my address, I do so.'

"By return of post I received the following:

"'My Little Zoe,--Only say that you love me, and I will be with you at once.'

"My reply was:

"'I think I do love you.'

"On receipt of this the Captain put himself into an express train, quickly covering the hundred and fifty miles which separated us. My lover told me that when we parted in London he had feared that it was impossible to make me love him, but he could never forget me, and, in spite of all obstacles, had the firm conviction I should yet be his.

"My father rather reluctantly gave his consent to our marriage, the date of which was then fixed.

"I remember telling my father that I should be obliged to marry Captain Reid, despite his objection. But his disposition was the most gentle and confiding.

"The last letter from my _fiance_ contains the following:

"I shall soon now call you my own, and gaze again into those beautiful eyes.

"Your love falls on my heart like dew on the withered leaf. I am getting old, and _blase_, and fear that your love for me is only a romance, which cannot last when you know me better. Do you think you can love me in my dressing-gown and slippers?

"The word _blase_ puzzled me very much. It was not then in my vocabulary."

Her aunt was greatly astonished at hearing the news of the marriage, as she was daily expecting her niece's arrival _en route_ for school.

The child had gone to school of a different kind to educate herself in the real experiences of life.

After Captain Reid's marriage many amusing incidents occurred in relation to his "Child Wife." One day Captain Reid, accompanied by his little lady, was choosing a bonnet for her at a fashionable milliner's in Regent Street.

The milliner had addressed Mrs Reid several times as "Miss." At last the Captain exclaimed rather sharply:

"This lady is my wife!"

The milliner, looking very much astonished, said: "I beg your pardon, sir, I thought the young lady was about returning to school, and that you were choosing a bonnet for her to take."

Two years later, when they were residing in the country, Mrs Reid was one day in the baker's shop in the village ordering amongst other things some biscuits. Whilst the old man was weighing them out, he offered some to Mrs Reid. She thought this rather odd, but not liking to appear offended took a biscuit. The baker inquired, "How is Captain and Mrs Reid, miss?" Mrs Mayne Reid was much surprised as well as amused at this question, thinking of course the baker must know her, as she and Captain Reid had often been in the shop. She answered: "Captain Reid is quite well, and _I_ am Mrs Reid."

The old man's face was a study for an artist; he nearly fell back behind his counter, exclaiming: "I humbly beg your pardon, ma'am. I thought you was the young lady visiting at the house during the holidays." The Captain's wife being still taken for a school-girl, it was necessary for her to a.s.sume an extra amount of dignity.

It appeared they had fancied that Mrs Mayne Reid was an elderly invalid lady, who did not go out much.

About this time Mrs Reid's father was on a visit to them, and used to accompany his daughter on horse-back nearly every day. He looked so young that the servants were asked: "Who is that young gentleman who is always riding out with Mrs Reid?"

They got things considerably mixed, taking the husband for the father, and the father for something else, the latter being much the younger looking of the two, though of about the same age.

A short time previous to Captain Mayne Reid's death, he and Mrs Reid were spending an evening at a friend's house, and the late John Oxenford was one of the guests. Just as they were taking their departure, Mr Oxenford said to Mrs Reid: "I have had a very pleasant surprise in meeting your father again; he is as entertaining as ever." Mrs Reid was rather puzzled, since her father had been dead some years, until the hostess explained: "This is Captain Mayne Reid's wife, not his daughter."

At which there was a general laugh all round.

These funny incidents were constantly occurring. Sometimes Mrs Reid would be supposed to be in no way related to Captain Reid, and would hear all kinds of remarks and comments pa.s.sed upon the gallant Captain-author, which she would afterwards relate for his amus.e.m.e.nt.

Captain Reid used to say he could not have endured having an old wife.

On one occasion, when attending a large public _soiree_, a somewhat elderly dame of his acquaintance attached herself to him, and promenaded the room by his side for a great part of the evening. Mrs Reid wondered what was making her husband look so savage. He came across the room to her saying: "I want _you_ to keep close by me for the rest of the evening, or people will be taking that old thing for my wife!"

He was proud of his wife, and liked to have her remain his "Child Wife"

to the end of the chapter.

"The Hunter's Feast" and "The Forest Exiles" were now written, the latter being his next boys' book for Christmas 1854.

"The Bush Boys," published in 1855, was the first of Captain Mayne Reid's South African books for boys. It was dedicated "To three very dear young friends, Franz, Louis and Vilma; the children of a still older friend, the friend of freedom, of virtue, and of truth--Louis Kossuth, by their sincere well-wisher, Mayne Reid."

Captain Reid had commenced "The Quadroon" some time before, and laid the Mss. away in his desk. It was finally published in three volumes, 1856, and was a very popular book. It was dramatised shortly after its first appearance, and performed at the City of London Theatre. Some years later, when a controversy arose as to the source of Mr Boucicault's drama of "The Octoroon," Mayne Reid sent the following letter to the _Athenaeum_, on December 14th, 1861:

"During a residence of many years--commencing in 1839, and ending, with intervals of absence, in 1848--the author of 'The Quadroon' was an eye-witness of nearly a score of slave auctions, at which beautiful Quadroon girls were sold in bankruptcy, and bought up, too, notoriously with the motives that actuated the 'Gayarre' of his tale; and upon such actual incidents was the story of 'The Quadroon' founded. Most of the book was written in 1852; but, as truthfully stated in its preface, in consequence of the appearance of 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' its publication was postponed until 1856. The writing of it was finished early in 1855.

"With regard to 'The Quadroon' and the Adelphi drama, the resemblance is just that which must ever exist between a melodrama and the romance from which it is taken; and when 'The Octoroon' was first produced in New York--January, 1860--its scenes and characters were at once identified by the newspaper critics of that city as being transcripts from the pages of 'The Quadroon.' Some of its scenes as at present performed are original--at least, they are not from 'The Quadroon'--but these introduced incidents are generally believed not to have improved the story; and one of them--the poisoning of the heroine--Mr Boucicault has had the good taste to alter, restoring the beautiful Quadroon to the happier destiny to which the romance had consigned her. It might be equally in good taste if the clever dramatist were to come out before the public with a frank avowal of the source whence his drama has been drawn."

Soon after his marriage Captain Mayne Reid took up his abode in Buckinghamshire, at Gerrards Cross, about 20 miles from London. The greater number of his works were written in this rural retreat.

"The Young Yagers," a sequel to "The Bush Boys," was his Christmas book for 1856, and on the 3rd of January, 1857, the first chapter of his novel, "The War Trail," appeared in _Chambers Journal_. Messrs.

Chambers paid three hundred guineas for the right of issue in their journal, and the following year they published "Oceola" in the same manner, with an advance in price. The scene of this novel is laid in Florida, and deals with the Seminole war.

During the year 1858, Captain Mayne Reid wrote "The Plant Hunters," also his first essay at a sea book of adventure for boys, "Ran Away to Sea."

It was followed in 1859 by "The Boy Tar," published by Messrs.

Routledge, and in 1860 he wrote for that firm "Odd People," a popular description of singular races of men.

"The White Chief," published in 1859, was his next novel.

In 1860 "The Wild Huntress" first appeared in _Chambers Journal_.

In 1861 Messrs. Routledge published "Bruin, or the Great Bear Hunt,"

also a book of "Zoology for Boys: Quadrupeds, what they are and where found."

Captain Reid dramatised "The Wild Huntress" himself.

In 1861-62, "The Wood Rangers" and "The Tiger Hunter, or a Hero in Spite of Himself," adapted from the French of Louis de Bellemare, were published; and in 1862, the first part of "The Maroon" appeared in _Ca.s.sell's Family Paper_. It was afterwards issued in three volumes by Hurst and Blackett, of Marlborough Street. Mayne Reid dramatised this story himself, and the play was performed at one of the East End London theatres.

In the autumn of 1863, Mayne Reid published a "Treatise on Croquet." He was an enthusiast of the game, had made a study of the rules, and spent many a happy hour in sending his enemy to "Hong-Kong." Calling one day at a friend's house he picked up a little book called "The Rules of Croquet," by an "Old Hand;" on examination this proved to be a copy of his own book. It was sent out in boxes of croquet, of what was known as the "Ca.s.siobury" set, and Lord Ess.e.x was responsible for its publication. Mayne Reid demanded an explanation and withdrawal of the work. This being refused him, he advised his solicitor, the result being a Chancery suit against Lord Ess.e.x, which was eventually compromised by the payment of 125 pounds, as well as all costs of the suit, the withdrawal of the book and the destruction of all copies.

Towards the end of 1862 a singular being presented himself at Captain Reid's town house. He was attired in a rough blanket, with his head pa.s.sed through a hole in the middle of it--a sort of "poncho"--and carried a brown paper parcel under his arm. Mayne Reid listened to his story, which was to the effect that he had lately landed from Australia, that he had travelled round the earth more than six times and had lived with cannibals.

Captain Mayne Reid invited the "cannibal" to stay and eat, as it was just luncheon-time. Mrs Reid listened to his wonderful tales with horror. The cannibal remarked, "I scarcely know how to use a knife and fork, having been away so long from civilisation."

During the repast, Captain Reid had to leave the table to see some one in his study, and Mrs Reid quickly made an excuse for going too, fearing she might be eaten!

The parcel contained a story he had written. He had tried to get an audience of some publishers in London, but they would not look at him.

His name was Charles Beach, otherwise "Cannibal Charlie." Mayne Reid told him to leave his ma.n.u.script, and he would look at it, at the same time giving the man a sum of money and telling him to get himself a "rig-out," as no doubt his appearance being so outlandish prejudiced those whom he called upon.