DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 33 



This harrowing tale of suffering caused me to wonder 

 who, and where, the landlord was, and it was on my 

 tongue to ask the question loudly; but I managed 

 to say so quietly that I surprised myself : 'Famiers 

 surely could not pay rent in such times/ 



'Rent !' was the repty, 'I doubt if there was a guinea 

 in all Chittlehampton parish. They were all bought 

 up for Boney and the zilver spent/ 



'Did you say Chittlehampton?' I asked. 'Why! 

 that was where my mother hved before she married. 

 Do you know Easticott?' 



Grandfer had become excited and my double question 

 proved too much for him. He turned upon me as if 

 I were an apparition with a string of questions : 

 'Who be you? \A'ho ded ye za}^ yer mother was? 

 Do I know Easticott? Did I knaw Ilichard Crocker? 

 We were like brithers in them times and vought zide 

 by zide. The poor mad volks wid mostly listen t'un 

 and stay their de\irs doings.' 



Then came a silence, during which I thought the 

 old man's soul communed with Dick's, for there was 

 a whispered 'Zomebody be asking if I knawed 'ee, 

 Dick.' The need of his lost handkerchief, discovered 

 by his granddaughter beneath his chair, dispelled his 

 dream, and he asked: 'What was you zaying?* 



I replied : 'I was about to tell you that my mother 

 was bom at Easticott, and that her name was Mary 

 Crocker.' 



'Tha dusn't zay so; cum 'ere and let me zee 'ee.' 



He rose and put his hand upon my head and said, 

 'Ess, fay, you be a son of the rogue that rin oft with 

 Mary Crocker to the 'mazement of more'n wan of us. 

 Don't 'ee zee the red curly hair, Martha; you should 

 knaw et.' 



'Yes, and I know the voice now. 'Twas strange 

 I did not think of George.' 



The sound of wheels caused a little flutter of excite- 

 ment, and the daughter hastened to be first to greet 



