The Mayor of Troy

ed from the Major to the Mayor, from

d the King of Portugal. "I am curious to know what in these realms of mine has most impressed you?" The King of Portugal considered a while. "Your roast beef is excellent," said he. "And after our roast beef, what next?" The King of Portu

to all intents and purposes was the King. More than once in his public speeches he reminded us of this: and we were glad to remember it when-as sometimes happened-we ran a cargo fro

ice; the mace-bearers marching before in scarlet with puce-coloured capes, the aldermen following after in tasselled gowns of black; the band ahead playing "The Girl I left behind Me" (for, although

vegetables, and charged the first-named with this heinous offence. The fellow-a small tenant-farmer from the outskirts of the parish-could not deny that he had driven his cart down to the Town Quay, unh

say for yourself?"

with the town to-day!" the culpr

trade, on the Sabbath; and sad hearing this wi

this be Sunday!" (You see, the poor fellow, living so far in the countr

! Look at my clean bandanna!"-this was his handkerchief, that he ha

this morning in the h

g off again before sunset," commanded the Mayor, "and if

e "Three Pilchards" Inn (commonly known as the "Kettle of Fish "), who applied for

oman?" demand

" answered Sarah, who c

red out into the roadway and followed her. By the sound of his footsteps she took him for some drunken sailor, and was hurrying on (but not fast, by reason o

the harm?" a

orship, he took me

st cite the

our Worship's presence, will I cite the

l. To begin with, sh

ut of ten be wearin' clogs

skirt of her gown high, to le

n, then? If I'd known your

if you can think of one in this town that's vain as yo

," said Mrs. Men

me, like a sensible soul, and

tellin' me he's dared-" Mrs

ith a twinkle. "Will you go home, Sarah Me

out, ye mane!" cried

ught and kissed her in a dimmety corner of the street; the woman that swore to love, honour and obey him, not she that tongue-drove him to the 'King of Prussia,' with his own good liquor to keep him easy at home. Drunk he must have been t

roy. A Guernsey merchant had presented him with this novelty (I may whisper here that our Mayor did something more than connive at the free trade) and patently it kept off the rain. But would it not attract

ote his wit, his wisdom, might defer to him as a being, if not superhuman, at least superlative am

awed him when h

Mayor's presence, from transla

awed you when y

n his service, which suffici

to be magnanimou

fs in red cloaks during harvest, that the French, if perchance they approached our shores, might mistake them for soldiery? It was prett

d (as it deserved) to be the most enduring. The Looe Volunteers might pride themselves on their longev

this gate of England. He will thunder in vain, gentlemen! (Loud applause.) As a wave from the cliff he will draw back, hissing, from the iron mouths of our guns. But, gentlemen"-here the Mayor sank his voice impressively- "we cannot have omelets without the breaking of eggs, nor victories with

had extended no farther than the actual combat: for its

mittee then and there; and the Committee, having retired to reassemble ten minutes

hs under sixteen (not being bandsmen) and

Nurses. Miss Pescod t

nd a chamber formerly used by the Constable as a potato store. It was also r

the Churchyard was deferred

tal. The Mayor, with Lawyer Chinn (Town Clerk) and Alder

suffice that before entering public life he had earned our confidence as

ask of making them effective. "Task," did I say? When I tell you that at our next drill a parade of thirty-two stretchers followe

whitewashed and fitted with green jalousie shutters; the interior also cleaned and whitewashed, and a ward opened with two beds. Though few enough to meet the contingencies of invasion, and a deal too few (especially while they remained unoccupied) to satisfy the zeal of Miss Pescod's corps of n

harm in admitting as our first patient a sailor from Plymouth Dock who, having paid a lengthy call at the "King of Prussia" and drunk there exorbitantl

ranslation of two texts which hung framed on the wall facing his bed. They had been illuminated by Miss Sally Tregentil at the instance of

g glance at Miss Pescod, "that's mor

e by the window, "I don't pretend to be a scholar; but I have made out the gist of them; an

he Mayor's

ering," went on the little apothecary. "The Latin

here in the Bible who put her head out of window and recommended for every man a damsel or two and

ched. Where it would have ended none can