Early School Days 



44 century" was considered a wonderful performance, and 

 although, when Mr. Southwell played in the University match, 

 his scores were not large, he was known as a tremendous 

 swiper when he did get hold of the ball, as well as being a 

 very sound all-round cricketer. It is, therefore, not astonishing 

 that the young curate soon established the most cordial 

 relations with we three children, especially with Maunsell, in 

 whom his foresight no doubt detected the coming sporting 

 genius. Nor is it astonishing that the " Cat " was and 

 remained his special favourite, even when we were all grown 

 up, in fact, to the end of our stepfather's life. 



In addition to Mr. Southwell's popularity and importance 

 in North Lincolnshire, he was received at Brocklesby as a 

 welcome guest, whenever the young Lord and Lady Worsley 

 (the latter now Victoria, Countess of Yarborough) were in 

 residence at the Hall. This fact had the effect of opening 

 automatically every house in the county to him ; and combined 

 with the extraordinary geniality of his disposition, won him 

 all hearts in and around Great Limber village. His, too, was 

 a striking personality, being over six feet high, very broad and 

 immensely powerful ; indeed, the very reverse in every 

 particular of the ordinary curate of fiction. He had also a 

 manliness about him and a way with him which were most 

 attractive, and which certainly appealed as powerfully to we 

 three children as to our elders. But his chief social success 

 was in the captivating of our grandmother, Mrs. Maunsell. 

 She was by no means susceptible to outside personal influence 

 — indeed quite the reverse, especially if she suspected any man 

 of the desire, which practically most men who came in contact 

 with our pretty widowed mother had, of marrying her. I must 

 say Mr. Southwell deserved every credit for his perspicuity in 

 seeing that it was necessary to approach the mother through the 



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