56 The PytcJiley Hunt, Past and Present, [chap. h. 



Attractive in appearance and manner^ tlie handsome ex- 

 guardsman won for himself additional sympathy from 

 having lost a leg at the Battle of Corunna, where his 

 regiment greatly distinguished itself. The disadvantage 

 of having but one available leg, however, did not seem 

 greatly to affect his riding, for although a " monoped ^' 

 himself, there was scarcely a " biped ^^ in the field who 

 had greatly the advantage of him in a run. A frequent 

 and always a welcome guest wherever he went, he was 

 always accompanied by an old and faithful servant, who 

 was well known by his skill in playing the Jew's harp, 

 — a musical instrument now quite unknown. Summoned 

 into the dining-room after dinner, the modest but skilful 

 performer used to delight the company with the effect he 

 produced ; the children of the family, permitted to sit up 

 on purpose, being always the most appreciative portion 

 of the audience. How the little instrument, held between 

 the jaws, capable of only small thiugs at the deftest bands, 

 got its original and self-evident name of '^ Jaw's harp"*' con- 

 verted into ^''/e It; 'sharp,'' it is not easy to say. Another 

 producer of sweet sounds in vogue at the same time, and 

 known as the -^olian harp, like the Jew's harp, seems to 

 have gone out of favour. Fashioned like an elongated 

 zithern, it could lay claim to a certain weirdness from 

 the sounds it produced being elicited without the agency 

 of human hand. Resting in the sill of a window, the 

 breeze passing across the strings caused it to emit tones 

 so plaintive and soothing that for a time they were 

 pleasant to listen to ; a little of the '^ fairy-like music," 

 however, went a long way, and the jaded ear a bit 

 wearied of the monotony. 



Unconsciously following in the steps of Mr. Blunt, a 



