, 1859-03-18

commission, in the year 1914, "who sent thee
here to break off Bridget's nose and take away
the thumb nails Of st. Jockster Of Coventry :"
"Who but the great man Master Honeydew." 3"
replied the man, while he piled the hammer and
split St Brdgets shoulder into fifty Fragments
He is a stout and true-hearted Protestant and
high in favor with our Lord the King"
And in 1866 he said: "By cross and pie |
who hath sent thee hthcr With thy new painted
wooden images The old Bridget was good
enough for We"
~ am sent by Sir Stephen Honcydew," re-
piled the man, fixing the saint against the wall
by a long nail through her leg. ale is a true
and holy Catholic, and high in favor with our
Lady the Queen"
"Odds Wiggington I" said Tommy, " can this
be the husband Of Susan Proddy's child ?" And
he made inquiry, and found that the daughter Of
Dodger, the miller Of Wakefield, was Lady Ho-
neydew, one Of the grandest ladies about the
court. " Hath she ever a son 7" he inquired Of
the workman, who was giving Bridget's cheeks
rub with sand paper.
GAY, marry hath shc," he said; "a goolly
boy Of ten years old. He never misses a burn
ing Of heretics; for already the saints have
given him spirit Of the true faith"
IL wish could look on him afore die, said
Tommy; "but there amt no chance. I've lost
my teeth; my head be bald my back be bent
ha' no taste in my mouth; have singing in my
ears I've congestion Of the spleen; I've soft |
ening Of the brain; I'm afflicted with dropsy
I've erysipelas in the face I've got lumbar ab- |
scess and intermittent fever. ! must get me to |
bed, and die in day at furthest"
But Tommy was deceived once more. When |
the ehurchyard of the village was filled with two |
or three more generations Of his cotemporaries |
when Elizabeth was succeeded on the scat which |
she had made throne by Scotch pedant who
made II schoolmaster's stool; when all the Eng
land Of his early days had disappeared, and the |
battle Of Bosworth had begun to DO considered |
pretty nearly as ancient as the battle Of Marathon,
there came down gentleman to the little Shrop-
shire village, and inquired his way to Tonmy's
cottage
"How do, father ?" he said, jauntily lifting up
his Spanish hat, and letting the feather trail on
the kitchen floor. ave have heard Of thee at
court old gentleman, and the King wishes to see
hands with King Charles 7"
al feckins viii, said the old man; for by'r
ladye l began my knowledge Of kings pretty |
early, seeing saw on one day both King Rich |
ard and King Henry. But, by the crook o Glas- |
ton, we must make haste; for l haven't long to |
live now"
"Have with you then, !" said the gallant. You
shall be the guest Of my Lord Bemcrly, and
shortly shalt thou see his Majesty"
Lord Bemerly received the Shropshire peasant
very kindly, Lady Bemerly was delighted TO |
study such an old "put," and with the tasteful |
gTaciousness Of the time amused herself by put |
ting vinegar into his beer, and filling his apple
pic with pepper and mustard, and tying ribbons
across his path to make him fall and once sue
ceeded in tripping him at the top Of the great
staircase, and had him taken up insensible when
he had reached the lowest step. All the gay |
people in the neighbOrhood were enchanted at
the inGntile playfGlness Of the countess. She
was the most aristocratic Of all the families IN |
the country, and so indeed was her lord be-
tween them they constituted the very acme and |
perfection Of high birth and noble breeding.
ado you know" she said one day to Tommy, |
" that some Of my ancestors came from Shrop- |
shire-'tis an immense time ago, before the CRU
sades, believe-and even you wern't born then.
Look this ring and chain-did you ever see any
thing more quaint and old !"
"0dds filters !" he said, "Tve seed they be-
fore. Tell me, fair mistress, what was the namc
Of thee afore thou vast married to my lord Z"
4" My father was Earl Of BOshfield," she said, |
with a laugh; "great grandson Of the famous
Sir Stephen Honi D'Eux, who was so great
man in Henry's and Mary's time. He married |
let me see, here's book that tells US all about
them-he married Susan Proddy, and was de-
scended from noble family who came over with |
William, and assumed their name from the motto |
Of their house, Pro Dec ct Rege. See, here Is
the ring with a coronet, and under It the words.
al knowed her we'll" said Tommy. "She
was Susan Proddy's child, as married Dodger, |
the Mn'er Of Wakefield"
The countess laughed long and loud. "You
pronounce the names incorrectly, Master Thomas /
She married Reginald D0zier the head Of the
great family Of the D'Oziers Of Contances, who
were called the miIlcrs from their proagious
strength and the battle-axe with which they
fought in the Holy Land; and you degrade them
into the plcbeian DOdgeTl See, here IS another
ring, with the explanation Of the name you call
Honeydew."
She took from cupboard plain gold ring, |
and showed il 10 her visitor.
"Jackersl but this is more odd nor the other
sent that ere to thy grandmothers grandmoth- |
or the day she married the constable in War
wick Church. Aud do tell thee, the name was
Susan Proddy and Stephen Honeydew. seed
'em both, and I wanted TO marry thy grand |
mothers great grandmother myself and would, |
too, only was so sicklY and weak"
"Get thee to thy butter-hatch. and get strong, |
said the countess pettishly. Thou hast out
lived thy strength and memory; and will have
thee cudgeled to death Il thou breathcst word
moro about your HOneydews and Proddys and
Dodgers"
Tommy hobbled as well as he was able to the
buttery, and there endeayored to recover his
courage and drown his remembrances Of Susan
with such eopious draughts Of beer that in loss
than week he expired Of repletion and indlges-
tion. lie was buried at the expense Of the Illus
trious family Of the Honi DEux, and on his
tombstone was written
" In memory Of Thomas ParT, who died in the
rear 1895, at the age Of one hundred
and Gity-three.' ,a