The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-08

remember, and l felt sad and sorry for
the trouble that was over my poor young
mistress, that had been such good one
to me; and took walk over the downs,
toward the Beacon Hill, just to spy out
the signs of the weather. Never did see
the sun look so hot and fiery, and the
hills, all yellow and brown, looked to me
like the deserts you read about in the
Scripture. And then on the hillside L
saw one of our shepherds with his flock,
that were scattered about little copse
that, dry and brown as it was, might give
them mouthful OF heritage here and
there. We had seven shepherds, but this
was the Oldest OF them and most knowl-
edgeable. There he sat, whiting away
with his knife and taking no notice, you
would have said, but there was nothing
as escaped that old shepherds observa-
ton. Shepherd says /, you know
more about the weather than most; what
do you think about the chance of break
ing the drought?' Shepherd wasn't a
man of words, and he sat there chipping
away with his knife and took no more
notice of me, except for nod of the
head, than if I'd been fly. But knew
his ways, and | sat down and waited,
and presently shepherd began laughing
quietly to himself. What are you laugh
ing at, shepherd said l. 4 was laugh
ing at what the crows were talking
about said he. And what was that?'
asks l. You had better go and ask
Them And with that he got up and
chucked a stone against a bush, and two
CURT black crows flew out with such
horrid scream and croak as you never
heard. L hit un,' chuckled shepherd,
and, sure enough, there were three black
feathers flying about, and l picked 'em
up and stuck 'em i'll my hat.
Nv ell, | watched these two crows as
hs,yr 4 ,t lat-
in clump Of trees long way off on the
common. And then | began to know
where l was, for by that clump of trees
stood Mother Drury's cottage. And ii
there be such creatures as witches-I
don't say as there are or as there aren't
Mother Drury was one OF that lot. She
wasn't ugly, neither, nor yet old, but
there was that about her as gave you
cold creak in the back, with her CURT
black eyes that shone like fire and her
coal black hair. But being set upon the
business l was like TO go through with
1t, and leaving the grutf old shepherd, /
stepped out and presently knocked at
Mother Drury's door.
She opened quite sudden, and stood
before me, tall and angry-looking, with
cloth i'll her hand and stanching a wound
in the forehead that The blood was flow
Ing freely from. Was it you,' she said,
'chucklng tlintstones about peoples
houses and breaking then heads? PHI
have ye up before Squire Sandon for this,
blame me if l DON'T But | spoke to her
so quiet and respectful that She turned
quite civil, and when I'd crossed her
hand with new half-crown she babe me
come in and sit down: and then. still
speaking her tair, | told her what l
thought about the drought. But that
she said scorntul-like, is what neither
you nor L can NEEDLE with. There's a
pell about that than half-crowns
can break But when l went on
to tell her about my young mistress,
and how Squire Sandon had sworn the
ruin OF her, and how it was like to come
about, then she began to bend a bit
around IL might be as witches have some
good feeling about 'em, or it might be
Jealousy, or what not: but certain it is
that Mother Drury come round. And,
ma am said, seeing as she was soften
ing, If you have ever happened to do any
evil in your life, if you could DO this one
good turn 1t would all be forgiven you.'
She laughed, and then she trowned and
said: 1t isn't l that can do it, Coney-
poor, sinful WOman-but you, Coney.
that's honest lad so far, and love your
mistress Just as If she was your sister
you might try. And this is the way of
1t, lowering her voice to a whisper. and
looking round as if to make sure that
4lOHOby was 4lSlouIuS, GU SDall take
black eve lamb, without white fleece
about it, and you shall carry it on your
shoulders at midnight TO Wanbury Top.
And there you'll md CURT stone with
Hat top, and you shall kill the lamb with
a knife and sprinkle the stone three
times with its blood, and then you shall
say the words that l shall teach YOU,
And then you shall drag the carcass of
the lamb three times round the stone. and
then and Vp1Irsalf
death waiting Tor you if you turn or
look
We'll, the words she taught me 1 could
tell 'eln now, but l will not, for there
might come harm of it. But as | went
home that night L said to myself, Stuff
and nonsense about a black lamb and
Wanbury Top. Why, there isn't such a
lamb i'll all masters hocks, and it's
good ten miles to Wanbury Top, and
shall l lose my nights rest and days
work for such foolery?' That was nv
last thought as | went to sleep, but early
i'll the morning, Just before dawn, l saw a
light under my cottage door, and here
was somebody knocking. Get up,
COney,' said my mistress, for she it was
with lanthern i'll her hand. And she
waited for me out in the yard till | came
down bit scared. Is master worse?' l
asked. No, he's no worse she said
sadly, nor better. Coney, | want you to
start before day break for Wanbury fair
with Two thousand sheep. Get them off
the farm before sunrise, or l fear they
will be stopped. Squire Sandon, pve
heard, IS going to put in distraint for
the rent
That was pretty brisk business for
me, you may think, but before sunrise
we were on our wayne and another
man, with two lads and our dogs-and
we drove 'em along in two lots, thou
sand in each. Once on the road there
was no particular hurry, for we had the
whole day to reach Wanbury, the fair
being on the next-one of the biggest
fairs in the country at that time. But
what kind OF fair was it likely to be
that year, when everybody wanted to
sell and no buying? Now said NV
mistress, as her last words. i trust il tn
you, Coney, to get the best price you can,
but If it's only five shillings a head YOU
must sell them. Anyhow, with five
hundred pounds l can keep Squire
SandOn out OF the place.
Half way to Wanbury, who should
meet me but Squire Sandon himself, trot-
ting along on his fine black mare, We'll.
COney,' he said. with malicious kind of
a laugh, so you're going to Wanbury
fart snail be there said he, and if YOU
don't ask too much, perhaps 1 may buy.'
y few miles on and we came TO Bulpits.
" hiCu was p5dulIiuA place where the
Dukes had lived once upon time: but
the big house was pulled down long ago.
and now Squire Sandon lived in the
dover house, as they called it, but with
all the lovely meadows and the park
lands. And meeting with the Squire 5
stockman, he took me round to see the
place. And where everything else was as
dry as dead stick, there, if you'll be-
lieve me, all was green and fresh, with
the heaviest crOD of baV I
cleared Off the meadows, and the voI1ng
grass coming on enough to feed some
thousands of sheep. For there was big
lake rlght above and sInicas to hnnd III