The Manchester Rebels of the Fatal '45Ainsworth, William Harrison
History
The Manchester Rebels of the Fatal '45
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Great Britain -- History -- George II, 1727-1760 -- Fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction
"I hope so," returned Dr. Byrom, rather gravely. "I will make some
inquiries about her."
"Never will I place faith in a physiognomy again, if hers proves
deceptive," cried Beppy.
Beppy, however, was not the only person bewitched by Helen.
When beheld at the Cross, the fair Scottish lassie electrified the
crowd, and many a youth lost his heart to her.
As soon as the proclamation had been made, Sergeant Dickson addressed
himself to the business on which he had come. Causing the drum to be
beaten, he made a brief speech, in which he urged all brave young men
who heard him to take up arms for their lawful sovereign, and help to
restore him to the throne.
"All who have a mind to serve his royal highness, Prince Charles, are
invited to come forward," he cried. "Five guineas in advance."
Many young men promptly responded to the call, and pressed towards the
sergeant, who still remained on horseback near the Cross, with Helen
beside him. Rollo, likewise, was close at hand, and kept constantly
drubbing away at the drum.
Helen gained as many recruits as the sergeant himself--perhaps more.
Her smile proved irresistible. When an applicant hesitated, a few
words from her decided him. Each name was entered in a book by the
sergeant, but the payment of the five guineas was necessarily deferred
until the arrival of Mr. Murray, the prince's secretary.
Altogether, a great deal of enthusiasm prevailed, and the sergeant had
good reason to be satisfied with the result of his advance-march from
Preston. He remained nearly half an hour at the Cross, and then
proceeded to the market-place, accompanied by all the new recruits,
and followed by an immense crowd.
As they passed the house at the windows of which Beppy Byrom and her
father were stationed, a momentary halt took place, during which Beppy
came forward, and waved her handkerchief to the Scottish damsel. Helen
bowed in acknowledgment with a grace peculiarly her own, and taking
off her bonnet, pointed significantly to the white cockade that decked
it.
"Will ye wear this, my bonnie young leddy, an I gie it ye?" she cried.
"Ay, that I will," replied Beppy.
Helen immediately rode up to the window, which she saw was quite
within reach, and detaching the ribbon from her bonnet gave it to her
admirer, who received it with every expression of delight, and
instantly proceeded to fix it upon her own breast.
"Ye are now bound to find a recruit for Prince Charlie, my bonnie
young leddy," said Helen, as she moved away amid the laughter and
cheers of the beholders.
Previously to this little occurrence, Dr. Byrom and his daughter had
been made acquainted with Helen's history by Tom Syddall, and had
learnt that her character was irreproachable.
"I hope I shall see her again," said Beppy. "I should like so much to
converse with her."
"Well, I make no doubt your wish can be gratified," said her father.
"I'll speak to Syddall, and he will bid her call upon you. But why do
you take so much interest in her?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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