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diff --git a/78722-0.txt b/78722-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7277128 --- /dev/null +++ b/78722-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1710 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78722 *** + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + THE + TOLL-KEEPERS + AND OTHER + _STORIES FOR THE YOUNG_ + + BY + BENJAMIN CLARKE + AUTHOR OF “MY FIRST AND LAST VOYAGE,” ETC. ETC. + + [Illustration] + + EDINBURGH + W. P. NIMMO, HAY, & MITCHELL + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + THE TOLL-KEEPERS, 5 + + CHIPS FROM A NAVAL OFFICER’S LOG, 11 + + A SHORT ACCOUNT OF GIBRALTAR, 15 + + A GENEROUS ENEMY, 21 + + THIRSTY JACK, 25 + + A VISIT TO MALTA, 29 + + THE FAT CAPTAIN, 33 + + A CONVICT STORY, 37 + + THE LITTER OF PUPS, 43 + + ABOUT FISHING, 49 + + AN ANIMAL THAT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS, 55 + + CHARLEY FORDER AND HIS SISTERS, 61 + + MY GRANDFATHER, 69 + + THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, 76 + + MY FIRST BEAR, 84 + + THE PLOT DISCOVERED, 90 + +_The “Chips from a Naval Officer’s Log” are all strictly true, having +been related to the Writer by officers who bore witness to the truth of +their statements._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE TOLL-KEEPERS. + + +Bushgrove farm-house was a right snug homestead, and the farm-yard, +and the rick-yard, and the out-buildings said very plainly that Farmer +Cousens was a well-to-do man. To spend one fine summer’s day at Bushgrove +would furnish you children with enough to talk about for a month. There +would be something to suit the tastes of all of you. Some of the boys +would make for the stable at once, and very likely would get a chance of +a ride in one of the carts to some part of the farm; others would venture +up in the loft above, and perform some daring somersaults on the soft +hay; some of the girls would get permission to feed the poultry, and +be delighted when the different sorts came half running, half flying at +the sight of the well-known bowl; others would only be too glad to help +Mrs Cousens in the house, especially if they were entrusted with the +important duty of going up to the apple room and selecting the nicest, +rosiest apples for the pie. But none, either of the boys or girls, would +be far away when the cows were milked just before tea, for a draught of +new milk warm from the cow is a treat that Londoners do not easily forget. + +I will undertake, however, to say that not one of you when thinking over +your day’s pleasure, but would decide that the most enjoyable part of +your visit was your introduction to little Sophy and Nelly Cousens. + +Oh! their father would not think much of his farm or his ricks if he +had not these little rogues about him, and their mother would consider +Bushgrove a very dismal home without these little feet trotting about it: +it was hard to say who was the farmer’s favourite. Sophy was the elder +and the prettier, so strangers said, but “Bless you,” he would say, +“folks may talk, but they won’t persuade me which is the prettier, for I +don’t want to know: ’tis just like this with cows—some like ’em all roan, +others like ’em spotted, but Betty doesn’t care which way ’tis as long +as they are quiet and well-behaved when she milks ’em; so I say, as long +as the dear children are good, what’s the use of comparing ’em feature +by feature?” But friends could not help comparing their manner. Nelly, +though only four,—more than a year younger than her sister—was by far the +sturdier child, and far less shy and bashful. She would hold up her dear +honest face for any one to kiss that spoke kindly to her, while Sophy +needed to be persuaded that you loved her before she would raise her +drooping eyes, much less her plump cheeks. + +Now Farmer Cousens used to grumble—all farmers have some cause, they +say; and his was, that he could not take his corn, or his hay, or his +vegetables to market without paying a heavy toll. But when most inclined +to complain, he would think of the other toll gate nearer home, and then +his face would lighten up with a smile. + +I wonder who kept that other gate, and what the toll was for passing +through. + +It was very strictly kept by two little keepers, who were very partial +indeed in deciding who were to pay, and who were to go free; and, strange +to say, those they loved best had to pay the most. Why, they let their +toll gate take care of itself till just as they knew their father would +be coming home; then they would take up their places—Sophy on her feet, +ready to catch him if he should try to run through; and Nelly sitting up +on the bars, to get a ride when the gate was opened, as well as her toll. +Sometimes her father pretended he could not open it with such a great +heavy weight on it, but she was not to be done in that way. If anything +delayed him longer than usual, Sophy would soon begin to get anxious +and fear he would not come before it was time for her to go to bed, +but little Nelly rested her heels on the bar, and planted her hands so +firmly, as much as to say, “Here I sit till he does come.” + +All right, Sophy; cheer up, little woman; I hear old Bob’s steady trot, +your father is coming, and you won’t care about our society just now; +so good-bye both of you, and save some kisses for us when we next go +through—we shall want lots of change for our money. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHIPS FROM A NAVAL OFFICER’S LOG. + + +I hardly know whether I ought to call the short story I am going to tell +you “a chip” from my log, or not; for this reason, that it did not occur +in my own experience, but was related to me. However, like all my other +chips, you may rely on its truth. I can vouch for the fact that I am +going to mention, and you may rely on whatever you find in my log, for +old sailors have seen too many wonderful things that have really happened +to go out of their way to take in their listeners by trying to impose +upon them. + +If you want wonderful things that never happened; if you want frightful +scenes that never could have occurred; if you want battles written by +people that scarcely know the stem from the stern of a ship; that know +nothing of the Queen’s service, and precious little of the Queen’s +English, then you must go to “Admiral Dick; or, the Death Calm;” or, +“Stick-at-nothing Tom; or, the Gory Capstan,” or some such rubbish as +you see advertised, and alas! see read. Now, I won’t say more about this +now, except that the boys and girls who care for my chips, and take any +interest in them, will find them truthful and harmless, neither of which +qualities do those exciting and absurd tales possess. + +Well, when I was serving in the “Conqueror” frigate, there was a +midshipman who was a Turk by birth. He was the only Turk I ever knew in +Her Majesty’s service; but this youngster was not a bad sort of a fellow +in his way. ’Twas from him I heard this short story, with which he was +personally familiar. In a former ship in which he sailed, there was a +passenger who had made some money as a milkman at Constantinople, which +he kept in a bag in his cabin, and was very fond of retiring there and +counting it over. Now, the captain had a pet monkey that used to watch +this man, and seeing him so often going to this bag, he thought there +must be something in it worth examining; so one day he watched his +opportunity, ran into the man’s cabin, seized the bag, and climbed with +it up to the mainsail-yard. The man soon missed his bag, and soon found +out where it was gone, for the monkey began taking out the gold coins, +and throwing them alternately on the deck and into the sea. + +Those that fell on the deck the poor man greedily picked up, but the half +of them that went overboard, of course, were lost. He did not intend +putting up with his loss so quietly, for he held the captain responsible, +as it was his monkey that had robbed him. + +Nothing could be done until the vessel got into port, when the man had +the captain brought before the Kadi, or magistrate, to recover the value +of the coins lost. + +“You were a milkman?” said the Kadi. + +“I was, sir,” replied the man. + +“And, pray, will you tell me how much water you used to put with your +milk?” + +The man was much confused, and replied, he would rather not tell; but as +he saw the magistrate was determined to know, he at last confessed he +used to mix one-half. + +“Very well, then,” said the Kadi, “it appears to me that only one-half of +what you earned was honestly yours. You have got, therefore, all that was +your due, and this monkey has only thrown _into_ the water the amount of +profit you dishonestly got _out of_ the water.” + +Thus, judgment was given against the man, and every one but he felt how +just it was. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +A SHORT ACCOUNT OF GIBRALTAR. + +FROM NOTES OF A PERSONAL VISIT. + + +The rock, the town, the bay, and the strait of Gibraltar lie, as you +know, at the southern extremity of Spain, but I dare say if you have been +at all interested in the place, you have fallen into the same mistake +that many have who are older than you. They have thought the town was +near the mouth of the strait which its artillery is supposed to command. + +But this is not the case, the town is more than twenty miles from the +Atlantic, and its guns, instead of pointing southward to the straits, +which are here no less than fifteen miles across, point towards the bay +on the west, where alone it is accessible, and to the Spanish mainland on +the north. + +Looking at Gibraltar from the sea, it is indeed a grand sight. The +rock is formed of marble and limestone, and rises to three points, +the loftiest of which, Sugar Loaf Point, is 1439 feet from the sea. +Europa Point is on the south, and here, on an oval platform, stands the +governor’s cottage. + +One of the most dreadful tragedies I ever heard of in the way of duelling +came off at Europa Point. One evening an American officer was going +through the guard-room—where were a number of English officers—on the way +to his ship, when as he passed he overheard the Englishmen mention, in no +insulting manner, the word “Yankee.” He returned, boiling over with rage, +and told them they should repent the insult, which they declared was +never intended. However, the American returned next day with a challenge +from as many officers of his ship as there were English officers of our +army in the guard-room, to fight duels. + +The English took up the challenge, but stipulated that they would none of +them fight with Americans of inferior rank. This threw out some of the +Americans, so that then there were more English than necessary, and they +arranged amongst themselves that no married men, but only single ones, +should go forth to this mad encounter. The morning came, and at Europa +Point there stood up in deadly combat four English against four American +officers, of whom two were killed and three or four wounded. Now I cannot +be quite exact as to the number; I know however I am rather under the +mark than over—but the main incident I had from most reliable authority +at Gibraltar. + +On landing, one is disappointed with the town itself, which is +situated at the base of the rock. It is a miserable place, with small +dirty-looking houses and straggling irregular streets. The inhabitants +themselves—some 20,000 of them—are not very attractive, such a mixture +of English, Spanish, Moors, and Turks, with but little in the fair sex +to warrant their being called so. But if you are not struck with the +beauty of the people, you will be with the strength of the place. All the +descriptions you may have read will not prepare you for the reality, so +that I do not expect my account of it will bring you much nearer. I will +merely say, therefore, that there are four or five tiers of galleries +rising one above another on one side of the rock, in which are placed +guns of immense power and weight. Smaller batteries are placed in every +possible direction, and altogether there can be stowed away ammunition +and provisions sufficient for a very long siege. Ordinarily, there are +about seven thousand soldiers on the rock, of whom about three thousand +belong to the artillery, but these are not enough to work all the guns, +so that in case of war many more would be sent out. + +Ah! in case of war; that reminds us that it has often been the scene of +warfare, and perhaps a short sketch of its past history would not be +uninteresting to our young readers. + +When William III. assisted Charles III. of Spain against Philip V. it was +agreed that Gibraltar was to be given to England, but as the agreement +was not kept, and Gibraltar was not handed over to us, Sir G. Rooke took +forcible possession of it in the year 1704. An attempt was made by the +Spaniards to recover it, but it was formally ceded to us in July 1713. + +In the year 1779, during the war with America, Gibraltar was blockaded by +the French and Spanish squadrons. The garrison, under Governor-General +Elliott, made a brave resistance, but was subject to great privations +by reason of the provisions running scarce through the long siege. At +last a vessel hove in sight which proved to be the forerunner of Admiral +Rodney’s squadron of twenty ships, who, having defeated the enemy, came +to the relief of the garrison. + +Since then the Spaniards have often desired to be again in possession of +Gibraltar, and have made some attempts, but always unsuccessful. They now +see the value and importance of it, and so do we. It is the key to the +Mediterranean, and though England has a good many keys on her bunch, she +is not likely to give up this one. + +And now with an anecdote nearer our own time, I must close. You know +that William IV. was in the navy when young, and once, when he was a +midshipman, he served under Admiral Digby in the _Prince George_. + +When the Spanish Admiral Langara was a prisoner of the English, he +visited Admiral Digby, and was introduced to His Royal Highness, who +retired during the conference, but reappeared at its conclusion as the +midshipman on duty, respectfully informing the Spanish Admiral that the +boat was manned ready for him. “Well does Great Britain merit the empire +of the sea,” exclaimed the Spaniard, “when the humblest stations in her +navy are occupied by princes of the blood.” + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +A GENEROUS ENEMY. + + +In 1815 I was a “younker,” or midshipman, on board His Majesty’s ship +“Swinger,” a twelve-gun brig. + +I remember one day, soon after we left Surinam, our captain hobbled upon +deck—for he had a wooden leg—and as his custom was, he stood up near one +of the guns, and looked over the ship’s side. + +“Beat to quarters,” shouted the captain; and sure enough ’twas no false +alarm, for bearing right down upon us was a ship much larger than our +own, which we soon made out to be an American. Nothing daunted by her +size or her superior armament, and consequently larger ship’s company, +we prepared for action, and soon gave the enemy a taste of our metal. +Nothing could have been better than the manner in which our guns were +served, for although we had but sixty men and boys, and twelve guns, +whilst the enemy had 145 men and boys, and fifteen guns, we kept up a +galling fire for two hours and a-half, until the American, finding she +had had as much as she cared for, and not wanting a closer acquaintance, +made off and left us. + +We gave chase for the remainder of the day, but as she was a much faster +ship than ours she made good her escape. + +Soon after, we returned to Surinam; but on the way we painted our ports, +so that we were not at first recognised. + +I had better explain that when we left we were painted entirely black, +but on our return we were black and white, something like a chess-board. + +When we asked “what news,” we were told that a little black brig, that +had recently left, had been licked by an American. We had a good laugh, +of course, and we were able to give a much better account of the little +black brig than that. + +Well, six years after, in 1821, a friend of mine was in the West Indies, +and was thrown into contact with the captain of the American vessel that +encountered the “Swinger.” He often spoke of the engagement, and declared +“he would give anything to see her captain, for he was the smartest man +he’d ever came across.” + +“Why,” said my friend, “the officer who commanded the ‘Swinger’ is now +here, and is an old friend of mine. I shall be delighted to introduce +you.” + +Accordingly it was arranged, and a friendly meeting took place between +the two former enemies. The American rushed up to his old opponent, and +shook him by the hand in such a hearty manner, that it was some minutes +before he relinquished his grasp. “I’m delighted to see you, sir,” he +said; “you’re the cleverest man I ever saw, by a long chalk. Why, I +expected to chaw you up in about half-an-hour, and instead of that, in +about two you gave me such a walloping that I ran into port and didn’t +venture out again. We had nine killed and fifteen wounded; how many had +you?” + +“Only five killed and wounded.” + +“Well done! give us your hand again, captain!” + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THIRSTY JACK. + + +This little story I am going to tell you is a very small chip, so small, +indeed, that it might be almost called a shaving, but it comes into my +mind just now, and is such a trifling occurrence, that unless I tell you +now I may forget it at another time. It will just do to fill up a spare +moment or two while your candle is being got ready for bed, or after you +have finished your dinner, and have a minute to spare, or while you are +waiting to be attended to in a shop. + +It is about Jack Fraser, one of our lieutenants in the ——. Well, on +second thoughts, I won’t tell you the name of the ship, or some of my +fair young friends may be ingenious enough to look through old Navy +Lists, and by seeing when my ship was at the station I am going to +mention, may discover that I must be getting very old, whereas I want +you all to fancy I’m very young. At all events, though my timbers are +creaking, and my skylights getting dim, and my figure-head rather grey, I +am still fond of boys and girls, and like to have them about me. + +Well, about Jack Fraser. We were at Jamaica, which is, as you know, +rather a warm climate. Fraser was what they call “a thirsty soul,” that +is, one very fond of his glass; not his spyglass for looking abroad, +or his looking-glass for looking at home, but his wine glass and +grog-tumbler. He had always some excuse, though I can’t call it a reason. +When here, he used to say it was so hot we could only keep cool by +drinking; when farther north in colder climates, he declared the only way +to keep warm was by drinking; and when on any home station on half-pay, +he used to say that this was such a wretched climate that he could only +keep off “the blues” by his glass regular. I always think when I hear any +one finding excuses like this for drinking, that he is rather ashamed of +it himself, and that he indulges far more than is generally supposed. + +Well, one afternoon he went ashore at Port Royal, and had not returned +when we all turned in, and when all lights were turned out. By and by +Jack came on board and began fumbling about for something to drink. The +steward had retired, so he knew he could not get supplied. My cabin +opened in the mess-room, so I heard him talking to himself about his +misfortune in being so thirsty and in not getting anything to drink. +Presently I found out he had discovered some, which he soon drank off, +for in a few seconds I heard such a spitting and spluttering that I +laughed right out, for I at once guessed what had happened. He had got +hold of the jug which contained a decoction for enticing mosquitoes and +other insects to it, and which had done its work pretty well that day. It +was this liquid Fraser had drunk, and it was these mosquitoes that he had +spit out, except such as had been swallowed past recovery. + +I wish this had taught him a lesson; but this bad habit, even more +than others, though it may receive many checks, is with the greatest +difficulty given up. + +Take care, young friends, that you do not form them. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +A VISIT TO MALTA. + + +The view of Malta did not quite equal my expectations, though +the I harbour certainly is very fine, and the number of gay and +picturesque-looking boats makes it a lively scene. The fortifications are +of great extent, but so different from Gibraltar, being all artificial. +I need hardly say that Malta is an island in the Mediterranean, between +Africa and Sicily, but perhaps it may be necessary to mention that it is +about 20 miles long by 12 broad. + +By the way, Malta is not unlike some human beings—naturally barren and of +no use, but by culture and application and diligence, and with help from +others, how very fertile they become? + +This reflection occupies us whilst we row to land—there to see for +ourselves the places of note. The streets are very curious, being large +flights of steps leading up from the sea into the town. The church of +St John and the governor’s house are well worth seeing; but one of the +finest modern buildings is the Hospital, on the left hand side of the +entrance to the town. The hotels and shops are very good, that is, you +can get what you require, but then you have to pay rather dearly; perhaps +the people think that persons going to the East must make all their +purchases here, as it is the last European place at which the steamers +stop, and that persons coming from the East are only too glad to prepare +here for the colder climate they will encounter before they finish their +journey, and so do not much mind what they pay for things. The population +is somewhat over 125,000, and as most of the inhabitants are Roman +Catholics, there is a great deal of church-going. But the bell-ringing +is enough to summon ten times the number of people to matins and +vespers;—clang, clang, ding, dong,—the noise is incessant. I am talking, +of course, of the time when I was there, but I hear that much of the +nuisance has been done away with. Then, besides the churches, there are +many monasteries, one of which I visited, and of which I will tell you, +as a very singular custom is in force there, that of baking the deceased +friars. + +The monastery is one of the Capuchin order, and as soon as one of the +monks dies, his body is exposed to a dry heat; whereby the softer parts +become hardened; then he is propped up in a niche set apart for him, +and his name and history are written above. The catacombs, where all +these bodies are placed, consist of a long narrow room dimly lighted, +and filled with a faint sickly odour; on either side is a row of corpses +attired in the robes of their order, with ropes fastened round them as +waistbands. Over each niche branches of the bay tree were wreathed, +and among them the monks, with horrible ingenuity, had intertwined +garlands and festoons of skulls, thigh bones, legs, and arms. The monk +who accompanied me appeared intensely gratified and exultant over these +disgusting things, and when he pointed out one old fellow who had been +baked about a hundred years, he was in raptures. + +Rather an unpleasant order to belong to! Fancy seeing your niche in the +wall that your body will fill up some day! almost as bad as the custom in +Iceland of standing the minister’s coffin in the church near the pulpit, +or as the man who bought a job lot of coffins, thinking they would be +sure to come in useful some day. + +An officer of ours accompanied me, who two years ago knew one of the +monks, and on his asking for him, he was taken to a newly-filled niche, +and there shown his old friend in a state of mummyism, as he had been +dead some months. + +Instead of being an order of _friars_, they should be called an order of +_bakers_. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE FAT CAPTAIN. + + +One of the queerest men I ever knew was Captain ——. Well, there, you +won’t be any wiser if I tell you his name. He has been dead some time, +but many of his friends are still living, so I will merely call him the +fat captain. + +He was an immensely stout man, and if he wasn’t a port admiral, he was a +portly captain. + +Once when his ship was in the Piræus, he gave an entertainment to some +of the principal residents at Athens, among whom were many ladies. They +spent a merry evening on board the ship, and when it was time for the +party to break up, the captain called aside the first lieutenant, who was +a very small man indeed, by the way, and told him that when the boats +were putting off from the ship he would fall into the water, and asked +the lieutenant if he would mind jumping in after him. The latter, quite +appreciating the joke, readily consented, for both could swim; and they +waited to carry out their intention. + +But the gunner had overheard the conversation, and knew what was going to +take place. + +Now this man was a great favourite on board, especially with the captain, +with whom he had sailed six years. He was the handiest man imaginable, +and could do anything, even to repairing any watches that might be out of +order. His readiness and willingness gave him a certain position which +made him rather saucy. + +When he heard of the captain’s intended joke, he thought some fun might +be made out of it, and so he went below and told all the men of it. + +At length the party was ready to go. It was a lovely night; the moon +shone on the still blue water, and the ladies were looking forward to a +pleasant row to land. + +Just as the boats had got clear of the ship there was a sudden splash as +a body fell heavily into the water, and a cry was instantly raised, “The +captain overboard.” + +Another splash! as over went the lieutenant, the ladies screaming, +greatly terrified. + +No sooner was the lieutenant in the water, when splash! splash! splash! +as from every port-hole on that side of the ship plunged sailor after +sailor, who had been waiting, undressed, for the captain’s joke. + +Then followed quite a scrimmage as to who should save the captain, until +the unfortunate man was being rather roughly handled in the very laudable +and extraordinarily prompt efforts, as he thought, to save his life. +When the ladies got over the fright of the supposed accident, and the +proximity of so many naked tars, they entered into the fun and enjoyed it +with the others. + +I don’t know if the captain ever knew of the part the gunner had taken in +the affair, but he always continued to be a favourite with him, although +the captain frequently declared he was the greatest blackguard in the +ship. + +Some time after, when the captain’s vessel was ordered home, he sent for +the gunner and told him he was going home, but wouldn’t disgrace himself +by taking such a blackguard back to England. He said he was transferred +to another ship, and handed him two letters. When he got out of the cabin +the man found that one letter contained his discharge to the admiral’s +ship, and the other a ten-pound note. + +They quite understood one another, and I dare say the gunner would rather +have had his captain’s abuse than his praise. Queer fellow, wasn’t he? + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +A CONVICT STORY. + + +It was soon after landing at Sydney from my second voyage that I fell in +with an old friend, who was then a magistrate of the town. + +After comparing notes since we had last met, he asked me to go out and +visit his family who lived in the bush, about seven miles from Sydney. +The captain of the “Tartar,” the vessel I had come out in, was to go with +me; and so we hired a gig, and drove out. + +It was a wild, dreary country, sure enough, that we went over, and +a most dismal locality to reside in. Why, the nearest house was the +police-station, and that was three miles off; but, as we shall see, the +police are not at all bad neighbours in that part of the world. + +We got to our journey’s end, and the first sight we saw was four gibbets +erected near the gate. We thought, perhaps, that they were the sign that +a magistrate lived there, or that they were put up, just like the old +stocks one sometimes sees on a village green, to be ready when wanted, +and to be a terror to people always; but the account that my friend gave +showed that they were erected for some real criminals. + +About six weeks before this, a gentleman and his son were spending Sunday +here; and in the afternoon the young man, with my friend’s son, were +strolling about the yard, when they fancied they heard a strange noise in +an out-house. + +They listened for some time, till, feeling sure they heard footsteps, +they went near, and opened the door, when immediately they found +themselves attacked by four convicts. + +A desperate struggle took place, for the young men were strong, and were +not to be easily beaten; but the odds were too great, and it might have +gone very hard with them, had not the scuffle been heard in-doors. + +My friend said he was sitting with his daughter in the back parlour, +when he heard a noise of heavy footfalls, with loud and laboured +breathing. They went out into the yard, the father taking his gun with +him; but, as it was getting dusk, they could see nothing. + +“Who’s there?” shouted he. No answer; but he could just make out the form +of a man scrambling from the ditch, and retreating over the wall. He +fired; and then three other men retreated in like manner. The young men +quickly appeared and related how they had been attacked, and how narrowly +they had escaped strangulation, for it was their hard breathing that had +been heard in-doors. + +They soon informed the police, who quickly caught the four men, and they +were hung near the scene of their crime. + +I had been left with the ladies for some time, wondering where my +friend and the captain had gone; but when I came to inquire, I was +rather annoyed to find that they had gone to Sydney in the gig, as the +magistrate was sent for in a hurry, and had left word for me to remain +there for the night. I must say I did not like the idea at all. + +I knew something of these convicts, what desperate fellows they were, and +thought it not unlikely that they might resent the punishment so lately +inflicted on some of their order, particularly as the gibbets reminded +them of the event, and were likely to keep alive any ill-feeling that +might exist. Besides, I knew I was the only male in the house, and that +great things would be expected of me in case of an alarm. + +When I got up to my room, my first care was to fasten the door; but, +alas! there was no lock; and I could only discover a small button. I then +searched the room for some weapon, and found a gun; but this, like the +door, was without a lock. I got hold of a _whaddy_, a short, club-like +stick, heavier at one end than the other; so, placing this with the gun +near me, I jumped into bed. Then I was rather ashamed of myself for +getting at all alarmed, and so I soon went asleep. I was awoke shortly +after by the sound of heavy breathing, such as my friend had described; +and at once all the circumstances of his account came into my mind. I +sat up in bed, and heard the breathing—now dying away, now getting +louder—and also footsteps in like manner. I got out of bed, seized my +weapons, and was close to the door, feeling that a desperate encounter +was at hand. I should not care to see a sketch of myself as I then +appeared. My lower limbs were altogether unprotected, and were not very +steady; but I hope you will charitably put down any shaking there may +have been to cold rather than fear. + +The footsteps were again drawing near, the breathing was more plainly +heard, and the door was gently shaken. I opened it, sprang out—shouted +“Who’s there?”—got no answer—saw no one—listened—heard the footsteps +retreating, and felt sure there were several. I then returned to my room, +and soon heard the footsteps again approaching so this time prepared for +the worst; and when I imagined they had got up to the door, I rushed +out, and confronted two as strongly-built, savage-looking _bloodhounds_ +as I ever saw, which, after giving a good sniff at my legs—I, of course, +expected a bite—turned round, and kept their watch as before. My friend +had got them since the night of the attack as a protection. + +Ah! it’s all very well to laugh now, but it was no laughing matter at the +time, my young friends. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE LITTER OF PUPS. + + +“Oh! my! what beauties!” exclaimed Jessie Barton, on coming down one +morning and finding that their dear old “Floss” had become a joyful +mother. The household was soon informed of the fact and hastened to +welcome the little strangers. Tom, who was Jessie’s brother, and two +years older, immediately had ideas of appropriation, and wanted to know +which he might have. But his father said they would not decide yet, but +had better select two that were to live, and destroy the rest. In vain +Tom urged, in vain Jessie pleaded for the innocents; Mr Barton said it +was kindness to the mother, who could not possibly do justice to the +whole litter—seven in number; and to the pups themselves, who could not +be all kept by them, but would be given away, and might fall into cruel +hands. + +So five of the number were quickly immersed in a bucket, and were kept +under water by a mop until, in a few seconds, their very young life was +extinguished. + +The two that were spared, were by general consent the prettiest; and when +in the course of nine days they looked out upon the world into which +they had been born, it was then considered the time had come for their +appropriation. This was a rather important matter to Tom and Jessie, to +whom they were to belong. One pup was black and tan, with rather a sharp +nose; and the other was brown with a shorter nose and more amiable look. + +It so happened that the one each had fixed on was just the one the other +did not want, so that both were well pleased. + +As soon as they could leave their mother the young people took the +pups under their especial charge, whilst “Floss” exercised a parental +watchfulness over them both. + +Jessie had, after great deliberation, and asking the advice of all her +young friends, called her pet “Gyp,” and it must be acknowledged that +she took great care of him, and appeared very fond of him. But Gyp was +ungrateful from his earliest puppyhood; he never thought of his poor +mother when any food was going, but gobbled up as much as he possibly +could; and when he had done would even try to take a bone from his +mother’s mouth, which was perhaps all she had had. He soon resented any +interference with his freedom and liberty, and showed his mother he did +not want her to be following him about, licking his back, or trying to +keep him in any way clean. You will judge from this that “Gyp” was rather +a strong-minded and self-willed dog. He was also of a reflective turn +of mind, and as he had plenty of time hanging on his paws, he would sit +and puzzle over things that did not concern him, and try to find out the +reason for things which had puzzled older and wiser dogs than he. + +There was one thing that troubled him much; he saw “Pincher” Tom’s dog, +go out with him continually, and always on half-holidays, and heard from +him what fun they had had; whilst he seldom went out, and even then was +dragged along by his mistress with a piece of red window-blind cord; so +that if he wanted to investigate anything for himself, or if he met with +other dogs whose acquaintance he might like to form, he found himself +suddenly jerked along by the neck, in a most humiliating, and sometimes +painful manner. + +One afternoon, the two brothers met, and, of course, stopped and had +a chat. “Pincher” was off to the country with Tom and a number of his +school-fellows, but “Gyp” had been out with Jessie on an errand, and +was going home. He complained to his brother of his confinement, when +he suggested he should slip the cord, and make a bolt of it; but he +was unable to do it; he was nearly choked, both by the cord and with +indignation, and he returned home in a desperate frame of mind. + +The next day “Gyp” was gone, and was nowhere to be found, nor did he ever +return to his native place, for soon after, the family changed houses. +Of course, Jessie missed her pet for some time; but long after she had +ceased to think much of him, he thought with sorrowful regret of the +comfortable home and kind mistress he had lost. + +He soon got tired of his wandering, roving life, and found it very +unsatisfying to his appetite. Then he followed some little boys for a +day or two, who gave him some crusts, but who soon ceased to care for +him, and gave him the slip. He then attached himself to a cat’s-meat +woman, from whom he now and then got a stray piece; but some stronger dog +witnessed his good fortune and usurped his place, when the woman, finding +herself surrounded by quite a pack of hounds of various sorts, sternly +drove them all off, and never gave them as much as a skewer to pick. + +One day in his hungry wanderings, “Gyp” found himself in the street in +which he had formerly lived, and seeing a board up in the garden of his +old home, he trotted up, hoping to find a notice of a reward offered for +his restoration; but it was only to the effect that the house was to let, +and the family had gone, he knew not whither. + +However, they had not moved very far off; and so tired was “Gyp” of his +roving life, that he determined to hang about the neighbourhood with the +hope of getting some one to recognise him. He came across the milkman, +and wagged his weary tail against his can to attract his notice, but +he only drove him away. He loitered outside the butcher’s, hoping to +be remembered, but he was thought to have designs upon the meat on the +boards, and was driven off with a whip. At last one day he met “Pincher,” +and great was the delight of both, for Tom had gone to boarding-school, +and his dog was very dull. Of course he took “Gyp” with him to the house, +and soon brought Jessie to the door, who at once recognised her dear old +“Gyp,” in spite of his hungry and dirty condition; and what was far more +important to poor “Gyp,” received him with open arms. + +He has now grown up a faithful, steady dog, and has learned the lesson +that he and others did not think necessary—that it is well when young to +be subject to control and discipline, and that at that period we do not +know what is best for ourselves. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +ABOUT FISHING. + + +How many recollections do these fishing-boats, now hauled up and lying +idle on the beach, revive! + +They tell of long hours of toil, of longer hours still of weary watching +and waiting; they tell of dangers braved, of storms endured, of exposure +to cold winds and drenching spray. They suggest all the dangers of the +deep to which some of their number have succumbed, leaving widows and +orphans to mourn for— + + “Those who shall never come back to the town.” + +But just now we do not want so much to dwell on the hardships and dangers +of the fisherman’s lot, as the produce of his toil and the result of his +fishing. + +Those of you who have been to seaport towns have sometimes watched the +fleet of fishing-boats going out to sea. + +If there is a smart breeze blowing, and the sun is shining, it is as +pretty a sight as you are likely to see; the strong heavy boats running +before the wind, and the sun lighting up their dull brown sails. They +will remain out perhaps for a day or two if the fish are scarce, but if +plentiful, they will bring in their hauls, and dispose of them at fair +prices. + +Now, perhaps some of you who are fond of fish are disposed to ask why +fish is so dear, as you so seldom get any on that account. Well, the +principal fault lies with the retailer or shopkeeper: the fisherman only +receives from 3d. to 4d. a lb. for his prime fish, but those who buy it, +or the consumers, pay from 1s. to 1s. 6d. a lb. When at a watering-place +last year, we paid 2s. a lb. for soles that were caught off the coast. + +Of course some allowance is to be made for the perishable nature of the +commodity, but when that has been done, it does seem that we have to pay +far too dearly for that which is so plentiful. + +Besides, the facilities of conveyance are so much greater than they were +formerly. Then the trade was carried on from Yarmouth to London by light +four-horse vans, and in that way some 2000 tons were conveyed every year; +but now that quantity is sent to London by rail every fortnight. + +In the fishing-grounds on the south and south-east coasts, steamers go +out to the fleets and bring up the fish very quickly to Billingsgate +every day. + +The largest traffic is with fish that are taken in shoals. Off +Scarborough from seven to eight hundred tons of herrings have been taken +and sent away at one time; and on the Suffolk coast £14,000 worth of fish +were taken in a single day. + +Then mackerel has its seasons, when the hauls are enormous; this fish +is much liked for its solidity, and also for its delicacy. You boys and +girls can get a good mouthful without fear of bones if you are ordinarily +careful; and you may imagine they are relished when you are told that +the consumption in London alone, every year, is 25,000,000. There is +quite a numeration sum for many of you, and very few will at all realise +what an enormous quantity those figures convey? + +But perhaps of all fish, pilchards are taken in the largest quantities. +They are caught chiefly off the coast of Devon and Cornwall, and when +_marinated_ or potted are much liked. Many a nice jar of potted pilchards +do the mothers in the west of England prepare and send to different +parts; and if some of you who never tasted them, once had a jar sent you, +you would think them a fine “institution.” + +The shoals are often of enormous extent; one was computed to extend +over a hundred miles, and no doubt many millions were captured. Besides +the home consumption, they are packed in oil and shipped to Italy and +different parts in the Mediterranean. + +Now we wonder if the thought has entered the minds of any of you, that +with so many taken they will become by and by very scarce; and this +refers not only to pilchards, but to fish generally. + +If so, you are by no means singular, for lately a Royal Commission +has considered the subject, and we believe that the supply of fish is +inexhaustible. It has been ascertained that far more fish are destroyed +by creatures of their own race than by man, that by far greater slaughter +goes on under the water than above it. + +We have counted as many as fifteen or twenty small fish inside a cod, +and often as many herrings have been discovered to have been swallowed +by one of the same species. A calculation then has been made: allowing a +cod two herrings a day for seven months of the year, it was found that if +“the cod and ling caught on the Scotch coast in 1861 had been left in the +water, they would have devoured as many herrings as were caught by all +the fishermen of Scotland, and 6000 more, in the same year.” + +So that you see, instead of making fish scarce by catching them, there +are actually more because of all the fishing that goes on. There is no +fear, therefore, that we shall ever exhaust the stock; and besides, the +rate of increase is so enormous. Little have you thought, perhaps, +when you were eating the roe of a herring, that you were crunching up +thousands and thousands of eggs. A single herring has been found to +contain 36,000; a mackerel half-a-million; a sole a million; a flounder a +million and a quarter; whilst a cod has been known to possess 3,400,000 +eggs. + +Truly these may be said to be some of the wonders of the sea, and glad +shall we be if this hurried paper leads any of our readers to study the +wisdom and goodness of God in the great deep. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +AN ANIMAL THAT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS. + + +I wish some one would write a book about the ass, and show us how he +became so degenerated, and when he first got into disfavour. + +Everybody knows he was an animal of great importance once, and in the +East, at the present day, he is ridden by nobles, and is well cared for. +Ah! you say, he is a very different animal from our poor ass. Of course +he is; there, he is really an elegant animal, full of spirit and of good +action; his coat is smooth, and his pace is rapid. But this only proves +our point. It is not because he is first dull and stupid that he is ill +cared for; but because he is badly treated, that he is the poor, slow, +heavy brute we find him. + +Even now, we do see some first-rate animals in the shafts of +costermongers’ carts, and sometimes of gigs and other vehicles; in these +cases, their owners take an interest in them, feed them well, groom them +carefully, and oftener use the corn measure than the cudgel. + +At recent donkey exhibitions there have been some fine specimens, showing +what the race is capable of; but, alas! these are only exceptions, and +only make their less fortunate fellows appear more stupid than ever. +We see what can be done with kindness with our existing stock; but if +some good specimens were brought from the East, might we not have a much +better race of donkeys? At one time in this country no doubt we had; but +then the ass was an object of religious interest; people remembered how +honoured his race had been; he was the only animal on which our Saviour +rode, the only one that ever relieved Him of any bodily fatigue and +weariness; and so he became celebrated in the early church. + +The Feast of the Ass was held on the 14th January, in commemoration of +the flight into Egypt. The Holy Family was represented, the ass was led +round the town, and then taken into the church, where at the end of +the service the priest brayed three times, and the whole congregation +“hee-hawed.” A hymn was sung, and in the chorus the braying was imitated: + + “From the country of the East, + Came this strong and handsome beast; + This noble ass, beyond compare, + Heavy loads and packs to bear. + Now, seignior ass, a noble bray, + Thy beauteous mouth, at large display; + Abundant food our hay-lofts yield, + And oats abundant load the field. + Hee-haw! hee-haw! hee-haw!” + +There! was not he a lucky ass? + +Some of you boys are quite irreverent enough to think they were all a set +of asses together. + +Well, it was certainly a queer proceeding, and one that should never have +taken place inside a church. + +Why, the priest must have been the original “Vicar of Bray.” + +They carried their reverence so far as to declare—and the superstition +has been handed down to our time—that the cross that we see on the back +of every ass, near the shoulders, is there because of our Saviour’s +riding on one into Jerusalem. The fact is, however, that the stripe on +the ass shows that it belongs to the same class as the zebra, which has +several of them. + +This much to show that the ass was treated well at one time; and I +remember a friend drawing attention to a verse in the Bible, which proved +how different was his nature then from now. + +In Proverbs xxvi. 3, it says, “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the +ass,” as if in those days it was the horse who wanted urging, and the +ass that required to be held in. How different now! not only does the +ass feel the whip, but the cudgel, rope-end, or anything that comes to +_hand_, and often the _foot_ too. + +His body is a mark for stones to be aimed at, if he is grazing by the +roadside, or if he meets any one on the road he is considered fair game +to whack, in passing. With some men and boys, it is impossible to have a +stick without bringing it down upon every donkey they meet with. Some +look upon them as animated drums, made on purpose to be beaten; they do +not think there is any feeling below that rough hide. + +Why, in one stage, an ass’s skin retains the impression of a black +lead pencil; and be sure that in its roughest and toughest state it is +painfully affected by a cudgel. + +The fact is, the poor donkey is not well able to defend himself, as if it +were never contemplated he would be so ill-used. It was natural for him +to expect the stings of insects and the pricks of brambles, and so he is +covered with a thick coating of hair; it was likely he would come across +nettles and such things in his quest for food, and so his mouth has +been made nettle-proof; but it was never to be expected that a patient, +useful, willing, hard-working brute, should be an Ishmael among animals, +with every man’s hand against him, and so he is not furnished with any +formidable qualities. He does not even run away very rapidly from his +enemies; and as to his kicking, he does not often do that, and, when he +does, it is not a very sudden affair; but he has always credit given him +for being about to kick, and so he gets walloped in anticipation. + +Men have found out that he is rather sensitive about his ears, and so the +only object of his having them, that they can see, is to furnish them +with opportunities to annoy him. + +I had one once—there, now, the mere mention of the circumstance makes +some of you smile, as if it were a more ridiculous animal than a goat or +pig. + +The poor donkey is looked upon as a joke; but he would not mind if jokes +were the only things cracked upon him—it is the whip and stick that he +minds most. + +Some have asked, “Why a donkey prefers thistles to grass?”—“Because he’s +_an ass_.” But these playful attacks he doesn’t mind at all; he would +only like to put in a word, that he could do with more of them and fewer +kicks and blows; but that he would even prefer corn to thistles. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHARLEY FORDER AND HIS SISTERS. + + +Now, there are some of you boys that don’t care very much about your +sisters. You may not like to own it, and would not, perhaps, confess it +if you were asked, yet it is so; for I know you, though I have not seen +you. You don’t care to kiss them night and morning; but if they are loth +to go without this affectionate salute, then you merely put up your cheek +to be operated on, and look quite like a martyr while it is being done. +You are too grand to play with them, although they are quite willing to +let you have your own way; they would always be the horses, and let you +drive, or let you have first “turn” at any game you like to suggest. +But no; girls are such “muffs” at any sensible games; all very well for +tea-parties and skipping-ropes. They can’t give backs for leap-frog, they +have no idea of throwing a ball, and they could no more spin a top than +make one. + +You don’t care to take baby out in your arms, though your sister, +perhaps, has had her all the afternoon, and is really very tired; for +though they call her “Toddles,” she has no idea of walking at present. + +You don’t like even to go out to walk with your sisters, ever since the +day when you were prevented going out walking with Tom Hawkins and Harry +Wilkins, having promised your mother you would take the girls. I knew how +ashamed you felt when you met your school-fellows, and they shouted out, +“There’s a big girl! Take care of the baby, Dick!” + +Now, young gentleman, I advise you to get out of these ways as soon as +possible. You are now at a very disagreeable age, and when you are a +little older you will wonder you could ever have been so “uppish.” I +don’t doubt you will get over all this nonsense when you go out in life, +and have to leave home; then you will miss the many little acts that your +eldest sister, just about your own age, used to perform. + +Dressing hurriedly of a dark winter’s morning, there goes a button! Never +mind, let’s pin the shirt. Not long after, stooping down, or lifting a +heavy parcel, or something else, gives you a hint about your substitute +for a button, by a sudden prick, that makes you think of dear old Susy +and her nimble fingers. + +Going errands in the snow and wet, you feel your toes uncommonly cold; +you put them up close to the fire in the shop while you are waiting to be +served, or you do the “double shuffle” with your feet over a railing or +on the pavement; but something better might be done if only Susy had your +stockings, and darned these great holes through which your toes project. + +Sooner or later, boys, you would think you had been very foolish in not +having valued your sisters more. Well, never mind; they will soon forget +any little want of attention, and we will cease to remind you what +awkward customers you once were—that is, if you try and make up for it. + +Ah! Charley Forder cared for his sister, I can tell you. “But who was +Charley Forder!” Well, listen. + +He was the eldest child of his parents, who lived at Lingford, a small +town on the sea-coast. + +His father was a sailor in the navy, and was now away on a four-years’ +voyage to the Pacific. Mrs Forder had enough to do to look after her +family, and help support them, by taking in plain needle-work; but +Margaret, who was now ten years old, and a big girl for her age, was +able to help her mother in minding her younger sisters. Charley, who +was sixteen, had been a sailor boy for some two years; but his father, +wishing him to be nearer home than he was likely to be, had entered him +in the merchant service; and he was apprenticed to a firm whose vessels +called in at Lingford. + +His mother was very sorry to part with Charley, as he was a real comfort +to her. He was always willing to rock the cradle, or look after little +“Puss,” as he called his second sister; and then, when all the work was +done, he would go out for a run with them on the down, or else stroll +down to the beach, and watch what was going on. He and Margaret used to +talk like grown-up people in their plans for helping their mother, for +they knew that there was only what she earned and father’s half-pay to +maintain them all. + +“I tell you what ’tis, Madge, I shall leave here, and be doing something +for myself, and for you all,” said Charley, one day, on the beach. + +“And so shall I, Charley; why, I’m bigger than Susan Carter, and she’s +in a place, and gets a shilling a week, and does not cost her mother +anything, ’cos her missus gives her her old clothes.” + +“No, that won’t do; you must stay at home and look after the little ones, +so that mother will have more time for her work, and I’ll be off; that +will be one less to keep.” + +And the matter was talked over, and a letter written to the father; and +when his consent was gained, after several months’ interval, Charley +joined a schooner that was engaged in the fruit trade, and went between +Valencia and London. The vessel was just going out for a cargo, and +it was expected she would call in at Lingford. It would be a good +opportunity for Mrs Forder to get up some clean linen for Charley, and +also something out of the way of junks of salt pork and biscuit for him +to eat. The children had the bundle of clothes and the tin of good things +in readiness on the beach, and waited for the “Stirling Castle” as she +came round the point. It was a windy day, so Margaret thoughtfully set +baby on a rock, with her back to the sea, not minding how she herself was +blown about; and little “Puss” was too intent on seeing Charley to think +of herself at all. + +At last a vessel hove in sight, and neared the land, a boat put off for +the shore, with Charley in her, bearing a letter to one of the partners, +which he was to deliver, to wait an answer, and then return at once. + +The lad had just time to run in to his mother and thank her for her +kindness, after embracing his sisters on the beach. Poor boy! he was +obliged to tear himself away. He tried to be merry, and told Madge she +had given him a _smack_ when she kissed him, but perhaps he should have a +_schooner_ some day; but it was with a heavy heart he left them. + +That evening the fresh meat was taken with salt tears trickling down his +face, yet he felt happy when he rose from his knees and turned into his +hammock. + +Good-bye, Charley—God bless you! + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +MY GRANDFATHER. + + +Among the pleasantest recollections of my youth are the memories of my +dear grandfather. + +I have a very distinct remembrance of the satisfaction I felt when I +presented myself at church for the first time in jacket and trousers; and +a much clearer one of having discovered in the depths of the pocket of +the latter garment a fourpenny bit, than of anything the minister said +that day. + +I recall my feelings on breaking up at the end of my first half, away +from heme at boarding-school. That was very jolly; and if I stopped to +relate them, I could jot down several occasions, the remembrance of which +I have never lost; but, as I said, the pleasantest recollections of my +youth are concerning my grandfather. + +He lived at no great distance from us, and so we often saw him; in fact, +he made it his duty, and I am sure it was his pleasure, to come and see +us once every fortnight. If he had lived at a distance, and had only come +to us once a year, say at Christmas time, we should, of course, have been +very glad to see him; but then we should not have learned to respect or +love him as we did. + +It is no very difficult thing to make one’s-self popular with youngsters, +if one brings them presents; and especially at Christmas, when most +people’s hearts are more than usual kindly disposed; so that if a person +could not make himself agreeable then, he must be a bear. Had grandfather +only paid us these annual visits he might, by an effort, have impressed +us very favourably even had he not been particularly fond of children; +but these frequent visits, when we saw him under varied circumstances, +sometimes under trial, sometimes in bodily pain, sometimes anxious about +some of his children or grandchildren, gave us so many opportunities of +observing that he was always the same to us youngsters. The rattle of his +stick on the railings would bring us down to the door at once, however +interestedly we were engaged; and though we were always delighted to see +him, I must say that our hearts beat with a throb of curious joy when +we noticed, as we were sure to do in a moment, that his pockets looked +at all bulky. The contents were never disclosed until after dinner; the +delay kept up our interest, and I think also it was a little generalship +on his part, as it gave him an opportunity of having forty winks whilst +we were engaged with our presents, either eating them, if they were for +consumption, or amusing ourselves with them, if they were for recreation. +After the real nap would come an assumed one. We could always tell where +the one ended and the other began by the smile that played round his +mouth as he opened one eye, and then shut it up quickly, if we were +looking. Then he was supposed to be a sleeping giant, or a grizzly bear, +and we tried to get near him and touch him, and fly off before he could +reach us. How angry he would pretend to get at our impudence; how +severely he appeared to feel our tiny slaps; what dreadful threats he +uttered, the severest of which, “seeing our noses above our chins,” was +always received by us with defiant laughter. + +I need not say we ran some terrible risks until success making us very +bold, we put ourselves entirely within reach of the enemy, were fairly +caught, and were mercilessly tickled. + +Then would come a more vigorous romp sometimes in the hall, at his +suggestion, lest we should disarrange the parlour too much. He was +always more than a match for us, both with his arms and legs; but in our +desperate struggles, when I would try to trip him up, and my sister to +pull him down, he would pretend to be almost conquered. This gave great +zest to the fun, and made it much more enjoyable than if he had, as he +might have done, turned us over on our backs like sailors do the turtle +on the sands; and at tea time, when we related the encounters, he took +good care to break in with some such remark as—“Ah! I must look out when +you get a little bigger,” or else rubbed his shoulder, as if by our +gigantic efforts we had nearly pulled his arm out of the socket. Though +defeated, we were never humiliated; and his sweet, amiable disposition +was seen in all his conduct. He always tried to make the most of every +one; he would always encourage, or draw out whatever was in them, unless +he met with any one very forward or conceited. + +Then, after tea, before we went to bed, we gathered round him. I used +to sit on his knee until my mother declared I was too big to be nursed; +but my sister had that privilege long after she had outgrown the size at +which I had to give it up. There were some old stories and jokes that we +insisted on having every time he came; and so well did we know them that, +when, for fun, he would vary them, or omit portions, we at once detected +him, and would have the “full, true, and particular account.” + +Always before he left us he would gradually get us sober; not suddenly +repressing our laughter, or jerking his face into a solemn expression, +but generally leading round the last story or subject in the direction +of religion. I can never forget the Bible stories as he told them; he +made the characters so real and lifelike by telling us of them in a +plain, simple way, and by looking at them from a child’s stand-point. We +never tired of hearing of the Good Shepherd; he made Jesus appear to us +as especially the Saviour of little children; and as he unfolded to us +the tender, pitying, gentle love of Christ, we nestled close into him, +and fancied we were indeed His lambs, and that His very arms were folding +us to His bosom. + +Since then, Ethel has been welcomed into the heavenly fold by Jesus +himself; and I—well, trust I am not wandering away from Him; at all +events, I know I am nearer than I should have been had I not been blessed +with such a grandfather. + +I often think of him, but especially when Christmas comes round. It was +on Christmas Day that he last visited us. We were sitting round the fire, +before the lights were lit for tea, and as usual, Ethel and I were close +to him. He was holding each of us by the hand, and, raising us, we stood +at his side. He was speaking about the Babe of Bethlehem; he said he +felt, soon, very soon, he too, like the shepherds, should see Him, though +not as they saw Him. Presently I felt a tear fall on my hand, and then +another; at length the tears fell fast, and the words stopped. Looking +up in his face, Ethel said, “Are you ill, grandpa?” “No, my child,” he +replied, “I was thinking how long I should have to wait in heaven until +the Shepherd fetched my darlings and His.” + +He died before the New Year, and he had not long to wait for little Ethel. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. + + +Many places there surely are in London that it would do one good to +visit—many places to which you have never been, and many more to which we +have never been together. I don’t mean peepshows, or waxworks, or places +of amusement at all; but places that are set apart for some wise, and +good, and holy objects, places where something, at all events, is done to +lessen the misery and wretchedness that everywhere surround us. One such +place is the Hospital for Sick Children, in Great Ormond Street, and if +you have never been there—I trust you never have been as an inmate—you +will be interested in tracing my steps. + +My visit was a very recent one, and I may say I had you, my young +readers, in my mind as I went. + +Waiting a short time in a large reception-room, I had time to observe +that the house formerly was a mansion, and I found out that a hundred +years ago men of literature and science assembled here. Here Addison and +Pope and Swift met and talked, sometimes gravely and sometimes gaily; but +now the present little inhabitants forbid one’s gaiety, at all events. +Then children’s feet ran up and down those broad oak stairs; but now the +children that pass up are borne, helpless and afflicted. Then the rich +paintings on the walls, the gilding on the ceiling, the cornices and +figures, were objects of no wonder to those who saw them so frequently; +but now they are looked upon with childish admiration, and even delight. + +Ah! but the children are not left to be pleased with things they cannot +handle; for, look! did you ever see so many toys in one room, that was +not a shop? This used to be the drawing-room; but it is now hung round +with pictures of child life, and is filled with little beds, in each of +which is a poor suffering little girl. + +Here they lie so patiently, so uncomplainingly—not because a stranger is +visiting them, but this is the character the nurses give them. Who shall +say how much is owing to the gratitude they bear for the comforts they +have, which they never had at home, and for the kindness with which they +are supplied? I did not hear one cry, or moan, or complaint, except from +a little fellow suffering from fits, which seemed to have confused his +mind as to the ownership of a two-horse omnibus with which another boy +was playing. The fact was, his own had been placed on one side by the +nurse as a little act of discipline. + +Over each bed there is a little platform, on which are placed the +child’s toys. Some were sitting up playing with theirs. One little girl +had fallen asleep, placing the greatest confidence in a number of wild +animals that lay upon the pillow beside her; another, a tiny little thing +of three years of age, who was suffering from skin disease, sat up in her +bed looking very sad, which even the presence of three rag dolls at her +feet could not remove. Ah! perhaps had it been some of you, there would +have been something worse than a sad look—even cries or tears. + +Others were sleeping sweetly, forgetful of their pain and suffering, +dreaming, perhaps, of the time when they ran and frisked about, which +some of them would never do again. For instance, here is a child, only +six years old, that has lost her leg—cut off up to the thigh, for hip +disease. Poor child, she does not even know that it is gone; but sad as +this may appear, it really shows how skillfully the doctor did his part, +and how tenderly the nurse did hers, and also how mercifully her heavenly +Father provided the chloroform that prevented her feeling any pain. + +I said they all had their toys—that is, each child its own. There +are some large toys, such as a beautiful doll in a glass case and a +musical-box which shows a number of funny old figures playing various +instruments, that belong to the room. The Queen sent this last one; but +the smaller toys, that she herself bought when in Germany, and sent here, +were given to the children to play with, and to take away when they +left. Most of those who had them had gone away; still I saw two of Her +Majesty’s toys, and was glad to find they were just ordinary ones, that +would amuse any child. There was a man on a stand driving three sheep to +market, with a dog behind him. The white leather invited me to press the +bottom, but the squeak was gone; but had it been there I could not have +told you whether it was intended to be the man, or the dog, or the sheep, +making the noise. I was more successful with a bird in a cage, for here +the cage decidedly squeaked, and saved the bird the trouble. + +At Christmas time there was a large Christmas tree provided, when several +former patients were invited, and the presents from the Queen and from +others were distributed. + +I noticed also that Prince Alfred had sent a large lion with a woolly +mane—not so ample as it might have been, but perhaps it had been deprived +of its wool by little people who wanted a memento of this royal present. + +I hear that lately the youngest prince was much pleased at having to +select a number of toys for the children; whilst two of the Princesses +have on more than one occasion sent little garments for the children made +by themselves. + +But we must go upstairs to the boys’ ward, where the same order and +cleanliness and comfort are seen. The first thing that strikes me is a +rocking horse, in a worse state than any inmate, for he has lost his +head. Ah! I am glad to see that, for it tells me that the dear boys have +had many a ride on him. + +But here are many poor little fellows who will not be able to ride for +a long while—some never again. Here is one that has had his leg cut off +above the knee, only a fortnight ago, and yet he is cheerful and happy, +and, I am glad to say, is getting on favourably. I asked him if he was in +pain, and he said, “Not now; but I often feel great pain in my toes at +night.” Strange as it may seem, this is borne out by others, for I have +heard of many cases of persons complaining of pains in their feet, or of +suffering from corns years after their feet, and corns too, have been +removed. + +Another boy cannot move his chin from his chest, through contraction +of the muscles, caused by being burnt. Poor boy, he looks very sad and +wretched, but he, too, has his toys, and he, too, murmurs not. + +I hope all these—both boys and girls—will soon get into the convalescent +ward, where there is plenty to interest them. + +There are plenty of toys and plenty of books; and then two doves in a +cage, and gold fish swimming in an aquarium, and last of all a shaggy +dog—all alive. This last inmate was asleep, and so I asked the nurse if +he was convalescent too, and she told me that he liked being in that +ward. I dare say he does; he prefers the company of children who can move +about and play with him rather than of those who are in bed. + +I have been over the house. I am nearly at the end of my paper. But you +would like to hear a word about the institution, and how it is supported. +About twenty years ago the first little girl was admitted, and since then +they have been able to increase their number of beds as their means have +allowed them. Now there are many more; but how few when there are so +many poor children who should be here. If my young readers would reflect +that more than 21,000 children under ten years of age die in London +every year, they would wish to do something for the hospital. Can you do +anything? Why, yes. I saw a beautiful scrap-book that had been made and +sent by a lady; some of you boys and girls could make some plainer ones. +In India, when some Hindoo girls heard about the Hospital, they sent over +several dolls dressed in Hindoo costume. + +Your contributions might not be large, but you would help to cheer the +afflicted and the suffering, and you would draw down a blessing into your +own hearts while you thus ministered unto your Saviour, by ministering to +his little ones. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +MY FIRST BEAR. + +[_Extracted from a Letter from a Gentleman in the Civil Service of India +to a friend in England._] + + +In my last letter I told you I had gone to the hills for a holiday for +the benefit of my health; and you will now be glad to hear that I am all +the better for the change. After the heat of Calcutta, the freshness +of the atmosphere here is most exhilarating, and out-of-door exercise, +instead of being irksome or fatiguing, is positively most refreshing. I +often wish you and Bessie and Fred were here, for I know you would enjoy +it immensely. We are very quiet up here; there are some nice families +resident here; then there are some of our men and a few army officers; +and though we are not gay as society is in our cities, we are not without +opportunities of recreation and pleasure. + +“But I must tell you of a most amusing adventure that befel me here +shortly after my arrival, which I do all the more readily, as it was +considered quite an event for this place. + +“Wanting to see if there was any shooting in the neighbourhood, I got +four natives to accompany me to a rocky and mountainous district some +few miles from here. I selected this spot, as I had heard that some time +before a bear had been seen in the woods. I furnished my guides with +guns and ammunition; and with a good stock of provender we started. The +way was enlivened by the recital, by the natives, of the daring exploits +they would perform, and of the unflinching courage which each of them +possessed. They spoke of bears and even lions with the greatest contempt, +and assured me that their experiences in shooting these wild beasts was +most extensive. + +“To tell you the truth, though I had heard about the bear, I was not +very sanguine about meeting one, but I fortunately provided myself and +companions with shot suited to his capacity. I might just as well have +supplied my companions with peas—but there, I am anticipating. To come +to the point, then, at once. We really did come across the bear, or, +rather, he came across us; for whilst we were on some high rocks, one of +the natives espied Master Bruin in the woods, trotting towards us. They +all shouted at the top of their voices, in the hope of driving him off, +but seeing that he was not to be so easily diverted, they then begged me +to fire, as they very considerately said they should like me to have the +honour of killing him. + +“I knew if I did not, they would not, and that perhaps Bruin might kill +some of us; so waiting till he came clear of the trees, so that I could +get a good shot at him, I fired one barrel, and struck him somewhere in +the head without killing him. It arrested his progress, however, and he +stood still. + +“He was now not more than a few yards from me; between us there was a +deep ravine, which the bear could have easily cleared at a bound, but +he thought better of it; and whilst he was reflecting on what course to +take, I discharged my second barrel into his shoulder. This was enough +for him; he turned round and retired into the woods. + +“Where were my companions all this time?” you ask. They were behaving +themselves in the most gallant manner. At the near approach of the bear +they showed signs of fear; and when he came to the edge of the cliff, and +seemed as if he would be on us with a bound, they all fell back in the +greatest fright. One let his gun fall from his hand, and it fell down the +ravine; two of them _fairly_, or, as I should say, _unfairly_, turned +tail and ran off; and the fourth, running backwards, fell over a bush and +performed an involuntary summersault. When they satisfied themselves that +the bear had made off, and was not likely to be seen again, they plucked +up courage to return, not at all ashamed of their cowardice. In fact, two +of them had the effrontery to say that they were running off to get a +shot at him from a point higher up on the rocks. + +“However, even then they were too much afraid to show me the way up +through the valley into the wood, as the ravine was rather wider than +I cared to jump; and as it was getting late, and I was somewhat tired +(not being quite so much up to work on my legs as I used to be in the +Highlands), and I had to walk home, I was obliged to leave the issue of +my shots doubtful. + +“Next morning, however, there was some excitement near the Residency, +occasioned by the bringing in of the carcass of a bear, which a party of +natives declared they had that morning killed. They hoped to get a reward +from the Resident for the destruction of an animal which might have done +so much mischief but for their timely slaughter of him; but when I made +my appearance, one of the valiant huntsmen, who was one of my brave +comrades on the day previously, was slow to prefer his claim any longer. + +“The fact was, he had thought I might have killed or severely wounded the +bear, and so had gone into the woods to reconnoitre; and finding the dead +body, had brought it in with his companions rejoicing. On examining the +body I found it almost cold; so that Bruin must have retired to die after +my second shot.” + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE PLOT DISCOVERED. + +AS TRUE AS IT IS WONDERFUL. + + +Now boys and girls, I am no spiritualist; I do not believe in +table-turning, except when some one lays a very clever snare and +falls into it, then the tables are turned on him; nor do I believe in +table-rapping, except in the method your fathers may adopt, when you are +making so much noise that they can’t hear themselves speak; then they +may sometimes rap the table with advantage. Nor do I take much notice +of dreams generally: of course, if folks will make hearty suppers of +indigestible food, they must expect to fall off the church tower, or be +pursued by a mad bull (especially if beef-steaks figured at supper), +or come into contact with robbers, once or twice in the night. But if +we are careful of ourselves, and if we are in good health we shall not +be troubled with dreams much! the mind will be active when the body is +still, but when we awake to the duties of the day, it finds scope enough +there, and soon forgets its exercise in the night. + +Nevertheless there are occasions when dreams are important, when they +so vividly impress the mind as to lead to definite action from which +important results follow. + +I believe, occasionally, but very rarely perhaps, that some persons are +“warned of God in a dream,” and I will give you an instance which has +never yet been made public so far as I know, but for the truth of which I +can vouch. + +I have often heard the story from the mother of the master of the first +boarding-school I was at. + +She was too good a woman to deceive us, and besides, the circumstances +happened to her own uncle, and were in this wise. + +He was a minister in Cornwall, surrounded by wicked neighbours, who +hated him because he so constantly reproved them by his voice and +example. And so they determined to get rid of him. It was the time of +the French war, and they had him arrested for supplying the enemy with +gunpowder. + +He was in gaol at Launceston, and on the night before the assizes, +a gentleman at Stonehouse, in Devonshire, who knew nothing of these +circumstances, dreamed that he must go to Launceston: he awoke his wife +and told her, but she sensibly advised him to go to sleep again. He did +so, but soon awoke, having again dreamed that he must go there. And on +his informing his wife, she suggested his going to sleep again, saying +that if there were anything in the dream, it would be repeated the third +time. + +He went to sleep again; and again did he awake with the impulse, stronger +than ever, that he must go to Launceston. + +While he was dressing, the thought occurred to him that he would not be +able to catch his horse, which was in a field near the house. In broad +daylight it was a matter of difficulty, and the animal was only captured +by the sight of the corn measure, and the promise of some oats at the +bottom, and not then until he had indulged in a canter or two round the +field. You may imagine that the gentleman was much surprised to find his +horse standing at the gate, waiting for him, as it were, and allowing +himself to be saddled and bridled at once. On his master rode through +Devonport, wondering to himself how at that time of night he should cross +the Tamar that separates Devon from Cornwall. The ferry had stopped for +hours; but as he was riding down to the water’s edge, he was shouted +to by a man, “Come on, sir.” The voice came from the ferryman, who was +waiting with his boat, and who asked the gentleman where his companions +were. He replied he had none. “Oh, then,” said the man, “it must have +been some drunken men who shouted to us—several of them—to bring over the +ferry. But it appears we have not come on a wild-goose chase after all; +so step in, sir.” + +Once on the other side, there was no further difficulty in the way, so +that the gentleman trotted on to Launceston full of the importance of +his errand, but quite in the dark as to its purport. Nearing the town, +he overtook numbers of people, and hearing they were on their way to the +assizes, he decided on going there too. + +Squeezing his way into court, he remained there for some little time an +obscure and unobserved individual; but he was soon destined to play a +very important part in a trial that had just begun. He was startled at +hearing his own name called out loudly by the crier of the court, from +which he knew he was required as a witness. He pushed forward into the +witness-box, when a number of men standing near appeared much confused, +and hurriedly left the court. On being sworn he was asked his name, +residence, and business, and then the counsel said,— + +“I believe on the —— (mentioning the date) you had a large order for +gunpowder. Will you please to inform the court of the transaction.” + +“I never had such an order, nor do I at all know to what these +proceedings relate,” said the gentleman in an astonished manner. + +“What!” said the judge, “do you mean to say you know nothing of the +prisoner at the bar, nor of the crime with which he is charged.” + +“Absolutely nothing, my lord,” was the reply. + +“Then, why are you here?” + +The gentleman then, in as few words as possible, related the +circumstances with which you are already familiar, when it became +apparent to all, that the prisoner had been the victim of a base and +murderous plot. + +Inquiries were made for those who had instigated the trial, but they were +nowhere to be found. Doubtless they had arranged for some one to palm +himself off as a gentleman of whom the powder was bought, but the arrival +at the right moment of the real individual, frustrated all their deeply +laid plans, and saved the life of an innocent and godly man. + +There, now, boys and girls, there is my tale; it is strictly true, as I +remember it told to me by the niece of the accused, except that, for the +filling up of the story, I have not given the exact words used at the +trial, as they have not been preserved, but a conversation similar to the +one that took place, when the truth was elicited. + +You may make what you like of it, but I shall always hold that the dream +was no delusion, that the arrival in the court was not an accident, but +that it was the last link in the chain of God’s providence with which He +encompassed His faithful servant. + +[Illustration] + + + PRINTED BY + MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED, EDINBURGH + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78722 *** |