JUBILEE TEAPOT TOR,
HORRABRIDGE.
_26 July, 1887._
Horrabridge seems to be as much our post town as any other place; but
I have not fully fathomed our postal relations. The legend is that
the old gentleman who squatted here--and if ever I saw an untitled
squatment I see one now--held that the post was "a new found holiday"
and charged the postman never to come near him--and the postman,
holding this to be an acquittance for all time, refused and still
refuses to visit Pu Tor, but leaves our letters somewhere, I know not
where, whence they are fetched by Samuel the son of the house--which
Samuel learned the first half of the alphabet in the school "to"
Sumpford Spiney Church-town when as yet there was a school, but the
school scattered and beyond N Samuel does not go--howbeit, there will
be a school again some day if ever Mr Collier can catch A. J. Butler at
the Education Office, which is hardly to be expected. But if I begin
to tell the acts of the Putorians, I shall never cease, for they are a
race with a history and a language and (it may be) a religion of their
own. Villani de Tawystock fecerunt cariagium--but the ignorant beggars
did not know Pu Tor cottage and it seemed that we should wander about
all night. This is a right good spot and we are grateful to you for
discovering it. We have a sitting-room and two bedrooms and we could
find place for a visitor if his stomach were not high. Have you seen
the new ordnance map of the moor? Mr Collier showed it me. _Pew_ Tor is
the spelling that it adopts.