cockneys are judged by that most unjust of Judges, CN and his gang S. TOD & the rest.? at the end of this dungeon is the entrance to the cell’s which are apropriated to the private & particular use of Hal B. Stunt the Cockney’s & the naughty school childrenf. these cells are dark, vaulted arched and so far down in the earth that the loudest shreik could not be heard by any inhabitant of the upper world & in these as well as the dungeon the most unjust torturing might go on without any fear of detection if it was not that I keep the key of the dungeon & Emily keeps the key of the cell’s6 & the huge strong iron entrances will brave any assault except with the lawful instrument’s.
the children which inhabit this magnificent palace are composed only of the young nobles of the land except such asJohnny Lockhart. the cheif Governor under us is the Duke of Wellington. this however is only a honorary distinction as when applied to his Grace returned the following answer.
“Little King and Queens Qthese are our titles)7 I am sorry to say my avocation’s of Soldier & Statesman will not allow me to comply with your requests that I would be Governer of some ioodreds, not to say any looods of Children unless the title be merely honorary & I am to have a few scores of subordinates under me. with the request that it may be I remain your obedient subject, W.” the request was complied with.
the Guards for keeping the children in order & taking them out to walk are the Marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wfellesley for which they are peculiarly fitted as they lead them into the wildest & most dangerous parts of the country leaping rocks precepeces chasms &c & little caring whether the children go before or stop behind & finally coming home with about a dozen wanting who are found a few days after in hedges or ditches with legs or head broken & affording a fine field for Sir A Hume Sir A Cooper & Sir H Halford to display their different modes of setting and trepanning.”
The Gfuards for threshing the Children when they do wrong and sometimes they exercicise the priveledge when they do not need it are Colonel O’Shaugnesy and his Nephew Foghartyf. these are often eminently useful. I forgot to mention that Branwell has a large black club with which he thump’s the children upon ocasion and that most unmercifully. I have now done my notices of the school children for the present.
among our Islanders there are Baines’s 3 sons T E & T who go by the seperate name’s of toltol, Nedned or sometimes rr Raten & Tomtomf. these 3 are the most mischevous trio in existencef: t is about 2 foot long n is half the length of his brother & t is 3 quaters as long as ned. tol is dressed in a lawyers gown & a huge wig which reaches to his feet & wraps round him; rat is atired in a coarse peice of sackcloth tied round the neck and feet with rope & having the appearance of a tail & ears & Tom is dressed in the dress of a reporter.
about a year ago as we where wandering in one of the woods which belong to the great Domain of Strathfeildsay we heard a low voice behind us saying “there has been a storm today & the now blue & radiant arch of the mighty firmament has been overcast with dark cloud’s the gloom of which was only broken by feirce gleams of lightning which shot across the black vapours like the word of revenge through the clouds hatred which obscured the bright dawn of Whigish intellect! & I was appointed to be their avenger! yes this arm (here we saw an arm of little more than an inch long dart through the foliage) this arm shall wreak their spite upon the head of that stern Duke in whose domains I am. but soon I shall bring his pride down to the dust & make him bow to the soveriegn people “ then with a rush through the tangled grass (for the spiteful creature did not reach higher than the grass) it reached the park gate but here a great obstacle presented itself for the keeper of the gate is an old veteran who has followed the Duke through all his wars & attended him in all his Battle’s & if he had seen the animal he would certainly have taken it for a rat & would have treated it accordingly, ned turned round & seeing us he said “Little Queens will you open that gate?” as we wished to see the end of this adventure we took raten up and threw him over the High wall & then knocked at the gate. we presently heard a rustling among the tree’s and the soldier stood before us. LQjf you please orderly man will you open that gate for us OM I must first know who you are LQJ We’re Lfittle Queens OM 0 you are are you? come then so saying he opened the gate & we entredf. Rfaten ran swiftly up the park & narowly escaped been trod to Death by a deer which bounded close past him. there was however one thing which threatened to stop his progress & that was a river that gently & silently was winding it’s way through the park. for a while he stood still on its banks & looked around & behind him was the large wood he had just quitted. it was situated on a high hill & covered to the top with dark green foliage interspersed here & there with the lightly waveing Branches of the purple Beach or the pale green of the white poplar. on each side of him lay the extensive & beautiful park bounded by the wide domains of the Great Duke before him was the splendid mansion of Strathfieldsay & close to his feet was the river on the opposite banks of which stood a deer stooping it’s head & branching antlers to drink of the pure waters which flowed before it. on the branches of a young oak which grew close by the stream sat a nightingale which was begining it’s early song to the silver moon that now appeared like a pale crescent in the clear sky of the east, over all the setting sun shed a golden radiance which invested every thing with a splendour that made it appear like burning gold - for a while raten seemed moved by the beauty of the scene but sudenly exclaiming “rr no weaknessf he leaped into the river & swiming across he gained the opposite Bank then runing with inconceivable swiftness up the rest of the park he reached the house ran through the hall the gallery the stairs & at last reached the Duke’s library . nobody was there & upon the table stood a tumbler of water; into this Raton put something which however did not change it’s coulour then leaping from the table he hid himself behind a large Book which lay on the carpet.
just then the sound of footsteps was heard in the gallery the door opened & a tall man with the air & carriage of a soldier entred followed by another who was likewise tall but very stout. the first was his grace the Duke of Wellington & the 2 was Sir Alexander Hume, as soon as they entred the duke took from a shelf a volume & sitting down the following conversation ensued .
D Hume what do you think of Wfalter Scott’s history of Nfapoleon?’
H do you mean me to take the fact of it being written by a pekin’0 into consideration my lord? D yes H then I think it is written as well as a pekin is capable of writing D do you think it has any truth in it?
H a great deal my Lord D you have given it a high meed of praise H do you think I have praised it too highly?
D Oh no H I would never wish to praise a pekin too much after this a silence of about half an hour ensued & still the Duke did not touch the water. raten began to be impatient & to fear for the success of his enterprize. at last his Grace took up the glass & drained it’s contents. Rfaten was on the point of giving a shriek through joy but restrained himself . just then Hume said UI never thought much good came of drinking cold waterf & a few minutes after he exclaimed “my Lord are you well? how pale how very pale you are I never saw anybody more so”
here raten shouted out “And pale he will always be.” the Duke fixed his stern eye on him & the creature shrank shuddering back to his corner “my Lord are you dyingf? ring the bell Lfittle QJueens “
his Grace’s features collapsed with agony the volume fell from his hand and he sank back in his chair. just then a loud yell rang in our ears a rushing noise was heard & a Giant of Cloud’s stood before us. he touched the Duke & new life seemed to be given him. he stood up & in a firm tone demandefd the name of the Giant. it answered with a voice of thunder “mystery” & then slowly vanished.”
his Grace then ordered every one out of his prescence & a few days after raten was found in his father’s house at Lfeeds pale with horor trembling & half dead but how he got there is uncertainf. nor could he ever be induced to give any explanation & truly a mystry doth the whole affair remain to this day.
Prince Lfeopold & Sir George Hill have always entertained a great dislike to the Marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wfellesley . Prince Lfeopold it is well known is a very mean sort of personage with an appearance of cunning about him that is very disagreeable. Sir George