Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-04-29
The Cottage on the Fell
BY J. 7. Kingsley Tsrpey
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On THE old road between Langton .
and Fazcriey. half way zap thc teu,
there stands the ruin of pretty little
thafched cottage. Roses and honey
suckics tUine over the porch. and.
though there is no garden TO speak of.
the old road is so overgrown with grass
and flowers that % is a garden in itself.
There is no traffic this way now, eN-
ccpt on market days. when the carts
from "a few scattered tarmsteads 20
past Fazerley; SO the long, green
ribbons on the road and the wide Dor
iers gradually encroach year 10y year.
until in some places they meet IN
level stretch OF grass. The heather
comes down the hillside almost TO the
eali. and through IL. laughing and
dancing. runs a little beck, which
/ crosses the road few yards below the
cottage.
Some ten years ago the place was oc-
cupied by young widow and her twin
childr~a. "A boy and girl. She had
F come there with her babies five years
before, on her husbands death. and had
earned scanty living ever since 10y
working for one of the shops at Fazer-
lev. She was either too shy or TOO
proud 10 make friends easily, and no
enc knew whether she had friends or
kindred elsewhere. On market days
some one of the passing farmers would
, bring her small purchases up from ta-
zerlcv. or take her bundle of work down
TO the shop. The bustling farmer s
wife al the Fellside farm had always a
kindly word. and sometimes bun OF
10 an apple. for the twins, when they
e went TO fetch the milk two or three
% times a week. The old shepherd, wher
e. his sheep we're on that side of the fell
y liked 10 have chat with the little onei
I, in passing. or 20 have them trot besid
! him for mile along the road; bu
= those were the nearest approaches u
- intimacy the country folk had with tn
e occupants OF the cottage. The chi
n dren always looked clean and neat an
d rosy; the cottage was a miracle OF OF
der and trimness; and no one guesse
tin il was too late the terrible povert
.r that had been hidden under this cheei
l. ful air of Independence
l. During the winter and spring th
l. mother had been constantly aihng; 81
u had a troublesome cough. and moi
than once when the farmers passed c
- market DAYS the twins had taken me
\ / sares from her in bed. II VI
te no matter of surprise 10 Farm'
ne Bleasdale, therefore, when, 20 h
Ip usual inquiry one morning IN A
gust. the little girl replied tn
Mother was poorly, and nothing WI
wanted" When he passed back
il the evening the two children were s.
- ting on the doorstep contentedly ga
! . ing bread and gooseberries for the
IN tea. aud sharing a mug of milk /
os- tween them. They had played abo
ed the cottage aud the lane all day, pa
lip ing tiptoe visits now and then TO the
ell mother, who was strangely quiet al
cS' had taken none OF the tea they had
carefully prepared for her. The twi
- slept at their mothers feet 20 ma
ant more room in the narrow bed, and WI
or il grew dusk they crept quietly in wit
ing out disturbing her. In the night
is bow awoke. crying. with the touch
rks something cold.
"a .Mairly. Mairly. what IS III
frightened" he sobbed.
"Hrsh. Donl Don't wake mothe
whispered the little girl; and 50, G.
ex- ding close together, they slept again
ent Early in the morning they W
the wakened by a shaft Of sunlight throo
err the eastern window, when the sun r
,se,, over the fell. They sat up togetf
ina feeling lonely and frightened; Don
gan to cry.
A. "why doesn't mother wake!
the sobbed. He crept along the bed,
asss patssd her cheek gently AZ the 70