Riding a Pillion DOLLY and I had spent great Part of the Afternoon in brushing up and cleaning an old black riding Skirt of my Mother’s, which it was a Wonder I had not cut up into Garments for the Poor. When we had cleaned it with Hollands, and ironed it nicely, it looked very well; for our House was so airy, that our Clothes never had the Moth. Precisely at the Hour named, an old Man in purple Livery rode up to the Door, on a grey Horse with a Pillion. Mark, who was very lively this Morning, I gave him an indignant Look, and said, “For shame, Mark! I have not deserved that!” “Well,” said he, “I think you have.” And just then the old Man jerked the Rein of the old Horse, which moved off At first I felt a little bit frightened; but soon got used to my new Position; especially as the Horse walked till we were off the Stones. Still we seemed a long while getting out of London; and we met a great many People returning to it, in Carts, Waggons, and Coaches. At length we got quite out of Town, and between green Hedges, with Trees beyond them that were turning all manner of Colours; with only a House here and there, or a Wayside Inn. At one of the latter we stopped in the middle of the Day, to rest the Horse, and take some Refreshment. Then we continued our Journey, which lasted till Sunset, and the latter Part of which was mighty pleasant and delightsome; only I was At length we turned off the Highway into a Bye-road, shaded with tall Trees, which, after a Mile or two, brought us to a straggling Village; and, says the Coachman, “Mistress, now we’s in Bucklands.” Presently we passed the absolutest curiosity of a little old Church!... it seemed hardly bigger than a Nutmeg-grater!—and hard by it, the old Parsonage, with three Stone Peaks in front, and a great Pear-Tree before the Door. Then we came to a Village Green, with a Clump of large Trees in the Midst, that had Seats round them, whereon sat old Men, while young Men played “Well,” says he, “you don’t look quite sure that I’s I.... I am, though! Certainly, not much like Nat, who was always the Beauty of the Family. Ah! now you laugh, which was just what I wanted. My Brother said your silver Laugh saved his Life;—do you know what he meant by that?” “That was it, no doubt,” returns he; “just such an Answer, Mistress Cherry, as I expected. I see we shall get on very well together, though Nat is not here to help the Acquaintance.—He has gone to see his old Foster-mother, who is dying. People will die, you know, when they get to eighty or ninety.” An old red-brick House We were now going up a Flight of shallow Steps, with Stone Ballusters, which led us into a Hall, paved with great Diamonds of black and white Marble, and hung about with Guns, Before this Wood-fire was spread a small Turkey Carpet; and on the Carpet stood a Table and four heavy Chairs; in one of which sat an old Lady knitting. The Squire bluntly accosted her with “Mother, here’s Mistress Cherry;” on which she said, “Ho!”—laid down her Knitting, and looked hard at me; first over, and then through her Spectacles. “Hum!” says she, “Mistress Cherry, you are welcome. A good Day to you. Pray make yourself at Home, and be seated.” So I sat down over against her, and we looked at each other very stiff. She was “I dare say she’s hungry, Mother,” says the Squire; “give her a Piece of Gingerbread or Something.—How soon shall we have Supper?” “You are always in such a Hurry, Father, to be eating;” says his Lady. “Forsooth, are we not to wait for your Brother?” And without waiting for his Answer, she took a bunch of Keys from her Apron-string, and unlocked a little Corner-cupboard, from which she brought me a Slice of rich Seed-cake, and a large Glass of Wine. “Thank you, Madam; I am not hungry,” said I. “Pooh! Child, you must be;” returns she, rather authoritatively. “Never So, thus admonished, I ate and drank: though I would as lief have waited a little. “Are you stiff with your Ride?” says she. “A little, Madam,” said I; “for I was ne’er on a Horse before.” “Is it possible,” cries she, bursting out a-laughing. “Father, did you hear that?” “Famous!” said he; and they eyed me as if I were a Curiosity. “Do you know, now,” says the Squire’s Lady to me, after a while, “I never was in Lunnon!” “That seems as strange to me, Madam,” said I, “as it seems to you that I should never have been on Horseback.” “It is strange,” says she. “Both are strange.” “Stuff! Squire,” says his Lady. “Fact!” persisted he. “Nay, prettier!” “Not a Word of Truth in it,” says she, shaking him off. “I was all very well,—nothing more. Come, Father, here’s Gatty going to spread the Cloth for Supper, which you’ll be glad of. But, Gatty, in the first Place shew Mistress Cherry to her Chamber, ... she will perhaps like to dress a little. You’ll excuse my attending you, my Dear; the Stairs try my Breath.” “Ah, Cherry!” says he, taking my And, the Moment I heard his pleasant Voice, I was quite comfortable again, and felt myself at Home for the first Time. “Quite, thank you, Sir,” said I, “and I hope you are better than you were.” “Well, now that civil Things have passed on both Sides,” said the Squire, who had already seated himself, “come and say Grace, Nat, for here’s a Couple of beautiful Fowls getting cold.” —Well, the Supper was as pleasant as could be, and it was growing quite dusk before the Table was cleared, yet the Squire would not hear of having Candles; so then his Lady desired Gatty to carry Lights into the green Parlour, “Where,” says she, “I and this young Person will Oh, I’m a young Person, am I? thought I. So I followed her into the green Parlour, where she settled herself in an easy Chair, with her Feet on a Footstool, and made me sit facing her. “Now,” says she, “the Men can prose by themselves, and we’ll have a Coze by ourselves. Pray, Child, how was it you came to think of nursing my Brother?” So I began to tell her how I went to him in Hope of his telling me how to find my Father; but then, she wanted to know how my Father came to be missing, so I had to go further back. And then I could not help putting in by the Way how good and excellent a Man he was, how tender a Father, how loving a Husband, which brought in my Mother. So we returned to the Hall, much more at our Ease together than when we left it. And there, standing in a Row, were half a Dozen Men and Women Servants, and the Table had Candles and a large Bible on it. Master Blower read, and then prayed: had I not been so tired, I could have wished him to go on all |