LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1231, 13 February 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE HIGHWAYMAN OUTWITTED; Ob Exciia-ge no Eobbkky. [London Society] Diwolk Fakm was sued a pretty pkee Charmingly situated at the foot of a slope, it commanded an ex'enstve view of a beautiful Kentish valley, the ground rising to a ridge of wooden hills in the far dis tance It.a s'eep tiled roof, o»vered with yellow 1 chens. indicated its antiquity, and tlv numerous farm buil ;ngs. ricks, and barn*, which sr< oi arou- d in icturesqueconf > ion, marked it as wealthy and pr sp rou- in a langnage of their own n orchard of venerable, but not the less full-bearing apple and pear trees ran up the incline nehmd the house; the pasture-fields were intersected by woods of oaks, under which a tanged mass -f undergrowth lent a wild beauty to the sp t, the bins keeping up a sweet incessant concert from sunrise to snnset in the branches above. Two shady lanes led down to Dingle Farm from the high road, wh ch was more than h- If a mile distant. This old and attractive. place ba.i been for generations in the poa se'Bi"U of the Dalea, a respectable and wealthy family of farmers, a d amo g the vil ages and c untry round »asbett- r known by the name of I'ale's farm. It was in abited at the time of our ftcy —the la«ie: part of the hvt century by old Mr Dale and his widowed daughter-in-law. Ric ard Dale, her bu-band, ha i died soon after t e birth f their younges' chid the only furviv ng son out of four, three of whom die.l in infancy. This boy, now thirteen years old, was doted on by his grandfather and widowed mother. An orphan grandchild of old Vtr Dale's- a bright clever girl of t«'f nty, named £usan "tidolph—lived with them since the death of her mother, his only daughter, and was Mrs Kichard Dale's right hand. v he directed the servants, looked after the dairy, fed the poultry, kept the accoun's, and always went to market on market days, Mr Hale being now too infirm to undertake the journey, and transact business. The market was held at a town distant from the farm about seven miles ; and hither the farmers s nt their cattle poultry, arid vegetable produ* e for sale the first Wednesday in every month. These journeys were attended with some anxiety and not a little danger from the highwaymen, who still infested the roads, and who did not fail to make use of market-day as an available opportunity for plunder. As the road was much frequented on these particu lardays, -usan went backwards and forward" without fear of an encounter with these un comfortable gentry. It was the evening before market-day Supper was just over at the farm, and Mrs Dale was busy removing it from the large old-fashoned oak table in the kitchen. A bright fire blazed on the spacious hearth, though it was the end of lune, and old Mr F'ale sat in the chimney-corner under the immense chimney, where a collection of hams hung in various stages of smoking. ' Now mind, usan, that you be early for market to morrow,' said Mrs I'alo, as she seated herself.

' Never fear, aunt; I'll be off betimes. Thomas must start first with the two cows and the heifer, and I'll follow when they're will on their way. Don't you disturb your self in the morning, aunt dear.' 4 Bless thn child, as if I shouldn't be up and about against your starting I I shall see to your breakfast, of course.' 'I wish you'd let me go too, mother,' said Ben, the boy before motioned, who was whittling a stick at the open door. ' I know I could help Susy.' No, no, no, my dear; you're too young,' replied hi« mother, while the old man, rem ving his t ipe, s iid coaxingly, • All in good time, my lad; all in good time. Let things come by degrees. Mind your schooling now, and you'll be all the better farmer for a little book-larning.' 4 But suppose Susy should meet a highwayman, grandfa I her. Then I should be of use. Wouldn't I tackle him just! It would be fun ' ' Eh, lad, eh ! "Voung folks talk a deal o' nonsense,' laughed the old man. 'Tnose gentry you speak of are not so easy to tackle, I can tell you ' ' Did y- u ever meet one, grandfather ?' asked the boy. 4 Ay, ay, and I rode home as hard as I could, wit-, him at my heels But it's no use o' frightening Susan, when she's going to-morrow.' 1 I'm not f-ightened, grandad,' said Susan, going up and kissing the old man. Ben here ran across and, coming up unperceived, pulled one of Susm's curls, which had tumbled from underneath her cap. ' Don't, en. you pbigue 1' cried Susan ; and she tried to ca'ch him as he duckeu away from her hand and jumped over a settle, where he eat on the floor in the attitude of a frog, ready to leap if sho chose to follow him. Hut, seeing that sir- took no heed h> crawled tip to h< v and s->id, 4 What should you do. Susy, if a footpad came up and asked for your mot.ey or your life ? I wonder wh> ther you'd call me a pligue then 1 Ha, ha !' 'I eh uldn't want yon,' laughed Susan ; 4 for I should tell him to go about his business, and ask what he'd do with my life when he'd got it.' 4 Ah ! it's all very fine to be pert now, but you'll long for poor pi guy Ben then ' know;' and Hen here ii"t only puded the curl aga n, but tw ak» d the cap oti the girl's head. She caught him and wa< in the act of administering punishment by a box o i the ear. when he leaped ove r her stoop ng form, and r <n up stnra to bed. The next morning v usan *r>£e at five, and dressed h> rself with much care and mat ness. Ben met her a 9 she name to the kitchen door; and Mrs Dale who was already down. be*an to cut large slices of bread and butter, and told him to be quiet and get Lis breakfast. Susan went to see that her basket of poubry, eggs, and butter, was ready packed. 4 I on't let the ducks go for less than six shilling* the coup'e, child,' said Mrs Dale, ' '-nd get as intich a* you can r o- the fowls. Ducks are in season, and ought to fetch a good price.' * Pusan's a duck herself,' chimed in Ben.

'You're a goose, at all events,' rej ined Susan, • though I shouldn't li <e to have the selli g of von; for you wouldn't letch much.' And she sat down opposite the boy and began her breakfa t, the farm-servante coming in soon afte to gel theirs 'Tummus started beti nes,' sail Ben; I heard him go. Make haste, Susy—eat, away.' 'There's no hurry, my dear,' saH Mrs Dale, as stirred her porridge ; but you can go and tee if Jerry's all ready, and b ing him round.' Jerry was the horse, of respectable and ancient api earance, and soni'-what clumsy b.iid, o» which >usan usudJy made h»r jour eys to market. Hie was a good womau, having been accustomed to ride about the farm with her grandfather since she was <j ite a <'hild, an 1 she was rather impatient <>f Jerry's si >w paces, tboiii.'h sbo knew them to be a necessity on market day, Lady, your palfrey waits,' ere' Ben, bowing at the kituhen door, with mock dignity. ' Ble sa the boy !' ex' laimed Irs mother; ' he's full of fun, I declare. Come and help -'Usau with her ba-kets ' Jerry was led to the mounting-stone which stood 'n the yard Susan was duly s tt ed uQ h r sadde, th-. baskets adjusted and tbe horse ambled aw y up the wooded lane. ' think of m when you meet the robbers, susy,' squealed Bvn «fter hur, as ho pretended to be overcome with grief at her departure. u»an rode along, enjoying the morning an the song of the tar.is. 'I he dew twinkled on the gras< and herbage, aut the sun glinted through the trees overhead ; while the scent of the hay, now being made into ricks, filled the air With its delicious fragrance. Susan turned in* o +he high road ebe fOU&d l - fuU of Ca<ts, horsemen, and

farmers, all bent on the same errand as herself. It was of no moment whether she arrived at Hazleton sooner than her neighbors, so she took no p an « to urge on the steady. going old horse, and she was soon left alone at the foot of a sveep ascent Before many minutes had elapsod, a gentleman on a fine bly horse overtook her, and, reigning him in with difficulty, as-ed if he w re right for Hazleton, and if it were market-day there. us »n looked round at him. and was struck with the handsome aiuiine f ce and piercing dark eyes which seemed to read her through Dres-ed in the best fashion of the ume, his horae carefully gr om d till its glossy cat sh.me brightly in the su light, he made a marked eo'.tr -,t to usan on her thick made c'umsy animal ' Y u are b uud for the market, too, little md ?' ii:q ared the gentleman, raising his dat as lie s^oke 'Yes, *ir. All the folks are going there a'most, this morning, I think,' answered Susan shyly. 'And what have you there? Chickens and butter ?' her interlocut r went on to say. 'Do you like the business of buying au I selling?' IT? f>fi ,',>u* h'Vffri.)