352 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



died in '80. Dr. Teale had operated upon him 

 for some internal injury. He got up out of bed 

 before he was better, and drove in a covered 

 carriage to the High Moor to see a trial, and 

 when he got back he became delirious, and never 

 rallied afterwards. Ay, I can mind of the 

 ' Pretender Ball ' at Middleham. Tom was 

 dancing with Lady Bolton; he was all covered 

 with snuff, and when they were dancing the 

 Highland reel, Tom cried, ' Hoich, hoich,' and 

 swung round with her ladyship. She was mighty 

 pleased with old Tom when he was crying out 

 ' Hoich, hoich.' It would be in '87 that my 

 brother Robert's house (Middleham Hall) took 

 fire. He had been at Brecongill celebrating 

 brother John's birthday. Coming homewards 

 at midnight he saw the hall in flames, and the 

 children had a narrow escape from being burnt 

 to death. 



' Yes, I can remember the accident on 

 Middleham Moor in '47; it would be on the 

 23rd April that year. A string of Tom Dawson's 

 horses were returning from exercise. A sudden 

 flash of lightning killed the two first horses on 

 the spot, together with one of the lads who was 

 riding the first horse, the other, David Atkinson 

 by name, escaping unhurt. Atkinson is still 

 alive, and he is one of the ' touts ' now on the 

 Moor. The accident happened at the top of the 

 ' Nailer's Gallop.' ' : 



And so, in his declining years, did old William 

 Osborne rummage up the cells of his impaired memory 

 in disconnected fashion. His "crack" is reproduced 

 just as 'twas given, minus the Yorkshire dialect, which 



