The Owd Master at the Hall had two children--Mr James and Miss Mary. Mr
James was ivver so much owder than Miss Mary. She come kind o'
unexpected like, and she warn't but a little thing when she lost her
mother. When she got owd enough Owd Master sent her to a young ladies'
skule. She was there a soot o' years, and when she come to staa at home,
she _was_ such a pretty young lady, _that_ she was. She was werry fond
of cumpany, but there warn't the lissest bit wrong about her. There was
a young gentleman, from the sheres, who lived at a farm in the next
parish, where he was come to larn farmin'. He was werry fond of her, and
though his own folks din't like it, it was all sattled that he was soon
to marry her. Then he hear'd suffen about her, which warn't a bit true,
and he went awaa, and was persuaded to marry somebody else. Miss Mary
took on bad about it, but that warn't the wust of it. She had a baby
before long, and he was the father on't.
O lawk, a lawk! how the Owd Master did break out when he hear'd of it! My
mother lived close by, and nussed poor Miss Mary, so I've h'ard all about
it. He woun't let the child stop in the house, but sent it awaa to a
house three miles off, where the woman had lost her child. But when Miss
Mary got about, the woman used to bring the baby--he was "Master
Charley"--to my mother's. One daa, when she went down, my mother towd
her that he warn't well; so off she went to see him. When she got home
she was late, and the owd man was kep' waitin' for his dinner. As soon
as he see her, he roared out, "What! hev yeou bin to see yar bastard?" "O
father," says she, "yeou shoun't saa so." "Shoun't saa so," said he,
"shoun't I? I can saa wuss than that." And then he called her a bad
name. She got up, nivver said a wadd, but walked straight out of the
front door. They din't take much notiz at fust, but when she din't come
back, they got scared, and looked for her all about; and at last they
found her in the moot, at the bottom of the orchard.
O lawk, a lawk!
The Owd Master nivver could howd up arter that. 'Fore that, if he was
put out, yeou could hear 'im all over the farm, a-cussin' and swearin'.
He werry seldom spook to anybody now, but he was alluz about arly and
late; nothin' seemed to tire him. 'Fore that he nivver went to charch;
now he went reg'ler. But he wud saa sumtimes, comin' out, "Parson's a
fule." But if anybody was ill, he bod 'em go up to the Hall and ax for
suffen. {62} There was young Farmer Whoo's wife was werry bad, and the
doctor saa that what she wanted was London poort. So he sent my father
to the marchant at Ipswich, to bring back four dozen. Arter dark he was
to lave it at the house, but not to knock. They nivver knew where ta
come from till arter he died. But he fare to get waker, and to stupe
more ivry year.
Yeou ax me about "Master Charley." Well, he growed up such a pretty bor.
He lived along with my mother for the most part, and Mr James was so fond
of him. He'd come down, and plaa and talk to him the hour togither, and
Master Charley would foller 'im about like a little dawg.
One daa they was togither, and Owd Master met 'em. "James," said he,
"what bor is that alluz follerin' yeou about?" He said, "It's Mary's
child." The owd man tarned round as if he'd bin shot, and went home all
himpin' along. Folks heared him saa, "Mary's child! Lord! Lord!" When
he got in, he sot down, and nivver spook a wadd, 'cept now and then,
"Mary's child! Lord! Lord!" He coun't ate no dinner; but he towd 'em
to go for my mother; and when she come, he saa to her, "Missus, yeou must
git me to bed." And there he laa all night, nivver slapin' a bit, but
goin' on saain, "Mary's child! _Lord_! _Lord_!" quite solemn like.
Sumtimes he'd saa, "I've bin a bad un in my time, I hev."
Next mornin' Mr James sent for the doctor. But when he come, Owd Master
said, "Yeou can do nothin' for me; I oon't take none o' yar stuff." No
more he would. Then Mr James saa, "Would yeou like to see the parson?"
He din't saa nothin' for some time, then he said, "Yeou may send for
him." When the parson come--and he was a nice quite {63} owd gentleman,
we were werry fond of him--he went up and staa'd some time; but he nivver
said nothin' when he come down. Howsomdiver, Owd Master laa more quiter
arter that, and when they axed him to take his med'cin he took it. Then
he slep' for some hours, and when he woke up he called out quite clear,
"James." And when Mr James come, he saa to him, "James," sez he, "I ha'
left ivrything to yeou; do yeou see that Mary hev her share." You notiz,
he din't saa, "Mary's child," but "Mary hev her share." Arter a little
while he said, "James, I should like to see the little chap." He warn't
far off, and my mother made him tidy, and brushed his hair and parted it.
Then she took him up, and put him close to the bed. Owd Master bod 'em
put the curtain back, and he laa and looked at Master Charley. And then
he said, quite slow and tendersome, "Yeou're a'most as pritty as your
mother was, my dear."
Them was the last words he ivver spook.
Mr James nivver married, and when he died he left ivrything to Master
Charley.