The Washington herald., 1911-09-17


now on HameIdon, and now on Bonehill ROCKS ano
now along in the woods and nigh the river And the
kingcups was like fire by the stream side and the
buds breaking every hand.
A good few Of us Widecombe men used to meet OF
an evening at Billy Rowlands inn, THE Plume OF
Feathers" and upon the night l mention we was
Jolly enough to begin with. because We had seen
wedding in the morning and very nice woman had
married n very good man.
"WeII Nat" saws Johnny Rowland to Nat Bradley
in bantering spirit from behind the bar, you be ter
rbIe quiet tonight but doubt you are thinking the
more"
81 heard strange thing three days agone," an
swered Bradley. land it have took hold on me and
sticks to my mind very steadfast 1t may be true
or it may not true but for part think it Is be-
cause such queer happenings can't well be invented
Twas your brother, Charles Turtle, said IT, con-
tinued Nat speaking to me at the time.
"If Charles told e." 1 answered, then there's
truth in it for more truth loving after myself
l haven't neighbored with
We'll" answered Nat "he heard the tale from
somebody else and, in justice to your brother he
seemed doubtful how far it might be trusted. You
know Ben Cookers shop-the carpenter. 1t haven't
beeu used for undertakers work since his grand
father died, fifty year agone. and yet Ben swears
that dropping in there his way home week
agone to fetch his tobacco pipe, he heard the sound
OF blows overhead. and peeped up the stairs 10 the
carpenters shop and seed the spectrum of his grand
father and a jOurneyman carpenter working away
there after midnight. And they was making mon
strous coffin The shined in the place, and Ben
swore bv all his Christian faith that he seed en- and
even while his hair stood up and the presspiration
trickIed down his spine he wondered whatever sort
of they was building such hugeous box for
Don't let's have more talk about coh1ns, my
dears," begs Uncle Cobeigh. "Tis little bit too per-
sona when you're in sight of three figures and for my
part i'd rather tell about anything else. Ts too much
like talking Of sage and onions to goose"
Il can tell you a tale of a coffin won't hurt your
feelings uncle. but quite the contrary" said Row
land from behind the bar. 1T shows how the small
things do bring about the biggest results and now
great matter a little fire kindeth, in Bible words
And what be going to tell about is very different
from Bradeys tale. A happy story, in fact, with an
ending cheer all and make us take better con-
Ccit of human nature in general.
The mother to the babby in my story was called
Sbea john and she coined Of common stock.
Anyway there brains in the family.
'ShP a gentle. kindly creature-wel enough
known TO me- and to some others in Widecombe,
for that matter And the course of true love
enough known to me- and TO some others in Wide
cOnbe for that matter And the course Of true love
didn't run smooth by long chalks with Sibella, be-
cause her heart was Bob Whitelock, the mer's
boy. to Babenay Mill, but her father wanted for
her to wed Silas Dunnybrig the undertaker's son.
Y,
her, and poor Sibella driven to death between EN-,
what should happen but Dunnybrigs father popped
off and he left with the business and clear two
hundred pound year! So twas said, and don't
think it can have been much less And Of course
SbelIa's father Nicholas John, all for the rich
undertaken and wouldn't hear word for the poor
millPr's
"A pretty argument. you might say, and each man
able to make very good case, for that matter.
because if you to think upon it, the world
couldn't get without either trade. Mlers we,
must have long bread be made Of wheat, and
collins must have long all flesh is grass.
Bob WhitelOck stood out for his trade and SiaS
Dunnybrig backed his, and Nicholas John decided
for Dunnyhrig, because he was richer and Older and
more like his wife and childer well provided
for. The mystery TO know why Silas wanted
wife at all. because he a hard. selfish young
i'm his YOUTH and he loved money better than
any other treasure on earth or in heaven But some
thing about Sibella had took his better nature and
lifted hin above the love of pelf. So. at least,
think it must have been though unkind folk said
he wanted her because he knew she soft and
gentle and could be trOd under foot, II need be, and
would never dare to AK for more pennies than he
pleased to dole out Twas toss up between
wife and a housekeeper and he reckoned wife
would be cheaper in the long That's how
good many judged the man before he married
But WhitelOCk belonged to a different breed Not
spendthrft nor anything like that. yet chap much
like his father-straigh easy and fair, ready to give
and take and fond of work and fond Of play. As for
money he seed more in shilling than twelve
pence and never thought that sixpence could do a
Shilng's work He a bad loser. and it CALLED
him above bit to find the girl wouldn't take him.
He tried to wake her pluck, but unfortunately pluck
wasn't Sibela'S strong point. She was weak and
didn't honestly know her own mind between them.
"She liked em both her parents decided for her.
and the upshOt of it that, after cruel year OF
doubt Sibella throwed up the fight and wept oceans
OF tears and took Silas Dunnybrig. Some fierce
scenes there were and Whiteock very got the
girl to change her mind and away with him, but
her mother watched her like a hawk and so Bob had
to be, content with taking forty shillings or month
out of the undertaken. Since Sbela wouldn't CO. her
lover thrashed Slas to the truth of music one hne
night in the churchyard Then Bob runned away
aDHT fhav roDf fo mill
warrant all in solemn order and state to take him, his
father had TO explain that the young on, but
none knew where.
"For longful time he kept away and as
he properly fed Of course, the girl wanted him
back and only him. But she'd lost her chance Of
happiness in that quarter being like the many
too weak strike for their salvation even when
II lies right afore their noses-and son due course
she took silas, and the man, who had behaved very
sensible and patient while she made up her mind was
glad to get her and meant to make her the bestest
husband he knew how.
aenff a ma mr.