Poison Island

entlemen, No. 7, Delamere Terrace, I first met Captain Coffin as he came, drunk and cursing, up the Market Strand, with a rabble of children at his heels. I have reason to remembe

housekeeper; and now but ten minutes ago I had seen off that excellent lady and waved farewell to

licia-had put an end to a career by no means undistinguished. In his last fight, at Corunna, he had not only earned a mention in despatches from his brigadier-general, Lord William Bentinck, but by his alertness in handling his half-regiment at a critical moment, and refusing its right to an outflanking line of French, had been privileged to

ts, an invalid, having taken a wound in the kneecap from a spent bullet, one of the last fired in the battle; but in the common peril he bore a hand with the best. For three days and two nights he never shifted his clothing, which the gale alternately soak

tilled, but saw only through memory. Since then she had married a young officer in the 52nd Regiment, a Lieutenant Archibald Plinlimmon; but, her husband having to depart at once for the Peninsula, she had remained with her father and tended him as befor

count that from the same day he put aside his "Aeneid," and taught me no more from it, but spent his hours for the most part in meditation, often with a Bible open on his knee-although his eyes could not read it.

having married her only because he was obliged-or conceived himself obliged-by honour. Into this story I shall not go. It was a sad one, and, strange to say, sadly creditable to both. I do not remember my mother. She died, having taken some pains to hide even my existence from her husband, who, nevertheless, conscientiously took up

domain. I see him framed there, his head almost touching the lintel, his hands gripping the posts like a blind Samson's, all too strong for the flimsy trelliswork. He wore a brown holland suit in summer, in colder weather a fustian one of like colour, and at first glance you might mistake him for a Quaker. His

o deep as

ed afflict

e may trust

e's brea

nto a legacy of seven thousand pounds from an East Indian uncle; and my father-a simple liver, content with his half-pay-had much ado in his blindness to keep watch and war upon the luxuries she untiringly strove to sm

up to my father-of whom, by the way, she was desperately afraid-and told him that his neglect of me was a sin and a sh

d to be consulting my future when you are really pleading for his. To begin with, I don't want a companion; next, I should not immediately make a com

feel sure that had I-pardon the supposition-been born a man, and made c

him?" my fat

n his own age misunderstood, by his wife especially! And,

f these accidents to Socrates are you

"and it does make such a difference! There's a je ne sais quoi.

long while fumbling with a newspaper, which I recognized for a week-old copy of the "Falmouth Packet." At length she rose abruptly, and, cros

What would yo

dominoes as

number of Pupils of good Social Standing. Education classical, on the lines of the best Public Schools, combined with Home Comforts under the personal supervision of Mrs. Stimcoe (niece of the late Hon. Sir

few months had been, and felt myself an ingrate. I that had longed unspeakably, if but half consciously, for the world beyond Min

asured for two suits after a pattern marked "Boy's Clarence, Gentlemanly," and where I expended two-and-sixpence of my pocket-money on a piratical jack-knife and a book of patriotic songs-two articles indispensable, it seemed to me, to full-blooded manhood; and I will come to the day when the Royal Mail pull

Nil nisi recte! Good luck have thou with thine honou

normous bunch of reins; ta-ra-ra! from the gua

mile stone I stole a look at Miss Plinlimmon. She sat in an ecstasy, wi

while Riding b

at eve o'er P

was a rar

the risk of b

more tempor

self the Lady

e (within limits)

ail of glory

gent boatman ascr

as I found it

hin my bound

nk that for the

nfidently recommend