Category: Short Stories

Pastorals of Dorset

PAGE SHEPHERD ROBBINS 1 PRIVATE GRIGGS 27 UP AT THE ’LOTMENTS 61 THE ONLY SOLDIER 83 A RUSTIC ARGUS 113 THE ROSY PLATE 141 BECKY AND BITHEY 175 THE LOVER’S WRAITH 197 JOHNNY AT SHROTON FAIR 214 THE ROUT OF THE CONQUEROR 253 HOW GRANFER VOLUNTEERED 295

Chapters

8. Part 8

“E—es, a lot o’ us young folks did set off for Shroton Fair that day. There was me, and Annie Boyt, Tom’s sister, and Rose Paddock; and there was Tom, and ’Neas, and my John—tha...

13. Part 13

“’Ees, my dear, you mid be sure o’ that. D’ye mind when poor Jane Arnold was took off wi’ an impression on her chest—not so much time as to say where she’d like to be buried? We...

2. Part 2

Later in the day she was standing, knitting in hand, watching a brood of very young chickens which had made their appearance at an astonishingly early date. Despite this fact th...

9. Part 9

“I haven’t never been used to take my meals wi’out no plate!” she protested with a burst of woe, for her outraged self-respect gave her courage. “There must be plates here—folks...

5. Part 5

“My son d’ seen to be a bit late too,” chimed in the lady whose doorstep was parallel to that of the last speaker; a somewhat vixenish-looking person this, with a pinched and po...

10. Part 10

“The Crimean War! Why, that’s scarce any time ago,” said Mr. Joyce. “’Twas in the fifties, I think; ’ees, I can remember the time very well myself. That don’t go for to prove no...

3. Part 3

Mrs. Frizzell’s hawk eyes immediately fixed themselves upon the mental picture of Private Grigg’s maternal parent, and she presently remarked, in a somewhat muffled tone, that s...

6. Part 6

“It be wonderful, I’m sure,” said Mrs. Blanchard. “As I do tell Mrs. Stuckhey, it ought to comfort her, poor soul. Mrs. Stuckhey have just been a-layin’ out five-and-sixpence fo...

12. Part 12

Here he crouched with his legs tucked beneath him, his cap far back on his dishevelled yellow locks, big tears hanging on his eyelashes, and one little forefinger between his li...

4. Part 4

“We’re gettin’ help from the parish now,” he resumed, “else we couldn’t make out at all. My pore wife, ye see, she’s reg’lar crippled, an’ not able to do nothin’, an’ I’m not fi...

11. Part 11

“Why, my pretty,” cried Sam’s voice, which sounded very real and comfortable, “what be all this shindy? Have anybody been a-frightenin’ of ye? Have that rascal Bob been up to an...

15. Part 15

As he slowly spelt out line after line, his forefinger moving along the column in pace with his eyes, the air of contentment with which he had at first settled to his task gave...

1. Part 1

PAGE SHEPHERD ROBBINS 1 PRIVATE GRIGGS 27 UP AT THE ’LOTMENTS 61 THE ONLY SOLDIER 83 A RUSTIC ARGUS 113 THE ROSY PLATE 141 BECKY AND BITHEY 175 THE LOVER’S WRAITH 197 JOHNNY AT...

7. Part 7

Lizzie stepped up, and found her friend reclining outside her patchwork quilt, absorbed in the perusal of a “penny dreadful” of the most thrilling type. Lizzie approached the be...

14. Part 14

The landlord of the little tumble-down place took these visitations very philosophically: indeed it was noticeable that his spirits were uplifted in proportion to the rising of...