The next novel from his pen was "The White Gauntlett," an historical
romance of the time of Charles the First. Many of the scenes are laid
in Buckinghamshire.
During the same year, 1863, "The Ocean Waifs" was appearing in the _Boys
Journal_, and the following year "The Boy Slaves" was written for the
same magazine. After an interval of six years Captain Reid now
satisfied his boy readers as to the fate of Karl and Caspar, the young
"Plant Hunters," in the sequel called "The Cliff Climbers."
The _Boys' Journal_, 1865, contained his next boys' book, "Afloat in the
Forest."
This year the wonderful tale of "The Headless Horseman" made its first
appearance. There was a large coloured lithograph to be seen at all the
railway stations and bookstalls of a handsome black horse, with a rider,
in Mexican striped blanket, booted and spurred--all complete, but
wanting a head! By many, this work is considered Mayne Reid's
masterpiece. It is translated into Russian, and the circulation is
stated to be the largest of any English author in Russia. Captain Mayne
Reid is the most popular English novelist there.
In addition to his novels and books for boys, Mayne Reid is the author
of numerous short stories and magazine sketches, most of which are
published in collected form.
The author's many eccentricities were the theme of his rural neighbours'
gossip. During his residence at Gerrards Cross, the gallant Captain
attended church more for the purpose of studying the bonnets than
anything else. His inattention to the service, as also his dandyism in
dress, were alike commented upon. One morning the post brought him the
following, sent anonymously by a young lady:
"A friend who is deeply interested in Captain Mayne Reid's spiritual
welfare forwards a prayer book, with the sincere wish that it may induce
him to behave more reverently in church, and in reminding him that there
is such a colour as lavender, hopes that the everlasting lemon kids may
be varied!" This was accompanied by an infinitesimal prayer book, and a
pair of lavender _cotton_ gloves.
The vicar also presented him with a large church service; so the
Captain's spiritual welfare was well looked after just then.
One of the humbler members of the congregation, a labouring man, had
also noticed the non use of a prayer book, and accosted the Captain one
day, thus: "Ah, sir, I see you don't require no book; you be a
scholard." The poor man evidently thinking that he knew it all by
heart.
Between the years 1862 and 1865 Captain Mayne Reid built himself a house
in the style of a Mexican hacienda, with flat roof. In front of the
house he constructed an artificial pond--a circular basin lined with
cement, a jet of water in the centre--probably to remind him of the
alligator and the sisters Loupe, and Luz, to whom we are introduced in
"The Rifle Rangers." He also built some model cottages and a reading
room.
He made his own bricks, employing a regular staff of brick makers, and
was his own architect. During the time of the building he would be up
at six o'clock every morning to look after the workmen, and woe betide
any who were the least negligent in their duty. The Captain's voice
would be heard afar off, and one might fancy he was again storming
Chapultepec, or that a troop of his wild Indians on the "war-path" had
suddenly invaded the quiet village.
This unfortunate mania for bricks and mortar, combined with other
circumstances, ended disastrously, and Mayne Reid had to give up his
country home, returning to London towards the end of 1866, to begin the
world over again. His spirit was still undaunted, and in spite of
failing health he succeeded, after many struggles and disappointments,
in re-establishing himself.
On Saturday, April 27th, 1867, there appeared in the streets of London
the first number of a new penny evening journal, called _The Little
Times_. It was an almost exact counterpart of _The Times_ in miniature.
In the first column was:
"Births.--On the 27th inst., at 275 and a half, Strand, London, _The
Times_, of a _Little Times_.
"Marriages.--On the 6th inst., at Brussels, Philip Coburg to Mary
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. No cards.
"Deaths.--On the 12th inst., at Saint Stephen's, Westminster, Mr
Gladstone's amendment to the Reform Bill, deeply lamented by Lord
Derby."
This paper was Captain Reid's first enterprise after his bankruptcy.
The Publisher's advertisement was "_The Little Times_ will be published
daily as soon as possible after the receipt of the morning mails and
telegrams.
"Its latest edition will contain all the news received up to the
dispatch of the evening mails for the country.
"Subscribers in the provinces will thus receive the latest London and
Foreign Intelligence before it can reach them by the morning papers.
"About the political leaning of _The Little Times_ nothing need here be
said. Its spirit and proclivities will soon be discovered.
"It is scarcely necessary to point out to men of business the advantage
of using _The Little Times_ as an advertising medium.
"No quack or immoral advertisements will be admitted into its columns--
the Publisher reserving to himself the right to decide as to their
character.
"The terms for advertising will be One penny per word, and Two pence per
word for the title in Capitals. No advertisement charged less than Two
Shillings.
"It is hoped that _The Little Times_ will be found in the shop of every
newsvendor, and on the stalls of every railway station. If not, a note
of requisition addressed to the Publisher will ensure not only an answer
but a prompt supply."
It was a stupendous undertaking for him, as he not only edited and wrote
the leaders, as well as the feuilletons of the paper, but did other
literary work at the same time. We give the following "editorial" from
his pen, under date of May 6, 1866:
"We are on the eve of an event that will startle, not only the people of
this country, but Europe and the whole world.
"Our information comes from high and indubitable authority; though we do
not consider ourselves at liberty, at the present moment, to give
details. The vagueness of our statement does not imply its
unsubstantiality. All we will now venture to affirm is: that neither
the mass of the English population, nor public opinion on the Continent,
is prepared for the occurrence; and without indicating the party in the
State taking the initiative, or the precise intent and plan of the
action contemplated, we simply refer to it as having all the
characteristics of a _coup d'etat_.
"The action this day taken by the Ministry, in the matter of the Hyde
Park demonstration, may assist in the interpretation of the event to
which we allude."
"Our first word this day is for the working men of the metropolis; and
we should give it to them in the shape of advice, but that we know it
would reach them too late. If damage is to be done, it will be begun
before we get upon the scene, and our presence there would have no
influence in staying it. If windows are to be smashed the stones will
commence flying before three o'clock, and when stones are in the air no
quiet peacemaker will be tolerated.
"But you are not going about your business in the right way. On the
contrary, all wrong. _You have no right to assemble in the Park_.
"We do not speak of the Park as being private property, or belonging to
the Crown. We deny such a doctrine _in toto_. Neither that Park, nor
any other to which the Crown claims ownership by fossil fictions of old
statutory law. It belongs to the nation, but no part or portion of the
nation has the right to use it for party purposes without the consent of
the whole, and that consent should be obtained through the only
authority that can legally grant it--the Legislative Government of the
people. We know that this user is claimed by a thing which calls itself
Government, in the shape of a Privy Council--not only claimed but
enjoyed, without thought of illegality. We have militia trainings,
fancy fairs, grand cavalcades of idleness and elegance, with roads cut
to accommodate them. All this without asking either Parliament or
people. But all this without asking is wrong--positively and legally
wrong. If such privileges were asked, neither Parliament nor people
would be slow to refuse them. Certainly not the Parliament, and as
certainly not the English people, who have never been addicted to a
dog-in-the-manger policy when the sport of their aristocracy required
permission. The sting lies in your not being consulted, and now the
greater sting in being yourselves refused a share of the same privilege.
Is this not the true explanation of your present ill-humour? We would
risk a wager that it is.
"For all that you have no right to assemble in the Park, as you declare
yourselves determined upon doing."
He was compelled to abandon _The Little Times_ for want of funds, and
also from his health breaking down under the strain of night and day
work.
After resting a while, Mayne Reid wrote "The Finger of Fate," the first
part of which appeared in the _Boy's Own Magazine_, December, 1867.
"The Finger of Fate" has since earned a fame its author never
anticipated for it, his widow having to defend her rights (and that
successfully) in the Chancery Division against an infringement of the
copyright, and a leader in _The Times_ was devoted to the subject. The
book ends with a trial in favour of the plaintiff!
He had also a short tale, "The Fatal Cord," running in a periodical, the
_Boys of England_, and had engaged to write "The Planter Pirate" for the
same paper.