Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

I exceedingly enjoyed my walks through that beautiful country, which was all new to me. I had my yearnings after home, however, particularly in the evenings. I was not one of the family though I sat at their table; and while my bodily wants were well supplied, those of my spirit were not, I missed my mother's kindly interest in all I did and felt. It did not do to make a companion of Jamie Willison, the butler; and Mr. Gordon never forgot for a moment that I was the tutor. Besides, he was not a man who cared for book learning; his mind was completely given to shooting and such like country sports, and there were several gentlemen in the neighbourhood who had a similar turn, and came much about him. He was not forced, therefore, to seek my society for lack of other, and I very seldom saw him except at meals, or at a distance out of doors. He would sometimes ask me a few questions about the boys'

studies, but he left the superintendence of all such

matters to his wife.

Mrs. Gordon was, upon the whole, good-humoured and affable, though somewhat capricious in her behaviour to me. She had been a spoiled bairn, I think, for she had been an only one and an heiress besides. She had serious impressions at times, and had always a respect for religion, but she would fain. have served two masters. We saw her oftener in the schoolroom, and she was franker with me when there was little stirring in the neighbourhood; but whon there was any pleasuring to be had-and as the season advanced there was plenty-truly there were no more applications to me for a time to solve religious doubts and difficulties for her.

She was born in England, and 'till her marriage had been a member of the Episcopal Church, to which she was still warmly attached. That was only natural, and I never drew comparisons between our churches; for though considering our own simple form of worship and church government more in harmony with the spirit of the New Testament, I knew that spiritual life, not outward forms, was the only essential thing. Besides, her church had produced many great and solid divines, whose works I had profited by. In both communions there are doubtless individuals who would have every wheel to run in their own narrow groove, and would compress every spirit into their limited measure-as if spirit could be compressed.

She was an amiable lady, however, and paid me more attention than, I believe, often falls to the lot of tutors. She liked my method with the children, and I was allowed the uncontrolled management of them. I was a great favourite with them, poor lambs, and this, of course, had its influence upon Mrs. Gordon, who was a most affectionate mother.

The boys and I had many excursions together, they riding their ponies and I walking beside them; and in this way we explored almost the whole of that romantic district. A half-holiday spent among the hills was a great enjoyment to each of us. We were allowed to carry our dinner with us, and these simple repasts on the heather were far more relished by me than those I partook of at the laird's table.

My mother was right in her estimation of a tutor's position. There are some humiliations which, though trivial in character, are hard to bear. I was a minister's son, and had received the education of a gentleman, and yet I was treated by Mr. Gordon as a mere privileged inferior-condescendingly stationed beneath the salt. I should have preferred entire ex

clusion from his table. But for such petty mortifications, which I am ashamed to have mentioned, I should have been very contented at Inveruven. I had the goodwill of the household; and though Mr. Gordon was a proud man, he would sometimes stoop to show that he respected my character, and was satisfied with the manner in which I performed my duties.

Sonnets of the Sacred Year.

BY THE REV. S. J. STONE, M.A.
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.
"Peace be unto you."-St. John xx. 21

JOY weds with Peace to-day. This morning's power
Is strong o'er night for ever. Never now,
Since once that Sun hath raised its regal brow,
On faithful souls may ghostly shadows lower
To overwhelm. So in the deepening hour
Of even came the Light. To doubt and fear
Did sweet assurance and
repose draw near,
And Hope grew full from feeblest bud to flower.
Then but one word; but with it came surcease
Of dread without and inner haunting pain;
Then, with those healing stripes in view, again
Fell that divinest benison of " Peace."
So enter, Lord, my dark heart's inmost room,
Pass the barred door and smile away the gloom!

Varieties.

RAILINGS ROUND ST. PAUL'S. The well-known cast-iron railings round St. Paul's-churchyard, having been sold by auetion, are now being removed. The railing brought £341 58., or about £8 per ton. It is of Sussex iron, about the last produced in that county. The sura named is for the ironwork This still remains the property of the Cathedral, and consists of only, not the stone parapet wall into which it was secured. some fine blocks of Portland, equal in quality, or nearly so, to

that of which the cathedral itself is built.

Chinese scholar, tells us that a favourite maxim in China is, "Print many good books." Persons who desire blessings from the gods, or are grateful for receiving them, make vows before their idols that they will print and distribute so many copies of a specified religious or moral book. Some of the copies are left at the foot of the idol, for any worshipper to take, and others are distributed among neighbours and friends. One individual vowed he would give away 10,000 copies of a sacred book of Buddha, and regretted that his means would not allow of his printing or distributing more, but he preserved the wood blocks and invited all well-disposed persons who could afford paper and ink to produce additional copies.

PRINT MANY GOOD BOOKS.-Dr. Morrison, the famous

BIRKENHEAD TRANSPORT SHIP.-General Napier, the historian of the Peninsular War, in the preface to his volume on the "Battles and Sieges of the Peninsula," thus speaks of British troops ::-"For the soldiers this history is no measure of their fortitude and endurance, it records only their active courage. But what they were, their successors now are: witness the wreck of the Birkenhead, where four hundred men, at the call of their heroic officers, Captains Wright and Girardot, calmly and without a murmur accepted death in a horrible form rather than endanger the women and children saved in the boats. The records of the world furnish no parallel to this self-devotion!" A noble testimony from such a witness !

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

A FAMILY JOURNAL OF INSTRUCTION AND RECREATION.

"BEHOLD IN THESE WHAT LEISURE HOURS DEMAND,-AMUSEMENT AND TRUE KNOWLEDGE HAND IN HAND."-Cowper.

[graphic][subsumed]

MAIDEN MAY.

CHAPTER XXXIV.-MAD SAL.

JACOB HALLIBURT MISSING.

WE must now go back to Jacob. On recovering his senses, and finding his limbs tightly lashed, he in vain attempted to free himself. He was unable to shout out for assistance, for a gag had been thrust into his mouth, while a handkerchief tightly bound over his eyes prevented him from seeing.

No. 1164.-APRIL 18, 1874.

What his captors were going to do with him he could not tell. 66 They will not dare to murder me,' he thought. "If they do, I have at least saved

May, and father and mother and the ladies will

see that they must keep a careful watch over her, lest these villains do what I suspect they intended doing, and try to carry her off."

As far as Jacob could tell by the feeling of the wind on his cheeks, the horsemen were taking their way to the downs. That road was little frequented,

[blocks in formation]

and he knew his captors would not venture to carry him thus openly where they were likely to meet any one who would recognise him.

"I was sure it was the villain Gaffin who has played me this trick," thought Jacob, as he found the direction in which he was going. "He has missed his aim if it was to get hold of our May, that's one comfort."

At last the men stopped. Jacob found himself lifted from the horse and dragged into a house. He had little doubt that it was the mill-house. He had often heard of the desperate characters who frequented it, and they were not likely to have any scruple as to how they might treat him. He was left for some time on the ground, though he heard people speaking in low voices some way from him. Their voices grew louder and louder. At last he heard one say:

"We must not keep him here; the sooner he is aboard the better."

Shortly afterwards he was again lifted up and placed on his legs. Several strong arms dragged him along, and he felt the prick of a cutlass in his back driving him forward when he attempted to resist. He was dragged down a steep path.

"I know all about it now," he thought. "That was the mill where they kept me, and now they are going to take me aboard the lugger, and maybe heave me overboard when they get into deep water." All doubt of the matter was at an end when Jacob felt his feet pressing the sand.

"If I once get on board I shall have no chance," he thought, and again he made a desperate effort to free himself. In doing so the bandage was torn off his head. He had sufficient time to see Gaffin, and he at once recognised the men who had captured him, while young Miles was standing by, though he kept at a respectful distance from his elbows.

[ocr errors]

At this juncture he heard a voice exclaiming: "Are you still at your old work, ye hard-hearted ruffians, dragging off the young and helpless to be drowned in the salt, salt sea? Aroynt, ye emissaries of Satan; let him go free, or my curses rest on you,' and Jacob saw the tall figure of Mad Sal descending the cliffs by a pathway few would have ventured to tread. Now and then she stopped and waved the long staff she carried in her hand.

"Who is that old woman?" asked Miles. "Make her hold her tongue, some of you, will you?"

"It's more than you or any other man can do," said one of the ruffians. "Try it yourself, master." Miles, however, showed no disposition to confront personally the mad woman.

"Get this young fellow aboard as you were ordered, and never mind her."

This remark drew the attention of the mad woman especially on Miles himself.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Are you a being of the earth or a spirit of the nether world?" she shrieked out. "Speak, I command you, speak!"

"Be off, and don't interfere with us, old woman!" answered Miles, plucking up his courage.

"I thought my senses deceived me," shrieked out the mad woman; and she turned towards the men with whom Jacob was struggling as they endeavoured to drag him into the boat.

[blocks in formation]

The men paid no attention to her, and continued their efforts in dragging Jacob to the boat. Seeing this, she again shrieked out:

"Stay, I charge you! or my curses go with you and all who abet you in the cruel act! May a speedy and sudden death overtake you! Cursed be the craft which bears you across the salt sea! Cursed be the sails which drive you onwards! Cursed be those who bear your company! May the raging waves, the howling tempest, the flashing lightning and roaring thunder, overwhelm you. May you all sink down into the salt sea!-it's a hungry, deep, and cruel sea. The sea! the sea! the salt, salt sea!" and she whirled her staff around her head, and shrieked louder and louder as she saw that the men had succeeded in hauling Jacob into the boat.

Miles apparently had no intention of going off, but one of the men, seizing him by the arm, exclaimed:

"Come along and see your business carried out, young master; as you set us to the task we are not going without you. If you turn faint-hearted, we will land the fellow, and let him settle the matter with you as he lists."

Miles in vain expostulated; Mad Sal drowned his words with her wild shrieks, while she continued to wave her staff as if in the performance of an incantation. What with his unwillingness to face the mad woman should he be left on the beach, and with the threats of the men, he was induced to go on board.

No sooner was he in the boat than the smugglers, shoving off, pulled towards the lugger, which lay in her usual berth about half a mile from the shore.

Mad Sal watched the proceeding, making her shrieks and wild shouts heard till the boat had got far off from the beach; she then suddenly stopped, and a gleam of sense appeared to pass through her mind.

"Instead of beseeching the villains to have mercy on the youth, I might have sent those to his aid who have the power to help him," she muttered to herself, and turning round she began to ascend the

cliff.

CHAPTER XXXV.-IN CHASE OF THE LUGGER.

HARRY galloped back to Texford. He found the groom with Julia's horse and Captain Headland's waiting in front of the house.

Julia came down-stairs in her habit as he arrived. "We were afraid you were not coming," she observed. "I long to see our cousin's young friend again."

"I am ready to return at once," answered Harry. "Here comes Headland."

[ocr errors]

At that moment old General Sampson came out. What, my young friends, are you going to ride? I should have had the pleasure of accompanying you had I known it."

Harry devoutly hoped that the general would not ask them to stop till his horse was got ready.

"We are merely going to call on some relations who live at a village in the neighbourhood," said Julia, who had as little wish for the general's company as had Harry.

"Then let me have the honour of assisting you to mount, Miss Julia," said the old officer, shuffling down the steps.

At the same moment Mrs. Appleton, who was passing across the hall, came to the door with most of the remaining guests.

Headland had been prepared to assist Julia, but | do not think that May will quite agree with them, the old general so perseveringly offered his services however," he added. "No one will forbid her that she could not refuse them. acting as she thinks right."

She placed her foot in his hand as he bent down, and sprang lightly into her saddle; but at the same moment, the horse moving on, the general's head came in contact with the body of her habit, when, his wig catching in one of the buttons, off it came, leaving him bald-headed. He bore the misfortune, however, with less equanimity than had Mrs. Appleton on a similar occasion, inasmuch as Julia, in spite of the effort she made, gave expression to her amusement in a hearty laugh, which was echoed by the bystanders, even the grooms being unable to restrain their merriment.

"I beg your pardon, general," said Julia; "I had no intention to return your courtesy in so cruel a manner. Here is your wig; do put it on and forgive me."

"Of course, young lady, of course-though I do not see that the occurrence should produce so much merriment among our friends."

"My dear general," cried Mrs. Appleton from the steps above," pray do not take the matter to heart. Come into the drawing-room and look at yourself in the mirror, and you may arrange your peruke in a more becoming way."

In fact, the general had in his hurry put on his wig hind part before, a mode which did not improve the appearance of his countenance, reddened with anger and annoyance.

Harry, eager to be off, called to Julia, who, again apologising to the angry general, followed her brother, and Headland soon overtook them.

Harry explained the cause of his being late, but he felt little inclined for conversation. Julia and Captain Headland were, however, perfectly ready to monopolise it, while Harry rode on a little way

ahead.

At length Julia called to him, and as he slackened his speed she came up to his side.

"Harry," she said, "you warned me some days ago not to allow myself to give my heart to your friend, but as he has assured me that I have his, in spite of what you said I could do nothing less than give him mine in return."

"You don't mean to say so!" cried Harry; "what, has he proposed?"

66

Yes, and I have accepted him, though he has told me his whole history. You won't be angry with me, will you? He has asked me to intercede for him."

"No, indeed I will not," exclaimed Harry; "I am heartily glad, for his sake and yours. I congratulate both you and him."

"Headland, my dear fellow, she has told me," and Harry grasped his friend's hand. "You offered to stand my friend, and I will stand yours, though really I consider your merits are sufficient to overcome all opposition. Still, we may possibly have a hard battle to fight with Sir Ralph.'

"Julia and I are prepared for it," said Headland. "Though I cannot tempt her to be disobedient, I am sure that perseverance will overcome all difficulties."

"Spoken like yourself, Jack," said Harry. "In your case I am sure it will. For myself I am not quite so certain. Even my good cousins began to lecture me," and Harry described how the Miss Pembertons had spoken to him in the morning. "I

"Then are you actually engaged to that beautiful girl?" asked Julia.

"Yes, and I told our mother, and she acknowledges that it would have been_surprising had I not fallen in love with her, and I am sure you will think the same.

[ocr errors]

Harry felt in much better spirits as they rode on. He had determined, however, to say nothing of May's parentage till his sister had become better acquainted with her.

As they were approaching Downside and had reached a part of the road between their cousins' and the Halliburts' cottage, the tall figure of Mad Sal was seen approaching them. She was waving her staff and talking wildly to herself. As she drew near she stopped, and gazing at them exclaimed:

"Who gave the command to bear the poor lad away over the salt sea, salt sea? Stay, answer me, I charge you."

"What do you mean, my good dame?" asked Harry, as he at once recognised the occupant of the hut in which he and his brother had taken refuge from the storm.

"Good dame, forsooth! You call me so now, for ye have learned to respect me. I ask, was it by your orders yon lad was forced away against his will over the wide salt sea?

The lot fell on the youngest,
The youngest of the three,
That he should go a-sailing

All on the salt, salt sea, salt sea,

That he should go sailing all on the salt sea." "I know of no lad having been forced to go to sea against his will," said Harry, quietly. "Of whom do you speak? Tell me his name."

She passed her hand over her brow as if to collect her thoughts. She then auswered, in a calmer tone than before:

"He is the son of old Halliburt, the fisherman. Two of his sons have been borne away already to feed the insatiate maw of the cruel salt sea; 'tis hard that the old man should lose a third."

"I will do all I can to save the lad, and punish those who have attempted to treat him as you say," answered Harry, much interested. "If you can tell me where he has been carried to I will do my utmost to get him set at liberty."

"I stay for no one when on my destined course," she answered, moving forward. "Your help will avail him nothing, as he will soon be far away from the shore;" and Mad Sal, flourishing her staff, as she generally did when walking, took the way towards Adam's cottage.

Harry and his companions rode on to Downside. He intended, should May not have returned, to leave Julia there and go in search of the mad woman. An undefined fear seized him that something might have happened to May. On reaching the house Harry threw himself from his horse. Miss Jane, in a state of great agitation, was at the front door directing Susan to summon the gardener, that he might set off and ascertain what had become of Jacob. Harry fancied that she was speaking of May, and the dread seized him that she had been carried off.

At that moment he caught sight of her as she came out of the drawing-room, and forgetting every

thing else he sprang forward and pressed her to his heart as he exclaimed:

"How thankful I am that you are safe, May! what has happened?"

"Jacob was attacked while defending me from some men on horseback, and I fear they have carried him off, as they failed to capture me," she answered, making no very speedy effort to release herself, though she saw that Julia's eyes were fixed on her.

Harry having learned more particulars, had no doubt, coupling them with what he heard from Mad Sal, that Jacob had really been carried off on board some vessel off the coast.

"We must do our best to recover him." "Oh yes, do," exclaimed May. "Had it not been for him I should probably have been carried away."

66

Headland, will you accompany me?" asked Harry. "We will go to Adam Halliburt, who has a craft in which we can pursue the vessel his son has been carried on board. When we get to the beach we shall probably ascertain what craft she is, as she cannot have got far."

Headland at once agreed to do as Harry proposed, and leaving Julia with the Miss Pembertons they rode down to the fisherman's cottage.

They found Adam at the door, Mad Sal having just before left him, but the information she had given had been in such incoherent language that not till Harry and his friend arrived did he comprehend what had happened.

"It must be the doing of that scoundrel Miles Gaffin," he exclaimed, "as his lugger is the only vessel lying off the mill. Ah, there she stands under all sail away from the coast," looking through his glass. "I saw a boat go off to her just now, but I little thought my Jacob was aboard. The villains cannot have the heart to hurt him, yet it's hard to say what they won't do. Oh, Jacob, my boy, my boy!" and Adam lifted up his eyes to heaven as if for protection for his son.

Directly Harry spoke of the possibility of recovering him by going in pursuit he exclaimed:

66

'Yes, to be sure, sir, the Nancy is as fast a craft as any, and there will be plenty of lads to go off with us."

Headland meantime was looking seaward. "What is that craft out there?" he asked; "she looks to me like a cutter."

Adam lifted his glass.

"Yes, sir, she is the Scout revenue cutter. But they will not trouble themselves with the lugger, for they know she has no cargo on board."

"But if we can get on board her," said Headland, "and send her in chase, she will have a better chance of overtaking the lugger than the fishing-boat would have."

"Thank you, sir," exclaimed Adam, "I will let my crew know they are wanted, and when I have spoken a few words of comfort to my poor missus, who is ill in bed, I'll be with you on board the Nancy."

Adam, sending off a lad to summon his men, directed him at the same time to beg that Mrs. Brown would come down and stay with his wife. The two officers rode to the Texford Arms to leave their horses, and then hurried to the quay, where Adam and most of his crew were collected. As soon as the remainder arrived they went on board the Nancy. She was quickly under way, and the wind being off shore, ran out of the harbour.

[ocr errors]

"Is your boat a fast one?" asked Captain Headland of Adam.

66

'Yes, sir, not a faster out of the Tex, but I am afraid she has little chance of overhauling the lugger."

66

But if the wind falls light we may pull after her, and shall then have the advantage," observed Captain Headland.

"She has got long sweeps too, sir. But we will try it, and my lads will give way with a will, I can trust them for that."

"I believe that our best course would be to get on board the cutter, and for her to go in chase of the lugger," said Harry; "though I do not think the smugglers would dare to oppose us if we could get up with them."

"Whether or not, we will try to get back our Jacob, and the lads would make good play with the boat's stretchers, in spite of the cutlasses and pistols the villains have to fight with."

"They would scarcely venture to use them when they see two king's officers in the boat," observed Headland.

"I am not so sure of that," said Adam. "But they have a bad cause, and we have a good one to fight for. We will get the oars out, lads," he added, addressing his crew.

He

The Nancy, thus assisted, made good way, for the wind being light and off shore, as has been said, the water was perfectly smooth, and the oars helped her along. Still it became evident to Captain Headland that she was not likely to overhaul the lugger. therefore agreed with Harry that it would be best to get on board the cutter if they could. The cutter was, however, sailing away from them, apparently watching the movements of the lugger. Their hope was that the Nancy might be seen, and that she might stand back to speak her.

The day was now drawing on, and if they could not get on board before dark, there was little prospect of their doing so at all. The old fisherman sat in the stern sheets, calm and apparently unmoved, though full of eager anxiety.

Already the sun had set behind the land, and the gloom of evening was stealing over the leaden ocean, when the cutter was seen to haul her wind. Presently she came about and stood to the northward.

"We may still have a chance of overhauling her, sir," exclaimed Adam, his hopes reviving.

Headland and Harry thought so too, although both were unwilling to remain out longer than they could help.

"I fear that we shall cause the ladies much anxiety, as they will not know what has become of us,' observed Headland.

"I am afraid so," said Harry; "but still I cannot bear that the young fisherman should be ill-treated without attempting to save him."

"God bless you, Mr. Harry, for saying that," exclaimed Adam. "I pray we may get back our Jacob, for I know the tricks of those villains.. The Lively has a fast pair of heels; there are few cutters can come up to her, and the Scout is not one of those that can. Still, something may happen to help us, though it will not be man's doing. I can't deceive myself, and I don't want to deceive you."

Headland feared that the old man was right. At the same time, as long as Harry had any hopes of overtaking the lugger, he determined to accompany him.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »