The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Crock of Gold, by Martin Farquhar Tupper

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Title: The Crock of Gold
A Rural Novel

Author: Martin Farquhar Tupper

Release Date: November 14, 2005 [eBook #17062]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

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THE CROCK OF GOLD;

A Rural Novel.

by

MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER, ESQ., M.A.,

Author of "Proverbial Philosophy."

Hartford:
Silas Andrus and Son.

1851.

CHAPTER I.

THE LABOURER; AND HIS DAWNING DISCONTENT.

ROGER ACTON woke at five. It was a raw March morning, still
dark, and bitterly cold, while at gusty intervals the rain beat in
against the crazy cottage-window. Nevertheless, from his poor pallet he
must up and rouse himself, for it will be open weather by sunrise, and
his work lies two miles off; Master Jennings is not the man to show him
favour if he be late, and Roger cannot afford to lose an hour: so he
shook off the luxury of sleep, and rose again to toil with weary effort.

"Honest Roger," as the neighbours called him, was a fair specimen of a
class which has been Britain's boast for ages, and may be still again,
in measure, but at present that glory appears to be departing: a class
much neglected, much enduring; thoroughly English--just, industrious,
and patient; true to the altar, and loyal to the throne; though haply
shaken somewhat now from both those noble faiths--warped in their
principles, and blunted in their feelings, by lying doctrines and harsh
economies; a class--I hate the cold cant term--a race of honourable men,
full of cares, pains, privations--but of pleasures next to none; whose
life at its most prosperous estate is labour, and in death we count him
happy who did not die a pauper. Through them, serfs of the soil, the
earth yields indeed her increase, but it is for others; from the fields
of plenty they glean a scanty pittance, and fill the barns to bursting,
while their children cry for bread. Not that Roger for hi