Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-05-05

the churchyard was the marshes;
and that the low leaden line beyond
was the river; and that the distant
savage lair from which the wind
was rushing was the sea; and that
tie small bundle of shivers getting
afraid of it all and beginning to cry
was Pip. sHold your noise" cried
terrible voice, as man started up
from among the graves at the side of
! the church porch. Keep still, you
little devil, or I'll cut your throat"
| A fearful man all III coarse grey, with
great iron on his leg" etc.
1t was easy to picture the scene
in that dismal churchyard, although
as stood there the sun was shining
brightly, AID The marshes toward the
Thames, and the Thames itself were
bright and cheerful to look upon.
Two workmen were busy putting
new states on the roofof the church,
which the east wind, rushing from
its distant savage Lair had wreak-
ed its fury upon. Other workmen
were busy putting fresh thatch upon
the rector's out-houses, likewise dis
turbed by the wind. Ali the youth
full Pips were playing cricket in an
adjoining field; and | soon had
betaken myselfto " The Horseshoes
where | dined sumptuously on
rasher of bacon and an egg, the
choicest delicacies the larder could
produce, and which the landlord
himself cooked in frying pan
which must have been rubbed well
with birthstone, judging from the
taste it gave the bacon.
After paying my reckoning and in
curing the nearest way to Strood,
| was taken to the back door and
told to "steer across the fields
straight for the big red house on yon
HILL" and then by the Chatham
prison until | reached the main
road. 1t was a glorious afternoon, |
felt quite equal TO any number of
1 mil and did not stop until got
opposite the convicts 1T work. | has
never seen anything Of the kind be-
fore, and it was most depressing to
see in the middle of such beautiful
valley the gangs of convlcts all in
coarse grey" plodding back and
forth at their dreary tasks, the
Sc tinels marching up and down at
their sides, with the sunlight now
and then striking their glistening
bayonets. All along the road to
STROUD were holiday parties, men,
women and children playing III the
fields or picking hyaclnths and
primroses III the woods. In an hour
from the time left Cooling | had
reached the summit of hill, and
5trood, Rochester, Chatham, and
the Midway lay stretche befare me.
fancied that | could see Gadshill to
the right, but | fear it was only
fancy.
Soon | was on the bridge over the
Midway and was gazing with delight
at Rochester Castle and cathedral,
a scene immortalized by Samuel
PIckwick, Esq. | had just time to
go along Rochester High Street be-
fore my train was due. Quaint old
street, | explored it well last year, and
thought OF Edwin brood, Jasper, Of
and Grewgoins, y rinkle, of Sam Wei
ler all the glorious company, until |
hardly knew whether | was Durdles
or Tracy Tupman. ] also plodded
to Gadshill on scorching hot day,
and chatted with the bar-maid at
the Sir John Falstaff," for had she
not seen Dickens often. | gave a
final peep last evening at the Bull
Inn, with its capacious stairway and
ballroom where Wrinkle and DR..
ISlammer first met, and then retraced
my footsteps across the Midway to
Strood, thinking of Mr.. Micawber.
Mr.. Micawber was induced to
think, on enquiry, that there mlgnt
DO "a opening for a man OF his
talent in the Midway coal trade.
Then, as Mr.. Micawber very prop
erly said, the first step TO be taken
was to come and see the Midway
which we came and saw. We came,
repeated Mrs Micawber, and saw, l
think, the greater part OF the Med
way, and my opinion of the coal
trade on that river is, that il may
require talent, but that it certainly
requires capital. Talent, Mr.. Micaw-
Der has: capital, Mr. Micawber has
not. F. NJ.