Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-07-10
PART H..
TOLD BY RICHARD FENToN OF FRESCUAY,
WORCESTERSHIRE, ESQUIRE.

As my old friend Phil Brand has asked me
10 do this | suppose l must. Brand isa right
good fellow and clever fellow, but has
plenty of crotchets OF his own. The worst
know of him is that he insists upon having
his own with people. With those who differ
from him he is as obstinate as mule. Any
how, he has always had his own way with
me. This custom, so far as | am concerned.
commenced years ago, when we were boys at
school together, and have never been able
to shake of the bad habit OF giving in to
him. He has promised To see that my queens
English is presentabe; for, 10 tell the truth.
j am more at home across country than across
fOolscap, and my fingers know the feel of the
reins or the trigger better than that OF the
pen.
All the same hope he won't take too
many liberties with my style, bad though it
may be; for old Brand at times is apt TO get
well, a bit prosy. To hear him on the sub
iect OF hard work and the sanctity thereof ap
proaches the sublime!
What freak took me 10 the little God-fOr-
saken village of MidcOmbe in the depth OF
winter Is entirely between myself and my
conscience. The cause, having no bearing
upon the matters am asked 10 tell you about,
is no ones business but mine-I will only
say that now | would not stay in such place
at such a time OF the year for the sake OF the
prettiest girl in the world, let alone the bare
chance OF meeting her once or twice. But
ones ideas change. i am now "A good bit
OIutI, llut Sullt TWO SlOlltS HtdNltT, anu nave
been married ever so many years. Perhaps,
after all, as | look back can lind some ex-
cuse for being such an ass as 10 endure for
more than a fortnight all the dscomforts
heaped upon me in that little village inn.
A man who sOjouIns in such hole as Mid
cOmbe must give some reason for doing so.
My ostensible reason was hunting. / had
horse with me, and a Second-rate subscription
pack OF slow-golng mongrels did meet some
where IN the neighbOrhOOd. so no one could
gainsay my explanation. But il hunting was
my object, got precious little of il. y few
days after my arrival bitter, biting frost set
ina frost as black as your hat, and as hard
as nails. Yet still | stayed on.
From private information received-nO
matter how, when. or where-I knew that
some people in the ncighborhood had organ
lied party 10 90 skating on certain day at
Lilymtre, tine sheet OF water some distance
from Mldcombe. | guessed that some one
whom | particularly desired TO meet would
be there, and as tue skatn. at Lilymere was
tree To any one who chose 10 take the trouble
or getting TO such an out-ot-the-way place, |
hired horse and an apology for dog-cart,
and at ten in the morning started 10 drive the
twelve miles 10 the pond. | took no one with
me. | had been in Lilymere once before, in
bright summer weather, so tanced | knew
the way well enough
The sky when | started was coudy the
wind was chopping round in way which
made the effete rustic old hoSt!er predict
change of weather He was right. Before |
had driven two miles light snow began To fall,
and by the time | reached wretched little
wayside inn, about mile from the Mere, a
hm or white covered the whole country. L
stabbed my horse as well "a | could, then,
taking my skates with mo. walked down 10
the pond.