Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-04
CHUBB JACKSON.

y, 4
morton, 1t is in the weald Of Kent AM
yet not actually in the weald, but on
little outlying spur Of it which project
into the great plain OF Romney. Their
the tough clay has marred the lily-whit'
sand, and q bounteous offspring ha'
blessed the union. There flourish noble
oaks, broad -leaved chestnuts, aspiring elmi
in rich luxuriance Of leaf; and emerald
pastures are set amongst their shades, and
rich corn fields and smiling hop-gardens
chequer the sides Of the gently swelling
slopes.
Loiter with me On the pleasant field.
psth winding in and out among the
meadows and cornhelds; look back ON the
red-Yoofed town crowned by massive
gothic bwer-the evening chimes are
tinkling In the still air with loving lin
gering cadence, suggesting / know not
what subtle pathos Of long forgotten days
and own with me that broad England
can show few fairer hooks than fair
Throgmorton town.
Ny story hasn't much TO do with Throg-
morton; but there it was / first knew
Chubb Jackson he wasn't unlike club
either, AZ boy-wide msuthed, with little
teeth set far back in his head, and freckles
% brown tnat you might take them for
scales. He was school-fellOw Of mine at
the Manor House school Old Hockey
mot thirty them, our head-master, had
taken him in az incorrigible, at double
Zee, TO try and make something Of him.
Possibly the attempt might have been
worth the money: but, at any rate, 1t
didn't succeed Passed through the regu-
lstion mill. Chubb came out more ink and
tear stained, more suIky and more lazy,
than ever. Dragged through the AEnied,
he tumbled over Arma virumque canO -
showed into logarithms, he couldn't even
70 through the multiplication table. His
life was . continual round Of expia-
ton Of impositions which he never got
through, Of unlearnt tasks which no NOR
txl power could force him To learn only
the holidays freed him from the ever &C
cumulsting load Of punishment.
And yet think he enjoyed himself !
fancy, a. he sat by the open window look
ing over the rambling old fashioned garden
70 the pleasant apple and cherry orchards
beyond, his eyes and mind far away from
the wre.ched old lexicon and classics
under his nose. that the bees as they hum
med, and the birds ss they twittered, and
al the hushed sounds of country life, sale
. ny Tor him which they uttered not fol
u, = we swiped, and bowled, and fielded
and kept wicket In the cricket field owe
beyond the Osst House.
was the only chum he had perhaps
corresponding vein Of idlesse made u
sympathize; at all events we were grea
friends and when his aunt, Miss, or a
she was called by courtesy Mrs. Chubb-
be was an orphan, poor fellow, and undo
the care of q maiden aunt-when sh
came 70 take him home for the midsum
mer holidays, she had a liking for me 70
her nephew's sake, and wanted me to com
and zee them at Pelham crescent, Hast
ings. But never went; and saw NJ
more of Chubb Jackson for don't kno,
how many years.
was serving out my articles with Bum
and P0dgers, Of Lincoln's Inn, living i
lodgings In Stanhope street, Hampstea
road, when, coming from Charing eros
one evening by yellow bus, recognize
next 70 me on the knife board the imag
Of Chubb jackson. II couldn't be tn
inky boy Of my school days; for this wa
Q painful swell In lavender gloves, mos
shiny hat, and shirt collar Of pcrtentOu
size. Now Chubb as lad had most in
yoterate stutter. So when the yout
turned to me, intending think, to ask fo
light, having an unlit cigar in his mouth
and fumbling vainly In his waistcoa
Docket. and saw his mouth working i
painful throes to deliver itself of the en-
bry0 words, ] knew that he must be m
former school fellow, and cried, uncol
so0usly initiating his stammer, "W-wh..
Won must be C-Chubb Jackson!"
He was living, l found, still with h
aunt Chubb, In Albany street, close by an
We renewed our school friendship fortl
with.
Mn. Chubb was always delighted to sc
me. was 90 steady, she said; judging,
fear. rather from my antecedents than frol
any actual knowledge of my habits; an
she always felt comfortable when Club
IVES with me. But there was another q
traction at 204 Albany street. Letiti
Cuttshon was there on avisit-a protracte
visit, having no apparent commencement
or ending, but which was always to en-
It sometime or other, but never did.
Tho second time ] went to see then
Ma Chubb told me, a. great secret, thu
ahe hoped Letitia and Chubb would com
together. Letitia was the orphaned daugf
a. Of the dearest friend she ever had-sh
rave . little sigh - she said 1t, whic
made mo think perhaps there was som
vOunan'e romance hidden below her placi
6tont-end it was the dearest wish Of he
heert that the two should be married; bu
~ vsntad Chubb to make oonething (