Small Cape Marigold. _Calendula pluvialis._
Dedicated to _St. Swithin_.
[211] Golden Legend.
~July 16.~
_St. Eustathius_, Patriarch of Antioch, A. D. 338. _St. Elier_ or
_Helier_.
_French Hoaxing._
_July_, 1817.--A man of imposing figure, wearing a large sabre and
immense mustachios, arrived at one of the principal inns of a provincial
city, with a female of agreeable shape and enchanting mien. He alighted
at the moment that dinner was serving up at the _table d’hote_. At his
martial appearance all the guests rose with respect; they felt assured
that it must be a lieutenant-general, or a major-general at least. A new
governor was expected in the province about this time, and every body
believed that it was he who had arrived _incognito_. The officer of
gendarmerie gave him the place of honour, the comptroller of the customs
and the receiver of taxes sat by the side of Madame, and exerted their
wit and gallantry to the utmost. All the tit-bits, all the most
exquisite wines, were placed before the fortunate couple. At length the
party broke up, and every one ran to report through the city that
Monsieur the governor had arrived. But, oh! what was their surprise,
when the next day “his excellence,” clad in a scarlet coat, and his
august companion dressed out in a gown glittering with tinsel, mounted a
small open calash, and preceded by some musicians, went about the
squares and public ways, selling Swiss tea and balm of Mecca. Imagine
the fury of the guests! They complained to the mayor, and demanded that
the audacious quack should be compelled to lay aside the characteristic
mark of the brave. The prudent magistrate assembled the common council;
and those respectable persons, after a long deliberation, considering
that nothing in the charter forbad the citizens to let their beard grow
on their upper lip, dismissed the complaint altogether. The same evening
the supposed governor gave a serenade to the complainants, and the next
day took his leave, and continued his journey amidst the acclamations
of the populace; who, in small as well as in great cities, are very apt
to become passionately fond of charlatans.[212]
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