CHAPTER VIII.

CHARLES TURF, Esq.: a character upon the town-up to every thing-with a LINGO of his own—yet a man of observation, and a most excellent companion. A glance at the Sporting Booth-all sorts of folks-Nature unadorned-Niceties not required-Jack as good as his Master-Independence of feeling to the echo-Looks dangerous, and speech worse— the old adage desirable, “To hear much and speak little." A Song for those that like it—a curiosity in Literature—a scrap for D'ISRAELI. The handsome female with a fine bust-Beauty powerful in all companies. The maker of a Book; but no READER. A fig for Literature-Authors distanced as to chance, 7 to 4. A figure in rhetoric. The Free and Easy Concert-every body welcome-WEBER not known, and BISHOP not thought of. Babel-to wit, “All round my Cap !" "Tommerhoo!" Silence! Silence! Silence! What a Row! For shame-when a FEMALE WOMAN Shews her ivories! What low remarks! Vulgar fellows! Keep your jaw to yourself! or else—What? Why! You'll meet with a stop-jaw! Indeed! How liberal! Enough! Too much. Who's for Lunnun? The Costard-monger and his Prad-Every man to his calling. Any port in a storm. The dangers of TICKLING; or, keep your hands to yourself, Ould Chap! A glance at low life -Rum Customers. St. Paul's in sight—and the PILGRIMS once more at home.

“We cannot quit the Fair while there is any thing worthy of our sight and observation," observed Makemoney to his brother Pilgrims; "besides, novelty and a change of scene render our pilgrimage more interesting."

"Any where you please," replied Flourish: "we look up to you, sir, as our leader, Mentor, guide, &c. ; therefore, make no apology for any place that you take us to visit-I am not at all inclined to be particular. No-I am for research."

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"Let us see all we can, uncle," said Sprightly; we came out for that purpose. I am anxious to become acquainted with life, in all its various grades."

"You will perceive by the sign (pointing to a painting of two men in the attitude of self-defence), that this booth is connected with the Sporting World; I do not think our day's pleasure would be complete without we visit it, just to see what

is going on, and I am almost certain we shall meet with an old friend of mine, CHARLES TURF, Esq. You will be very

much pleased with him," said Makemoney to his nephew; " his dialogue is quite his own-that is to say, it is the peculiar phraseology made use of by that class of society to which he belongs. He is one of the most independent, lively fellows in the kingdom-full of point in his remarks, but here and there interspersed with a few slang terms; yet, nevertheless, he is a man of general knowledge. It is an honor to know him; and I do not think he has the shadow of a bad trait in his whole composition."

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as he

"I hope you will meet with him," said his nephew, will not only keep us alive, but put us up to a thing or two." Respecting the properties of a horse,” replied Makemoney, "he is eloquent in the extreme, and is well known at Tattersall's. His opinion has great weight; indeed, his soul and body appear to be quite wrapt up in matters of this kind: he is considered a thorough-bred sportsman. Here he is, sure enough, over his cigar, and he sees us

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What, my old friend, Jack Makemoney, I am glad to see you-give us hold of your flipper," said Turf; "done all your dirty work, I hear-that's your sort!—all right for you, my young 'un (giving a nod to his nephew). Now you have cut trade, I see, you have time to unbend a little; and above vulgar prejudices, too! That's the time of day, my flower! But I certainly did not expect to have seen you at the sporting-booth -I thought you used to be a little particular about being seen in such places."

"True, when I was in business I always held it incompatible with my character; but now having retired," answered Makemoney, "I do not care who sees me any where. To tell you the truth, Mr. Turf, curiosity induced us to enter; and also for the decided purpose of meeting with you."

"That's right, ould chap," replied Turf; "the longer we live, you know, the more we ought to learn-and your curiosity will be highly gratified; for there are a number of jolly dogs here, and I will not say there are not some rum customers amongst them, who are not particular as to nicety of lingo; but if you give no offence, you need not fear being affronted. Pleasant Jem, the cove here, is wide awake to his own interest, and civility is his motto. He will not stand any nonsense: he looks well after his customers. Only produce the tip, and Dusty Bob is as good to him as my Lord Duke-the cash is the test of goodness with Jem-he don't understand chalk; indeed, he has not got a bit of it in the book-PONTIC won't do here."

"There appears a great many people here: are they all sporting folks, sir?" asked Flourish.

"That is more than I can answer for," replied Turf, rather sharply: "through my life-you'll excuse me, sir-I have always

R

made my own game; and I let other people play their cards as they like that is to say, in plain English, I never trouble my head with other people's affairs—it is too Paul-Pryish for me.” "That's a little one in for you—therefore, be on your guard," whispered Sprightly to Flourish.

"Do not think me harsh, sir," said Turf; "I see you are a stranger, and I am sure my advice will not be thrown away upon you. Novices are likely to get into danger sometimes, from sheer ignorance, when they least expect it; although, at the same time, they have no intention of giving offence. I am well known here, on the turf, and at most of the sporting places in the kingdom; and though I publicly say, Damn your remarks,' I do not owe a mag in the world; therefore, I do not care for anybody-but that does not apply to you as a stranger; yet, understand me: there are persons here who do not like to be looked at the stare, or dead-set at them is unwelcome to their feelings -they are apt to think you have an unpleasant motive in doing so towards them. It is a strange world we live in, and you ought to have the eyes of Argus to look about you, to steer clear from difficulties."

"I am quite certain," answered Makemoney, “ that my friend Frank will be grateful for your advice; and I hope you will pardon my curiosity, for both Jem and myself are as much in fault as he has been; but there is a certain curiosity attached to these sort of places, that a person cannot exactly suppress-which must plead our excuse; but under the generalship of Charles Turf, we shall not commit any more errors, although the old proverb does not stand good here," he concluded laughingly,— "that a cat may look at a king !””

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May be not, uncle," answered Jem, "but when we are at Rome, we should do as Rome does! Therefore, we will leave it entirely to Mr. Turf, to point out to us, or say what he thinks proper, for our information; and I am sure we shall not have to complain of his silence."

"The tall, genteel looking young man, you see in conversation with pleasant Jem," said Turf, "is the person, called the Phenomenon, in the sporting world-a chip of the old block, and never defeated in the P. R. He has won several battles; by the side of him is the 'Pet of the Fancy,' equally conspicuous as a pugilist; but as that sort of amusement appears to have had its day with the public, and is now nearly laid on the shelf, we shall not say any more on that subject.

"But look to your right,—that little natty fellow, as nice and clean as if he had just come out of a band-box, is Bob Driver, the well-known jockey! That's the boy for the winning post! He can manage a horse with as much ease as I do a spinning top! He knows when to make play, and push for the race, with the best of them on the turf-on the Derby, and Oak days, and the St. Leger, at Doncaster, he is a great man! Half a nod

from Bob, nay, the slightest wink, to a betting man, is a point gained, and his head is screwed on the right way.

"Talk of the Penny Magazine, and the Guide to Knowledge, they are mere waste paper, when compared with Bob's upper works. It is true, that he cannot write a volume, but he can make not only as interesting, but perhaps, a more valuable BOOK, than any author that you have got in your catalogue.

"He has not been idle-he has made a purse for himself—and his name is good for a high figure at the Blunt Magazine, and no questions asked. Bob always proved himself a good calculator, and never let the opportunity, however dazzling it might appear in his favour, put it to the chauce of depriving him of his last sovereign-desperate hazards would not do for Bob-a palace or a workhouse! by which good conduct, he has been able to provide against the wind, rain, quarter-day, taxgatherers, &c., and all those other disagreeables in life. Besides, Bob always comes to scale,' like a trump. He pays all his bets off hand; and he is nothing else but a right one,' and what I call, an ornament to the sporting circles."

The discourse was interrupted here, by loud calls of silence! silence! for a song, and give us the Highwayman of the Olden Times, Bill.

"The song, or rather the parody, you are about to hear," said Turf, "is respecting a noted highwayman, who composed it while he was under sentence of death, and sent it, accompanied with an introductory letter,* to the female he cohabited with,

*

"My dearest Peg,

"Keep this chant (a) as a rummy-nooseness of your infortunate Bob! and do not nap (b) your bib' for wot can't be helped! as some folks you know are born to be twisted (c) and others drowned! I think as how it is much better than any last dying speech, birth, parentage, and all that ere sort of caper-but, as to confession, why that you are aware, my Peg, is all my eye and Betty Martin. I always did keep secrets; and as to become a nose-no, no-I shan't split now! "But you know the traps (d) first nippered (e) me; the beaks (ƒ) then lumbered (g) poor Bob; the big wigs (h) knocked him down, which rendered your fancy man of no use to you, Peggy, or any body else; and the nubbing chit (i) will finish the innings by changing infortunate Bob into a stiff (k) un! But let me be put to bed' (1) decently, for you know, Peg, I never was a shabby or a mean fellow in my life; and, therefore, I should like the tie-up of poor Bob to be nothing else but good. I am sure some of my old pals will watch in turns, throughout the darky (m), to prevent the body-snatchers from selling me for an ottamy (n).

"See this done, and I am quite resigned to my fate. When you receive this scrive (0) the hand that wrote it will be stiff and motionless-my once bold heart as cold as ice-my courage gone-and my unbounded love for the loveliest of mots' (p), which touches me more than all the rest, silenced for ever. And I, who never flinched from a trap when he tried to deprive me of my liberty, or boldly called out, regardless of the danger, to a coach and four, 'Stop and deliver!' will be numbered with the dead.

Therefore, keep your weather-eye up, and look out for squalls when your Bob is off the hooks! Give the kid a kiss, and tell him that the ould chap died game. You'll find some steeven (q) in my reader, if you can't gammon the draper out of any crape to hoist signals of distress. My ogles (r) are like a river; and

the night before his execution. The hero of the song, was one of the most daring fellows that ever existed, a second Jerry Abershaw, and who set powder, ball, and rope at defiance; and who was a complete terror to the police officers.

*

I, who never shed a tear before in my life—have them now streaming down my cheeks. Farewell! I am off-I can say no more-my chaffer sticks to my mouth. From your doating, but

'IN-fortunate, daring BOB."

(Notes upon the Note.)—a. letter; b. To shed tears; c. hanged; d. officer; e. hand-cuffed; f. justices; g. sent to prison; h. judges; i. Jack Ketch; k. a corpse; l. buried; m. the night; n. skeleton; o. letter; p. cyprians; q. money; r. eyes.

The annals of the country do not record a more hardened wretch than Abershaw, who was executed at Kennington, about forty years since, for the murder of Price, a police-officer. Being visited the day before his execution by his father in the New Gaol, he said to the afflicted old man, "Father, what signifies your troubling yourself about me, I am only going to H-, to have a game at All Fours with some of my old companions." On the way to execution, near Newington Church, he kicked off his shoes, and threw his hat away. When the halter had been put about his neck, after a horrid imprecation, he said to Little, a fellow-sufferer, "Mind your d-d long legs don't dangle against mine, for I intend to make an easy journey of it." He not only refused to join in prayer with the clergyman who attended on the occasion, but insulted him with the most gross language, and even attempted to kick at him. On account of the desperate temper of this offender, his legs were bound with a cord before leaving the prison. Upon the cap being drawn over his face, he said to the excutioner, "Well, good bye to you. old boy-I wish you better luck than I have had!" and then, by an effort of his strength, sprung out of the cart, when the cord confining his legs snapped. As he rode in the cart, he appeared entirely unconcerned-had a sprig of myrtle in his mouth, his bosom was thrown open, and he kept up an incessant conversation with the persons who rode near the vehicle he was in, frequently laughing and nodding to others of his acquaintance whom he perceived in the crowd, which was immense. The prisons in the Metropolis, at the period alluded to, were not subject to the improved and severe state of discipline which is now observed in the whole of them: they were then all noise and uproar, instead of the "silent" system; and a prisoner could live as much at his ease, and enjoy his comforts, as when outside of the jail, provided he had but the money to pay for them. Lockit's ideas in the Beggar's Opera was the mode acted upon"Fetters at any price!" In consequence of which, Abershaw passed his time in the most agreeable manner during his confinement; and, like Macheath, he was visited by his favorite mistresses-drank his wine, and became the hero of the tale. He was a man of gallantry-had received an excellent education, and he also held a superior situation in the navy. Neither was he destitute of talent: he used to relate his numerous robberies on the road, dished up in the style of romances or lively anecdotes; and laugh heartily at the fright and consternation he had frequently put upon the inoffensive passengers, when he bade them "stand and deliver!" He was quite a feature in the prison; and nothing scarcely was heard, from one end of it to the other, but the extraordinary feats and adventures of Jerry Abershaw. His undaunted resolution and courage never forsook him; and, under any circumstances, the slightest particle of fear was never to be discovered in his composition. He was a terror to the officers; and two years elapsed before he was taken after he shot Price. He always carried pistols about him, and laid them on the table during meals, that he might be prepared against any sudden attack. However, he was betrayed by a favorite mistress into the hands of the officers of justice: she secured his pistols unperceived by him, then gave the signal, when they rushed upon him, and safely secured him, before he was able to make any resistance. Upon the entrance of the officers