Johnny Ludlow, First Series

to wonder how he got his commission. But, you see, men are fit or unfit for a post according to t

he lived in some years before, and christened it Parrifer Hall. The worst title he could have hit upon; seeing that the good old Hall, with

arrifer was stuck-up: it is one of our county sayings, and it applied to her. When she called on people her silk gowns rustled as if li

e I might possess. George Reed rented the cottage. It stood in a good large garden which touched Major Parrifer's side fence. On the other side the garden, a

turned out wild when he grew up and got out of everything. The result was, that he was only a day-labourer, and never likely to be anything else. He took to the cottage after old Reed's death, and worked for Mr. Sterling; who had the Court now. George Reed was

else. She could sing; self-taught of course; she could embroider handkerchiefs and frills; she could write a tolerable letter without many mistakes, and was great at reading, especially when the literature was of the halfpenny kind issued weekly. These acquirements (except the last) w

ome. She was almost struck dumb when she found what had been Cathy's acquirements in the way

erhaps at the Court, if they could make room for you; or over at Squire Todhetley's. Meanwhile you'll help me with the w

Cathy, who was a good-na

ight. Can

ith a very decisive

t w

dear

you i

-handke

a seamstress; c

t like

n labourers' families. Cathy could do several kinds of fancy-work. Cathy could idle away her time at the glass, oiling her hair, and dressing herself to the best advantage; Cathy had a smattering of history and geography and chronology; and of polite literature, as comprised in the pages of the aforesaid halfpenny and penny weekly romances. The au

t is to bec

ing round the room by the chairs, and took out of her pocket one of those halfpenny serials, wh

Mrs. Reed. "Catherine, I don't think the kind of useless thi

n, but Cathy would not learn. Cathy was always good-humoured; but of work

t their servants from, if the girls are

ree months Cathy was home again, as usual. "I do not think Catherine will be kept anywhere," Mrs. Sterling said to her step-mother. "When she ought to have

andy hair parted down the middle) had struck up an acquaintance with Cathy. When he left Oxford (where he got plucked twice, and at length took his name off the books) he would often be seen leaning over the cottage-gate, talking to Cathy in the garden, wi

ing, our old servant, Thomas, appeared, and said that George Reed had come over

in here,

, good-looking face. He began saying that he had heard Major Parrifer was after his co

I do?" I asked. "You

me out of it your

I woul

his arms sometimes when I was a little fellow at the Court. Once he carried me t

oor man has not much chance against him, sir, unless he that owns the cottage will be his friend. I know you

utting his catgut out of hand. "I th

rn me from it if he likes. My father and mother died there, sir; my wife died there; my c

ld Parrifer wants

matter between their two selves, and don't intend to let me as much as know I'm to go out till the time comes,

ken to Mr. Br

nce to Master Ludlow; his word might be of more avail than mine. There's no time to be

rifer want wit

rought it into. If it's not that, I don't know what it can be. The

er drinking the ale old Thomas had given him. "We will circumve

near Alcester, and had the management of my property whilst I was a min

not bear the man. "Johnny, what will you lay that he has not

leave it to me. The Squire must try, if I failed. Mr. Brandon was

me to me in the drawing-room. "This is one of his bad days. A gentlema

rifer. We thought he migh

always fancied himself ill with one ailment or another. When I went in, for he said he'd see me, he was sittin

usual, you see. And what is

, Mr. Brandon, if you'll be

t is

ir, at the corner of Pief

el

ask you not to

ll it?" asked he

t; and to turn Reed out. The l

ople thought him incapable; but it was only because he had no work to do that he seemed so. He would get

ou hear th

ad said, and of our having met the M

Mr. Brandon. "Johnny, you know that I stand in place of your f

nd I am sure

r here nor there. At the last magistrates' meeting I attended he was so overbearing

ame home swearing," I c

hand: and I was about to point out to you that if Major Parrifer has set his mind upon buying Reed's cottage and the bit of land attached to it, he

of injustice, and the tears come into my e

sir. And if you used it for me, I'm

that,

injustice never does. Ther

w at school. Go on wi

e a rich man wants to get possession of it, would be fearfully unjust, sir. It would be as bad as the story of

's T

ashamed to look people in the face when they talked of it. If you please, sir, I do not t

nk it off, and ate a French plum afterwards. The plums were on a plat

trong opinion on this

d out of his home than Major Parrifer has out of his. How would he like it

be turned out of his,

on't be angry with me for saying it. Pl

re, and we saw Tod look at the windows impatientl

cannot let it quite outweigh your interests. When this proposal shall be

look at him. If he would only have given me a

ent, however; for I will promise not to accept the offer to pur

gone back to

de to accept the offer," he repeated empha

en I told him. And he gave the pony an an

he cottage; and when his lawyer wrote him word that the sum, offered for it, was increased to quite an unprecedented amount, considering the value of the cottage and garden i

thought he'd not go q

me from the Court, I leaned over the gate to speak to his little ones. He saw me and ca

r this, sir. They are g

t you need not thank me;

got the ear of Mr. Brandon, sir, I know what box

them were passing, dressed outrageously in the fashion as usual. I lifted my straw hat, an

not buy the place, he thought he'd try and buy out me. He wanted the bit of land for a kitchen-garden, he said;

s of land himself to m

for him, there's nothing so mortifying as being balked. He set his mind upon this place; he c

spering some question to her father. I ran on; it

y landed proprietor, a county magistrate (and an awfully overbearing one); and George Reed was a poor cottager who worked for his bread as a day-labourer. But that the Major grew to abhor and hate Re

e-back, and I passed him, as if he would like to strike me. I don't know whether he was aware of my visit to Mr. Brandon;

after it, walking, one of his daughters with him, a young man who was on a visit there, and a couple of servants. As they passed George Reed's, the sound of work being done

He called the gentleman to him and the two servants, and bade them l

, and only one magistrate besides himself was on it: a clergyman. Two or three petty offenders were brought before them, wh

ed. In saying we were there I am telling the truth; it is not invented to give colour to the tale. Upon turning out of the sa

ried Tod. "

not, and rubbed my eyes, w

is Geor

, but as one in a state of sad shame, of awful rage. Tod made only one bo

ace," spoke Reed, in answer to Tod's question. "If I'm charged with wrong-doing, I am willing to ap

this manner-handcuffed?" de

telled me to, you

owd would have liked to push in also, but were sent to the right-about. I waited, and was presently admitted surreptiti

e Reed had been working in his garden on the previous Sunday morning-which was against the law. Ol

was to the fol

d her some mutton broth. He went to the garden to get the turnips to put into it. It was only on ac

ou were not hoeing turnip

ips I had got up, lying near. I took the hoe in my hand, and I did use it for two or three minutes. Some dead weeds had got thrown along the bed, by the children, perhaps,

ps," cried one of the ser

ence"-and the Major turned to his brother-magistrates with a scornful smile-"it is quite ingenious; one of the clever e

he did not do a thing if

nt, and then put out of hand a big g

spectators," said h

y police. He had been sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Major Parrifer had wanted to make it three months; he said something about six; but the other two thought t

efence, sir?" asked Reed, as he pa

. But you see, my man, w

" said Reed, savagely. "

uphold it, what can be said?" went on the solici

st doing what I did; and I swear it was no m

or and his witnesses swore you were a

must be punished. I might have f

n of course they did not tak

hildren? I may come out to find them starved. A month'

allowed that, but for having been jammed by the crowd at

aps he'll let a few shillings go to the wife weekly; tell him with my duty that I'll work it out as soon as I am release

ty warmly, and Mrs. Reed and the children were cared for. Mr. Sterling paid her five shillings a week; and Mr. Brandon and the Squire helped her on the quiet, and there were others also. In small country localities gentlemen don't like to say openly that their neighbours are in the wrong: at any rate, they rarely do anything by way of remedy. Som

fever, and ordered her to be kept quiet. For one thing, they did not know what there was to tell; except that Reed had been marched off from his work in handcuffs by Jones the constable. In the evening, when news came of his committa

as the little girl they spoke to; who could talk well: and she answered th

Cathy?" c

, and she only wished she was behind her-keeping her there with her sister when she ought to be at her own

fternoon, Tuesday, and Cathy had her best bonnet on. Mother Picker remarked upon her looking so smart, and asked where she was going to. Cathy answered that her uncle (who lived at Evesham) had sent

e man had been daunted. It was an awful insult to put upon him; a slur on his good name for life; and some of them said George Reed would never hold up his head a

the first people he asked after was Cathy. The girl was not at hand to welcome him, and he took

gain as soon as ever you came home," said the wife, evading the question about

, carelessly. "

ly: Cathy had not been seen or heard of since the afternoon he was sent to prison.

she? What's b

ame question, which they had obligingly favoured Mrs. Reed with;

t her time reading good-for-nothing books. What I think is this-that she heard of your mis

ome fro

hout saying a word to any one, stealing out of the house unseen; she had been met in the road by Mr

ell him much more than he already knew. "Cathy was all in her best, her curls 'iled, and her pink ribbons as fresh as her cheeks, and said in answer to questions that she had been sent for sudden

he did not stay to think-perhaps twenty. When excitement buoys up the spirit, the body does not

best, I should think some accident had come to her. There's ponds about, and young girls

snuffing the candle. "I should have thought she'd maybe gon

her astray," he resumed. "The girls abo

e used to fancy herself one o' them fine ladies in her halfpenny books. She didn't seem to make acquaintance

-his son?" turning his thumb in the directi

e, a-talking, and laughing, and leaning on it; and Cathy, she'd be in the p

look on his face. "How

mber. But young Parrifer is only

ever told

" emphatically added Mrs. Reed. "The worst of young Par

e Hall. He rang a peal at it, more like a lord than a labourer just let out of prison. There

see Major

Reed; he entered it, and found himself face to face with Major Parrifer, who was seated in an easy-chair before a good fire, spirits on the table, and a cigar in his mouth. What with the smoke from that, what with the faint li

aughter, Maj

possibly been thinking the demand might be for his lif

wled, stamping out the fire of the

though, by what you've done. We'll let that part be, Maj

emy; they were a habit with him. The Major, who had risen in his surprise, stared at him: he really knew nothing whatever of the matter, not

Catherine gone. She went away the day I was taken up. Where she went, or what she's d

drinking," said

se she can't face the shame at home which you have put there; or else she went out to meet your son, and has been taken away by him. I think

answer civilly, he certainly did it. His son was in Ireland with his regiment, he said; had not been a

istmas," said Georg

e you, fellow, charge him with such a thing?

to wring his first. Major Pa

d give you a second month's imprisonment," roared the Major, gathering bluster and courage. "You

You have succeeded in doing me a great injury, Major Parrifer. You are rich and powerful, I am poor and lowly. You set your mind on my bit of a home, and because you could n

r could not s

my trouble, and my wife's trouble, and I don't believe He ever let su

r behind him, and walked home through the thick fla