In Homespun

to London to the church named in her marriage lines and see if it was a real marriage or a make-up, like what you

he train, I walked up to Charleston,

find, and I looked for them high and low till I remembered that I had lent them to Mrs. Blake the week before. So I went to her room to look for them, thinking no harm; and there, looking in her corner cupboard for

last train, lookin

'I've seen the register, and I've seen the

upper, my boy,' says mother, and t

would be out of doors that could anyways be in. I shouldn't have had my nose out of the door myself, except that I wante

cond cousin by the mother's side, and, 'Well, Polly,' says he, 'times

ou true for

quarter to leave a letter at the farm, I take it, especially

urprised as me at getting a letter with a London postmark, and registered too; and he was that surprised that he kept turning it

s Harry; and then he re

marriage; and the more I have thought of it, the more it seems to me that there was a screw loose somewhere. I had the misfortune, as you know

day when they were united, and if the same will be agreeable to you, I will come down Sunday

O

tter to make sure. Telegraph

d what's natural. But we got it all in, with the address, for sixpence, and Harry was as pleased as Punch to think of s

ttlington-no, nor in Polegate neither,-and very changed from the boy with the red

im home, and when he come in he kissed me

ma'am, is to show you who

, Master John, can set Master Harry up in his own again. But he's got a pair of

o of them. So we went out, and walked up on to the Downs for quietness' sake, and it was a

. There's no doubt they were married, but doesn't it seem to you rather strange

e doctors seemed to un

tors that it was just as well they w

haven't found out what my father did, but I did pounce on a bit of news, and that's that she wasn't with him the whole day.

says I,

doesn't come to a man every day of the week. A woman answering to her description went into a c

bits of fools into a shop to sell sixpenny-w

woman answering to her descri

ke,' says I, ver

?' says John, sh

his hand and looked at it, and whistled long and low. It was a little white packet, and had been opened and the label

ome other men's is at such times. But as for me, I fell a-crying to think that any woman could be so wicked, and him

and not to cry, and to be a good girl; and presently, my hand

rder to have poor old father exhumed, and the doctors shall t

n up a grave and look at the poor dead person after it is

we had to say, and shook his head and said, 'I think you are wrong-I think you are wrong,' but th

it seemed as if every one for miles

n't you, howking up my poor dear deceased husband's remains before they're hardly cold? Much good you'll do yours

ou joy o' that Harry, cursed young brute!' says she. 'It se

hand as hard as I could, and bolted off, her after me, and me being young and she stout she could

gging, not to make a grave to be filled up, but to empty one. And there were a lot of people there I didn't k

. But parson, being a friend of the doctor's, he was let in, him and his friend. And we heard voices and the squeak of the screws as they was drawn out; and we heard the coffin lid being laid down, and t

don't open the door afore long, by God, I shall burst it open! He was murdered

ened and parson came out

young men,' s

wn-out of mere curiosity, I am ashamed to say-for the man who is buried there is not

't unde

poison?'

think it. But from what my friend here, the rector of St Mary

right to anythi

will?' says I. But n

l you come with me to keep my hands from violence, and my tongue from evil-sp

ng up together, the new parson walking by me and talking to me li

ards, and he was the best man

g in the parlour, because the red firelight fell out through the window, and made a bright patch that we see before we see the house itse

that clergyman from London looked at me; and we all went up

etticoat, and her feet in cashmere house-boots, very warm and cosy, on the brass fender; and she had got port wine and sherry wine in the two decanters that was never out of the glass-fronted chiffonier when master was alive; and there was something else in a black bottle; and

was right; and in the dusk they

hough, for my part, I never could see it; and, as she stood up, she caught sight of the clergyman from London, and she shrank back into her chair an

rried her to!' said he, pointing to Sigglesfield, who seemed to turn

hy, that's Mr. Sigglesfield

s. Sigglesfield, that's all,'

y house or hers? It's plain she wasn't my father

could he have left anything in a will to his wife w

d I must say for the woman, if she hadn

away thinking how well-mannered I was, and what a nice woman Mrs. Blake was, and how well she knew her place, after you had chatted over half your parish with me.

aid John, 'that anything you

lderton, and he sitting trembling there, like a shrimp half boiled! He got ready the kind of will we wante

,' says I,-'that arsenic I f

me for me to do anything to put a rope round it. Do you suppose I've ke

says Harry, 'that my

Blake. 'It's no use bearing m

which being a woman with her wits about her, and no fool, she naturally never did; and by the time we had woke up to our seven senses, she was

ding to the terms of the will the old man had made when his wife was alive, afore John had joined the force. And Harry and John

brotherly love, as mother says. And if my dear children are the finest anywhere on the Sou

FOR T

t they mean, and I don't believe they know it themselves. It's only a sort of fashion of talking. I never could see what there w

ay round, if you please, through the meadows; and he used to buy her scent and ribbons at the fair, and send her a big valentine of lacepa

nsense, being a man of proper spiri

as could be expected, but you can't pretend poor Jack's are, him being but a blacksmith's man, and not in regular work even. Now, let's have no waterworks,' he went on, for Ma

be, father,' said Mattie,

's not enough for two. And when young Halibut can show as much, you shall be cried in church the very next Sunday. But, meantime, there must be

care much about staying in the village after there was a stop put to his philandering and kissing and scent and

Mattie was getting quite an old maid, nigh on two-and-twenty, and

le and Mattie at the farm. What offers I had had is neither here n

rl like her getting on in years. She might have had young Bath for one, the strawberry grower; and what if he did drink

er after Jack, and that's w

she was down in the garden getting the last berries off the canes. My hands were stained up above the wrist

's a letter from that good-f

I was chaffing her about him, which

for I do feel this morning as if I

ony bush, for that was a silly, old-fashioned garden, with the flowers and fruit about it anyhow), and I had a nice business picking them up, and she threw her arms round my neck and kissed me, and cried like the silly lit

I could scarce see to read it over her shoulder, she not

hoping to find you well,

at your father said and done, b

try about Cupid's dart that I copied for you out of the poetry-book, you will come and meet me in the little ash copse, you know where. I may be prevented coming, for I've a lot of things to see to, and I am going to Liverpool on Thursday, and if w

t want there to be any unpleasantness for you if y

afford to keep one in better style than ever your father kept his. Will you

HAL

letter and was picking up the raspberries before she come to the e

ttoned two buttons of her dress to push it i

like a rose as she said it. 'He's come home again, Jane, and it's al

dn't read the letter which I did, acting for the best. Not that I think it was deceitfulness i

sk you to have

different. I never thought but what he would come ba

enough that she had

s I, 'all's wel

enough to satisfy

erstanding what I was saying. 'I didn't notic

one didn't think so. If she didn't care for money why should she have it, when there was plenty that did? And if love in a cottage was w

th the jam-making, and talk it all over nicely. I'm so gl

t she didn't seem to kn

did her fair share of the work, but she did it with a face as long as a fiddle. Only no

word to the others about it, Jane. I'll tell father myself when I come back, if yo

ly for other people,' I says; 'but I d

one and put on a dowdy old green and white delaine that had been her Sunday dress, trimmed with green satin piping, three years before, and the old hat she had with all the flowers faded and the ribbons crumpled up, that was t

off the nail in the wall. Our farm was full a mile from the village, and half way between i

s you to meet

d she; 'but it used

ull early

take the butter down to Weller's,

e meant that she had to call i

way, I runs into the kit

I'm going over to see her. Give the men

too, for I had on my white frock and the things I had had at a girl's wedding

mind what I was going to do, but with an idea that all things somehow might work to

ut. Quick as thought, the idea come to me to have a joke with her and lock her in, so she shouldn't meet him, and next minute I had turned the key in the lock s

time. I could see his blue tie and whit

,-but when I come close up to him and saw how well off he looked, and the dia

if you go away vexed with her, you won't leave it with your aunt, and one wife is as good as anothe

nds held out to me, but when he

beg your pardon. I was expec

s, 'you was expectin

asks very quick, looking at

, Mr. Halibut,' says I, 'but s

nd it!'

geable; and she told me to tell you she was sorry if you were mistaken in her feelings about you, and she's had time to think things ove

d, looking at me very stra

told me to tell you so; but that's what I made out t

nd to me? For I suppose she

l. So to get a little time I says, 'I don't qui

ays he. 'Don't b

"Tell Jack," she says, "that I shall ever wish him well for the

hat,'

t much besid

n idiot!' and he looked as

l I know of as would make him a better wife than I should, and has been thinking of him s

ch. And who is this other girl that

re,' says I. 'I'm going no

he wouldn't le

t she must insult me and this poor girl too, who's got more sense than she has. Good Heavens

h his hands in his pockets, fr

God! all women aren't like her. Who's thi

tell you,

u, my girl? B

ld of both my wri

I cried, 'you

is

but when he said that, I just lifted my ey

I wanted people to think I meant-sort of matching your

es? Look here, I'm well off. I'm going to Liverpool to-night, and back to America next week. I want to

kiss. I had to put up with it, though I never could see any sense in that

ure she would get plenty that would play love in a cottage with her, and she did not seem to appreciate her blessi

nse to see him well out of the place. But we all make mistakes sometimes. Mine was in saying 'Good-bye' to him at the corner of the four-

ssed me, and gave me the address wh

our uncle,' says he. 'I marries my

st, that it come to me all in a minute that I had left Mattie locked up in that church. It was very tiresome, and how to get her out I didn't know. But

thing, and as I began to climb the hill my heart stood still in my veins, for I heard

and now she's ringing the bell, and she'll fetch

was going to see what it meant. And when I got up there they were trying the big door of the church, not knowing it was the little side one where the key was, a

l clang, clang, clanging from the tower all the time like as if the bellringer was drunk

ingers stand on Sundays, and there was Mattie with her old green gown on, and her hair all loose and down her back with the hard work of bellringing, I suppose, and her face as white as the bald-faced stag as is painted on the sign

cried, 'don't

ur letter, and som

so that I should have been afraid to h

nd all that pack of lies you told

on as if she was something worth having, ins

mean, I'm sure,' I said

t, and I know they're lies by the

joking better than this, it's the las

folks who had run up to see what was the matte

ey was doing. It was the little window where a pane was broken by a stone last summer, and so I heard what they was saying. He was try

round his neck. 'What does it matter about a silly joke

she was up in the church, kissing and cuddling with Jack

rden gate, and Jack, he c

had never gone away, I should never have been able to keep my little girl as she should be kept, an

, he holds out his hands, and he says, 'God bles

went in t

I wanted. And uncle has never been the same to me

IL

p learning something of their ways. At any rate, you learn what gentlefolks like, and what they can't abide. But the worst of being housemaid where there's a lot of servants kept is, that one or other or all of the men-servants is sure

gh never with John, who was the plague of my life. To begin with, he had a black whisker, that I couldn't bear to look at, let alone putting one's face against it, as I should have had to have done when married,

will say that, and had been with the master three years, and the best of characters; but whatever he might have thought, I never would have had anything to do with him, even if James and me had had seas between us broad a-rolling for ever and ever Amen. He asked me once and he asked me tw

shaved as clean as a whistle, as though he had made up his mind that people shouldn't say that it had all gone to beard and whiskers, anyway. He wrote books, a great many of them, and you may often see his name in

know he likes to find out all that he can abo

had it late, as he did sometimes, owing to him having been kept past the proper time by his story-writing, for he wrote a good part of the day most days, and often went up to London while he was staying with us-to sell his goods, I suppose. He wore curious clothes, not like most gentlemen, but all wool things, even to his collars and his boo

was very fond of wearing it of an evening, more than most people do when they are staying with relations and there's no company. She never spoke much except to say, 'Yes,

He was like Sam Weller in the book, or would have been if he had lived in

able to get his dinner comfortable with the rest of us-a thing she wouldn't have done for Sir William himself at that time of night. As for me, the first time he looked at me

irst Sunday, which was more than ever I had done with any of the others, it was after

s dusting the library, when John come in

do you mean by going to church w

iness,' says I, sh

t know how I love you, Mary,' he says. And I was sorry for him as he spoke. 'I would lie down in the dirt f

ty times, that it can never be. And there are plenty of other girls that would be only

a cat in a cage. Presently he began to

with you till he gets back to London to his own girl. You let him see you was onl

rush out of my hand, and

arried as soon as he has saved enough for a little public, and I never want to speak to you again; and if you

t, but he let my

ll find he won't want to marry you, and you'll marry me, my girl. And when you

elf into an honest man, and you'll find that the hardest of all.' And with that I threw the dusting-brush at him-which was a piece of wicked t

said to myself; and I didn't tell a soul about

e. Then came that dreadful day that I shall never forget if I live to be a hundred years old. Dinner was half an hour later than usual on account of Mr. Oliver having gone up to town on his business; but he didn't get home when expected

they say in books, and I always thought it nonsense, but she c

it?' I

o-night. And then she said, No, she wouldn't; she'd have the emeralds, and I

of being fifty, and as round as an orange. We looked on the dressing-table and we looked on the floor, and we looked in the curtains to see if it had got in any of them. But look high, look low, no diamond necklace could we find. So at last Scott-that was Mrs. Oliver's maid-said there

Scott,' she says. 'I am

vel, and he came in at the front door with his little black bag in his hand th

' And, indeed, she looked more dead than alive.

r to me, 'you haven't lost your hea

m. All the servants was called up, even to the kitchen-maid; and those who were not angry, were frightened, and, what with fright and anger, there wasn't one of us, I do believe, as didn't look as they had got the necklace on under their clothes that very minute. John was very angry indeed. '

t of questions, and we were told we

y that we should wish our boxes searched and our rooms, so that there shall

lt on any one.' But Mr. Oliver, who hadn't been saying much, though so talkati

; and if you don't mind,' he says to m

l my drawers and boxes except my little hat-tin, and when they wanted the key of that, I said, silly-like, not having any idea that th

wn towards getting my things for the wedding ready, and I felt somehow I didn't want any one to

e me the k

that, if you'll believe me, there was the necklace like a shining snake coiled up. I never said a word, being struck silly. I didn't cry or even say anything as people do in books w

all the servants into the library, Willi

say that it wasn't me, a

f I had got something catching, and master and my Lady and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver in leather armchairs, all of a row, looking lik

Master, 'what ha

er put it there; I don't know who did; an

elieve it of you even now, but why would

d there wasn't a face that looked kind at me except Mr. Oliver's,

irl,' he sai

ried, my Lady, and it was bits of thin

ke lead, and his eyes wild that used to be so jolly, and to see

down dead, for live

o confess that I took it, and I put it in her box, thinking to take it away again a

nuff till I could have killed him for it; and I looked at James, and I could have fallen at his feet and worshipped

sequences if I have to be hanged for it. But don't you bel

ys master very sharp. 'If you didn'

of you, you'd know why I know it's not him. If you felt to a young man like I feel to James, you'd know in your heart that h

collar till I'd have liked to strangle him with

been that I didn't if he had really loved me, as he said, instead of believing that

Don't mind her-she's off her head with fright about m

ned back in his chair, and he clapped his hands softly

him as if they thought he

d master never answering him, only staring, he turned quite sharp and sudden and pointed to John as he stood near the door with his black ey

that. He spoke quite firm and respectful. 'And why should I have done that, sir, if you pl

should be careful not to do it in the library with the window open. I was in the verandah, and I heard you threaten that she should

er. 'Every one in the house knows I have been sorry for a hasty word,

saw the black-whiskered gentleman with the necklace in his hand. I did get home late to-night, but not so late as you thought, and I came in through the open door and was up in my dre

' says John, growing very white, and speaking angry and quick, 'with your writing, and your snuff, and your gossiping with the servants, which no gentleman would do, and your nasty, sneaking, Jaeger-felt boots, and your silly old tub of a wife. I knew that smooth-spoken man

ince we came down into the library, said quite sudden, 'O Dick dear! let him go. Don't prosecute him. See, he's los

surprised at her speaking up like that, her that hardly ever said a word except 'Yes, Dick dear,' and 'No,

round, and he said to Mrs. Oliver, 'You're a good woman, and I'm sorry I said w

no friends, and I suppose he had nowhere to go with his character gone, and so it happened that was truly his last

s. Oliver had bought him a nice little hotel and given it to him herself; but when the year was up, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver came down to stay again, and seeing them brought it all back, and his having tried to save me as he had seemed more than his having d

AND

erful and gentle at the same time, like as if he was kind to you for his own pleasure, and ordering you abou

that baby from the first, and a fine handsome little chap he was, and when my Lady died he was wholly given over to my care. And I loved the child; indeed, I did love him, and should have loved him to the end but for one thing, and that comes in its own place in my story. But even those who loved young Jasper best couldn't help seeing he hadn't his father's winning ways. And when he grew up to man's estate, he was as wild as his father had been before him. But his wild ways were the ways that make young men en

Jasper, but I didn't think it

young Robert, the under-gamekeeper, was to the Family. He had their black, curly ha

steady chap, and used to read and write of an evening instead of spending a jolly hour or two at the Dove and Branch, as most young fellows do, and as, indeed, my young master did too often. And Sir Jasper,

sunshine like as if it had been a bedroom candle; for Sir Jasper

to the last, and did everything that could be done for him

ght, a chilly wind that seems to find out the marrow of your bones, and if you are nursi

kindly. It brings tears into my eyes when I think

it might have been. What happened afterwards wasn'

, 'to my old secre

pigeon-holes inside, and li

n't pull it; give it a twist round.' I did, and lo and behold! a litt

's in it, Nel

case tied round with

ve always had my doubts about the dead sleeping so quiet as some folks say. But I think I

ed, where he lay looking

suddenly,' says he; 'bu

as both q

a laugh in his blue eye. 'I may be wrong, Nelly, but I think you woul

her man. And soon after that, it being the coldest hour o

ter is no one's business but my own. I went about the house, and I did my duty-ever since Master Jasper had been grown up I had been housekeeper. I did my duty, I say, and before the coffin lid was screwed down

and called them in, and young Master Jasper, he f

in the master's coffin

he asked, very

case. It may be some old letter or a l

wed him in. He looked very pale and anxio

tle follies of mine, and he told me the other night he had left a good slice of the estate

hat was no will or lawyer's letters, it was but s

that was all I

rt the gamekeeper, and you may be sure the tongues went wagging above a bit. But it seemed to me, if it was so, my master was rig

oor,' but I never loved and pitied him less than I did that night. He had lost such a father, and he could go troubling about whether he had got the whole estate or not. So I lay awake, and I thought of the coffin lying between its burning tapers in the great bedroom, and I wished they had not screwed him down, for then I could have gone, late as it was, and had another look at my master's face. And as I lay it seemed to me that I heard a door opened, and then a step, and then a key turned. Now, the master never locked his door, so the ke

screws out and laid them on the little bedside table, where the master used to keep his pistols of a night. When all the screws was out he lifted the

o to his father's coffin like that, and begin to serve his own interest and his own curiosity, every spark o

hadn't a look or a thought to spare for him as gave him life, and had humoured and spoiled and petted and made much of him a

s, God forgive me, he was in my eyes at that hour. So I crept behind him softly, softly, an inch at a time, till I got to where I could see the coffin; and if you'll believe a foolish old woman, I kept looki

the spur's touch. Almost at the same time my heart came leaping into my mouth, and if ever a woman nearly d

ers young Sir Jasper had let fall, and says he, 'I will deal with these, young gentleman. Go you to your room.' And Sir Jasper, like a kicked hound, went. Then I began to tell my s

t you shall keep your promise and put

hould have liked him to know that I had done my best for him, but he could not have known that without knowing of what young Sir

d the lawyer he read out that the personal property went to Robert the ga

aid that his father was a doting old fool and out of his mind, and he would have the law of them,

man; I have a word

ight out what had passed last night, and how young

,-a lock of hair and a wedding ring, and a marriage certificate, and a baptism certificate; and you, Jaspe

Sir Jasper, trembling like a woman, and

that was his choice. But you chose to know what he wished to hide from

e perso

with a sour smile, 'that your father provided fo

house; nor have I ever seen him again, though he did set lawyer folk to w

s loved as his father was before him by all he s

the boy Jasper might be, and he has a re

he first spoke to me af

rmer, so I feel we come, as it were, of one blood; and besides that

e on in my old place. I am glad to think that he did not choose to leave me money, but instead the gr

AY OF

l things work together for good to them that love God-or them that don't, for

cousin Amelia, who was apprenticed to the millinery and dress-making in Maidstone; the two had been brought up together from little things, and they was that fond of each other it was a pleasure to see them together. I was fond of Amelia, too, like as a brother might be; and when Jenny and me walked out of a Sunday, as often as not Amelia would come with us, and all went on happy enough for a while. Then I began to notice Jenny didn't seem to care so much about walking out, and one Sunday afternoon she sai

t I said to myself, 'This can't go on; us three that used to be so jolly, we're as flat as half a pint of four ale; and I'll

e old folks had gone to a Magic Lantern in the

asked after each other's relations, I says, 'Look here, Amelia, what is it that's mak

nd she went whi

om-don't 'e now, th

e, I asked he

ny'll never forgive

r know,' says I; a

your 'eart. But Jenny, she don't care for you no more; it's Joe Wheeler as

d taken time to think a bit, 'I can't believe this, A

t need of asking when for the trouble of walking the length of the road you can see them together? But if

I won't

bear to stand by and see you deceived, Tom. If you go by the churchyard an hour from now, you'll see the

need envy me what I felt as I walked about the lanes waiting till it was time

ed the churchyard gate

didn't see me, and I stood for a minute and looked at them, and but for what I'd swore to Amelia I believe I should have taken Wheeler by the throat and shaken the life out of him then and there. But I had swore, and I tur

k you very much; y

O

he other

u can go to the devil your own way. So no mor

going for

ll in with a fireman, and he persuaded me to go in for that business, which is just as exciting as a soldier's, and a great deal more dangerous, most times. And a fireman I was

house it was,-and I went up the ladder to a window where there was

neck (she didn't know me from Adam), and said: 'Oh, go back and f

ck and I looke

, lying on t

en, the next thing I knew, there was a cracking under my feet and the boards giving way, and I sprang across to Wheeler all in a minute, as anxious to save him as if he'd been my own twin brother. There was no waking him, it was lift him or

ooks as I'd had burnt off me, and I didn'

charity sister sitting looking at me, and, by the Lord, if it wasn't Amelia

girl I was. O Tom, to see you lying there, so ill!

e that night eight years ago was a lie, no better; and that who I'd seen in the church po

er forgive myself! I knew Jenny didn't rightly care about you, Tom, and I loved you so dear. And Wheeler wa

and I says, 'I do forgive you, Amelia, for, after all, you

it were; if I don't like them or they

et bygones be bygones, and marry me as soon as I come out of this, for it's worth

from your articles and turned fireman, and Jenny married to a drunken brute-no, Tom, no

ever you think bette

Sons of the Phoenix and Bands of Hope rolled into one. He never touched a drop of drink since that day, and Jenny's as happy as her kind ever is. I hear she didn't fret ove

us. And if this was a made-up story, Amelia would have had to drowned herself or something, and I should have gone a-weeping and a-wailing for Jenny all my born days; but as it's true and really happened, Amelia and me have been punished enough, I think; for eight years of unhappiness is only

S OF

ould have chose the barge rather than the finest cottage ever I see. When I come to be grown up and took a husband of my own it was a bargeman I took, of course. He was a good sort always, was my Tom, though not particular about Sundays and churchgoings and such like, as my father always was. It use

he was in liquor; and as to liftin' his 'and to me, no, never in his life. But after two years we got a little baby of our own, and then I knew as I hadn't known what 'appiness was before. She w

old days, when I was a little kid along of 'er in the barge. So we named our little kid Mary to be like our boat, and as soon as she was big enough, I taught 'er a

d of it; 'we'll send our Mary to school with that, we will;

us a fortnight, and the barge was like hell without her, Tom said, and I felt it too though I couldn't say it, being a Chr

e's better off where she is, and she'll thank us for it some day. She's 'appier

f it wasn't that precious child standing on the bank callin' 'Daddy,' and she'd

we was all out o' breath, and then she set up on 'er daddy's knee, and 'ad a bit o' cold pork and a glass of ale for 'er supper along of us, and ther

ugh I ses it there wasn't a sweeter girl no

was only one as she ever give so much as a kind look to, and that was Bill Jarvis, the blacksmith's son at Farleigh. Whenever our barge was lyin' in the riv

o be "William and Mary" af

might look to come into his father's business in good time, and barrin' a bit of poaching

, that the little gell as 'ad been my very own these seventeen years wouldn't be mine no longer soon, and,

as to lose my Pretty. And on the Friday night, my old man, 'e went up to the Rose and Crown to see about things and to get a drink along of 'is mates, and when 'e come back I look

e to me, 'wher

er sweet'eart,' says I. 'O Tom, this is the last night she'll lay in that little bunk as s

summat up at the Rose and Crown: Bank's broke, and all ou

t, Tom,' says I;

,' for I'd begun to cry. 'More's been lost on market-days, as they say:

know old Mother Jarvis-a cat: we'd best tell the child, p'raps she won't marry 'im if she

ays my old man, 'they're

was a-goin' to and not 'er marryin'. The parson was at the church and a lot of folks as knew us, us 'a

and says out loud in the church, for all the parson and me said ''Ush!' 'I'm goin' back 'ome,' says 'e; 'there won't be no weddin' t

y wicked spite only the day before. The tears was runnin' down her fat cheeks, and as soon as she saw my Pretty, she caught 'er in 'er arms and 'ugged 'er like as if she'd been 'er own. 'God

all 'e wanted, but it ain't what he'll get,' says 'e. 'You keep 'im out of my w

shinin' just as if there was nothin' wrong, and the skylarks a-singin'

we couldn't get away from the place where everybody knew the slight that had been put

y Pretty 'ad gone through at the church was nothin' to what she'd got t

I ought to tell her I didn't 'old with such wickedness; so one night when 'er father, 'e was up at the Rose and Crown, and she, a-settin' on the bank with

ays she, 'O mother!' And with that I forgot everything about bein' angry with 'er,

in a whisper. 'O mother, I didn't think there w

so, don't: there'll be the little baby by-and-by, and us 'ull lov

ays she; 'he'll kil

mother can know what a merry-go-round of misery I'd got in my head that night. And when my old man come 'ome I told 'im, and 'Don't be 'ard

when my Pretty was a little un, and 'e hushin' her to sleep. ''Ard on 'er? 'Ard on my precious lamb?

as not to make a clatter on the steps near where she slep

on 'er, but if ever I meet 'im, I'll 'ave 'is blood, if I swing fo

k, with the Bible in 'is 'ands. And before I knew what I was doin', I'd caught the book out of 'is 'ands, and chucked it into the river, my own Bible, that my own m

ur poor old woman, think of the poor little kid that's comin', what ud us all do without you? An

eam and 'as just waked up. Then 'e smacks me on the back, 'All right, old woman,' says 'e, 'we

us 'ave loved the baby more if its father and mother 'ad been married by an archbishop in Westminster Abbey. And the folks we knew along the banks would have been kin

ink, but it didn't make 'im no cheerfuller, and 'e went to church now and then, a thing I'd never known '

e by where we was moored, and 'e jumped on to our barge, not stoppin' to look at the name, and, 'For God's sake, hide me!' says 'e, and it was a soldier in a red coat with a scared face, as I see by the light of the moon. And it was

man down and he's dead. Oh, for God's sake,

vis, 'e see who it was, and-'O my God!' says 'e, a

e slammed it to again. 'No, I can't,' says 'e, 'by God, I can't.' And before the soldier could speak, he'd dragged him down our cabi

. 'Why not 'a give 'im up to serve 'i

t I can't'; and we stood there in the quiet night, me a-holdi

dozen soldiers come

sergeant, 'see any

air, 'im that I'd never 'eard tell a lie in his life befo

on,' says the sergeant,

says my old man;

s the sergeant, a

We was a-goin' down stream, and

me out of 'er cabin; and at Chatham, my old man, 'e says, 'I'm goin'

he knew nothin' but that Jarvis was aboard; and when I'd told

I. 'Father's a better chap

says, 'Look 'ere, Bill,' says 'e, 'you didn't kill your man last night, and after all, it was in a fair rough-

ll of a tremble. 'By God,'

,' says Tom. 'Get along, out of my sight

ge before you could say 'knife,'

Bessie for me. She and her mother was a-settin' in the meadow pickin' the daisies, when I see a soldier a-c

Mary?'

Bill?'

my kid?

nough to deceive a girl, and desert her, without throwing mud in her

t out of that scrape, thanks to your father, and I want to let bygones be byg

on her feet, with the

it was to save me from hanging? Me give the kid a father like you? Thank God, the child's my own, and you can't touch it. I tell you,' says she,

and down into her cabin; and 'e was left a-standin' th

rwards, 'you ought to 'ave let

says she, 'and the child is all

pleasure of having the little thing about us. And so the time went on, till one day at Maidstone a Sister of Charity

e,' says

'm afraid, and he wants to see you before he goes. It's typhoid

s Bill Jarvis. So we left my Pretty in charge of the ba

being a fleshy, red-cheeked young fellow, he'd come to be as

her and the kid no 'arm now, and I should die easier if

t says I, 'I would dearly like he

e, for 'e wasn't the crying sort-'So help me God, I never knew what a beast I was till that day I come to you in your barge and you showed me what a man was, Tom Allbutt; you did, so, and I've been tryin

her arms; and the chaplain married them then and there. I don't know ho

ll I die,' says 'e, 'won't

there isn't a couple happier than him

fe, for it was after he had had a little tal

beast; but your father showed me what a man was, and I've tried to be a man. You was fond of me on

it was for a wager; 'you ain't a-goin' to die, you're goin' to live along of me and b