The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-06-11 00:00:00

THE QUAKER AND THE EARL OF
DERBY.

In the days when Preston was considered " fashion-
able," ere the requirements of trade had swallowed up
nearly every vestige of green parks and spacious gar-
dens formerly connected with many town residences
there were in Stoneygate several neat villas, surrounded
by shady trees and luxurious orchards. Oae of these
was occupied by a rather eccentric Quaker, named
John Danson. The house which John occupied was,
owned by the Earl of Derby, of aporting notoriety. In
their early days the embryo earl and the Quaker boy
hail teen schoolfellows at the Preston Grammer
School, which Was then in Stontygate. The Quaker
had been for some time very tardy in paying up his
rent, and Mr. Barnes, the earl's agent, had on sundry
occasions threatened him with a descent of the " Philis-
tines," in the shape of bailiffs. One morning he started
off on foot to Knowsley, and gaining admission to the
park, walked up to the hall-door and rang. On the
footman answering the bell John put the simple ques-
tion, "Is Edward in ?" "Edward ! ' exclaimed the
astonished lackey; "what Edward do you mean?
"Edward Stanley. He lives here, doesn't he? Is
he hi? I want to see him," replied the Quaker. "Go
away, you impertinent fellow !" was the indignant re-
joinder, and the footman slammed the door in the
Quaker's face. But John was not to be discouraged
by this ungracious reception ; he had come to see the
earl and did see him. The lackey eventually took in
his name, and John was immediately ushered int r the
presence of the noble earl, whom he saluted with—
" Well, Edward. how art thou getting ? ' 'Very well,
thank you John;' replied his lordship, extenelit g his hand
and warmly shali ing that of his visitor. "Wes long time
since thou and me went to Prest in Grammar School
together," added the blunt Quaker. "It is indeed.
John, a very long Urns," replied his lordship. "1
1131 vex, glad to ace you, How are you getting gnat ,

—skrid What has brought you over to Knowsley ?" "I am
sorry to say," responded John, "that I've but been
getting on very badly lately. I cannot raise brass to
pay my rent, and that man of thine at Preston—Baines
—he's a vast saucy fellow—says if I don't pay up be-
fore next Thursday he'll send th' bums. So, I've come
to ask thee to give me a bit lopger " Well,
John," said his lot-Atilt, "I suppose you've been rather
unfortunate lately ; so I'll forgive you the rent alto-
gether. And," added his lordship, "11l tell you what
I'll do further. You may live in the hoitse rent free
as long as you do live." John's proteetstions of grati-
tude for this act of generosity were unbouhded. Ile
took his departure from Knowsley with a much lighter
heart than when appr inching it. Some time after
John's via to Knowsley, during one of the nee
weeks, Lord Derby, when proceeding to Cock Pit t
j in his favourite sport, met John in Stoneyeate,
when after a friendly odlate, the latter said, "I see,
Edward, thou ha.ri's given up thy silly, sinful
Practices yet r " No, John," replied the Esrl, "I
have not. But if all my ter ante paid their rents as you
do, I should very soon have to give it up altogether."
And with this rebuke his lordship walked on.