James Howell

“ All our cares behind us lay;
That these pleasures we may know
Ere we come to those below.
[20] So ed. 1671.—Ed. 1655, "factious."
[21] So ed. 1671.—Ed. 1655, "fortune."
[22] So ed. 1671.—Ed. 1655, "we."
[23] "This poem was written by James Howell. It is printed among his Poems, 1664, p. 68. Also in Poems collected by P. F. [= P. Fisher] , 1663. See my Note in Choyce Drollery, reprint, 1876, p. 298."—J. W. Ebsworth.
[24] Old ed. "My thought." The first two stanzas of this poem (which becomes somewhat enigmatical towards the end) are also found in The Westminster Drollery. ”

“ This poem of “Black eyes,” &c., occurs among Howell’s poems collected by Sergeant-Major Peter Fisher, p. 68, 1663; again re-issued (the same sheets) as Mr. Howell’s Poems upon divers Emergent Occasions; Printed by James Cottrel, and dated 1664.” It is also found in C. F.’s “Wit at a Venture; or, Clio’s Privy Garden, containing Songs and Poems on Several Occasions, [299] Never before in Print” (which statement is incorrect, as usual) . Our text is the earliest we know in type. The only variations, in Howell’s Poems, are: 1st line, doth lie; 4th verse, And by those spells I am possest.
Page 83. ”

“ Born probably in 1685; is mentioned in 1702 as one of the Children of the Chapel Royal; was made a Gentleman of the same in 1708 in place of John Howell, who died July 15, and Master of the Choristers, Michaelmas 1740, vice J. Church; resided in James Street, Westminster. In 1758 he retired to North Aston, Oxon, where he died, Nov. ”

“ Now, as he stood there watching the eager face, the light in his eyes, the energy with which he was attacking a well-nigh impossible task, he sighed and said to himself: "So long as he believes there is no one like her, whoever she may be, so long will he be able to work. Her strength will make up for his lack—but if his belief ends—" Here Howell had made an unconscious downward gesture that in its expression of complete destruction knocked the index finger from the outstretched hand of the figure upon which he was impressing the final details. ”

“ The culprit was taken to Mammoth where the presence of the writer Emerson Hough and a representative of Forest and Stream 248 gave national publicity to the case. Howell was quite a robust personality, and he responded to the limelight. “How does a poacher operate to avoid two troops of soldiers?” “It is the simplest thing in the world,” said Howell, “just wait for a snowstorm, enter the desired area, make a wide detour to check tracks of pursuers, if any, and go to work.” “Why did you do it?” “Well, bison heads are worth from $100 to $400 apiece.” ”

“ Green butterfly-nets and brown and white and grey sandshoes—spades and buckets and balls and fishing-lines and toy ships—bottles of scent and the "Llanyglo Sunburn Cure" (made up for him by the chemist at Porth Neigr) —a new board with "Tricycles for Hire" on it (that's the shed at the back, and Eesaac Oliver, home for the holidays, books the hirings and does the repairs) —baskets and spirit-kettles and ironmongery, all in addition to the groceries.—Yes, Howell has quite a big business now. Let's go inside and buy something. ”

“ Her heart jumped as the Vicar came in.
“You may be wondering what has happened, Isoline. Poor Howell has had a dreadful accident. It seems there was a play going on at Llangarth Fair, and something caught fire; Llewellyn Fenton and he put it out together, and saved the lives of two children. Howell’s hands and arms are badly burnt, brave boy that he is.”
“Fancy Howell doing that! I should never have believed it of him,” exclaimed the girl, whose estimate of human nature was entirely feminine. To dislike a person was to prove him incapable of a high action. ”

“ One year passed away. Mr. Howell was engaged to marry the handsomest and most intelligent young woman in the town. The girl's father and mother were delighted. Howell was envied by all the young men. The day for the wedding drew near. The "popular and enterprising tailor" had made Howell's wedding suit.
One day another tramp entered the office. Howell dropped his "make-up rule" and sprang forward to meet him. ”

“ Broughton quietly at the earliest possible moment. Good Lord, man, the Grand Jury meets in ten days from now. Now, have you any suggestions as to how that interview can be arranged without notice to the public and without any chance of a slip-up?"
"I have just secured a letter of introduction to one of the pupils in Miss Elliott's School,--Miss Kittie Tayntor," said Lyon. "I thought that it might prove useful in keeping in close touch with the situation."
Howell's gray eyes twinkled appreciatively. "It strikes me that you are wasted as a mere newspaper man. You have talents. ”

“ With his rapid-firing gun he slaughtered them as easily as if they had been cattle in a corral. How many he killed will never be known. The remains of many of his victims will never be found.
IN YELLOWSTONE PARK SNOWS.
But while the ruffian was busiest in his bloody work, a man was speeding over the snow toward him from the south. He too was on skis. He too was a mountain man, who thought as little of the obstacles before him as Howell did. But the object of his trip was not the buffalo, but Howell. It was human game he was pursuing. Howell had not covered up his tracks as well as he thought. ”

“ Don't fail me. Josephine will like you for my sake, and you will love her for your brother.
Henry."
Most engineers' lives are busy ones and full of accident and incident, and having my full share of both, I had almost forgotten all these points about Billy Howell and his Mexican girl, when they were all recalled by a letter from Billy himself. With his letter was a photograph of a family group—a be-whiskered man of thirty-five, a good-looking woman of twenty, but undoubtedly a Mexican,251 and a curly-headed baby, perhaps a year old. The letter ran:
"City of Mexico, July 21, 1890. ”

“ Philosophic reflection, political, social, and domestic anecdote, scientific speculation, are all intermingled with attractive ease in the correspondence which he professes to have addressed to men of all ranks and degrees of intimacy. The first volume was issued in 1645, dedicated to Charles I, and with 'the Vote' prefixed ; a 'new,' that is the second volume, was issued in 1647; and both together appeared with a third volume in 1650. The first three volumes were thus published while Howell was in the Fleet. A fourth volume was printed in a collected edition of 1655. ”

“ Howell, who was shedding a quiet tear or two over her child's unkindness, sniffed loudly, and said: "I'm sure shop people is plenty good enough for girls as behaves to their poor ma like you do, and I don't wonder as this Miss Beauchamp don't take up with you. I wish to goodness your pa had never made a fortune, that I do; for it's a worry from mornin' to night, a-mindin' my manners here, and a-shuttin' up my mouth there!" And the poor, lonely woman, surrounded with every luxury and elegance that money could buy, but who felt less free than a canary in its cage, wept silently. ”

“ Howell became grim.—"It was an e-vil day for this town when that man came here," he said, forgetting how little town there had been when that old brown horse had first brought the Gardens softly jolting across the sandhills.
"Then it is true?" said William Morgan once again.
"It is true that a man sometimes asks one thing, and finiss by getting something very diff-ferent from what he ask," Howell replied, and walked abruptly away. ”

“ POWELL, VAVASOR (1617–1670) , nonconformist divine, was born in 1617 at Cnwcglas or Knuclas in the parish of Heyop, Radnorshire. His father, Richard Howell was an ‘ale-keeper’ and ‘badger of oatmeal;’ his mother was Penelope, daughter of William Vavasor of Newtown, Montgomeryshire. He is said to have been employed at home as stable-boy, and to have served as groom to Isaac Thomas, innkeeper and mercer at Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. These particulars may be true, but they are derived from his enemies. ”

“ You think with regret of Howell's thirty-three huge volumes, that vast magazine of curiosities and horrors, of all that is best and worst in English history. How exciting life was long ago, to be sure, and how persistently it grows duller! What a price we pay for the smug comfort of our time! ”

“ Almost at the same time, Philip had returned, and had taken up his work anew at Howell's studio at Westboro. Physically, he looked much improved; his skin was sun-browned with sometimes a dash of color, he weighed more, and his face had gained in strength and resolution. But when he had been at work a month with the master, Howell saw that what he was gaining in accuracy and flexibility was more than discounted by a total lack of inspiration.
"Where is she? What has become of the young woman who is not a model or to be had for the asking? Why not try the head once more from memory?" ”

“ Howell sat open-mouthed. He was a crook and the bosom friend of the great Passero. Like all others who knew him, he held the master criminal in awe and admiration. The Sparrow, whatever he was, never did a mean action and never took advantage of youth or inexperience. To his finger-tips he was a sportsman, whose chief delight in life was to outwit and puzzle the police of Europe. In the underworld he was believed to be fabulously wealthy, as no doubt he was. ”

“ Suppose he left it there, and Fullerton picked it up, it might have happened that he had it with him on that evening."
Howell started to his feet and paced the room in suppressed excitement.
"It may be utterly fantastic and incredible," he said finally, pausing before Lyon and looking at him with abstracted eyes, "but it is the first possible gleam of an outlet that I have seen in any direction. I must follow it up. I must see Mrs. Broughton just as soon as possible. I am walking on a mine until I know what she has to say for herself. It may all amount to nothing. ”

“ Howell gave final directions concerning the treatment of Felix, and then came to speak to the governess.
"Even now, sadly as you have abused your constitution, I shall have some hope of seeing gray hairs about your temples, if you will give yourself unreservedly to relaxation of mind. You have already accomplished so much that you can certainly afford to rest for some months at least. Read nothing, write nothing (except long letters to me) , study nothing but the aspects of nature in European scenery, and you will come back improved to the country that is so justly proud of you. ”

“ Howell carried on a transportation business, until the railroads came into the country and his occupation was gone. Then he began to consider seriously the notion of going further west with his boys to get for them the same chances of early forestalling the settlement of the country that he had had in Illinois. In the West, at least in those 5 days, nearly everybody was continually looking for a yet further West to which they might emigrate. Charlie Howell was now a big and willing, good-natured boy; he ought to be striking out for himself and getting ready to earn his own living. ”

“ Howell, you look as glum as though you were attorney for a wretched fellow who had no chance of escaping the gallows. I'm glad you have Lyon associated with you. I've more faith in his abilities than in yours." And he shot a dancing glance at Lyon which was not wholly mockery.
"My abilities are at least equal to the facts that have been given them to work up," said Howell, drily. "I came to ask you what you can tell me about Mrs. Broughton's visit to Waynscott."
Lawrence's eyes widened with surprise. "Mrs. Broughton! What in the name of wonder are you bringing her name in for?" ”

“ There was grief, with indignation, in those coffee-houses when news came there of the death of the Rev. Laurence Howell. He was thrown into Newgate for publishing an explanatory book on the Nonjurors: ‘The Case of Schism truly stated;’ and in Newgate he was slowly murdered by the intolerable horrors of the place; intolerable, at least, to a sensitive and refined nature. IN HYDE PARK. For the general mob there was a new pleasure, apart from politics, to be had in Hyde Park. ”

“ Bryant, timidly, for this was a family council.
“Oh, well,” answered Mr. Howell, sturdily, “I’ll risk that. I never saw a man yet with anything to sell who wouldn’t sell it when the money was shaken in his face. The newspapers paint those border men pretty black, I know; but if they stop to ask a man’s politics before they make a bargain with him, they must be queer cattle. They are more than human or less than human, not Americans at all, if they do business in that way.” In the end they found that Mr. Howell was entirely right. ”

“ Howell in every respect gives the impression of being a gentleman, that he is tied by the bond of friendship to the Frick family, and finally that pecuniarily he is so situated that he need not steal either diamonds or anything else. ”

“ He was taken into the lawyer's private office, where he found Howell with his hands behind his back, staring moodily through the window into a dingy court, instead of deep in his books as a lawyer is supposed to be. There was exasperation and protest in every line of his figure. He turned to nod to Lyon without relaxing his gloom.
"I am glad to see you, Mr. Lyon. Sit down. I asked you to call in connection with this case of Lawrence's."
"Yes."
"Have you any influence with him?"
"I doubt it," said Lyon, with a smile. "I don't think that he allows many men to exert an influence upon him." ”

“ Howell had made the remark as he was passing out that the time was ten minutes to seven, which agreed exactly with Iverson's watch.
"As you see, the different times which I have mentioned cannot be far wrong—not more than a minute or two."
"Yes, I see that. I suppose your inquiries at the pawnbrokers' and jewellers' have been so far without result?"
"Yes; up till now they have led to no result, and I think they never will."
The superintendent nodded. ”