The Project Gutenberg eBook, Friarswood Post-Office, by Charlotte M. Yonge

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Title: Friarswood Post-Office

Author: Charlotte M. Yonge

Release Date: December 29, 2007 [eBook #4296]

Language: English

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

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRIARSWOOD POST-OFFICE***

Transcribed from the 1909 Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co. edition by David
Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

FRIARSWOOD
POST-OFFICE

BY
C. M. YONGE,
AUTHOR OF "THE HEIR OF REDCLYFFE"

WITH COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
A. G. WALKER
SCULPTOR

LONDON:
WELLS GARDNER, DARTON, & CO., LTD.
3 & 4 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C.
AND 44 VICTORIA STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.

CHAPTER I--THE STRANGE LAD

'Goodness! If ever I did see such a pig!' said Ellen King, as she
mounted the stairs. 'I wouldn't touch him with a pair of tongs!'

'Who?' said a voice from the bedroom.

'Why, that tramper who has just been in to buy a loaf! He is a perfect
pig, I declare! I only wonder you did not find of him up here! The
police ought to hinder such folk from coming into decent people's shops!
There, you may see him now!'

'Is that he upon the bridge--that chap about the size of our Harold?'

'Yes. Did you ever see such a figure? His clothes aren't good enough
for a scare-crow--and the dirt, you can't see that from here, but you
might sow radishes in it!'

'Oh, he's swinging on the rail, just as I used to do. Put me down,
Nelly; I don't want to see any more.' And the eyes filled with tears;
there was a working about the thin cheeks and the white lips, and a long
sigh came out at last, 'Oh, if I was but like him!'

'Like him! I'd wish something else before I wished that,' said Ellen.
'Don't think about it, Alfred dear; here are Miss Jane's pictures.'

'I don't want the pictures,' said Alfred wearily, as he laid his head
down on his white pillow, and shut his eyes because they were hot with
tears.

Ellen looked at him very sadly, and the feeling in her own mind was, that
he was right, and nothing could make up for the health and strength that
she knew her mother feared would never return to him.

There he lay, the fair hair ha