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WANTED Newnes BLACK BESS LIBRARY, 2d nos. (small series). Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 and any after 13.
Newnes DICK TURPIN LIBRARY, 4d & 3d nos. Nos. 1 to 24, 26 to 28, 30 to 36, 39 to 43, 62, 136, 138 and any after No. 138.
Aldine ROBIN HOOD LIBRARY, 2d. nos. Nos. 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40,
44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 60, 63. Parks, Printer, Saltburn-by-Sea,
Wanted “Roderick
Dhu” (published by
For
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IN one of the Brett journals—the Boy’s Comic Journal to be exact, there appeared, round about 1886 or 87, a tale by Justin P. Lambe, entitled “Under Royal Warrant, or The Man of Mystery,” and which attained that measure of success and popularity that usually attended a Lambe serial with Brett’s readers. It is not however, the intention, of this article to deal with that particular serial, but rather with the character of the “Man of Mystery” himself, and the various guises and shapes under which he made his appearance in Penny Dreadful Literature.
One of the most prominent features in the old P. D. serial was the “Man of Mystery.” He was a very popular character was this mysterious and elusive individual, and in the various yarns, appeared in many guises, and, on all occasions, either as a friend or foe to the hero, but it must be admitted to his credit, that it was generally as a friend. Generally speaking there was no period in English History in the average Penny Dreadful story, from the time of the Conquest down to the 18th Century which was not liable to have him in some shape or another. To run over the many and varied guises in which he was wont to appear, make, for an idle moment, a rather engaging occupation, and is to recall the memory of many an old and familiar friend and in whose company one spent many a pleasant and enjoyable hour.
For instance, there was the “Mysterious Knight” of the early historical tale. That was one of our Man of Mystery’s favourite roles, although he varied it at times, with that of the Mysterious Monk, the Impish Dwarf, or some other weird character of the type of “Herne the Hunter.” Taking him all in all, however, there is no gainsaying the fact that this historical side of him was only accidental as it were and it is only when we come to the 15th., 16th., and 17th. century that we find him occupying his own particular stage. It may be granted that to the early English type of historical tale he lent both colour and interest, but there is no doubt when he was given for background, ruffles and plumes,
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three cornered hats and rapiers, masks and coal-black steeds, he certainly not only filled, but fitted the picture. Given a wainscotted room with a few sliding panels; a darkened London street with shadowy corners; the Tower of London with flashing lightning and rolling thunder, or a village inn with a group crowded round the roaring fire on a winter evening with heavy snow outside; given any of these and our Man of Mystery became a part of it and was as natural to it as flowers to the Spring.
In the 16th. century his favourite role although he varied it occasionally was that of Headsman. Indeed so often did he assume this guise for Good Queen Bess that one is forced to the conclusion that Queen Bess’s “custodians of the axe” must have been both many and varied, and, in addition, considering their many activities, had a considerable amount of leisure on their hands.
But at any rate, no fault could be found with the manner in which our friend carried out his duties as headsman. One reads in history of a headsman having occasionally to repeat the stroke of the axe but our “Man of Mystery” was no such blunderer. His dark eyes were invariably piercing; his glance was keen and sharp; his aim sure and his stroke swift, so that when he took the task of applying the “last stroke of Fate,” there was a swift flash and a head rolled on to the scaffold. He was, certainly, a most efficient workman, and one, who, apparently took a real pride in his work.
But in spite of these admirable and excellent qualities,
perhaps where we envied him the most, was in his intimate knowledge of the
internal arrangements of the
It was “some” door that, and what we would have given to have had the pleasure of touching that spring and so shifting a few yards of solid masonry is not to be estimated in mere figures.
Afterwards, on visiting the Tower in person, we have endeavoured when the Guide’s back was towards us to locate some of the secret springs attached to heavy stone silent doors, but never with any success. It is possible, of course, that the lapse of time may have had something to do with our lack of success to locate anything of the kind, for secret springs will get rusty and fall into disrepair, and it may be that we were punching away at a secret spring all the time and that it was simply out of order. But we do not think so. We may be wrong, but somehow or
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other, we feel certain that if our old friend the Man of Mystery had been there, these springs would have worked all right and “heavy stone doors” would have swung open as silently and efficiently as ever they did. You could not stick our friend the Man of Mystery with such a simple or little thing like a rusty spring. And when one comes to think of it, it is difficult to recall one instance, in which the spring did not work or the door did not swing open unless where the villain tried his hand at it in an endeavour to escape, and then it stuck all right. There is no getting over it, they had good sensible secret springs and doors in those days.
In the 18th. century we meet our old friend once again, and like good wine, he improves with age, for he is even more attractive here than formerly. He has, as might be expected, changed somewhat. The massive muscularity of the Headsman, has given place to a tall lithe figure with an erect carriage; the deep bass voice has modulated into one pleasing to the ear, but given, at times, to assuming an icy, even emotionless tone; the awesome anger has given way to an incisive biting politeness. But the eyes are still as piercing; his aim, (now with a pistol) as sure, and the stroke, (transferred to a sword or rapier) just as swift and as deadly as of yore. The Hallmark is unmistakable; it is our old friend the Man of Mystery, and under the guidance of a Vane St. John or Justin Lambe, we follow his mysterious movements with a zest that is undiminished by familiarity and long acquaintanceship.
For the “Old Boy” and the Penny Dreadfulist, it may be assumed that the “Man of Mystery” died when the Penny Dreadful ceased to exist. It is true that our modern novelists have tried to resuscitate him, and it may be added with a great deal more profit to themselves than ever the old P. D. author was able to accomplish, but, to the Penny Dreadfulist, in their hands he is but a poor shadow of his former self, a thing of much show but of small accomplishment, a mere pretender wearing the cloak of one whose coat he is unable to carry and with credit. Anyhow he is not the, “real Mackay” and to the Penny Dreadfulist with his boyish recollections of what the Man of Mystery was, that much admired individual of his boyhood days, lies buried in the pages of the old Penny Dreadful.
MATTHEW M. HUNTER
ONE of the most popular series dealing with highwaymen was the penny Dick Turpin Library which related the daring deeds of Dick Turpin, Blueskin, Tom King, Pat O’Phelyn, Peters and the nigger Beetles (who delighted in tormenting “Massa Peterers” about his firey red whiskers) and their favourite old inn, “Fox Under the Hill” where the French waiter, Francois, attended to the needs of the merry band and the horses, including “Bonny Black Bess.”
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As I write this item I have a number of copies of the Dick Turpin Library before me. Number 93, “The Rival Highwaymen;” No. 107, “At Odds with a Traitor;” No. 124, “A Creature of the Night;” No. 118, “Alive or Dead;” No. 180, “The Vanishing Highwaymen.”
The books were written by Stephen H. Agnew, Charlton Lea and
Jack Tempest. Perhaps there were other
authors whom I have not heard of. All of
this library was published by the Aldine Publishing Co., of Crown Court,
I am the proud owner of hundreds of copies in excellent condition.
Before the conclusion I might also mention Claude Duval Library which were also popular and printed and published by the same company. The most interesting one I have read of Duval is No. 20, entitled “Kidnapping A King.”
ERIC J. ROBSON
* * * * * *
The well known Australian Bookseller and authority on old boys’ books, Mr. J. P. Quaine, recently broadcast to Australian radio fans, an exciting talk on old bloods. The talk, which was well received was entitled “Tales of Terror” and dealt with the ever popular Sweeny Todd. We understand that Mr. Quaine is to shortly broadcast another talk on similar lines.
“Black Bess, or the Knight of the Road,” was first published in 1868 in 254 penny numbers. There were many reprints, and with each succeeding re-issue, the type, impression and paper, grew steadily worse.
“The Mysteries of Paris,” (1845) was issued in 33 double numbers.
“Robin Hood and Little John” was issued in 35 numbers.
“Charley Wag, the New Jack Sheppard” was issued in 73 penny numbers.
“The Days of Hogarth” (Reynolds) was published in 31 penny numbers.
The first edition of Reynolds’s “Pickwick Abroad” is very difficult to distinguish from the second edition.
What has happened to our American contemporary Dime Novel Round-up? We feel sure it is greatly missed.
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Wanted British
Bloods and Penny Dreadfuls, in volumes or runs, also old songsters, sheet
music, broadsides, playbills, etc. James
Madison, 465, So.
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|
THE GENIUS OF O’HENRYBY A. F. ARNOLD |
FAME comes to us in many ways, but few have attained it in such a way as O’Henry.
An American of Southern origin he became a bank-clerk and
was accused of embezzlement. He fled to
Nowhere is there one quite like him—he is unique. The soul of his art is unexpectedness. Humour at every turn, sentiment, philosophy and surprise. One may never be sure of him—the end is always a sensation. No foresight can guess it, and the sensation is always genuine. Whatever else he was, he was undoubtedly an artist—a master of plot and diction—a genuine humorist. He was an entertainer bent on surprising the reader.
His characters with few exceptions are extreme. Even his shop girls are not real individuals, rather are they symbols. To-day his stories are reprinted in the leading English and American magazines, and his style is the foundation of many a modern short story writer’s fame.
Some of his stories I have read time and time again. They give one encouragement to face the world, and at the same time each story has a freshness of its own.
I have before me now one of his most liked volumes of short stories, “Whirligigs,” and possibly a few extracts would be of interest to readers. In the “World and the Door” he writes, “As a money power a one-millionaire is of small account in a city where the man who cuts your slice of beef behind the free lunch counter rides to work in his own automobile.” What whimsical humour! Further on in the same story we have the following, “Hedges rose quickly, seized his chair, swung it once and smashed
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it down on Merriman’s head. Merriman dodged, drew a small revolver and shot Hedges in the head. The leading royster tumbled, fell down in a wry heap and lay still.” Here we have in as few words as possible a forceful description of a tense dramatic situation. Fate gave O’Henry his opportunity, and certainly he made good use of his genius.
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Wanted “Penny Dreadfuls” in volumes or sets. Cash prompt, pleasant dealings. James Madison, 464,
Juvenile Drama.
Wanted plays published by Brett, and other publishers. Also plays in packets, loose sheets, books of
words, etc. Parks, Printer,
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Wanted: Fox’s Boys Standard, Boys Leisure Hour, Boys Champion Journal, Halfpenny Standard, Vol 7 and 8 Boys Comic Journal, Vol 37 Boys of England. Also Young Ching-Ching, Green as Grass, That Rascal Jack, The School on the Sea, Cheeky Charlie. Robert Dodds, 3 Garngad Hill, Glasgow.
Wanted Bullseye 4-9, 12, 13, Plucks, any Jack, Sam
& Pete items, Aldines, De Witt’s Claude Duval, etc. Have for exchange Boys of England, vol. 13,
Comrades, vol 3, Tom Tartar, etc. Parks,
Printer,