30 "MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE ! " 



The half brothers and sisters of my father were all 

 fairly opulent, but he had to " fend " for himself, and 

 fortunately he was a very able, resolute man. He 

 became a solicitor, and at quite an early age had a thriving 

 business in Thirsk, his partner being Mr Joseph Arrow- 

 smith, of whom more anon. I have come across an old 

 letter of my father's written to my mother before they 

 were married. I would not for worlds quote it here except 

 just one passage, which shows the manner of man he was. 

 Referring to a recent meeting, he says : 



It made me almost fancy I was in the blissful region of a happier 

 and less troubled world than this. But it was only transitory, 

 and as I drew nearer to home, I remembered that I was but a 

 poor and anxious being, tossed about on the ocean of life, full of 

 cares and liable to sorrows. Nevertheless, I have so far managed 

 to get on smoothly and the doing what is right to the best of my 

 ability encourages in me a hope that fortune will still retain me 

 as one of her favourites. 



The above reads somewhat stilted in these days, but 

 it was written in the early forties, and it rings true. 



I used to think that he preferred my sister to me. 

 Very likely he did, for she was four years older and more 

 interesting, but that he thought something of me is 

 shown by the following curious letters he very seldom 

 wrote to me at all : 



THIRSK, nth May 1865. 

 MY BOY, 



What ails you ? Write. D. 



All the pets are well. 



This was when I was at my preparatory school at 

 Rugby, and I must have been busy over some examination 

 and neglected to write home, for I find the following 

 letter written ten days later : 



THIRSK, 22nd May 1865. 

 BOY, 



Go on, but don't work the brain too much. You do not 

 know how pleased we are at your success. 



