Wessex Poems and Other Verses

ly in his stead. It was on the thirteenth of January 183- that Mr. Stockdale, the youn

onsciences of the hundred-and-forty Methodists of pure blood who, at this time, lived in Nether-Moynton, and to give in addition supplementary support to the mixed race which went to church in the morning and chapel in the evening, or when there was

he district around Nether-Moynton: how could it be that a parish containing fifteen score of strong full-grown Epis

s time of his life his eyes were affectionate, though without a ray of levity; that his hair was curly, and his figure tall; that he was, in short, a very lovable youth, who w

they had been the soundest church-going parishioners in the country, and he their true and appointed parson. Thus when Stockdale set foot in the place nobody had secured a lodging for him, and though his journey had given him a b

formation, and Stockdale asked

been a well-to-do man enough, as the saying was, and a farmer; but he had gone off in a decline. As regarded Mrs

ng that, in the absence of purely sect

er'ment folks, or curates, or the pa'son's fr

and ask first if she can find room for me. I have to see one or tw

that Mrs. Newberry would have no objection to acco

inn in the place, and he wished to house himself as soon as possible; the village being a local centre from which he was to radiate at once to the different small chapel

trodden areas, leaving sandy deserts under the bulging mouldings of the table-legs, playing with brass furniture. But the room looked snug and cheerful. The firelight shone out brightly, trembling on the knobs and handles, and lurking in great strength on the under surface of the chimney-piece. A deep arm-chair, covered with

ved out there, nodding towards the road and village generally. Before Stockdale had got far with his meal, a tap sounded on the door behind him, and on his telling the inquirer to come in, a rustle of garments caused him to turn h

forward a step or two, an expression of liveliness on

nking less of what he replied than of wha

ung woman, apparently aware that

-things, and found them all there.

said. 'Lizzy Newberry, I

erry.' And before he had occasio

tha Sarah came to clear the table. 'Whose

zy Newber

is not the old lady

Newberry who comed in to you just by now, beca

tockdale,' she said. The minister stood up in acknowledgment of the honour. 'I am afraid little Marther mi

p-tap came to the door again. The minister had already learnt that this particular rhythm in taps denoted the fingers

-I quite forgot to mention it just now. Perhap

t was uttered he blushed at the daring gallantry of the speech, perhaps a shade too strong for a serious man and a minister. In three minutes the chick

atified look told that she had lost nothing by not appearing when expected. It happened that the cold in the head from which the young man suffered

f pity. 'Your cold is very

d that it was ra

at the cheerless glass of water on the table, w

rs. New

ld have something more likely t

s, 'as there is no inn here, and nothing better

lly think you must try it, or you may be ill. Yes, Mr. Stockdale, you shall.' She held up he

onnet and cloak on, saying, 'I am so sorry, but you must help me to get it. Mother has gone

rness, was not sorry to join her; and followed his guide through the back door, across the garden, to the bottom, where the boundary was a wall.

, and descending a spring inside, where the ground was much higher, as is the manner of graveyards to be. Stockdale did the same, and follow

cret?' she said, i

chest!' said

m to be close to the singing-gallery stairs, under which lay a heap of lumber of all sorts, but consisting mostly of decayed framework, pews, pa

said, holding the lantern over her head to light him b

covered, to his surprise, a row of little barrels bound with wood hoops

fixed her eyes on him, as if

e?' she asked, finding

ly respectable parents, and brought up with a single eye to the ministry; an

she said, in an emphatic tone of candou

n eye of sudden misgiving. 'No

f spirit that have accidentally c

kegs of gin and brandy were as well known to the inhabitants as turnips. So that Stockdale's innocent ignorance, and his look of alarm when he guessed

gentle, apologetic voice. 'It has been their practice for generation

ith it?' said

jiffy. O, it is all right about our taking it. I may have what I like; the owner of the tubs says so. I ought to have had some in

, I suppose, that you may not inf

arly; but I may take any if

t quite satisfied with his part in the performance, he rolled one of the 'tubs' out from the corne

st never do these things with a gimlet, because the wood-dust gets in; and when the buyers pour out the brandy that would tell t

ok the hamme

n the part that was

directed. 'It won'

e tub between your knees, and squee

in a stream. When the cup was full he ceased pressing, and the flow immediately stopped. 'Now we must fill up th

ll you you m

must not know that the smugglers hav

tfully. 'I much question the

a bottle of water, from which she took mouthfuls, conveying each to the keg by putting her pretty lips to the hole, where it was sucked in at each recove

at you will tell?' he asked, as

fraid of that. I coul

e emphatically. 'You must, of course, as an honest person, so

n why she paused: but at last he did perceive that the words were a slip, and that no woman would have uttered 'first husband' by accident unless she had thought pretty frequently of a second. He felt for her confus

d it is very cruel that you should be tossed and tantalized between your memories and your consci

t just now,'

as a respectable man, and a minister, and a shining light, even though as yet only of the halfpenny-candle sort, were quite justified in doing this thing. A sneeze settled the question; and he found that when th

s. Newberry again. He then felt that, though chronologically at a short distance, it would in an emotional sense be very long before to-morrow came, and walked restlessly

smell when

work while

mell when shr

work when

s. Fear God. H

11 y

to himself. 'Heavens,

tap came again upon the door; and the minister started as her face appeared yet another time, looking so disinterested th

your room, Mr. Stockdale

he spirits, saw here a way to self-chastisement. 'No, I thank you,' he said firmly; 'it is not n

e said, and disconcerted

ngered his self-discipline for a dozen days. However, he consoled himself with what was in truth a rare consolation for a budding lover, that he wa

ld attempt to gratify. He was disappointed, and went out, hoping to see her at dinner. Dinner time came; he sat down to the meal, finished it, lingered on for a whole hour, although two new teachers were at that moment waiting at the chapel-door to speak to him by appointment. It was useless to wait longer, and he slowly went his way down the lane, cheered by the thought that, after all, he would see her in the evening, and perhaps engage

zzy Newberry, and no sweet temptations. At last the minister could bear it no longer, and said to hi

usy,' sa

handing another penny, and revealing ye

fidence. 'Nothing ever happens to her. She's only bi

, or other slight ailment, in spite of what the girl had said, he went to bed dissatisfied, not even setting eyes

es about his comfort, as on the first evening, and at another time to place a bunch of winter-violets on his table, with a promise to renew them when they drooped. On these occasions there was something

was useless to struggle further, and gave himself up to the situation. 'The other minister will be here in a month,' he said to himself when sitting over the fire. 'Then I shall be off, and she will distract my mind no more! . . . And then, shall I go on liv

f their being so closely lodged, and Stockdale put up with it as philosophically as he was able. Being in her own house, she could, after vexing him or disappointing him of her presence, easily win him back by suddenly surrounding him with those little attentions which her position as his landlady put it in her power to bestow. When he had waited indoors half the day to see her, and on finding that she would not be seen, had gone off in a huff to the dreariest and

would be standing on a chair outside the house, trying to nail up a branch of the monthly rose which the winter wind had blown down; and of course he stepped forward to assist her, when their hands got mixed in passing the shreds and nails. Thus they beca