Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-11-29
very soon grew to knew the wholecountry

very soon grew TO knew the whole country
within the reach Of hearty girls feet.
There Is plenty to see. though this part
OF Northumberland is fat. while the rest
Is wild and mountainous. There are the
ruins OF the old castle. about which 1t Is
always pleasant for child to run and
climb or for grown person TO mediate
on the vanity of earthly things. seeing
that this pile OF ruins was once great
aud stately castle. and this greensward
was once hidden beneath the feet of fierce
soldiers, who now are dust and ashes In
the grave yard From the castle one looks
down upon the Coquet. which would ever
continue In my eyes the sweetest of rivers,
even were ! to see the far famed Tiber,
or the silver Thames. or the great Ganges,
or the mysterious Nile. or even the sacred
Jordan.
Higher up the river was Norwich MILL
where Ralph Embleton lived with his
uncle
Beyond the town, half mile out to
once rowed mo across the narrow channel.
and we explored the desert island and
thought of Robinson Crusoe which he had
read and told me But this was before
the time when we took to pretending at
ghosts.
In those days. which seem to have been
so happy, and dare say were. Ralph was
free. and could come and go as pleased
him best, save that he went every morn
ing to the vicar. who taught him Latin
and Greek, and sometimes remembered
but In kindly moderation-the advice Of
Solomon. The reason Of this freedom
was that his uncle, with whom he lived,
loved the lad greatly, and intended great
things for him. even designing that he
should become great scholar and go to
Cambridge. For once there was a member
Of his family who took to learning and
rose from being a poor scholar in that
university, which has ever been kindly
nurse or foster mother of poor scholars,
to be doctor Of divinity and a bishop.
but my Ralph was never to be bishop or
even a doctor of divinity. And a sad
change was to happen at the mill
Everybody was our friend in those days,
from Mr.. Cuthbert Carnaby. justice of
the peace, and tho vicar, down to Sailor
Nan and her lodger. Dan Gedge. the
Strong Man Everybody had kind word
for Ralph. and nobody told mo then how
wicked 1t was to run about with boy OF
such unnatural depravity This. as you
will see was to come He was a tall boy
for his years. and he was six years older
than myself. which proves how good ma
tured he must have been, for few boys of
Is or 10 care for the companionship of a
girl Of 0 or TO- AS for his face. 1t has al
ways been the dearest face in the world
to me, and always viii be. so that know
not whether other people would call it a
handsome face. His eyes were eager. as
(which was the case-he always wanted
to be up and doing. They were blue
eyes, because he was Northumberland
lad. yet not soft and dreamy eyes. as is
too often the case with the people of the
north His face was oval and his feat
ures regular. He carried his head thrown
back. and walked erect with both hands
ready. as If there was generally fight to
be expected. and it was well to be pre-
pared To be sure. Ralph was one of
those who love a fight and do not sulk If
they are beaten. but bide bit and then
on again.
When Ralph was nearly 10, great
and terrible misfortune befell him His
uncle, Mr.. Samuel Embleton. though not
an old man. died suddenly After he was
buried it was found that he had left by
will Norwich Mill. and the farm. his
household furniture. his books, which
we're not many, and all the money he had
in the world. to Ralph as his sole heir.
This inheritance proved at first the cause
of great unhappiness to the poor boy.
For. unfortunately, the will named Mathew
Humble as guardian and executor, to
whom the testator devised his best wig
and his best coat; with his second best
bed and q gold headed stick Now it
angered Mathew to think that he be-
ing also nsphew and sisters son Of
Samuel Embleton. of Norwich Mill, was
left no part or portion of this goodly
heritage. It would seem that, knowing
his uncle's design to send Ralph to Cam
bridge and his hope that he would be-
come a credit to the family and pillar Of
the church, he had hoped and even grown
to believe firmly and to expect it as a
right, that the mill at least. if not the
farm. OF a portion of it. would be left TO
him. It was. therefore, bitter blow for
him to find that he was left nothing at all
except what he could make or save as
guardian of the heir and administrator Of
the estate. with free quarters at the mill
for six years Surely for man Of pro
bity and common sense that would have
been considered great deal
He came with his sister. who was as
much disappointed as himself, in a spirit
of rancor, malice and envy He regarded
the innocent boy as a supplanter The
first thing he did was to inform him that
he should have no skulking or idleness.
He therefore put stop to the Latin and
Greek lessons with the vicar. and employed
the boy about the work of the place, Civ
ing him the hardest and most disagreed
BILE tasks on the farm For freedom was
substituted servitude: for liberty, re-
straint: for affection and kindness. harsh
language and continual foggings; while
Barbara. with her tongue. that ill gov
erned weapon of a woman. made him feel
for the first time in his life how idle. how
useless. how greedy creature he was.
The boy bore with all. as meekly as was
his duty. for quite two years. But he
often came to me or to the fugleman with
fists clinched, declaring that be would en-
dure this III usage no longer. and asking
In wonder what he had done to deserve It.
And at such times he would swear to leave
the mill. and run away and seek his fort
une anywhere-somewhere in the world.
Il was always in his mind from the first,
when Mathew began his Ill treatment,
that he would run away and seek his fort
une In this design he was strengthened
by the example of my father who left the
village when 8 boy of Ia to seek his fort
une. and found-you shall hear presently
what he found dissuaded him as much
as could. because it was dreadful for me
to think OF being left without him,
or OF his running about the country
helpless and friendless. The fugleman.
who knew the world and had travelled far.
pointed out TO him very sensibly that he
would have to endure this hardness for a
very short time longer. that he was al
ready ~ ard as tall as most men. and
g. ......, u, -, ~. Anfrfrad much