South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-04-28
CHUBB JACKSON.

| morton! Ii is IN the Weald OF Kent; an
yet not actually in the .wesld, but on
little outlying spur of 1t which project
into the great plain of Romney. Ther
the tough clay has marred the iily-whit
sand, and a bounteous offspring ha
blessed the union. There flourish nobl
oaks, broad -leaved ehestnuts, aspiring elm
in rich luxuriance of leaf, and .emeral
pastures are set amongst their shades, an
rich corn fields and smiling hop-garden
chequer the sides of the gently swellin
slopes 4 10 eTffJsrT f7ssI Gas.
Loiter with me on the pleasant field
path winding in and out among tn
meadows and corn6elds !; look back on tn
red-roofed town crowned by a nsssiv
gothic tower-the evening chimes ar
tinkhng in the still air with a loving lin
gering cadence, suggesting know no
what subtle pathos of ng1forgotten day
and own with me that broad England
can show few fairer ynooks than fai
Throgmorton town
My story hasn't much TO do with Throg
morton, but there it was I first kuev
Chubb Jackson. He wasn't unlike achrl
either, as a boy-wide- -mouthed, with ittl,
teeth set far back in his head, and frecklei
so brown that you might take them fol
scales He was a school-fellow of mine a
the Manor House school Old Hockey
mot thirty them, our head-master had
taken him in as incorrigible, at double
fee, to try and make something of him
Possibly the attempt might have beer
worth the money; but, at any rate, il
didn't succeed Passed through the regu-
lation mill, Chubb came out more ink and
tear-stained, more sulky and more lazy,
than ever. Dragged through the 1Fnied
he tumbled over Arma virumque cano;' y
showed into logarithms, he couldn't even
go through the multi plication-table His
life was a continual round of expia-
ton; of impositions which he never got
through, of lunlearnt tasks which no NOR
tai power could force him to learn; only
the holidays freed him from the ever ac-
cumulating load of punishment. " yAt
And yet think he enjoyed himself
fancy, as he sat by the open window look
ing over the rambling old fashioned garden
to the pleasant apple and cherry orchards
beyond, his eyes and mind far away from
the wretched old lexicon and classics
under his nose, that the bees as they hum
med, and the birds as they twittered, and
all the hushed sounds of country life, said
say for him which they uttered not for
us, as we swiped, and bowled, and fielded,
and kept wicket in the cricket field over
beyond the CAST House. 4=lf ~.s GOO.
/ was the only chum he had; perhaps a
corresponding vein of idlesse made US
sympathize; at all events we were great
friends; and when his aunt, Miss, or as
she was called by courtesy Mrs. Chubb--
he was an orphan, poor fellow, and under
the care of a maiden aunt-when she
came to take him home for the midsum-
mer holidays, she had liking for me for
her nephew's sake, and wanted me to come
and see them at Pelham-crescent, Hast
ings. But never went : and / saw no
more of Chubb jackson for don't know
how many years. s.|
was serving out my articles with Bump
and Podgers, of Lincoln's Inn, living in
lodgings in Stanhope street, Hampstead
road, when, coming from Charing cross
one evening by a yellow bus, recognized
next TO me on the knife board the image
inky boy of my school days; for this was
shiny hat, and shirt collar of portentous
size. Now Chubb as lad had a most in
veterate stutter. So when the youth
turned to me, intending / think, to ask for
a light, having an unlit cigar in his mouth,
and fumbling vainly in his waistcoat
pocket, and saw his mouth working in
painful throes to deliver itself of the en-
bryo words, l knew that he must be my
former sehool-fellow, and cried, uncon-
scously initiating his stsmmer, "W-Why,
you must be C-Chubb Jackson" ..-.
He was living, l found, still with his
aunt Chubb, in Albany street, close by; and
we renewed our school. friendship forth
with. - - ttfL - =
Mrs. Chubb was always delighted to see
me. was SO steady, she said; judging, /
fear, rather from my antecedents than from
any actual knowledge of my habits; and
she always felt comfortable when Chubb
was with me- But there was another at
traction at 294 Albany street. Letitia
Cuttshon was there on vista protracted
visit, having no apparent commencement
Or ending, but which was always to end
at sometime or other, but never did.
The second time / went to see them,
Mrs. Chubb told me, as great secret, that
she hoped Letitia and Chubb would come
together. Letitia was the orphaned daugh-
ter of the dearest friend she ever had-she
gave little sigh as she said it, which
made me think perhaps there was some
romance hidden below her placid
front-and it was the dearest wish of her
heart that the two should be married: but
she wanted Chubb to make something of
himself first He was now apprenticed to
a wood d-engraver, and he really seemed to
have found his particular hole; for he had
a wonderfully neat and careful hand, and
had considerable talent for design. He
worked a good deal at home Ia a little
atelier on the second floor; and you would
hear him, as he Clipped away, humming
sometimes, and sometimes carolling, when
you came to the hall door in quiet Albany
street. -
Looking upon Letitia as already en-
gagged, had no intention of falling in love
with her; but l couldn't help becoming
very fond of her, meeting her as / did
constantly in intimate society, for she was
30 good and lovable. Chubb was much at
.ached to her, fancied but don't know
whether he was quite such good boy as
nis aunt imagined, and used to doubt
sometimes whether the career open to him
pleased him altogether 49, ,--.- %.
Being not sWells at all, but quite unpre-
entious folk, we would sometimes go to
he pit of the Princess. Mrs. Chubb
would pilot her nephew through, and /
would have to take care of Lefty in the
,rowd, and sometimes, under pressure of
would find my arm around
Ter waist, or take her plump hand in mine.
Delicious plelsuresI forbidden, but how
Iweetl - ri
1t happened, however, that some lite
AIRY friend of Chubb offered him a box
or particular night at the Olympic; and
t was then and there determined that we
would all go. Chubb was to come to my
,ffice at half-pas 6, and aunt Chubb and
Ietitia were to call for US there.
I had had very busy day at Lincoln's
mn, and had not noticed the flight of
ime, when / heard cab stop outside; it
vas z o'clock. was vexed with Chubb
hat he hadn't kept his appointment; for /
lad relied upon his coming in time for me
o dress before the ladies arrived Now l
had to run out in my office coat, and ask
Mrs. Chubb to wait till l could struggle
nto my evening suit. $3.50 nJ 80
Don't be more than ten minutes, Ed
ward, she said, "or we shall have to pay
extra for waiting. Chubb must follow us,
.he careless boy" - II
There was nothing remarkable in his
not keeping his appointment. don't think
ne had ever kept one in his life. I con-
,ented mVself with leaviDo ,,,-ooco