The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-07-14
DEAD NED.
A Tale OF 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 winter snow
storm, or OF their beauty when an Au-
gust sun pours down its rays upon
stretches of waving corn, that lie like
sheets of gold along the ridges, fringed
above with dark plantations. During
the great exhibition of 1851, few friends
and 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
could be seen in that time, and we did
not lose a moment, assure you. But,
after all, saw nothing like our grand
old hills. 1t was the first time that most
of us had been 80 far away from home.
My tale?-O yes, that was what
started to tell you but that was twenty
five years before our London visit, when
I was young man, farming a hundred
and sixty acres of land. / had occupied
the farm about two years, renting at the
same time hose in the nearest village,
two miles away, for my wife and two
children. The farm buildings consis ed
of barn, which went by the fame of
the Red Barn, it being built of red
bricks an old six-horse stable, matched
with whins fold-yard, paled around,
and TWO or three wood-sheds. A good
sized house and better out-buildings
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 IL was situated
high up on the hill side.
Returning home rather later than
usual one Saturday night from our mar
ket town, distance of twelve miles, L
was told by the man who came out to
take my horse that an accident had hap
pened that afternoon.
"What's the matter, DayidP" I
asked
"Roger has run fork into his foot, {"
was the answer.
Roger was one of the horses. 1t ap-
peared, on further questioning. that one
a. the large steel forks, used for stack
ing in harvest time, had been carelessly
laid upon the stable floor, and Roger, o
farm horse. had run its prongs into his
foot. The man thought it was serious
wound.
"What have you done to it ?" was my
next question.
"Sent off for Coats" Coats was the
veterinary surgeon for the district.
"Has he Gomez"
"No, sir; he had gone to Melby."
81 II arrvl,t loo
away across the country from Coats
home and, after that journey, he would
not feel inclined, at IL o'clock, on a cold
winter night to start again for another
sixteen miles.
Turning my horses head, 1 told David
TO go to bed, and would ride up to the
Red Pam.
"Shall I sit up for your horse" he
asked, yawning, tired from long days
exposure to cold and storm.
No; no one need wait for me )" and
/ started of.
Fifteen minutes brought me TO the
stable-door but 1 paused to let my
heated mare drink from the pond clio %
by. and as 1 stood / caught. n murmur of
human voices within the stable. Sur
prised, as not a man lived at the stead
ing, ] tried the door. It was fastened
from the inside. l knocked, still hold
ing my horse by the bride, the thought
coming across nv mind that Goats must
have come straight here. without wait
ing for any one to assist him. There
was no answer to my first summons, so
knocked and called again more loudly.
"What dye want?" demanded gruff
voice from the inside
Want? / want in, to be sure.
Whet are Won doing there, should like
to know? Open the door at once p
"Likely |" was grunted hack again,
"when we are warm and settled after q
nasty, cold tramp"
Now 7 knew who my unlimited guests
were. It il not every one who knows.
or knew, of the existence of a class OF
mendicsnts, familiarlv termed among
us "Wold Rangers" a pest TO the
farmers. and great dread to the in
habitants OF outlying farms. They
were constant pilferers and rarely
would work, though cften applying fol
It, None of them was above poaching
and mo of them had been to prison il
some time or another. A few professe(
TO he hawlSers of some sort: hut the
majority begged from door TO door. We
had no policeman nearer than ten miles
and his face was almost as strange a.
the Shah's in our district. These law
less wanderers rarely travelled alone
but were generally accompanied by {
numerous following OF women anC
children, horse aud cart or two, Otter
n donkey. and two or three dogs.