The Lumley Autograph | Page 8

such rubbish. Don't
you ever read the papers that pass through your hands?"

"No, sir--I 'as no time for that, sir. And then I was never taught to read
writing, and these 'ere papers is all written ones. We puts them that's
written for one trunk, and them that's printed for another, as you see, sir;
one must have a heye to the looks of the work."
"Why yes--you seem to manage the job very well; and I have a trunk,
by the bye, that wants patching up before my boy carries it off with him;
I'll send it round to you; Hopkins. But stay--what's this?" and the doctor
took up a soiled, yellow sheet of paper, from the heap rejected by the
workman; it contained a scrawl which proved to be the identical letter
of the poor poet, the Lumley autograph, though in what manner it
became mingled with that heap of rubbish has never been satisfactorily
ascertained.
"Here's a poor fellow who had a hard fate, Hopkins," said the
benevolent man, thoughtfully. "It is as good as a sermon on charity to
read that letter."
The trunk-maker begged to hear it.
"Well, poor journeyman as I be, I was never yet in so bad a way as that,
sir."
"And never will be, I hope; but this was a poet, Hopkins--and that's but
an indifferent trade to live by. I'll tell you what, my good friend," said
the doctor, suddenly, "that letter is worth keeping, and you may paste it
in the trunk I'll send round this afternoon--put it in the lid, where it can
be read."
The trunk was sent, and the letter actually pasted in it as part of the new
lining. Dr. H-----, who, as we have observed, was rather eccentric in his
ways, had a son about to commence his career as a soldier; and the
worthy man thought the letter might teach the youth a useful lesson of
moderation and temperance, by showing him every time he opened his
trunk, the extreme of want to which his fellow beings were
occasionally reduced. What success followed the plan we cannot say.
The trunk, however, shared the young soldier's wandering life; it
carried the cornet's uniform to America; it was besieged in Boston; and
it made part of the besieging baggage at Charleston. It was not destined,
however, to remain in the new world, but followed its owner to the East
Indies, carrying on this second voyage, a lieutenant's commission. At
length, after passing five-and-twenty years in Bengal, the trunk
returned again to Southampton, as one among some dozen others which

made up the baggage of the gallant Colonel H-----, now rich in laurels
and rupees. The old trunk had even the honorable duty assigned it of
carrying its master's trophies, doubtless the most precious portion of the
colonel's possessions, though at the same time the lightest; as for the
rupees, the old worn-out box would have proved quite unequal to
transporting a single bag of them, for it was now sadly unfit for service,
thanks to the ravages of time and the white ants; and, indeed, owed its
preservation and return to its native soil solely to the letter pasted in the
lid, which, in the eyes of Colonel H-----, was a memento of home, and
the eccentric character of a deceased parent.
{cornet = the lowest officer rank in a British cavalry regiment, below
that of Lieutenant; now obsolete}
The time had now come, however, when the Lumley autograph was
about to emerge forever from obscurity, and receive the full homage of
collectors; the hour of triumph was at hand, the neglect of a century
was to be fully repaid by the highest honors of fame. The eye of beauty
was about to kindle as it rested on the Lumley autograph; jeweled
fingers were to be raised, eager to snatch the treasure from each other;
busy literati stood ready armed for a war of controversy in its behalf.
It happened that Colonel H----- was invited to a fancy ball; and it also
happened that the lady whom he particularly admired, was to be present
on the occasion. Such being the case, the most becoming costume was
to be selected for the evening. What if the locks of the gallant colonel
were slightly sprinkled with gray? He was still a handsome man, and
knew very well that the dress of an eastern aymeer was particularly
well suited to his face and figure. This dress, preserved in a certain old
trunk in the garret, was accordingly produced. The trunk was brought
down to the dressing-room, the costume examined piece by piece,
pronounced in good condition by the valet, and declared very becoming
by the military friend called in as counsellor.
{aymeer = Emir; a Muslim title signifying