The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-11
ST Il, 1886. Vol. 4o--No 81


Unseen in my corner, l slipped on my
clothes; but by the time had done so, my
uncle had left the cottage. Annie was still
there, and she took me TO a little bedroom. up
stairs, where washed, and brushed my hair
Descending again to the quaint old kitchen,
found my aunt just come in from feeding
the poultry. She gave kindly nod: then,
sitting down AT the table, drew me gently to
her, and pushing the hair of my forehead.
looked thoughtfully into my face.
Let me look at zee by daylight, lad, Ay,
was right-you be as like your poor father
as one pea is like another. Lawd forbid you
should eer be half as clever!'
why not mother97 asked Annie, who
was looking on with a smile.
I Because he were too clever to sattle down.
4 He rambled up and dawn like moor pony,
till the Lawd took 'un, and ne'er make him
self home; and when he died, there was
none of his kith and kin near him to close
his eyes. Thar. lad, sit dawn and take your
| breakfast Well try to make man of zee
! for my poor sisters sake"
| This sudden allusion to my dead parents
/ coupled with the strangeness of my sur
/ rOundings, brought before me more forcibly
1 than ever the utter forlornness of nv posi-
/ ton, and sent the tears starting to my eyes,
! / fancy Annie noticed this, for she quickly
/ changed the subject, asked her mother for
/ some more hot seones. and put chair for me
| at the table
/ This diversion gave me ample time to re-
/ cover myself Feeling heartily ashamed of
my exhibition of weakness. / swallowed the
| lump in my throat, dashed the back of my
hand across my eyes, and determined from
that hour forth to remember that tears did
not become "a man.
The breakfast was appetizing- perhaps
| from the very straBgeness of it. Never be-
! fore in my life had had placed before me.
at eight o'clock in the morning, a meal of
| hot scones, boiled potatoes and mil k; yet
nightly pleased my aunt by disposing of
enough to keep me going for the rest of the
day.
"Ah, lad she exclaimed, as her bright
eye kindled with pleasure, ''you's gawt some
Cornish blood in zee, after ALL and can eat
your vittles with a relish. You'm got no
proud stomach, my lad, and will be man
like your uncle before lawng.'
The breakfast being over, my aunt and
Annie busted themselves with setting things
to rights" and, feeling somewhat in the
way, took my cap and strolled out to find
out if l could what sort of a country l had
been landed in.
The kitchen door opened directly into the
back yard, as they called it. and here l
found the poultry leisurely picking up the
grain which my aunt had given them before
breakfast. Here / found, too, a mongrel
puppy, sort of cross between a collie and a
greyhound, it seemed to me, which, the mo-
ment made my appearance, came wriggling,
serpent fashion, about my feet.
L passed through the yard, round to the
front of the house, the puppy following close
at my heels. The front of the cottage was
very trim and neat; and there was very
small garden here, which was tolerably well
cultivated; / afterward learned it belonged
to Annie, and owed its pretty appearance en-
tirely to her hands. 1t was a curious illus
tration of the mingling in her of the useful
and ornamental. She was passionately fond
of flowers, and two-thirds of her little garden
was devoted to them, while in the other third
were beds of mustard and cress, radishes
and celery, with which she regularly supplied
'relishes' for the table.
Having made rapid survey of the little
garden, turned my eyes on the prospect be-
fore and beside me. The cottage, which
stood alone on slight eminence, was faced
Immediately by the high road which swept
past and curved on to the village, which lay
some quarter of mile to the left. Immedi-
ately before me was what seemed to me
dark expanse of morass, bleak and barren
enough, and dotted here and there with
cIumps of stunted trees. Beyond was the
sea, calm, cold, and glimmering like steel.
l strolled careleSSly along the road, anus
ing myself from time to time by throwing a
stick and trying to teach the puppy to re-
trieve. A couple of hundred yards from the
cottage | came to an iron gate, surrounded
by plantation of fir-trees, and with long
paused, and, without thinking, threw the
stick as far as could up the avenue. But
the puppy crouched at my feet and declined
to STIR So opened the gate and went in.
had not gone many yards when a sharp
voice arrested me.
Here say, louP it cried. What are
you doing here?'
looked up, and saw boy about my own
age, dressed like young gentleman. He
had black hair, black eyebrows that came
close together, and hanging lip. l saw at
once, by his dress and manner that he was
no miners son.
Look here, you're trespassing you know"
he continued; then, suddenly. why, you
don't belong TO st. Gurlott's. What's your
namep'
told my name, and added that | was
stranger, having come to the village only
last night to live with my uncle and aunt
PendragOn. In moment his face changed;
contemptuous sneer curled his lip as he
said:
''Old Pendragon's boy, eh?7 then, ''What
do you mean by wearing those clothes? ]
thought you were gentlemanr'
His tone, more than his words, reused all
the latent pride OF my nature. Finishing to
the temples, turned on him.
Il am as much a gentleman as you"
said.
"Whatr'
''Oh, I'm not afraid of youl Do you know
what they'd do with you where come from?
They'd thrash you and send you to bed, to
learn better Manners
He clinched his fist, and advanced threat
eningly toward me. Then, looking at me
from head to foot, and finding that at all
events | was his superior in point of physical
strength, he changed his mind. | whistled
up the puppy, and walked away
When reached the cottage again, l came
face to face with Annie.
Where have you Deen?" she asked.
told her had been rambling idly about
She nodded brightly.
"Tve got no work to do to-day she said !;
"leasrways not much. If you like, I'll ask
mother to let me come out and go for a
walk"
Do / said and off she flew.
She was long time gone-so long began
to fear the permission had been denied. She
came at length, however, when | saw the
| cause of her delay. Her print frock had been
exchanged for a stout gown. She wore
| pair of silk gloves, and hat which was evi-
| IDENTIFY intended for Sundays only. As my
| eye wandered over these things. she blushed
| and tried to appear unconscious.
(which way shall we go?' she said.
| was so perfectly unacquainted with the
district that the question seemed to me abb
surd. 1 left the choice to her.
(which way do you like best?' said
She pointed with her hand.
II like to go there she said, ito walk on
the shore"
''On the shore"
'.Yes, don't you see that glittering over
there? That's the sea- though it looks IKE a
bit of the common now it's so still ike to
60 there and walk on the shore, and see the
ships pass along. and listen to the washing
of the waves on the stones"
We accordingly started off across the moor
land toward the sea, and after miles walk
reached the cliffs.
Wild and desolate, they overhung the
ocean, which was at high tide. A narrow
PAIN tnrougn the IockS iru uo"H W tic VIC
ter's edge Descending it. with the sea-gulls
lowering over US, we reached the shore. and
found there a sandy creek and solitary
wooden house. We looked up; the crags rose
above our heads right up into the blue heav.
en-. Then we turned our faces toward the
sea.
at isn't like the sea. is it?v asked, as we
stood side by side: ''it looks like big broad
river
..Nou,r she assented; sbut it isn't always