text:
Fredericksburg, Virginia 1608-1908/10

The Public Buildings — The Jail— Courthouse — Town Hall — Fire-house — School Buildings — Wallace Library —

Normal School — Government Building, &c.

As it was found necessary to have courts to punish crimes, to settle disputes and to enforce law and order in the Commonwealth for the good of society, it was also found necessary to have buildings in which to hold the courts, to keep their records, and a place to confine criminals until they were tried by the courts, and then to punish them after conviction for their crimes. Therefore, the act that gave Fredericksburg a name and a place among the towns of the country, also gave it the authority, and enjoined it as a duty, to erect a courthouse and a jail, which was soon done; and it is almost certain that whatever court Fredericksburg had from 1727, when it was first incorporated, to 1781, when it was chartered by the Legislature of Virginia, was held in that courthouse and that the criminals were kept and punished in that jail. When the hustings court was organised its sessions were held in the "coffee-house," but as soon as preparations could be made it was held in the old town hall, or market-house, on Main street, which appears to have had rooms sufficient for all public uses, as it was a favorite resort for the "lovers of balls and parties and other public gatherings." The first thing, however, that claimed the attention of the court was the repairing of the "courthouse and common gaol, where criminals could be placed and safely kept and in due time brought before the court." The first jail erected for the town seems to have been built partly with brick, and, from a false notion of economy, was entirely too small, was uncomfortable and not fit to keep prisoners in. This was so patent that the matter was, at various times, and for several years, brought to the attention of the court. Various grand juries, upon examination, had reported that it was not a suitable place in which to confine prisoners. In 1803 a grand jury brought in an indictment against the jail as a nuisance, and charged that a colored criminal, who had been confined therein, had contracted a disease of which he afterwards died. This colored man was arrested, charged with entering a house in the night time and stealing goods therefrom, which was a capital offence. He was tried by the hustings court, after considerable delay, and sentenced to be hung, but was recommended to the mercy of the Governor, who pardoned him. It was while the colored man was awaiting a trial, and afterwards the action of the Governor, that it was claimed he contracted a disease, of which he died soon after his liberation. Upon this report of the grand jury the court ordered the small, brick jail torn down and a new one of stone to be erected in its place. This new building was completed in 1805, when Wm. Taylor was appointed by the court and ordered to "sell the brick and other materials of the old jail in this corporation on a credit of sixty days and make return to this court." This jail stood on Princess Ann street, just north of the present clerk's office, and, long before it was torn down and removed, was "an eye-sore to the public," and especially to those who lived in that locality. In 1851, when it was decided to build a new courthouse, it was also decided to move the jail. This was a joint action of the court and Common Council, and it met with serious opposition by many of the tax-payers, on the ground that it was a waste of public money, the present jail being all that was needed. But the order was given, and the jail was torn down and rebuilt in rear of the courthouse, the public scales, which stood on the spot, to be "moved to some more convenient place." The most of the stone in the old jail was placed in the new one, but a portion of it was taken for the foundation of the fence, which, until some six years ago, enclosed the courthouse yard and sustained the wall on George street and in Jail alley. The present granite alignment of the courthouse lot is a great improvement on the old iron fence.

THE COURTHOUSE.

The first courthouse the town had was built on a part of the ground occupied by the present building and stood several feet back from the street. It was a small, brick structure and very uncomfortable. It is supposed to have been the second courthouse built for the town, the first having been built soon after the town was laid out. As early as 1820 the courts complained of the building they had to occupy and declared that it was unsuitable for court purposes. Various requests and complaints were made and orders issued to the Common Council by the court, looking to the erection of a new and commodious building, but the Council appeared to take no action in the matter, except to lay on the table all communications from the court on the subject. It appears that the town and county were joint owners in the jail and courthouse, they being public property and the town then being a part of the county, and possibly contributed some way to their erection. This may account to some extent for the tardiness of the Council in taking action, but whether it does or not, the court was not satisfied and did not attempt to conceal its displeasure. Finding its requests and orders disregarded, the court issued an order declaring that the Council must build a new courthouse or provide a better place for holding court, but even this did not appear to hurry the Council, which moved along in its own quiet way. This controversy went on for several years, the court requesting, ordering, even threatening, without avail. It finally reached a point where it seems to have exhausted its patience and determined to assert its authority. On the 14th of June, 1849, the court being composed of Mayor Semple and Justices Wm. H. White and Peter Goolrick, the following order was made and entered on the record book:— "It is ordered, that Thomas B. Barton, John L. Marye, Robert B. Semple, Wm. C. Beale and John J. Chew, who are hereby appointed a committee for that purpose, do examine and report to this court, some plan for the enlargement and repairs or rebuilding of the courthouse for this corporation, for the convenient administration of justice; and the said committee are also requested to examine and report whether any other public building, belonging to this corporation, can be so changed as to answer the above purpose, and to inquire and report the probable cost of such plan or plans as they may approve and report upon, and it is ordered that the justices for this corporation be summoned to attend here at the next court to consider and decide upon said report." While this order and the appointment of the committee, with its instructions, created considerable comment, it did not seem to excite the Council or precipitate any action favorable to the proposed building. At the next court eight justices were present in answer to the summons issued at the last session of the court. Those present were R. B. Semple, Robert Dickey, Beverly R. Wellford, Wm. C. Beale, Wm. H. White, Peter Goolrick, Wm. Slaughter and Wm. Warren. The report of the committee appointed at the previous court, was made, and the court declared "that in obedience to the act of the General Assembly, which requires that courts for the corporations within this Commonwealth should cause to be erected one good and convenient courthouse, that it is necessary and proper to build a courthouse for this corporation," and the report of the committee "having been returned to court, and therewith an order from the county court of Spotsylvania, releasing to this court all title and interest the said county has to- the jail and courthouse, within this corporation, and the said lots on which they stand, being considered by this court, it is approved and confirmed." The court then appointed a commission, consisting of Mayor Semple, Beverly R. Wellford, Wm. H. White, Thomas B. Barton and John L. Marye, who were instructed to contract with some responsible party to erect a good and substantial courthouse on lots 42 and 44, or either of them, according to the plan submitted to the court, or that plan modified, if it was found necessary, the cost not to exceed four thousand dollars. The commission was to report from time to time to the court. This action looked as if the court intended to exhaust its powers or have a new courthouse, but a few days' mixing with the people seems to have raised a doubt in the minds of the members of the court as to the wisdom of their action. At any rate, when the August term came the full corps of magistrates was present. "A petition, and counter petition of the citizens of Fredericksburg, in relation to the action of the court upon the subject of rebuilding the courthouse, were severally presented, when, on a motion made to rescind the order for building the courthouse and laying a levy therefor, the vote stood as follows:— For rescinding, Robert B. Semple, Peter Goolrick, Wm. C. Beale, Robert Dicky, 4. Against rescinding, Beverley R. Welford, Wm. H. White, Wm. Slaughter, Wm. Warren, 4. The court being divided on the question of repealing or enforcing its own order, the subject was dropped so far as any action of the court was concerned, and was not again brought up for several months. At the April term, in 1850, however, the court respectfully requested the Council to appoint a day to have an election, that the voters might express their wishes as to whether or not a levy should be made for the purpose of building a courthouse. This paper, although it placed the court before the Council in the attitude of an humble suppliant, was read before the Council and laid on the table, as all former papers from that source had been. This seems to have ended the efforts of the court to secure a new courthouse or the repairing of the old, either by entreaties, threats or by the power given it under the acts of the General Assembly. Thus things continued for one year, although the question was warmly discussed by the citizens, who were very much divided on the subject. An election was to be held the following March, and the court, finding itself defeated in all former efforts, transferred the question to the people in their selections for members of the Council. This was a wise move for the friends of the measure. The election was held and a Council in favor of building a new courthouse was elected. The eyes of the public were now turned from the hustings court to the Common Council which had just been elected. The contest was not long delayed. The election for Councilmen was held on the third Monday in March, 1851, and at the meeting, held on the first day of April, Messrs. Thomas B. Barton, John James Chew, J. Minor, Wm. Allen and Beverly R. Wellford were appointed a committee by the Council to consider the subject of the location and erection of a new courthouse and report thereon all matters connected with the cost, style and site of said building. The next meeting of the Council was held on the 26th of April. It was one of unusual importance, because the committee on the new courthouse was to report, and every member except two was in his seat, and the chamber was crowded to its full capacity by citizens, who felt a special interest in the subject. The committee was in favor of erecting a new courthouse, and therefore reported to the Council plans and specifications for the building, drawn by J. B. Benwick, Jr., of Baltimore, giving the style and the probable cost at $14,000. The committee recommended the site of the old courthouse, the removal of the jail to the back of the new building and the removal of the clerk's office and engine houses. The report was adopted and the committee was instructed to contract for the erection of the building inside of the estimated cost. This looked as if the Council meant business, and for the next three weeks the question was warmly discussed, and the opponents of the measure undertook to prevent the great waste of money, as they termed it, by petition and other influences. The Council met on the 21st of May to receive the report of the committee, appointed to contract for the building, and every member was present. The interest was intense and the opposition determined. The committee made its report and the clerk of the Council made this record:— "A contract with Wm. M. Baggett, for building a new courthouse, jail, &c, for the sum of $13,850, together with drawings and specifications of said buildings made by James Benwick, architect, and to be taken as part of said contract, and a bond executed by said Baggett, J. Metcalfe, J. S. Caldwell, and George Aler, in the sum of ten thousand dollars, for the faithful performance of said contract, by said Baggett, were submitted to the Council by T. B. Barton, chairman of the committee appointed for that purpose, for their approval or rejection. "Whereupon, and before any action was had thereon, Mr. J. M. Whittemore, asked and obtained leave to be heard by the Council in support of a petition, signed by one hundred and seventy-two of the voters of the corporation, remonstrating against the extravagant scheme of pulling down the jail and other buildings on the courthouse lot, and praying the appointment of a committee of their own board,[1] to contract for the erection of a spacious and comfortable courthouse at a cost not exceeding six thousand dollars. Said petition was accordingly presented by Mr. Whittemore, and, being read, was, on motion, laid on the table. "On motion, said contract was then approved and confirmed by the following vote to-wit:— Ayes, F. Slaughter, Joseph Sanford, J. [John] Minor, D. H. Gordon, J. Pritchard, L. J. Huffman, B. S. [Brodie Strachen] Herndon, Thomas F. Knox, Charles C. Wellford and John J. Berrey, 10. Nays:— Hugh Scott and Wm. Allen, 2. And it was ordered that the Mayor, as evidence of said approval and confirmation, do sign an endorsement to that effect on said contract, and cause the corporation seal to be affixed thereto, and that said contract together with the drawings and specifications, be then delivered to the clerk of the hustings court for safe keeping," &c. After this action was completed the Council appointed Messrs. Thomas B. Barton, John James Chew, J. Minor, Wm. Allen and Beverly R. Wellford a committee to superintend the entire work and see that it was done according to the plans and specifications. And so a question that had vexed the people of the town for more than thirty years, and had caused considerable friction between the hustings court and the Common Council, was settled and the town was to have a new courthouse. The building was completed in 1852, when the courts and clerks were removed to spacious and comfortable quarters, and have remained there to the present day. The south wing on the lower floor has been used for fire engines until the companies were disbanded prior to the war; but, for several years in the past, they have been used for the public schools of the city, while the large room on the second floor is used for an armory. The vault, for the records and papers of all the courts of the past and present, as well as of those of the Common Council, is ample for the purpose and absolutely fire-proof. The building is one of the handsomest in the State and always attracts the attention of strangers.

[1] Thomas B. Barton, John James Chew and Beverly R. Wellford, of the commlttee, were not members of the Council, but appointed from the body of the citizens.

The old courthouse, that was torn down to make room for the new one, was provided with a bell for calling the people together. It was used to call public meetings, to notify the people of the assembling of the courts, and, until another bell was provided for the purpose, to sound the alarms for fires. This bell now hangs in the belfry of the present courthouse. It was presented to the town by Silas Wood in 1828 and has been on duty more than three quarters of a century. Mr. Wood married a Fredericksburg lady, and it is reported that he was a believer in the adage that a fair exchange (rather an exchange for the fair) was not robbery; therefore, as he had taken one bell (belle) from Fredericksburg he ought to give it another in exchange. The bell has this inscription on it:— "Revere, Boston. Presented to the Corporation of Fredericksburg by Silas Wood, A. D. 1828."

The first market-house, or town hall, Fredericksburg had, of which we have any account, either by record or tradition, was located on the west side of Main street, just below the present "Market alley." It was constructed mainly of brick, and had several rooms in it that were used for the courts, the Common Council, balls, sociables, public meetings and lodge rooms. The Common Council held its sessions in that building, when it organized at the "coffee-house," which no doubt was one of the rooms in the market-house, after the rooms were properly fitted up, and continued there from 1781 until the building was taken down in 1813. At what period the market-house was built we do not know, but it was certainly prior to 1752, as we have record evidence of its existence at that time, and also evidence that it needed repairs, which shows that it had been standing for some years. During the Revolutionary war colonial troops used a portion of the building for barracks, and it was in this house that the great peace ball was given in 1783, which was attended by General Washington and his mother. In the year 1813 this old building was taken down and the present market-house erected. While this information was obtained from Benj. Peyton, a very old colored man, who died some twenty-five years ago, who assisted in taking down the old and erecting the new building, the truth of it is borne out by the records. He was a youth at the time, learning the trade of brick mason, and was employed on both buildings. The present market-house is a substantial, two-story brick building, with market lot in the rear, market stalls in the basement and work shops for the city water and gas works. It has two wings, which have been at different times used for school rooms and printing offices, but are now used, the south wing for the Council Chamber and the north wing for the commissioner of revenue and city tax collector. The second floor is used by the Washington Guards as a reading room. In 1824 the building was brilliantly illuminated and beautifully decorated for a grand ball and reception in honor of Gen. Lafayette, who was then visiting this country, and passed through Fredericksburg, where he remained for several days.

THE FIRE-HOUSE.

The substantial brick house for the Fire Department, just south of the courthouse, was erected in 1890. It is two stories high, with a belfry on the front part of the building. The first floor is used for the reels, the hook and ladder track and other fire apparatus. The belfry, or tower, is so constructed that in addition to its holding the fire bell, the fire hose can be suspended in it for drying after a fire.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

At present we have but two school buildings, one at the corner of Main a.nd Lewis streets, known as the Union House, and the other at the corner of Princess Ann and Wolfe streets. The historical Union House, used by the white pupils, was built in the first part of the last century by a Mr. Ross for a residence and is quite substantial, being constructed of brick and spacious, and is three stories high, with a basement. Mr. Ross was a Frenchman, and royally entertained Gen. Lafayette and his retinue when he visited Fredericksburg in 1824. Seven grades occupy this building, while three grades are provided for elsewhere. The school authorities, in the discharge of their duties, have repeatedly called attention of the City Council to the fact that this building was inadequate for the rapidly increasing school population; that it was constructed for a residence and not for school purposes, the rooms being too small for the large number of pupils that had to be crowded in them. A year ago conditions were investigated by the School Committee of the City Council (Prof. S. W. Somerville, chairman), which resulted in a movement of said committee to provide a suitable building for the schools. Soon plans and specifications were drawn and laid before the Council which were fully considered and finally adopted, and the committee was instructed to advertise for bids, let the contract and have the building completed as soon as possible. Work is now progressing on the building, which is to be quite a commodious one, with twelve rooms, with all the modern improvements as to heating, fire protection, &c. The contract price (Mr. E. G. Heflin, contractor, and Mr. Frank P. Stearns, inspector,) is $37,700, and the building is to be completed by February 1, 1909. The only objection that any one could offer against these changes (and no one is likely to offer it) is the demolition of the venerable landmark, so long known as the Union House and the headquarters of Gen. Lafayette when he visited the town for the last time. The school building at the corner of Princess Ann and Wolfe streets, a two-story, brick structure, with four spacious rooms, was constructed for, and is occupied by, the colored schools. For years after its construction it was found to be large enough to accommodate all the grades of that school, but when a grammar department was added this building was found to be fully occupied and the high grade had to be provided for elsewhere.

THE WALLACE LIBRARY.

By his will Capt. C. Wistar Wallace, a valuable citizen of the town, who was bora and raised in Fredericksburg, and who died May 20, 1907, left to the town, under certain conditions, $15,000 for a public library, which was to bear his name. The conditions were that the city was to adopt legal papers binding itself to establish said library, within three years of the donor's death, as a permanent institution of the city and properly maintain the same; that the city was not to expend more than $5,000 of the legacy for the purchase of a suitable lot and the erection thereon of a suitable library building, and the balance of the legacy was to be expended for the purchase of books for the library. These books are to be purchased by a board not to exceed five members, to be chosen from time to time by the President of the University of Virginia, Washington and Lee, Richmond College and Randolph Macon College. In order to make these conditions binding upon the city, it was provided that necessary legislation should be procured by the General Assembly of Virginia as might be necessary to authorize and enable the city to comply with all of the conditions of the bequest. The whole matter having been laid before the City Council and explained by the city attorney, Mr. St. Geo. R. Fitzhugh, and discussed, that body adopted the following:— Be it resolved, that the city of Fredericksburg, Va., decides to establish and maintain a public library to be known as the "Wallace Library," and hereby accepts the said bequest of $15,000 upon the conditions and according to the terms of said bequest, and hereby binds itself to carry out the same. Under the provisions of the Code of Virginia the duty of appointing the board of directors of this library devolved upon Major Thomas P. Wallace, Mayor of the town, the Council concurring. The following letter, therefore, was communicated to the Council by the Mayor:— "I herewith transmit, in pursuance to the resolution of your honorable body, passed at your meeting on the 18th day of July, 1907, the following named citizens, who shall constitute the board of directors contemplated by your resolutions:— St Geo. R. Fitzhugh, S. J. Quinn, A. T. Embrey, Rev. J. W. Roseboro, D. D., James S. Knox, E. D. Cole, A. P. Rowe, B. P. Willis and James T. Lowery. The board of directors organized by the election of Mr. St. Geo. R. Fitzhugh, president, and S. J. Quinn, clerk. The Council and the General Assembly united in permitting the library building to be constructed on the courthouse lot, and the board of directors authorized the construction of the building to be proceeded with at once. It is a two-story house, with basement, and is now nearing completion. It is constructed under the direction of Mr. Wm. E. Bradley, chairman of the Public Property Committee, Mr. Geo W. Wroten, contractor, and Mr. A. M. Garner, inspector.

THE NORMAL SCHOOL BUILDING.

In addition to these public buildings the General Assembly has appropriated $25,000 and will supplement that with $25,000 additional to construct in or near the town a female normal school. The board of directors of this institution are now endeavoring to select a site for this school, and will likely succeed in the near future. The buildings will be commenced next Spring and pushed to completion. The United States Government has also appropriated money for the erection of a very commodious brick building on the corner of Princess Ann and Hanover streets. This site has already been purchased by the government and will soon be in condition for the brick masons and carpenters. The work, however, has been delayed for an additional appropriation, in order to enable them to construct such a building as was contemplated by the architect of the post office department. When the building is completed it is to be occupied by the post office. Having inspected the public buildings of the town, and discussed those now in course of erection and those which soon will be, we will now visit the private historical buildings and take a view of the monument erected by the ladies of the country to Mary, the mother of the illustrious Washington, and the handsome statue of Gen. Hugh Mercer, recently erected by the United States Government, who stands upon his pedestal, sword in hand, ready to strike for Liberty and Independence, for Truth and Victory. They both stand on Washington avenue.

title: Fredericksburg, Virginia 1608-1908/10


text: A Book of the Riviera/Chapter 3

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: A Book of the Riviera/Chapter 3


text: Portal talk:Theosophy

title: Portal talk:Theosophy


text: Portal talk:Space exploration

title: Portal talk:Space exploration


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/44

18 desire to aggrandize some of the region lying to the south of the company's territories. About 1798 some 30,000 Mugs, inhabitants of Arracan, in Burmah, fled from the oppression of their Burmese masters and sought refuge in Chittagong, a possession of the British. Several attempts were made by the Burmese to secure the return of these fugitives, but without avail; between 1800 and 1813 five or six embassies were sent by the Burmese government to that of India with this object in view, but all failed of their purpose. Then all was quiet for a time, save that there were occasional raids of very little consequence along the frontier. In 1822 the Burmese adopted bellicose measures; they seized the island of Shahporee, at the entrance of the arm of the sea dividing Chittagong from Arracan, overpowering the British by a night attack and taking possession in the name of the Burmese goverment [sic]. When asked to explain his action, the governor of Arracan announced that his government had annexed the island, and unless the right of the Burmese to its possessions were admitted, the king of Burmah would send an army to invade the British territory. This plan of proceeding was not unlike that of more civilized countries, Great Britain among them, in carrying on the work of annexation, but when tried against the British it was certain to be resented.

The governor-general of India was not ready to assume the offensive at once; the Burmese mistook delay for timidity and proceeded to invade British territory. Large bodies of Burmese troops crossed the frontier from Assam and Munnipore and established themselves in bamboo stockades; they were driven out by the British, but not without considerable loss to the latter. These operations took place in 1823 and '24; while the British were preparing to send a considerable force against the invaders, news came to Calcutta that Maha Bandula, the favorite general of the king of Ava, had penetrated the British territories bordering Arracan with a large army, and was so confident


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/46

 20 the capital; he died there, and his successor had not arrived when the fleet appeared. The rêwan, or commander of the flotilla, was acting-governor; he knew nothing of the proposed attack and was therefore taken by surprise. In order to render the prize of the English of little value he forced the native inhabitants to leave the town, allowing none of them to remain in or near it. The guards who had been placed in charge of the few Europeans and foreign residents soon fled, thus permitting them to escape. The rainy season was approaching, and, as the inhabitants had taken with them their boats, cattle, and carts, the English general found himself unable to secure, either by land or water, the necessary transportation facilities for carrying on operations.

Immediately on landing in Rangoon General Campbell occupied the Shoay Dagon or Golden Pagoda. The pagoda is situated about a mile and a half from the river and stands on high ground. General Campbell found it impossible to learn any thing of the movements of the enemy, his force being entirely isolated. He sent a number of row-boats, well armed, to Kymyindaing to reconnoitre. This town is distant by river about six miles from Rangoon. Some shots were fired from several breastworks which lined the shore. These breastworks were attacked the next day, and carried by a small detachment of soldiers and marines.

Within a few days the general, in person, made a survey of the country to the north of Shoay Dagon, taking with him two guns, some native infantry, and about three hundred European soldiers. There was no road, and the guns were soon abandoned because of the heavy rains which prevailed, rendering an advance extremely difficult. The troops, however, moved forward, leaving the artillery, which could not be dragged through the mud. At a distance of five or six miles from the great pagoda they saw two stockades, four feet in height, with an interior trench


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/31

Rh ‘Oh, I know. Steal it and leave a changeling,’ Una cried.

‘No,’ said Puck, firmly. ‘All that talk of changelings is people’s excuse for their own neglect. Never believe ’em. I’d whip ’em at the cart-tail through three parishes if I had my way.’

‘But they don’t do it now,’ said Una.

‘Whip, or neglect children? Umm! Some folks and some fields never alter. But the People of the Hills didn’t work any changeling tricks. They’d tip-toe in and whisper, and weave round the cradle-babe in the chimney-corner — a fag-end of a charm here, or half a spell there — like kettles singing; but when the babe’s mind came to bud out afterwards, it would act differently from other people in its station. That’s no advantage to man or maid. So I wouldn’t allow it with my folks’ babies here. I told Sir Huon so once.’

‘Who was Sir Huon?’ Dan asked, and Puck turned on him in quiet astonishment.

‘Sir Huon of Bordeaux — he succeeded King Oberon. He had been a bold knight once, but he was lost on the road to Babylon, a long while back. Have you ever heard, "How many miles to Babylon?"’

‘Of course,’ said Dan.

‘Well, Sir Huon was young when that song was new. But about tricks on mortal babies. I said to Sir Huon in the fern here, on just such a morning as this: "If you crave to act and influence on folk in housen, which I know is your desire, why don’t


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/32

10 you take some human cradle-babe by fair dealing, and bring him up among yourselves on the far side of Cold Iron — as Oberon did in time past? Then you could make him a splendid fortune, and send him out into the world?"

‘"Time past is past time," says Sir Huon. "I doubt if we could do it. For one thing, the babe would have to be taken without wronging man, woman or child. For another, he’d have to be born on the far side of Cold Iron — in some house where no Cold Iron ever stood,— and for yet the third, he’d have to be kept from Cold Iron all his days till we let him find his fortune. No, it’s not easy," he said, and he rode off, thinking. You see, Sir Huon had been a man once.

‘I happened to attend Lewes Market next Woden’s Day even, and watched the slaves being sold there — same as pigs are sold at Robertsbridge Market nowadays. Only the pigs have rings on their noses, and the slaves had rings round their necks.’

‘What sort of rings?’ said Dan.

‘A ring of Cold Iron, four fingers wide, and a thumb thick, just like a quoit, but with a snap to it for to snap around the slave’s neck. They used to do a big trade in slave-rings at the Forge here, and ship them to all parts of Old England, packed in oak sawdust. But, as I was saying, there was a farmer out of the Weald who had bought a woman with a babe in her arms, and he didn’t want any encumbrances to her driving his beasts home for him.’


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/48

 22 Always on halting a Burmese army entrenches itself or throws up a stockade, according to the condition of the ground or the abundance of stockading material. In the operations against the British not more than half the Burmese soldiers were armed with muskets, the rest carrying swords or spears and acting as pioneers. Within a day's march of Rangoon, both on the river bank and in the interior, there were several miles of strong stockades, which the Burmese erected in their effort to isolate the British in the city. General Campbell captured many of these stockades, and at each capture there was a heavy slaughter of Burmese. The king recalled Maha Bandula, the ablest of the Burmese generals, from the threatened invasion of Bengal, and ordered him to expel the invaders from Rangoon.

By the end of November Maha Bandula had an army of sixty thousand men, and appeared in force in front of the Shoay Dagon, or Golden Pagoda. The British had established a station at Kymyindaing, about seven miles up the river, where they had captured a strong stockade, and the first effort of the Burmese general was to capture this stockade, in which he was unsuccessful. For three or four days General Campbell allowed the Burmese to advance their outposts until they were within fifty yards of his lines and out of the protection of the jungle which had concealed their movements. As soon as he ascertained that they had brought all their ammunition and provisions out of the jungle and into their entrenchments he ordered an attack; there was severe fighting all along the line, resulting in the defeat and flight of the Burmese, and the loss of all the war material which they had brought to the front of their lines. From the first to the fifteenth of December it was estimated that six thousand Burmese were killed, while the English loss in killed and wounded was about six hundred.

Success being hopeless Maha Bandula retreated rapidly


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/33

 ‘Beast himself!’ said Una, and kicked her bare heel on the gate.

‘So he blamed the auctioneer. "It’s none o’ my baby," the wench puts in. "I took it off a woman in our gang who died on Terrible Down yesterday." "I’ll take it off to the Church then," says the farmer. "Mother Church’ll make a monk of it, and we’ll step along home."

‘It was dusk then. He slipped down to St. Paneras’ Church, and laid the babe at the cold chapel door. I breathed on the back of his stooping neck — and — I’ve heard he never could be warm at any fire afterwards. I should have been surprised if he could! Then I whipped up the babe, and came flying home here like a bat to his belfry.

‘On the dewy break of morning of Thor’s own day — just such a day as this — I laid the babe outside the Hill here, and the People flocked up and wondered at the sight.

‘"You’ve brought him, then?" Sir Huon said, staring like any mortal man.

‘"Yes, and he’s brought his mouth with him too," I said. The babe was crying loud for his breakfast.

‘"What is he?"says Sir Huon, when the womenfolk had drawn him under to feed him.

‘"Full Moon and Morning Star may know," I says. "I don’t. By what I could make out of him in the moonlight, he’s without brand or blemish. I’ll answer for it that he’s born on the far side of Cold Iron, for he was born under a shaw on Terrible Down;


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/34

12 and I’ve wronged neither man, woman nor child in taking him, for he is the son of a dead slave woman."

‘"All to the good, Robin," Sir Huon said. "He’ll be the less anxious to leave us. Oh, we’ll give him a splendid fortune, and he shall act and influence on folk in housen as we have always craved." His Lady came up then, and drew him under to watch the babe’s wonderful doings.’

‘Who was his Lady?’ said Dan.

‘The Lady Esclairmonde. She had been a woman once, till she followed Sir Huon across the fern, as we say. Babies are no special treat to me — I’ve watched too many of them — so I stayed on the Hill. Presently I heard hammering down at the Forge there,’ Puck pointed toward Hobden’s cottage. ‘It was too early for any workmen, but it passed through my mind that the breaking day was Thor’s own day. A slow North-East wind blew up and set the oaks sawing and fretting in a way I remembered: so I slipped over to see what I could see.’

‘And what did you see?’

‘A smith forging something or other out of Cold Iron. When it was finished, he weighed it in his hand (his back was toward me), and tossed it from him a longish quoit-throw down the valley. I saw Cold Iron flash in the sun, but I couldn’t quite make out where it fell. That didn’t trouble me. I knew it would be found sooner or later by some one.’

‘How did you know?’ Dan went on.


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/50

 24 during the night. Bandula had been slain, and his brother, who succeeded him, could not hold the garrison together. The victors found large stores of rice, some guns and powder. The king and his court were filled with terror at this overthrow. The court faction, of which the queen and her brother were the leaders, persuaded the king to remain firm.

General Campbell resumed his march into the interior of Burmah, following the left bank of the river and regulating his movements by those of the flotilla, which was occasionally halted for the purpose of shelling out a stockade or buoying the channel. Arriving at Prome, he found it deserted and in flames; the Burmese commander had driven out the inhabitants and fired the town, and more than half of it was destroyed. As the rainy season was approaching, the British force went into cantonment at Prome and remained there for several months, and as the Burmese were occupied with the work of assembling another army, the invaders were not disturbed. The time was utilized by the British in bringing up supplies and ammunition and making every thing ready for a further advance as soon as the dry season should set in. In the middle of August General Cotton made a reconnaissance up the river with the steamer, and at Myedee saw a Burmese force of about twenty thousand men drawn up in line on the bank of the river.

Early in September the Burmese sent a flag of truce with an officer to treat for peace; an armistice of forty days was agreed upon to ascertain the terms on which the British could be persuaded to leave the country, and later on it was extended to the third of November. The terms demanded at the end of the armistice were the cession of the provinces of Arracan, Tavoy and Mergui to the British, and the payment of a war indemnity of two million pounds sterling. The Burmese replied that yielding territory and paying money were not in accord with


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/52

 26 It was announced to the king that they would move forward to Pugan, there to await the ratification of the treaty.

The war faction at Ava still entertained hopes of repairing the losses they had sustained. A few more desultory engagements were fought in which the natives were defeated, and the British general halted at Pugan to await the arrival of the detachments. Moving on he arrived at Yandabo and formed a camp within four marches of the capital. Although the king was ready to fly northward he consented to the conclusion of a treaty of peace. One fourth of the million sterling which was levied to pay the costs of the war was handed over by the Burmese commissioners who were willing to abide by the general terms previously offered.

No discussion was made and the treaty was signed. According to the agreement, Assam, Arracan, and the coast of Tenasserim with the part of the state of Martaban east of the Salwan River were given to the British government. The king of Burmah promised to refrain from interference in Kashar, Jyntia, and Manipur. It was also determined to conclude a commercial treaty in a short time. The British army marched back to Rangoon, where the troops remained until the second payment of the money due for war expenses was made. This was near the end of the year, and then the city was evacuated.

It is proper to remark that the Burmese soldier fought under disadvantages which made it impossible for him to win. These peasant-soldiers had no knowledge of military drill and discipline, and lacked suitable arms, many of them carrying only their native swords or spears. The artillery corps of the army was even more poorly equipped than the infantry. The artillery was made up of old guns once used on ships, hardly any of them less than a century old. As a general rule, the Burmese ofificers led their soldiers only in flight. Yet, notwithstanding these


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/54

 28 Burmah and his violation of the provisions of a commercial treaty. He refused all reparation of the wrongs he had committed, and thus rendered necessary an appeal to arms. A British army invaded the country, and after a few insignificant skirmishes occupied the capital and ended the war. The king was deposed and sent to a designated place of retirement on the Upper Irrawaddy; the British power was extended over the whole of Burmah, and the dynasty of Alompra came to an end.


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/45

 Rh of success that he carried with him a set of golden fetters in which the governor-general of India was to be carried captive to Burmah. As soon as this news was known to be authentic, Lord Amherst, the governor-general, proclaimed war and set his troops in motion.

Port Cornwallis in the Andaman Islands was named as a point of rendezvous; a division from Bengal was sent there in April, and followed a month later by a division from Madras. Sir Archibald Campbell was named the commander-in-chief; he had served with distinction in the Spanish campaigns, but knew little about Oriental modes of warfare. Commodore Grant commanded the naval part of the expedition, which consisted of the Liffey, Larne, Sophia, Slaney, and several smaller vessels. There was one small steamboat, the Snake, and it is worthy of remark that this boat, built at Bombay in 1820, had an honorable career of sixty years, and was broken up in 1880.

The land forces comprised about 11,500 men of all arms, the great majority being native troops of India. It was the plan of the commander to move upon Rangoon, near the mouth of the Irrawaddy, and by prompt action capture the city, and thus frighten the king into asking for peace.

Detachments were sent to occupy Cheduba and Negrais; the rest of the command arrived off Rangoon accompanied by the whole fleet. The city, which was built on the bank of the river, was found to be surrounded by a stockade about twelve feet in height. The stockade was built of teak timber in the form of a square, and defended by batteries on the water front. These batteries opened fire on the nearest ships, and the Liffey answered it immediately. The guns at the landing were speedily dismounted, and the soldiers occupied the town, no enemy being in sight. The governor of Pegu, the province in which Rangoon is situated, had been commanded to come to


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/35

Rh ‘Because I knew the Smith that made it,’ said Puck quietly.

‘Wayland Smith?’. Una suggested.

‘No. I should have passed the time o’ day with Wayland Smith, of course. This other was different. So’ — Puck made a queer crescent in the air with his finger — ‘I counted the blades of grass under my nose till the wind dropped and he had gone — he and his Hammer.’

‘Was it Thor then?’ Una murmured under her breath.

‘Who else? It was Thor’s own day.’ Puck repeated the sign. ‘I didn’t tell Sir Huon or his Lady what I’d seen. Borrow trouble for yourself if that’s your nature, but don’t lend it to your neighbours. Moreover, I might have been mistaken about the Smith’s work. He might have been making things for mere amusement, though it wasn’t like him, or he might have thrown away an old piece of made iron. One can never be sure. So I held my tongue and enjoyed the babe. He was a wonderful child — and the People of the Hills were so set on him, they wouldn’t have believed me. He took to me wonderfully. As soon as he could walk he’d putter forth with me all about my Hill here. Fern makes soft falling! He knew when day broke on earth above, for he’d thump, thump, thump, like an old buck-rabbit in a bury and I’d hear him say "Opy!" till some one who knew the Charm let him out, and then it would be "Robin!


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/47

 Rh and a well-placed abatis. An attack was made, and the stockades were carried at the point of the bayonet, the muskets being useless on account of the rain. The Burmese lost about three hundred men.

This was the first time the Burmese had ever fought against European soldiers; they were astonished at the savage attack of the white soldiers, who carried the stockades without firing a gun. Although the levies of the country were near the forts, the rêwan did not use them. The British now held Kymyindaing as an out-post, and for some weeks there were few hostile movements. During these weeks the British army suffered terribly from sickness. The climate and the constant exposure to the rain brought fever and dysentery, which crowded the hospitals and carried many victims to their graves. It was feared at one time that it would be necessary to retire altogether from Rangoon, as there threatened to be not a single soldier able to defend it. Strong efforts were made by the Burmese to oppose the British army during the occupation of Rangoon. The plan was simply to cut off all communication with the inhabitants of Pegu who might be friendly to the invading forces, and by overpowering numbers to capture the troops, or drive them into the sea. They formed a complete cordon about the British, who could learn very little through their scouts, and as all the natives had been removed from the neighborhood, there were no means of communication. It had been expected that the inhabitants of Pegu would rise against their Burmese oppressors, but not a word came to indicate that they contemplated any insurrection. Large levies of troops were made throughout Burmah, and the numbers of the army surrounding Rangoon increased daily. The river was covered with boats bringing men and provisions to the besieging army, and by the end of May the Burmese considered themselves strong enough to defy their enemies.


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/49

 Rh to Donoobu, about sixty miles from Rangoon, taking with him about one thousand of his men. The soldiers of the investing army dispersed, and the force was broken up. The British now occupied the southern districts of the province without any opposition, including the ancient port of Martaban, and all the coast of Tenasserim to the south as far as Mergui. Sir Archibald Campbell was now at liberty to continue operations by marching up the Irrawaddy. The end of the year being at hand, and reinforcements having arrived from India, plans were formed for marching on Prome, where it was hoped the Burmese government would be ready to make terms of peace.

The British forces, finding themselves free to march up the valley, were divided into two columns. General Willoughby Cotton commanded one division, which was to advance by the river. The other division was led by the commander-in-chief in person. The former command consisted of eight hundred Europeans, a small fleet of gunboats, a batallion of native infantry, and the steamer Snake. No doubts of success were entertained, although the number of men seemed small for the undertaking. The rainy season was over; the surface of the land was dry, and the land force moved north to Hlaing and thence to Sarawa on the Irrawaddy. It reached Donoobu about March 25th, and found that Bandula was entrenched in a stockaded enclosure on the right bank of the river. On reconnoitring it appeared that Bandula's position was strong, and an assault in force was deemed necessary. At a distance of about three hundred yards from the north-west angle trenches were opened and batteries erected. General Cotton, who had come down the river, arrived with his command; the heavy guns and mortars were placed in position, and firing was begun and continued with little intermission for some hours. The assailants were ready to storm the fort early in the morning of April 25th, when it was found that the enemy had


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/51

 Rh Burmese customs. They had succeeded in raising an army and now felt that they could successfully cope with the British.

Hostilities were resumed at once. The Burmese army closed around Prome. A force of 3,000 Shans and 2,600 Burmese was stationed at Wattigan on the right bank of the river, about twenty miles to the northeast. The English commander decided to dislodge them immediately in order that they might not be on his right flank in a movement to the front. He advanced by night in three columns and easily defeated the Shans. He had now to attack the main force of the Burmese, about 20,000 strong. General Campbell's force for this attack comprised 2,500 Europeans and 1,500 native troops.

The Burmese army held a strong and well fortified position on the heights. It was impossible for the artillery to operate, owing to the nature of the ground, and the position was carried by the infantry regiments unassisted. The British loss was 12 officers and 160 men killed and wounded. The Burmese in these engagements lost between 2,000 and 3,000 men. The Shans marched back to their own territory, and three days later the Burmese forces on the west side of the river were compelled to retreat and marched northward, following their main army. Leaving two regiments of native infantry to garrison Prome, General Campbell continued his advance on Myedee. He had 4,000 men and 28 guns, and the town was taken without resistance. The terms of peace were once more discussed and after two or three meetings an agreement was signed by both sides and in order that the king might be able to ratify the treaty, a cessation of hostilities for fifteen days was decided upon. At the expiration of this time no communication had been received from the Burmese commissioners and hostile operations were resumed by the British. Crossing the river in gunboats the fort was stormed, after a destructive cannonade.


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/36

14 Robin!" all round Robin Hood’s barn, as we say, till he’d found me.’

‘The dear!’ said Una. ‘I’d like to have seen him!’

‘Yes, he was a boy. And when it came to learning his words — spells and such like — he’d sit on the Hill in the long shadows, worrying out bits of charms to try on passers-by. And when the bird flew to him, or the tree bowed to him for pure love’s sake (like everything else on my Hill), he’d shout, "Robin! Look — see! Look, see, Robin!" and sputter out some spell or other that they had taught him, all wrong end first, till I hadn’t the heart to tell him it was his own dear self and not the words that worked the wonder. When he got more abreast of his Words, and could cast spells for sure, as we say, he took more and more notice of things and people in the world. People of course, always drew him, for he was mortal all through.

‘Seeing that he was free to move among folk in housen, under or over Cold Iron, I used to take him along with me night-walking, where he could watch folk, and I could keep him from touching Cold Iron. That wasn’t so difficult as it sounds, because there are plenty of things besides Cold Iron in housen to catch a boy’s fancy. He was a handful, though! I shan’t forget when I took him to Little Lindens — his first night under a roof. The smell of the rushlights and the bacon on the beams — they were stuffing a feather-bed too, and it was a drizzling warm night — got into his head. Before I could stop him — we were


text:
Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/53

 Rh, the poorly armed Burmese peasant feared not to encounter the well-equipped Asiatic troops, commanded by trained European officers. He was overcome only by the European soldiers. The climate was a far more formidable opponent of the invaders than were the Burmese soldiery; an English officer remarked of this campaign, that if the climate of Burmah had been thoroughly loyal to the king and performed its duty, the British would have been compelled to turn back from Rangoon.

The engagement at Prome may be regarded as the decisive battle of the first Burmese war. True, it was not a brilliant affair, and in European warfare would rank as little more than a skirmish, but a contrary result would have placed the British in a position of great danger. The European troops were greatly reduced both in numbers and efficiency by the effects of the climate, and the native troops could not be relied on for good work unless with European support. A signal defeat at Prome would have resulted in a retreat on Rangoon, and it has been shown elsewhere how precarious was the hold on that city in the early days of the invasion.

The first Burmese war was the beginning of the destruction of the kingdom which was once a power among Asiatic nations and a terror to its neighbors. In 1852 the imprisonment of the master of a ship and other British subjects led to the second Burmese war, which resulted in the annexation of a considerable part of Burmese territory to the British Indian possessions. The war began with the bombardment of Rangoon, April 11, 1852, and its capture three days later. Prome, Bassein, Martaban, and other cities one after another fell into British hands; the British forces were almost invariably successful, and in a few months peace was declared and the whole of the coast provinces of Burmah passed under British sway.

The third Burmese war (1885) grew out of the interference of the king with the rights of British subjects in


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/37

Rh hiding in the bakehouse — he’d whipped up a storm of wildfire, with flashlights and voices, which sent the folk shrieking into the garden, and a girl overset a hive there, and,— of course he didn’t know till then such things could touch him — he got badly stung, and came home with his face looking like kidney-potatoes!

‘You can imagine how angry Sir Huon and Lady Esclairmonde were with poor Robin! They said the Boy was never to be trusted with me night-walking any more — and he took about as much notice of their order as he did of the bee-stings. Night after night, as soon as it was dark, I’d pick up his whistle in the wet fern, and off we’d flit together among folk in housen till break of day — he asking questions, and I answering according to my knowledge. Then we fell into mischief again!’ Puck laughed till the gate rattled.

‘We came across a man up at Brightling who was beating his wife with a bat in the garden. I was just going to toss the man over his own woodlump when the Boy jumped the hedge, and ran at him. Of course the woman took her husband’s part, and while the man beat him, the woman scratted his face. It wasn’t till I danced among the cabbages like Brightling Beacon all ablaze that they gave up and ran indoors. The Boy’s fine green-and-gold clothes were torn all to pieces, and he had been welted in twenty places with the man’s bat, and scratted by the woman’s nails to pieces. He looked like a Robertsbridge hopper on a Monday morning.


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/38

16 ‘"Robin," said he, while I was trying to clean him down with a bunch of hay," I don’t quite understand folk in housen. I went to help that old woman, and she hit me, Robin!"

‘"What else did you expect?" I said. "That was the one time when you might have worked some of your charms, instead of running into three times your weight."

‘"I didn’t think," he says. "But I caught the man one on the head that was as good as any charm. Did you see it work, Robin?"

‘"Mind your nose!" I said. "Bleed it on a dockleaf — not your sleeve, for pity’s sake." I knew what the Lady Esclairmonde would say.

‘He didn’t care. He was as happy as a gipsy with a stolen pony, and the front part of his gold coat, all blood and grass stains, looked like ancient sacrifices.

‘Of course the People of the Hills laid the blame on me. The Boy could do nothing wrong, in their eyes.

‘"You are bringing him up to act and influence on folk in housen, when you’re ready to let him go," I said. "Now he’s begun to do it, why do you cry shame on me? That’s no shame. It’s his nature drawing him to his kind."

‘" But we don’t want him to begin that way," the Lady Esclairmonde said. "We intend a splendid fortune for him — not your flitter-by-night, hedge-jumping, gipsy-work."

‘"I don’t blame you, Robin," says Sir Huon,


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/39

Rh "but I do think you might look after the Boy more closely."

‘"I’ve kept him away from Cold Iron these sixteen years," I said. "You know as well as I do, the first time he touches Cold Iron, he’ll find his own fortune, in spite of everything you intend for him. You owe me something for that."

‘Sir Huon, having been a man, was going to allow me the right of it; but the Lady Esclairmonde, being the Mother of all Mothers, overpersuaded him.

‘"We’re very grateful," Sir Huon said, "but we think that just for the present, you are about too much with him on the Hill."

‘"Though you have said it," I said, "I will give you a second chance." I did not like being called to account for my doings on my own Hill. I wouldn’t have stood it even that far except I loved the Boy.

‘"No! No!" says the Lady Esclairmonde. "He’s never any trouble when he’s left to me and himself. It’s your fault."

‘"You have said it," I answered. "Hear me! From now on till the Boy has found his fortune, whatever that may be, I vow to you all on my Hill, by Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, and by the Hammer of Asa Thor"’ — again Puck made that curious double-cut in the air — ‘"that you may leave me out of all your counts and reckonings." Then I went out,’ — he snapped his fingers — ‘like the puff of a candle, and though they called and cried, they made nothing by


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/40

18 it. I didn’t promise not to keep an eye on the Boy, though. I watched him close — close — close!

‘When he found what his people had forced me to do, he gave them a piece of his mind, but they all kissed and cried round him, and being only a boy, he came over to their way of thinking (I don’t blame him), and called himself unkind, and ungrateful; and it all ended in fresh shows and plays, and magics to distract him from folk in housen. Dear heart alive! How he used to call and call on me, and I couldn’t answer, or even let him know that I was near!’

‘Not even once?’ said Una. ‘If he was very lonely?’

‘No, he couldn’t,’ said Dan, who had been thinking. ‘Didn’t you swear by the Hammer of Thor that you wouldn’t, Puck?’

‘By that Hammer!’ was the deep rumbled reply. Then he came back to his soft speaking voice. ‘And the Boy was lonely, when he couldn’t see me any more. He began to try to learn all learning (he had good teachers), but I saw him lift his eyes from the big black books toward folk in housen all the time. He studied song-making (good teachers he had too!), but he sung those songs with his back toward the Hill, and his face toward folk. I know! I have sat and grieved over him grieving within a rabbit’s jump of him. Then he studied the High, Low and Middle Magic. He had promised the Lady Esclairmonde he would never go near folk in housen, so he had to make shows and shadows for his mind to chew on.’


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/41

Rh ‘What sort of shows?’ said Dan.

‘Just boy’s magic, as we say. I’ll show you some, some time. It pleased him for the while, and it didn’t hurt any one in particular except a few men coming home late from the taverns. But I knew what it was a sign of, and I followed him like a weasel follows a rabbit. As good a boy as ever lived! I’ve seen him with Sir Huon and the Lady Esclairmonde stepping just as they stepped to avoid the track of Cold Iron in a furrow, or walking wide of some old ash-tot because a man had left his swop-hook or spade there; and all his heart aching to go straightforward among folk in housen all the time. Oh, a good boy! They always intended a fine fortune for him — but they could never find it in their heart to let him begin. I’ve heard that many warned them, but they wouldn’t be warned. So it happened as it happened.

‘One hot night I saw the Boy roving about here wrapped in his flaming discontents. There was flash on flash against the clouds, and rush on rush of shadows down the valley till the shaws were full of his hounds giving tongue, and the woodways were packed with his knights in armour riding down into the water-mists — all his own magic, of course. Behind them you could see great castles lifting slow and splendid on arches of moonshine, with maidens waving their hands at the windows, which all turned into roaring rivers; and then would come the darkness of his own young heart wiping out the whole slateful. But boy’s magic doesn’t trouble me — or


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/42

20 Merlin’s either for that matter. I followed the boy by the flashes and the whirling wildfire of his discontent, and oh, but I grieved for him! Oh, but I grieved for him! He pounded back and forth like a bullock in a strange pasture — sometimes alone — sometimes waist-deep among his shadow-hounds — sometimes leading his shadow-knights on a hawk-winged horse to rescue his shadow-girls. I never guessed he had such magic at his command; but it’s often that way with boys.

‘Just when the owl comes home for the second time, I saw Sir Huon and the Lady ride down my Hill where there’s not much magic allowed except mine. They were very pleased at the Boy’s magic — our valley flared with it — and I heard them settling his splendid fortune when they should find it in their hearts to let him go to act and influence among folk in housen. Sir Huon was for making him a great King somewhere or other, and the Lady was for making him a marvellous wise man whom all should praise for his skill and kindness. She was very kind-hearted.

‘Of a sudden we saw the flashes of his discontent turned back on the clouds, and his shadow-hounds stopped baying.

‘"There’s Magic fighting Magic over yonder," the Lady Esclairmonde cried, reining up. "Who is against him?"

‘I could have told her, but I did not count it any of my business to speak of Asa Thor’s comings and goings.’


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/43

Rh ‘How did you know?’ said Una.

‘A slow North-East wind blew up, sawing and fretting through the oaks in a way I remembered. The wildfire roared up, one last time in one sheet, and snuffed out like a rush-light, and a bucketful of stinging hail fell. We heard the Boy walking in the Long Slip — where I first met you last year.

‘"Here, oh, come here!" said the Lady Esclairmonde, and stretched out her arms in the dark.

‘He was coming slowly, but he stumbled in the footpath, being, of course, mortal man.

‘"Why, what’s this?" he said to himself. We three heard him.

‘"Hold, lad, hold! ’Ware Cold Iron!" said Sir Huon, and they two swept down like night-jars, crying as they rode.

‘I ran at their stirrups, but it was too late. We felt that the Boy had touched Cold Iron somewhere in the dark, for the Horses of the Hill shied off, and whipped round, snorting.

‘Then I judged it was time for me to show myself in my own shape; so I did.

‘"Whatever it is," I said, "he has taken hold of it. Now we must find out whatever it is that he has taken hold of: for that will be his fortune."

‘"Come here, Robin," the Boy shouted, as soon as he heard my voice. "I don’t know what I’ve hold of."

‘"It is in your hands," I called back. "Tell us if it is hard and cold, with jewels atop. For that will be a King’s Sceptre."


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/44

22 ‘"Not by a furrow-long," he said, and stooped and tugged in the dark. We heard him.

‘"Has it a handle and two cutting edges?" I called. "For that’ll be a Knight’s Sword."

‘"No, it hasn’t," he says. "It’s neither ploughshare, whittle, hook, nor crook, nor aught I’ve yet seen men handle." By this time he was scratting in the dirt to prize it up.

‘"Whatever it is, you know who put it there, Robin," said Sir Huon to me, "or you would not ask those questions. You should have told me as soon as you knew."

‘"What could you or I have done against the Smith that made it and laid it for him to find?" I said, and I whispered Sir Huon what I had seen at the Forge on Thor’s Day, when the babe was first brought to the Hill.

‘"Oh, good-bye, our dreams!" said Sir Huon. ‘’It’s neither sceptre, sword nor plough! Mavbe yet it’s a bookful of learning, bound with iron clasps. There’s a chance for a splendid fortune in that sometimes."

‘But we knew we were only speaking to comfort ourselves, and the Lady Esclairmonde, having been a woman, said so.

‘"Thur aie! Thor help us!" the Boy called. "It is round, without end, Cold Iron, four fingers wide and a thumb thick, and there is writing on the breadth of it."

‘"Read the writing if you have the learning," I


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/45

Rh called. The darkness had lifted by then, and the owl was out over the fern again.

‘He called back, reading the runes on the iron; —

and there he stood, in clear starlight, with a new, heavy, shining slave-ring round his proud neck.

‘"Is this how it goes?" he asked, while the Lady Esclairmonde cried.

‘"That is how it goes," I said. He hadn’t snapped the catch home yet, though.

‘"What fortune does it mean for him?" said Sir Huon, while the Boy fingered the ring. "You who walk under Cold Iron, you must tell us and teach us."

‘"Tell I can, but teach I cannot," I said. "The virtue of the Ring is only that he must go among folk in housen henceforward, doing what they want done, or what he knows they need, all Old England over. Never will he be his own master, nor yet ever any man’s. He will get half he gives, and give twice what he gets, till his life’s last breath; and if he lays aside his load before he draws that last breath, all his work will go for naught."

‘"Oh, cruel, wicked Thor!" cried the Lady Esclairmonde. "Ah, look, see, all of you! The catch is still open! He hasn’t locked it. He can still take it off. He can still come back. Come back!" She


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/46

24 went as near as she dared, but she could not lay hands on Cold Iron. The Boy could have taken it off, yes. We waited to see if he would, but he put up his hand, and the snap locked home.

‘"What else could I have done?" said he.

‘"Surely, then, you will do," I said. "Morning’s coming, and if you three have any farewells to make, make them now, for after sunrise, Cold Iron must be your master."

‘So they three sat down, cheek by wet cheek, telling over their farewells till morning light. As good a boy as ever lived, he was.’

‘And what happened to him?’ asked Dan.

‘When morning came, Cold Iron was master of him and his fortune, and he went to work among folk in housen. Presently he came across a maid like-minded with himself, and they were wedded, and had bushels of children, as the saying is. Perhaps you’ll meet some of his breed, this year.’

‘Thank you,’ said Una. ‘But what did the poor Lady Esclairmonde do?’

‘What can you do when Asa Thor lays the Cold Iron in a lad’s path? She and Sir Huon were comforted to think they had given the Boy good store of learning to act and influence on folk in housen. For he was a good boy! Isn’t it getting on for breakfast time? I’ll walk with you a piece.’

When they were well in the centre of the bone-dry fern, Dan nudged Una, who stopped and put on a boot as quickly as she could.


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/337

 FRANKIE'S TRADE

to All Atlantic said:

(A-hay O! To me O!)

'Now where did Frankie learn his trade?

For he ran me down with a three-reef mains'le.'

(All round the Horn!)

Atlantic answered:—'Not from me!

You'd better ask the cold North Sea,

For he ran me down under all plain canvas.'

(All round the Horn!)

The North Sea answered:—'He's my man

For he came to me when he began—

Frankie Drake in an open coaster.'

(All round the Sands!)

'I caught him young and I used him sore,

So you never shall startle Frankie more,

Without capsizing Earth and her waters.'

(All round the Sands!)

'I did not favour him at all,

I made him pull and I made him haul—

And stand his trick with the common sailors.

(All round the Sands!)

309


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/338

310 'I froze him stiff and I fogged him blind,

And kicked him home with his road to find

By what he could see of a three-day snow-storm.

(All round the Sands!)

'I learned him his trade o' winter nights,

'Twixt Mardyk Fort and Dunkirk lights

On a five-knot tide with the forts a-firing.

(All round the Sands!)

'Before his beard began to shoot,

I showed him the length of the Spaniard's foot—

And I reckon he clapped the boot on it later.

(All round the Sands!)

'If there's a risk which you can make,

That's worse than he was used to take

Nigh every week in the way of his business;

(All round the Sands!)

'If there's a trick that you can try,

Which he hasn't met in time gone by,

Not once or twice, but ten times over;

(All round the Sands!)

'If you can teach him aught that's new,

(A-hay O! To me O!)

I'll give you Bruges and Niewport too,

And the ten tall churches that stand between 'em.'

Storm along my gallant Captains!

(All round the Horn!)


text: Rewards and Fairies/Frankie's Trade

title: Rewards and Fairies/Frankie's Trade


text: Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/339


text: Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/340


text: Decisive Battles Since Waterloo/Chapter 2


text:
Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 26.djvu/449

 Edit.,' 8vo, Cambridge. 1831.
 * 1) 'A Digested Series of Examples in the applications of the Principles of the Differential Calculus,' 8vo, Cambridge, 1832.
 * 2) 'The Principles and Practice of Arithmetic,' 8vo, Cambridge, 1832; 8th edit., with a new appendix of miscellaneous questions, 1856.
 * 3) 'The Principles and Practice of Arithmetical Algebra, &c., 3rd edit.,' 8vo, Cambridge, 1855.
 * 4) 'The Solutions of the Questions in the Principles and Practice of Arithmetic, 2nd edit.,' 12mo, Cambridge, 1856.

HINDE, WILLIAM (1569?–1629), puritan divine, born at Kendal, Westmoreland, about 1569, entered Queen's College, Oxford, in Michaelmas term 1586 as a servitor, but was elected successively tabarder and perpetual fellow. He graduated B.A. on 2 July 1591 (, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 254), and M.A. on 2 July 1594 (ib. i. 267). About 1603 he became perpetual curate of Bunbury, Cheshire, in which county, says Wood, he was ‘esteemed the ringleader of the nonconformists during the time that Dr. Thomas Morton sate bishop of Chester, with whom he had several contests about conformity.’ He was, in fact, in constant trouble through his so-called ‘indifferency’ (, Life of Bishop Morton, 1669, passim). Hinde died at Bunbury in June 1629, and was buried there.

A devoted admirer of John Rainolds, Hinde published the latter's ‘Prophecie of Obadiah opened and applyed in sundry … sermons,’ 4to, Oxford, 1613, and ‘The Discovery of the Man of Sinne … preached in divers sermons,’ 4to, Oxford, 1614. With J. Dod he revised and edited Robert Cleaver's ‘Bathshebaes Instructions to her sonne Lemuel: containing a fruitfull … exposition of the last chapter of Proverbs,’ 4to, London, 1614. His own writings include:
 * 1) ‘A Path to Pietie, leading to the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Christ Jesus,’ 8vo, Oxford, 1613.
 * 2) ‘The Office and Use of the Moral Law of God in the days of the Gospel justified and explained at large,’ &c., 4to, London, 1623.
 * 3) ‘A faithful Remonstrance: or the Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen of Bruen-Stapleford, in the County of Chester, Esq.,’ 8vo, London, 1641, published by Hinde's son Samuel, who was chaplain to Charles II and incumbent of St. Mary's Church, Dover.

HINDERWELL, THOMAS (1744–1825), historian, eldest son of Thomas Hinderwell, a retired master-mariner and shipowner, of Scarborough, was born at Scarborough on 17 Nov. 1744. He received his early education in his native town and at Coxwold grammar school, near Helmsley, and while still young entered the merchant service, in which he remained till about 1775. In 1778 Hinderwell was elected a member of the corporation of Scarborough, and afterwards took a very active part in promoting the general interests of the port. In 1781 he was elected to the mayoralty of the borough, which office he also filled in 1784, 1790, and 1800. In 1816 he retired from the corporation. For a period of upwards of forty years Hinderwell was a staunch supporter of the Amicable Society, which in 1784 elected him as its president. He also rendered great assistance in the formation of the Scarborough Auxiliary Bible Society. He did much to establish the lifeboat; and when the claim of [q. v.] to remuneration for this invention was referred to a committee of the House of Commons, Hinderwell's evidence was highly complimented by the Right Hon. George Rose, and is said to have carried great weight. Hinderwell died at his residence in Scarborough on 22 Oct. 1825, and was buried beneath a plain marble slab in the ground attached to St. Mary's Church, near the grammar school.

Hinderwell is chiefly known by his ‘History of Scarborough,’ of which the first edition appeared at York in 1798, 4to. A second edition, considerably augmented and improved, was published at London in 1811, with a dedication to his friend William Wilberforce, then M.P. for the county of York; a third edition was published at Scarborough in 1832. Bigland, in his ‘Beauties of England,’ calls Hinderwell's ‘History of Scarborough’ ‘one of the most accurate and interesting works relating to this or any other part of England.’ He also wrote ‘Authentic Narratives of Affecting Shipwrecks,’ 1799; ‘Address to the Public on the Sabbath,’ 1800; ‘Remarks on the Times,’ 1809; ‘Lines descriptive of Scarborough,’ 1823.

HINDLE, JOHN (1761–1796), vocalist and composer, born in 1761, was the son of Bartholomew Hindle of Westminster. It appears that after 1789 he owned some property at Tottenham in Middlesex. He was lay vicar of Westminster Abbey; matriculated 16 Nov.


text: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hind, James


text: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hind, John


text:
Page:Rewards and Fairies (Kipling, 1910).djvu/208

 If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!