Stanley (Captain Charles), introduced by his friend, Captain Stukely, to the family at Strawberry Hall. Here he meets Miss Kitty Sprightly, an heiress, who has a theatrical twist. The captain makes love to her under the mask of acting, induces her to run off with him and get married, then, returning to the hall, introduces her as his wife. All the family fancy he is only “acting,” but discover too late that their “play” is a life-long reality.--I. Jackman, All the World’s a Stage.
Stanley Crest (The). On a chapeau gu. an eagle feeding on an infant in its nest. The legend is that Sir Thomas de Lathom, having no male issue, was walking with his wife one day, and heard the cries of an infant in an eagle’s nest. They looked on the child as a gift from God, and adopted it, and it became the founder of the Stanley race (time, Edward III.).
Stannard (Major). Sturdy, blunt, unaffected soldier, a terror to evil-doers, and the strong-tower of persecuted innocence. His wife is a lovely woman, worthy of the gallant warrior.--Charles King, Marion’s Faith, and The Colonel’s Daughter (1886), (1888).
Stantons (The), John Stanton, intelligent young carpenter, engaged to Melissa Blake, once a teacher, now a copyist of legal papers.
Orin Stanton, half-brother to John. A sculptor; “one of the artists who would never be able to separate his idea of the nurse from that of the serving-maid. He viewed art from the strictly utilitarian standpoint which considers it a means toward the payment of butcher and baker and candlestick-maker.”--Arlo Bates, The Philistines (1888).
Staples (Lawrence), head jailer at Kenilworth Castle.--Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).
Starch (Dr.), the tutor of Blushington.--W. T. Moncrieff, The Bashful Man.
Starchat´erus, of Sweden, a giant in stature and strength, whose life was protracted to thrice the ordinary term. When he felt himself growing old, he hung a bag of gold round his neck, and told Olo he might take the bag of gold if he would cut off his head, and he did so. He hated luxury in every form, and said a man was a fool who went and dined out for the sake of better fare. One day, Helgo, king of Norway, asked him to be his champion in a contest which was to be decided by himself alone against nine adversaries. Starchaterus selected for the site of combat the top of a mountain covered with snow, and, throwing off his clothes, waited for the nine adversaries. When asked if he would fight with them one by one or all together, he replied, “When dogs bark at me, I drive them all off at once.”--Joannes Magnus, Gothorum Suevorumque Historia (1554).
Stareleigh (Justice), a stout, pudgy little judge, very deaf, and very irascible, who, in the absence of the chief justice, sat in judgment on the trial of “Bardell v. Pickwick.”--C. Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (1836).
Starno, king of Lochlin. Having been conquered by Fingal and generously set at liberty, he promised Fingal his daughter, Agandecca, in marriage, but meant to deal treacherously by him and kill him. Fingal accepted the invitation of Starno, and spent three days in boar-hunts. He was then warned by Agandecca to beware of her father, who had set an ambuscade to waylay him. Fingal, being forewarned, fell on the ambush and slew every man. When Starno heard thereof, he slew his daughter, whereupon Fingal and his followers took to arms, and Starno either “fled or died.” Swaran succeeded his father, Starno.---Ossian, Fingal, iii.; see also Cath-Loda.