Just as Meridian felt so dire dismay’d,
And ever after so discomforted,
The luncheon-bell invited forth the guest—
To be partakers of the mid-day feast:
Such food and drinkables meet for the hour
Were attributes most welcome, since the tour
Occasion’d such exertion to obtain
The much desired shelter from the rain:
Thus then refresh’d, retiring to her room
Jane penn’d her first epistle to th’ old home;
(Ah me! how sweet “th’ old home” falls on the ear
To all to whomsoever “home” is dear.)
In language of simplicity she wrote
Thus: (now in strictest confidence we quote)—
“My dearest father. We arriv’d last night
At Rollingate (thank gracious God) all right;
We halted twice, refresh’d ourselves, drove on,—
Most truly thankful when the day was done:
Before I laid me down I bent my knee
And pray’d to Him above to comfort thee;
Arose this morning, breakfasted, and talk’d,
Then ’round the grounds we comfortably walk’d;
We rowed upon the lake among the swans,
And fell in love with all the little ones;
Just then a rapid show’r began to fall,
We hasten’d back and luncheon’d in the Hall:
All now is quiet; Arnold’s very kind
And I, dear father, happier in mind.
That dear old lady, whom you heard him say
Was such a motherly creature, said to-day
That all at Rollingate were proud of me;
So now, dear father, pray thee happy be:
Next week, I purpose, you shall hear again.
Believe me * * * yours affectionately, Jane.”
Then came the thoughts of how she should proceed
To get it posted, and the postage freed,
But just that instant Toogood happily came,
And Jane’s distress dissolv’d into a name:
The compliant footman took it to the lodge,
And there consigned it to old Andrew Hodge.
“Old Andrew,” now, was seventy years of age;
(Had come to Rollingate erst as a page;)
O’er fifty years, it was the old man’s boast,
He had been guardian of th’ important post:
But then, besides, he rode about th’ estate,—
A sort of bailiff over Rollingate,
And superintendent of the flocks and herds,
The deer, the swine, and the domestic birds,—
He made arrangements for the animal sale
Of surplus cattle; oak, and ashen, pale;
The over-crowding firs and elms and pines;
And kept with strict regard the bound’ry lines;
Such then was Andrew’s alternating work,
With his kind niece at home as medium clerk.
Though now the poor old man had grown infirm
From partial palsy in his dexter[208] arm,
And sometimes suffer’d almost martyrdom
With the lumbago in his back and loins,
And painful visitations in his groins;
So that a few years more like this, distress’d,
Must of necessity send him to rest.
[206] The Sun.
[207] Meridian.
[208] The right (arm).