The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-11

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When we entered the village of Craigrud-
dock our appearance caused no little stir.
John Rudd was evidently well known-for
as the numbering wagon went rat.ling down
the little street. shock-headed children came
peeping out of the doOrways. and here and
there peasant woman made her appearance,
and nodded cheerfully to us as we went by.
For each and all John Rudd had good-hu
mored grin, which l thought broadened
little as the wagon was pulled up with jerk
before the door of the inn. Here, after some
little trouble, we got something to eat, few
boiled eggs. and some home-baked bread.
When the horse had been rested, we started
again on our journey.
The warm day was succeeded by a cold
evening, and with the darkness had come
rain. | was glad to follow John Rudd's ex-
ample. to wrap myself well up in my over
coat, before again took my seat behind the
mare. We jolted on again, covering what
seemed TO me an interminable space. The
darkness rapidly increased the rain contin-
ued to fall, and, worn out with fatigue, fell
into ftful doze.
/ was dimly conscious of the wagon rolling
on, of John Rudd making occasional dis
jointed remarks, rhythmical in character, to
which he evidently expected no reply, and
of certain stoppages, when John mysterious
y diSSaHpCStCd, anu lSlututQ lCltCSutu
strengthened for his work
AT length, however, John Rudd's voice
aroused me indeed.
"Wawk up, young MASTER said he; ;"we'm
gettin' pratty nigh your place"
/ reused myself and looked about me- but
there was nothing to be seen. Darkness en-
compassed us on every hand; the wind was
signing softly, making a sound like the dis
tant murmur of the sea Presently the wag-
on stopped The carrier jumped down, and
waited for me to do the same; then he gave
! a peculiar whistle as he went round to the
back of the wagon to haul out my trunk.
The whistle had its effect. The darkness
was suddenly penetrated by light, which
seemed quite close to us, and mans voice
called out in broad country dialect:
''Be that you, John Rudd@'
''Iss, mate" /" returned Rudd. You catch
hold O. the young gentleman ha' gawt the
bawx''
BE this the lad?" asked the voice, as 1
felt heavy hand laid upon my shoulder.
1 ''Iss."
''Waal, my lad, you be welcome to ST Cur
lott'sr'
The hand kept hold of my shoulder and
led me along. The next thing | became
conscious of was standing upon the thresh-
old of an open door, and of the voice of my
Sulue say lhgr neaftliy:
''Yar be he, Martha!'
Then another voice, that of a woman, an
swered:
"Lawd love the lad: let's look at 'un p and
then there was silence.
found myself standing in the middle of a
. quaint Cornish kitchen, gazing upon my
newly-found friends. The individual who
had led me into the kitchen, and who turned
A.A L. hill
man, dressed in red-stained suit of coarse
flannel said suit consisting merely of shirt
and pair of trousers. His hands were big
and broad and very red, his head was thickly
covered with coarse black hair, and he spoke
the breadest of Cornish dialect in voice of
thunder. Having finished my inspection OF
number one, i glanced at number two-name-
ly, my aunt. She was a comely looking wo-
man of forty, very stout and motheTly in APP
pearance. She wore cotton dress, large,
coarse apron, and curious cap, not unlike
the colts so popular in Brittany.
My amazement at the sight of these two
individuals was SO strong that l could scarce
ly force my lips to utter word; but if my
surprise was great theirs seemed greater.
After the first glance at me, they looked un-
easily at one another, the genial smile faded
from their faces, and the words of welcome
died upon their lips.
A pleasant interruption to all this was
John Rudd, who at this moment came IN
with my trunk upon his shoulder and placed
it down on the kitchen floor, then wiped his
brow and opened his overcoat.
IFS marital bad weather you'm brought
alang wi ye, Mr.. Rudd," said my aunt;
'yar, ha' summat to keep off the rain"
She handed him a glass of ale, which he
drank.
h caia droxU xUin tha
back of his hand across his mouth. Then he
made dive into the voluminous folds of his
coat, and produced packet
THAT be for you, missus," said he; "a lit
tie present, WI John Rudd's respects; tea
and sugar, wi a suitable inscription o. my
avn making"
''Thank YOU, Mr. Rudd," returned my
aunt, taking the packet. "You'm vary kind"
''Read the warses, missus; read the
warses!" said Mr.. Rudd whereupon she pro-
ceeded to do so.
1t was a proud moment for John Rudd; he
seemed to expand with pleasure. And
though to all intents and purposes he was
gazing upon Mrs. Pendragon, he rolled one
eye round my way as if to watch the effect
upon me. When the reading was done he
smiled affably, while my uncle brought down
| his open hand heavily upon his knee.
'sWaal done, John, waal done?' cried my
uncle heartily; while another voice, one
which l then heard for the first time said:
''Oh, Mr.. Rudd, what beautiful poetry you
do writer
At the sound of the voice, all eyes, mine
amongst the rest were turned upon the speak
er, whom discovered to be little girl some
what about my own age or perhaps trife
younger, so pretty, and so quantity dressed,
she looked like little Dresden china shep-
herdess.
''Wha, Anniep' said my aunt.
Il declare I'd forgot all about 'eep my
uncle added. "Come var, my lass, and say
| how do We do to yer eousinp'
At this, the little girl came forward, and,
gazing earnestly at me, timidly offered me
her hand.
Suddenly, John Rudd, who had been fun
bling about his coat again, produced another
packet, which he this time handed TO my
cousin. She opened it, and found it contain
ed a brightly colored shawl and a sheet of
foolscap, on which some lines were penned.
Knowing Mr.. Rudds weakness, Annie pro
ceeded to read the lines:
ITO Annie Pendragon. who charms all behold
John Rudd, of St Gurlotts, sends this for her
shoulders;
That she'll always be happy, in sunshine and
in food.
'Tis the wish of her friend and admirer, John
Having read the verses, Annie fell to yolu-
bly, admiring them and the shawl; but Mr..
Rudd, feeling the praise too much for him,
gleefully took his departure. He paused at
the door. however, to give me last look,
and to express wish that we should become
better acquainted
The moment he was gone, attention was
again concentrated upon me. My aunt took
good look at me, trying to find traces of my
mother and father in my face. My uncle dis
covered was both wet and cold; while An
ME said:
why don't you give him his supper, moth
er: I'm sure he must be hungry after that
long ride WI Mr.. Rudd."
Annie's suggestion was adopted, and we
all sat down to supper. While l ate, had
leisure to look about me. The kitchen was
large and homely in the extreme, with .
clean stone-p paved floor beneath and great
black rafters above, from which hung fiitches
of bacon bundles of tallow candles, and
divers articles of attire. The ingle was great
and broad, with seats within it, formed OF
polished black oak, and the fire burned on
the open hearth. In one corner was recess,
with curtains, containing bed, which aft
erward discovered was to be mine for the
night
Very little was said or done that evening.
If was astonished at the sight of my rela-
tives, they were equally so at the sight OF
! me- A sort of constraint came upon US all.
D / was not sorry to find that they were very
early people, and that at ten o'clock they re-
: tired, and left me to make myself as COM
4 Portable as | could in the press bed in the
; kitchen. My head was aching, partly from
60 ,r<6