The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-11-03
A TALEOF THE YORKSHIRE WOLDS.

Fifty years ago the laws were not SO
thoroughly enforced as they are now
upon the wild ranges of England called
the Yorkshire Wolds. Few of the
busy dwellers in populous London
have any idea Of their grandeur in a
winter snow storm, or of their beauty
when an August sun pours down its
rays upon stretches of waving corn,
that lie like sheets of gold along the
ridges, fringed above with dark plan
tations. During the great exhibition
of 1851 few friends and I took real
holiday for once in our lives, and went
for week to see the wonderful things
in London which the papers were SO
full OF. We saw all that was to be seen
in the time, and we did not lose mo-
ment, assure you. But after all, l
saw nothing like our grand old hills.
1t was the first time that most of us
had been so far away from home.
My tale? 0 yes, that was what ! start
ed to tell you; but that was twenty-five
years before our London visit, when /
was a young man, farming one hun-
dred and sixty acres of land. | had
occupied the farm about two years,
renting, at the same time, q house in
the nearest village, about two miles
away, for my wife and two children.
The farm buildings consisted of a large
barn, which went by the same of Red
Barn, it being built Of red bricks; an old
six horse stable, matched with whins;
q fold-yard, paled around; and two or
three wood sheds. A good sized house
and better outbuildings were being
built; but none Of them were far enough
advanced to be habitable for man or
beast. A plantation of ash and spruce
trees sheltered the farmstead from
wind and storm, as it was situated high
up on the hillside.
Returning home rather later than
usual one Saturday night from our
market town, q distance Of II miles,
was told by the man who came out to
take my horse, that an accident had
happened up at the farm that after
noon.
"What is the matter, David?"
asked.
"Roger has run fork into his foot,
was the answer.
Roger was one of the horses, and, il
appeared, on further questioning, thai
one of the large steel forks used fol
stacking in harvest time had been care
lessly laid upon the stable floor, and
Roger, q farm horse, had run its prongs
into his foot. The man thought it was
= serious wound.
"What have you done for it?, wa.
my next question.
ssSent Off for Coats" Goats was tn,
veterinary surgeon for the district.
"Has he conner
mo, sir; he had gone to Melby"
Melby, / knew, was eighteen mile
away across the country from Goats
home: and after that journey he woult
not feel inclined, at II o'clock on cox
winter night, TO start again for anothe
sixteen miles.
Turning my horses head, told Da
vid to 60 to bed, and / would ride vi
to the Red Barn.
"Shall / ait up for your norse?" b.
asked, yawning, tired from q long day
exposure to cold and storm.
"No, no one need wait for me-" an
started of.
Fifteen minutes brought me to tn
stable door; but / paused to let m
heated mare drink from the pond
close by, and Is / stood / caught
murmur Of human voices within tn
stable. Surprised, ~ not = man live
& the steading, tried the door.
w. fastened on the inside. knocked
stil! holding my horse by the bridl,
and the thought coming across m
mind that Goats must have com
straight here, without waiting for an
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