The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25
OVER THE BORDER.
By WALTER BESANT.
CHAPTER ~
DRUsILL.A s STORY

The wear oil grace lIo5. being the fifth and
youngest child OF Solomon Hetherington
and Prudence his wife My father was
citizen and glover. member of the
Honorable Company of Glovers. his alnbi
ton being always to be elected. before
becoming lord mayor. master of his E, j
pany These ambitions are laudable in a
city merchant yet alas they are moi
always attained and in my unhappy
fathers case they were very far from
being reached as You shall presently hear
There is. am told. some quality in the
London air which causeth the city. in
spite Of much that is foolish as regards
cleanliness. 10 he healthy place. and
favorable 10 children So that. for nv
own part though ! was brought up in the
very center and heart of the city with no
green fields TO run in. nor any gardens
save those belonging TO the Diapers com
pany | as well as my brothers and sis
tiers was healthy and well faring child
mp 10 the age of s. when l. with all my
Orotbers and SISTERS, was afflicted with
that sconrge of mankind. smallpox This
dreadful disease. TO the unspeakable grief
children. and spared none but myself the
Youngest and girl ] recovered so far
that although | was weakly and ailinp
iJr long time. | was not marked by a
single spot or any of those ugly pits.
which sometimes ruin many a womans
beauty and thereby rob her of that cboic
est blessing. the love of a husband So
III IereDt however yaS | FROM +bo o4o,,,
and hearty girl before the smallpox. that
My parents were advised that the best
chance 10 save my life-this being for the
time their chief and even their only hope
was 10 send me into the country. there
IL live in fresh, pure air. running in the
sun and fed on oatmea! porridge good
MIX: fat bacon and new laid eggs
Then my father bethought him of hi>
own mother who lived far away indeed
from London. namely at Wark worth il
cumberland And he proposed to NJ
i-lu, her that they should take this Ion:
i,Hriey carrying me with them. and leav,
ric foI awhile III charge of my grand
rl"i her which being done, and my healt,
slowing signs Of amendment, they wer,
"'iislralned TO go back 10 then own bust
'less leaving NE in good hands. yet with
'rrUwful hearts, because they were going
ttuillt without me And for six or seven
'drs | saw them no more
No girl 10 be sure had kinder treatment
II lone indulgent governess than myself
=, gramdmo;h her Dame Hethering1on-
though not lady by birth but only
farmer : daughter-lived in the house
winch stands outside the town. beyond
tie bridge. among the trees
Nv grandmo1be was a wise woman
and reflected that rs was sent away from
London i'll order 10 recover my health and
grow strong | was allowed and encour
aged tC run about III the open air as much
a. possible. so that. as this part OF Eng
land is quite safe. and there are here few
gypsie> who mostly stay on the OF her side
OF Cheviot MOI any robbers on the road
nor indeed any road al all TO signify-l
very soon grew Ia knew the whole country
Within lie reach Of hearty girls feet
There IL plenty 10 see though This part
OF Mort cumberland is fat while the rest
Is wild and mountainous There are the
RUNS OF the old rastle about which il is
always pleasant for a child to run and
climb OF fUr grown person 10 meoi ate
on the vanity of earthly things. seeing
that this pile of ruins was once a great
and stately castle. and this greenswartl
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 'I1ber
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 hi,
uncle
Beyond the town half mile out It
sea lies the little island of Coquet RALPH
once rowed me across the narrow channel
and ne explored the desert island ano
thought OF Robinson Cr1lsoe which he hsit
read and told me But this was befor,
the time when We took TO pretending IA
ghosts
In those DAYS. which seem to have bee
SO happy and dare say were Ralph Wa
free. and could come and go as please,
him best save that he went every morli
ing TO the vicar who taught him Latin
and Greek. and sometimes remembered
but in kindly moderal ion--the advice Of
Solomon The reason of this freedom
was that his uncle. with whom be iivesi
loved the lad greatly and Intended grea
things for him. even designing that b.
should become great scholar and go /,
Cam bridge For once there was a membei
of bis family who took 10 learning anG
rose from being a poor scholar in thai
university. which has ever been d kindl,
nurse or foster mother of poor scholars
10 be doctor of divinity and bishop
but my Ralph was never to be bishop OF
even doctor of divinity And sa
change was to happen at the mill
Everybody was our friend in those days
from MIR Cuthbert Carnaby. justice OF
the peace. and the vicar. down TO Sailor
Nan and her lodger. Dan Gedge. the
Strong Man Every body had kind word
lui a..lipa ana aooouy 'oIs- linen ho-l
wicked il was TO run abort with boy OF
such unnatural depravity This as YOU
viii see. was 10 come He was tall DO,
for his years. ana be was six years older
than myself. which proves how good na
tured he must have been for few bows OF
10 or 10 care foi the companionship of
girl Of . or 10 As for his face il has al
ways been the deares, face in the world
TO me. and always Eiil be. so that know
moi whether other people would call it
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 a Northumberland