J. S. Fletcher - Collected Works of J. S. Fletcher

The Collected Works of

J. S. FLETCHER

(1863-1935)

Contents

Delphi Classics 2020

Version 1

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The Collected Works of

J. S. FLETCHER

By Delphi Classics, 2020

Collected Works of J. S. Fletcher

First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Delphi Classics.

Delphi Classics, 2020.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

ISBN: 978 1 91348 710 2

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Halifax, a minster town in West Yorkshire Fletchers birthplace

Halifax in 1834

J. S. Fletcher was born in 1863 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England and at the age of eighteen went to London to get into journalism. He worked on a few newspapers before moving into freelance writing. His first novel originally appeared in August 1888 as part of Jarrolds Railway Library; some editions changed the name of the hero from Carisbroke to Carisbrooke. With fewer than thirty thousand words, this is very much a novelette, but then Jarrolds Railway Library was meant to publish the sort of literature you could read on a train journey, so this was ideal.

It tells the story of Frank Carisbroke, in his early twenties, tall, frankwith an expression of happiness and good humor. His late father has left him a fortune and with no other family he lives comfortably with an income of five thousand a year. To help fill his time hes been learning how to be an acrobat at the local circus, run by Mr and Mrs Gammidge and their daughter Tottie.

He brings his fiance Maude and her family to the circus, but theyre not amused when Frank leaps into the ring to help Tottie when she falls of her horse during a performance. After they return home, Frank, smoking a cigar in the garden, overhears Maude and her mother talking, saying how she was only marrying him for his money. Frank, after some thought, disappears up to London for a week and when he comes back, it seems he has lost all of his money. Maude cancels their engagement and Frank is forced to get a job at the circus. However, Gammidges circus is running out of money and cant afford to pay its bills. What will Frank do?

As it was a novelette, Frank Carisbrokes Stratagem was largely ignored by critics, though one or two called it a lovely little story, whilst The Pall Mall Gazette simply noted that it was neatly got up.

Fletcher as a young man

High Street, Ashford, Kent the setting of the novel. Franks apartments are located on the High Street.

High Street, Ashford, in the early Victorian era

TO

W. H. HARVEY, B. A.,

IN REMEMBRANCE

OF MANY YEARS PLEASANT FRIENDSHIP.

Bradford, June 21st, 1888

GAMMIDGES ROYAL CIRCUS.

I F ONLY HE belonged to the profession! said the tall man with a sigh of regret.

He looked into the ring as he spoke, where a young man in acrobatic costume was disporting himself with considerable agility on a cross-bar. He would be a regular success, and no mistake, he continued, as the subject of his admiration gyrated and turned cart wheels and twisted himself into strange attitudes, al; with great ease and evident enjoyment. Hes as clever as as I am.

Ah! said the little man at his side. Well nearly, and thats a-sayin of a great deal, aint it?

I suppose so, said the tall individual carelessly, but you mark me, Gammidge, this young feller would have made a tip-topper in my line. Hed have earned a pot of money, that he would.

E dont want it, my boy, e dont want it, answered Mr. Gammidge, Es got plenty of is own.

Yes, said the other. I know that. So had I once.

Ad you, now, ad you? said the little man sympathetically. I always thought there was some mystery about you, my boy. Well, weve all of us ad our troubles, I spose, and weve got to bear em somehow.