Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-07-26
BLEAKIRK -ON-SANDS

|
A rough, unfrequented bride road rising
and dipping towards the coast, with here and
there glimpse of sea beyond the sad colored
moors; straight overhead, a red and wintry
sun just struggling to assert itself; to right
| and left a stretch of barren down still coated
white with boar frost.
| had flung the reins upon my horses neck,
and was ambling homewards. Between me
and Bleakirk lay seven good miles, and we
had come far enough already on the chance
of the suns breaking through; but as the
morning wore on, so our prospect OF hunting
that day faded further from us. 1t was now
high noon, and had left the hunt half an
hour ago. turned my face towards the coast,
and lit a cigar to beguile the way. When a
man is twenty seven he begins to miss the
fun of shvering beside frozen cover
The road took sudden plunge among the
spurs of two converging hills. AS began to
descend the first CLEAN of sunshine burst
from the dull heaven and played over the
boar frost. looked up, and saw on the slope
of the hill to the right horseman also de-
scending.
At first glance took him for brother
sportsman who, too, had abandoned hope of
fox. But the second assured me of my mis-
take. The stranger wore black suit of an
tique, clerical cut, a shovel hat and CATERS;
his nag the sorriest of ponies, with a
shaggy coat of flaring yellow, and so low in
the legs that the broad flaps of its riders
coat all but trailed on the ground A queerer
turnout shall never see again, though live
to be hundred.
He appeared not to notice me, but priclled
leisurely down the slope, and soon saw that,
as our paths ran and at the pace we were 60
| ing, we should meet at the foot of the descent,
which we presently did.
"Ah, indeedl" said the stranger refining in
his pony as though now for the first time
aware of me. 81 wish you very good day,
sir We are well met" He pulled off his
hat with fantastic poiteness For me, my
establishment grew as regarded him more
closely. A mass of lanky. white hair droop-
ed on either side of face pale, pinched and
extraordinarily wrinkled; the clothes that
wrapped his diminutive body were thread
bare, greasy. and patched in all directions.
Fifty years. wear could not have worsened
them; and indeed from the whole aspect of
the man you might guess him a century old,
were it not for the nimbleness of his gestures
and his eyes, which were gray, alert and
keen as needles.
acknowledged his salutation as he ranged
up beside me.
"Will my company, sir, offend yous By
your coat | suspect your trade: venatorem
sapit-heyP'
His voice exactly fitted his eyes. Both were
sharp and charged with expression yet both
carried also hint that their owner had
lived long in privacy. Somehow they lacked
touch.
II am riding homewards," answered.
| "Hey? Where is that!'
The familiarity lay rather in the words
than the manner, and did not resent it,
"At Bleakirk."
His eyes had wandered for moment to
the road ahead, but now he turned abruptly,
and looked at me, as | thought, with some
suspicion. He seemed about to speak, but re-
strained himself, fumbled in his waistcoat
pocket, and, producing a massive snuffbox,
offered me pinch. On my declining, he
helped himself copiously, and then, letting
the reins hang loose upon his arm, fell to tap
ping the box.
ITO me this form of the herb nicotiana
commends itself by its cheapness; the sense is
tickled, the purse consenting-liSe the COM
PLEASANT husband in Juvenal; you take mes
am well acquainted with Bleakirk-super-
sabulum. By the way, how is Squire Cart
wright of the Hallg'
"If," said l. "you mean my father, Angus
Cartwright, he is dead these twelve years"
"Heyg' cried the old gentleman, and added
after moment, "Ah, to be sure, time flies
quo dives Tullus et-Angus. ehs And yet a
hearty man, to all seeming. So you are his
son." He took another pinch. sit is very
sustaining" he said.
1.-THE snuffW'
"You have construed me, sir. Since l set
out, just thirteen hours since, it has been my
sole viaticum." AS he spoke he put his hand
nervously to his forehead, and withdrew it.
"Then," thought |, ''you must have started
in the middle of the night" for it was now
little past noon But looking at his face l
saw clearly that it was drawn and pinched
with fasting. Whereupon | remembered my
flask and sandwich box, and pulling them out
assured him, with some apology for the
Offer that they were at his service. His
joy was childish. Again he whipped off his
hat, and clapping it to his heart, swore my
conduct did honor to my dead father; land
with Angus Cartwright" said he kindness
was intuitive. Being a habit, it outran re-
fection and his whisky, sir was undeniabe.
Come, | have a fancy. Let us dismount,
and, in heroic fashion, spread our feast upon
the turf or, if the hoar frost deter you, see,
here are powders, and a running brook to
dilute our cups; and, by my life, foot
bridge, to the rail of which we may tether
our steeds."
Indeed, we had come to a hollow in the
road, across which tiny beck, now swollen
with the rains, was chattering bravely. Fall
ing in with my companions humor, l dis
mounted, and after his example, hitched my
mares rein over the rail There was a raci-
ness about the whole proceeding that took my
' fancy, lost as l was in onjecture. We chose
!, two powders among a heap of lesser
stones close beside the beck, and divided the
sandwiches; for though protested was not
hungry, the old gentleman insisted on our
sharing alike. And now, as the liquor warm
ed his heart and the sunshine slnote upon his
back, his eyes sparkled and he launched on a
y food of the gayest talk-yet always of a
world that felt was before my time In
S deed, as he ratified on, the feeling that this
must be some Rip Van Wrinkle restored from
a thirty years sleep grew stronger and
stronger upon me. He spoke of Beakirk,
t and displayed a knowledge of it sufficiently
: Observation-Disclosures even-yet of the old
J. friends for whom he inquired many names
# were unknown to me, many familiar only
through their epitaphs in the windy GENE
terry above the cliff. Of the rest the pretty
girls he named were now SfanulHotneis ,, Iue
young men long since bent and rheumatic;
the youngest well over 50 This. however.
o seemed to depress him little. His eyes would
o sadden for q moment, then laugh again
If "Well, WELL" he said, wrinkles, bald heads
is and the deafness of the tomb-we have oul
&c day Notwithstanding Pluck the bloom Of
d it-heya a commonplace of the poets"
n "But sir" put in as politely as | might
"you have not yet told me with whom have
1t the pleasure of lunching."
of "Gently, young sir" He waved his hant
y towards the encircling moors. "We have
d, Toasted more Homerico, and in Homer, yol
re remember, the host allowed his guest four
teen days before asking that question. Per
nit me to delay the answer only till hav
poured libaton on the turf here. All! per
ceive the whisky is exhausted; but water shall
es suffice May trouble you-my joints ar
ar stiff-to fill your drinking cup from the brool
in at your feet"
~ took the cup from his hands and stoope'
:. over the water AS did SO, he leaped on m
- - like cat from behind | felt hideou
"a