The record-union., 1894-10-20

home is without it's long stone shed for
the lnnumerable hives of bees which dis
till from the mountain heather the dark
est, but ever the sweetest. honey to be
found in Britain.
The interiors of these sturdy domiciles
are found TO be none the less characters
tic Standing in the door of any one OF
them, your eyes may again trace, in the
antiques of utensils and furnishings, a
complete museum of rustic household
evolution, from the stone age to our own
age of Brummagen and brass.
You will find within them the quern,
old as Aryan life, the ancient Celtic meth
er or drinking cup, the rudest and earl
lest OF splnnlng-W wheels, with delft of the
first English kilns, varied by faulty bits
of "Wedgewood' brought here from
Staffordshire by hawking gypsies, strange
old chests, clocks, bureaus and settles,
all mingled IN most startling contrast
with tawdry household ornaments Of the
present time, but the old things priced
ever dearest still.
The village and home life of these stur-
dy folk Is very simple and uneVentfuI.
Zach little community is sufficient unto
itself, because of the unbroken custom
OF seldom "hlving-Off." The younger
shoots of the family grow up beside the
oid. L found entire villages peOpled by
statesmen of the same family and name,
pronounced requirement, physical pecu-
liarity, or location of habitation, prOvid-
ing ample distinction.
so, too, their amusements and merry
makings are few and of the most print
tive character. Their piety is intense and
OF that stern and severe nature which is
ottenest accompanied by ineradicable su-
perstition.
Their universal spook is the ''bogle;'
1t is ghost, goblin, witch, warlock or be-
w hat t(Iaf
fort to their old women-a certain cor
rective for "haddering" children, and
brings all Umbrian folk closer together
in the ample home-glow of their blazing
ingle-nooks in the long winter nights,
when the tempests howl among Skid
davis dreary scars or thunder along the
''Striding Ridge of the mighty Helvel-
Iyn.
l found, in fact, had come into a new
world OF feeling and association, had
stepped from old England Into an older
Britain, intact and unimpaired by time or
change, and an elation of discovery was
like wine within my veins.
With this environment and in this al
most eXultant mood | came TO a little
eerie IN southern Cumberland, near
where It's hoary peaks peer over upon the
still mountainous but gentler nights and
more peaceful lakes and glens of witching
| WestmOreland.
It was tiny hollow in the highest
hills, marvellous, misty dell, set like
an emerald nest between encirciing pixies
whose gray old peaks were half in sun
shine ana half In feathery, trailing cloud.
Still, as within nest, here and there lay
brown and mottled rounded clumps of
trees and stone, housing the almost
inert life of the quiet statesman commu-
nifty.
Spumy waterfalls hung ghostily against
the crags. A dark line OF tir trimmed the
hollow at their base, and just where [
had left the shadowy pass through which
L had come from Grasmere in search of
my own scanC acres, quaint stone bridge.
perhaps as ancient as DevorgilIa'S gift to
Olden DumtrIeS, IN Scotland, spanned a
tOamlng stream, which tum bled me1odi-
ously around the edge OF the dale in It's
mad pace from the shadoWy tarnS above
to some invisible gorge below.
Old stone walls, zigzag and sinuous,
divided the dale into little steadings and
these again into tiny fields. Narrow,
winding lanes trailed in and about the
low, gray abodes OF stone, and in the
branches OF the matted shrubs and trees
overhanging them, birds lifted and sung
as If ever undisturbed by change of sea-
son or by man.
But one outlook from this peaceful
scene was given. Away westward
through the mountains was a single rift
in the wall Of stone. Bright sunshine
lay beyond on the bosom of sIumberous
valley, sapphire set with the lovely Vast
Water, with purpling mountains still be-
yond.
Cattle grazed lazily within tiny out
reaching dells. Above these almost Ii Ike
the chamois of the Alps, dimlnutive Um-
brian sheep scampered along the peril
Gus ledges or leaped prettily from rock
TO rock in quest OF the hidden banks OF
grass.
Cattle and sheep bells in innumerable
varying tones, from seen and unseen
herds, echoed and re-echoed until the
spot was vibrant with sweet and musical
sounds, while through and over the little
dale by warm and satfrony light which
hinteu OF the mornings orange, the sun
sets crimson and autumn's dreamful,
smoky haze.
LAS stern as Switzerland, as melodious
as the Azores and as pastoral as Italy!''
] could not but eXclaim as | crossed the
ancient bridge ana passed upward
through the Gappled shadows of the lane
TO the first stone cottage beyond.
had come to its jumbled outbuildings
and stood at the corner of the main struct-
ure, which | could see faced the eXqui-
site outlook upon Vast Water. Two
other stone cottages stooG along the lane
at almost equal distances from each
other and the one near which l had
halted, each perhaps a quarter of mile
apart.
The first one appeared to be deserted
and weaZened old man, the only hu-
man had so far seen IN the glen, stopped
Tor a moment as he passed it and shook
his withered old fist toward it nena-
cingly.
a feeling came upon me that this cot
tage and this man were in some way to
become concerned in my own mountain
! experiences, but it was only a fieetlup
fancy instantly dispelled, tor [ heard
earnest and protestive voices but few
feet distant apparently proceeding from
the open space in front of the cottage at
whose corner i stood.
I'VE ha' gie'n ye five years, Betty
Bamthet," came first in measured and re-
proachfll tones, "on'y t. ha' ye gle Matt
Curbison tn sneck-posset the cold
shoulder)."
.'Ay, fadder." This quietly and deter
minedly from some lass near the first
speaker.
, AM ye're no nearer weedlock nor
ivern added some elderly woman impa-
tiently and com plainingly.
"Ay, mudder." the lass responded in
the same set and dogged tone.
''Dost see Matt sheakin' ee's fist at t,
aud pieace, Betty?"
lay, fadderp'
so cell sheak ee's fist at a. us. Betty.u
Let i'm sheak am sheak an keep on
sheakin'. Afore l weed sec an auld bo-
glebanes pd-pd cast myself il tn,
beck ~
"Lans marcy!p whimpered the moth.
er in dismay.