THE BOND OF BLOOD.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 68, 31 December 1881, Page 249

THE BOND OF BLOOD.

By Gteoegke R. Sims

Jack Meadows was the terror of the little village of Slocum. Sloeum, I should say, for the benefit of those of my readers whose knowledge ■of their native country is limited, is situated in •one of the pleasantest parts of the South Coast district, and is a village hamlet pure and simple. | It consists of eighteen .houses — of which two are , public ones — a church, and three shops. The greatest man in Slocum was of course the parson ; but the richest man, and the most popular, j was Master Martin, the miller and farmer, whose place wad about a quarter of a mile from the village. When I call him rich, I use the word in a •comparative sense. He was rich for Slocum. ] Now, Ja-ck Meadows and the miller didn't get on well together afc all. Jack was the son of one of ! the publicans, and he was sent to Master Martin ! to learn the milling. " Some day," said his father, " he will be able to have a mill of his own." Jack Meadows was not very long before he fulfilled his father's prophecy. He did have a mill — several mills — for he fought every male being on the premises of a flghtable age, and would doubtless have fought the miller himself if the latter hadn't curbed the youth's ambition in that direction by giving him a sound drubbing, and sending him about his business for making lovo to his (the miller's) •pretty daughter Jenny. Jenny was a dark-eyed, buxom little wench of sixteen, and the handsome young scapegrace, Jack Meadows, had soon persuaded her to play at sweethearts. Underlying all his mischief, begotten chiefly of his vigorous health and rude animal spirits, there was a sound heart, and Jack would have gone through fire and water at a word from the miller's daughter. But directly the miller found out how the land lay, and that Master Jack, one summer afternoon, when he ought to have been at work, was whispering soft nothings into Miss Jenny's car in the kitchen, and helping himself to a huge slice of appleturnover from the pantry at the same time, Master Martin caught up the copper-stick, and laid it vigorously about the youthful Romeo's shoulders, while Juliet rushed into the panlry, and locked herself in, where her father found her half an hour after, weej)ing still, but temporarily consoling herself with the remaining portion of the turnover. The miller spoke a few sensible words to Jenny — told her that Jack was an idle fellow, and would never be worth any decent girl troubling her head about. Whereupon Jenny began to cry afresh, and 'continued crying till the miller fairly lost his temper, and, vowing he would make short work of this love affair, sent Master Jack about his business, and promised his daughter that, if ever she spoke to the young man again, she should be sent oiit to service instead of being kept at the mill like a lady. Jack went went home to his father's house in the village, vowing vengeance against everybody. There he got another thrashing for losing his place, and that decided him on his next course of action. He was sick of being bullied. There wasn't a fellow in all Slocum that he hadn't conquered in single combat ; he was tired of mischief, and hv couldn't make love to Jenny Martin. He would go to sea. He had read many a stirring narrative of the delights and perils of a sailor's life, and it was just the sort of life in which he would be aHe to find relief from the monotony of existence at Slocurn. He managed by means of a trusty messenger j — a boy employed at the mill, whose head lie promised to punch if he refused the delicate : mission — to convey a short note to Jenny informing her of his intention to bid his native land j adiexi, and he named a spot where, at a certain | hour, she might meet him and bid Mm a long ' farewell. How could Jenny refuse ? The poor fellow was being driven away from home, and all for her sake. i That afternoon she took Rover, the dog, and went for a long walk by the banks of the river, and at a nice quiet spot, a mile and a half from the mill, she found Jack waiting for her. He told her his plans — how he was going to j sea in a ship bound for those far-away countries j where gold and silver and diamonds were a.? ■common as blackberries on the Slocum hedge- ] tows in September. He should come back rich to \ claim her. Then he made her promise to remain faithful to him. In a book ho had been reading j lately there was a young knight who went to the Holy Wars, and before lie started lie exchanged tows with his lady love. Jack had copied the oaths out carefully, because he saw how appropriate they were to his own circumstances. It was very romantic, this leavetaking, and Jenny was quite carried away by it, and was ready to swear anything. Jack read the vows over to her, and Jenny's face went white when he came to the end, for these young lovers of the olden time had written them out on parchment with their own blood. " Oh, Jack, I couldn't do that !" whispered Jenny, with a shudder, for she had visions that notMng but a gory signature would satisfy her Ardent admirer. " Oh, but you must !" said Jack. " Look here; I've got the vows written out on paper. I couldn't get any parchment, and I've pricked my finger, and signed it with my blood, and I'll give it to you. Here's your vow written ; now, all you've got to do is to sign it. I've brought a pen." " Oh, Jack, I can't ; dear Jack, don't ask me to do that !" " Ah, false girl, you do not love me ! I have nothing left to lire for. I will drown myself at •once !" Jack made a melodramatic start towards the rivei*'s brink ; Jenny shrieked, and seized Mm by the jacket. "Oh, Jack — dear Jack !— don't drown yourself." " Then sign !" exclaimed the lorer. " One — two—" "I'll do anything, Jack; only please don't <dro\m yourself."

Jack came a little way from the river's edge. " I'll sign it presently. Jack," said Jenny. " You've made me so nervous I couldn't hold the pen. Come across the fields and we'll talk "nbout it." .All Jenny wes anxious to do was to get Jack away from that dreadful river. They strolled across the fields together, and Jack renewed his romantic protestations of faithfulness, and gave his little sweetheart a glowing account of all the beautiful things he intended to bring her home from the golden West. As they were passing a thick hedgerow Jenny saw a beautiful dog-rose. She remembered that in stories young ladies generally gave their lovers a flower at parting, which the lover kept long after it had faded, and gazed upon in such distant climes as said lovers might journey to. She would give Jack the wild rose. She reached up, and stretched out her little white haud to pluck it, and then jumped back with a sharp cry oi ; pain. Wild roses have cruel guardians in the shape of thorns, and one of these had penetrated the rosy finger of the miller's daughter, and brought the blood. "An omen !" said Jack, looking at the little wounded finger, which Jenny stretched out to him in a mutual appeal for sympathy. "An omen Jenny. You can sign the bond." Now that the pain was over, and chance had supplied the necessary ink, Jenny could offer no further objection. Jack produced the pen from his jacket pockefc, and Jenny, half frightened and half ashamed, dipped the nib in the little bead of blood, and scrawled her signature to the document, with a trembling hand. Then Jack handed lier his vow, already duly signed, and took hers in exchange. Before he put it into his bosom — that's where the young knight had placed his — he road it over : — If I be false to my true kniuiit, AVho goes to distant lands, Bfy life to take shall he his riyht, With his own knightly hands. And if I with another wed, When he is far away, After that my own blood be shed. Him also may he slay. "Ifc\< very dreadful, Jack," said Jenny, as her lover secreted (he sanguinary bond. 13 ut Jack reassured her. It was a mere matter of form, and quite usual between young lovers who had unnatural parents. Then they strolled along through ihe pleasant fields-, renewing their vows of constancy until the position of the sun in the heavens warned the Slocum Juliet (hat it was time to tear herself from Borneo, and return to the more prosaic occupation of preparing old Capulet's tea. Then, with many a passionate promise and tender embrace, the young couple bade cadi other a long farewell. And the next day it was known all over Slocum that Jack the dare-devil, Jack the tyrant, Jack the ne'er-do-well, had run away to sea. The secret of the solemn agreement she had entered into remained locked in the bosom of the miller's daughter, and in the bosom of one other damsel as well. Jenny's dearest friend was Maggie Smith, the farrier's daughter, and to Maggie, under a solemn vow of secrecy, the romantic episode was imparted in the twilight of a summer evening, over a dish of syllabub.

35= ■£• #■ •<£ ■<■ =& Five years passed over Slocum, as it did over most oilier places, changing slowly the old order of things. There were iiew baby faces afc many a cottage window, and uiany a wrinkled old one missed i'rom its accustomed place. Girls and boys had grown into youths and maidens, youths and maidens had become husbands and wives, and -were responsible for the new faces aforesaid. Five years had brought, social changes in Slocum too. There was a new clergyman, and there were two now shops. Jack Meadow's father had moved away to a large town, and Master Martin, the miller, had moved away to a country which is not on any map. and to which all the inhabitants of Slocum received an emigrant's free pass Avitli the first breath they drew. The greatest man in the district now was young John Hodges, who had a farm near the mill, and who, having money left him by an old uncle in the North, had improved the land, and was waxing rapidly into a Slocum Rothschild. But John, though a nice-looking young man, was a careful fellow, and knew how many beans made five. The land adjoining his Avas the farm that went with, the mill, and when Master Martin died Hodges had a mind to make Mistress Jenny an offer of it. But, thinking the matter over, he found he might do better. Why shouldn't he marry the lady, and have the land for nothing ? He was good-looking and rich, and there was nobody in the way. Gossip said that the pretty miller's daughter had once been in love with that worthless fellow Jack Meadows, who went away to sea, and hadn't been heard of for five years. But that was a long time ago, and if Jenny had refused plenty of offers since, it was only because there was nobody in Sloeum good enough for her. At any rate, John Hodges was determined to try his luck. He did, and succeeded beyond his expectations. Jenny had long ago given Jack Meadows up as a bad job ; the silly bond she had signed she looked upon as a school-girl escapade. If Jack was not drowned, he'd very likely settled down and married a few thousand miles away. She had never had a line from him all the time he had been absent. It wasn't worth while thinking of him any more. The rich young farmer, her neighboui*, presented himself just at the auspicious moment. Jenny was bothered out of her life with the mill. It wanted a man's hand to control it. John Hodges was just the man, and when he came making soft eyes, Jenny was not cold or cross. By-and-bye' he said "Snip," and Jenny answered " Snap," without a moment's hesitation beyond the modest faltering required of young maidens according to the unwritten law of Slocum propriety. The course of true love ran as smoothly as the quiet stream that meandered by the mill, and the wedding-day was fixed. Now, just before the eventful day, somehow or other it got about Slocum that Jenny had

been tlie affianced wife of Jack Meadows, and Jack Meadows became the hero of Slocmu. conversation. It is possible that Maggie Smith, who was to be bridesmaid, had been carried away by the excitement of the situation, and revealed the secret of the Bond of Blood. At any rate, the story got about. Old tales of Jaeks's daring and violence were told, and Master John Hodges got to hear of the affair. Of course, he laughed at the idea of anyone interfering with him ; but it wasn't pleasant to know that you were going to marry a girl whose former lover had full to help himself to your gore. Jenny was very cross that the story had leaked out, and she was annoyed that Jack's name should have got mixed up with her wedding in any way at all. In a Tillage like Slocum anything to talk about is a godsend, and gossips made the most of it. They made so much of Jack Meadows and his Bond of Blood that presently every man, woman, and child for ten miles round had the whole story at their fingers' ends. It was a beautiful July day when the bells of the old church rang out a merry peal of welcome to the miller's daughter and Master Hodges. All the village was there. The lads and lasses wore wedding favours, and there were to be line doings at the mill. Everybody was to go back after the ceremony, and the barn had been cleared for dancing in the afternoon, and blind Dan, who played the fiddle, was to have a whole halfsovereign for being the musician on the occasion. The mill was deserted while the ceremony was proceeding by everybody but Bill Green, one of the boys, who was left behind in charge. Bill was enjoying himself searching in the cupboard for jam, when ho heard the door open. Shutting the cupboard hastily, he turned round and found himself face to face with a bronzefaced, broad-shouldered sailor. "Hullo, my hearty!" said the sailor. "Where's the miller ?" ' " The miller, sir ?" " Why, lie's been dead this two year." " Dead !" exclaimed the sailor. " Poor fellow ! I should have liked to have shaken hands with him. You don't remember me eh ? Let's sec ! Aren't you little Bill Green ?" Billy Green's eyes had been gradually opening wider and wider, and his mouth had been similarly employed. It was only last night his granny had been talking about Jack Meadows and Mistress Junuv, and there was no doubt in the boy's mind as to who this seafaring stranger was. "Where's Jenny ?" asked the sailor presently, after looking round the familiar place. "Mistress," stammered the boy; " Oh, I'll go and fetch her." And before the sailor could say a word, Billy Green was out of the place and tearing towards the church as fast as his legs would carry him. The wedding party were just leaving the church all smiles and merriment as Bill came up to them. " O)i, Miss Jenny. !" lie exclaimed, his eyes nearly out of his head with terror. " Oh, Miss Jenny! He's come'" "He! Who?" gasped the bride, her face going as white as the wedding favours. " Jack Meadows !" cried the boy. Jenny fainted. The bridegroom's knees trembled under him. The villagers looked at each other in dismay. Maggie Smith, the bridesmaid, fanned the bride, and urged her to be calm. A council of war was held at once. What was to be done ? The bridegroom absolutely refused to return to the mill and be murdered. Presently Jenny recovered, and offered a suggestion. If Jack could only be kept in ignorance of what had happened for the day, she would devise some means of getting rid of him. Suddenly one of the guests was seized with an idea. Let them come into her house close by, and Maggie could put on the bride's bonnet and take the bouquet and pretend to be the bride, and Jenny could be the bridesmaid. Then they must devise some scheme to get Jack out. of the house. The bride and bridegroom consented at onee — anything to avoid a scandal on the wedding day. Jenny and Maggie went into the neighbour's house, and changed what was necessary of their attire. The company were pledged to seci'C3y,and the wedding party returned to the mill, Maggie Smith taking the bridegroom's arm. Jack was at the door waiting for them. He had heard the bells ring out. The chimes and the empty house suggested an idea. Could it be possible lie had returned to find his Jenny wedded to another ? The wedding party felt very uncomfortable when they saw the sun-burnt Jack standing there, and the bridegroom's teeth chattered. But Jack, directly lie saw his Jenny was only the bridesmaid, shivered his timbers, and gave her a huge hug right before the company. " Ah, Jenny, you didn't expect to see me again, I'll be bound," did you ?" And Jenny, very hot and red and confused, stammered out that she didn't. Everybody shook hands with Jack, and he told them he had made plenty of money, and had ! come back to settle down. He'd been to see his old dad, and then come straight to Slocum. He'd ! had the most wonderful adventures — been shipi wrecked on a desert island, taken captive by the Moors of Barbary, been fallen in love with by the Queen of the Cannibal Islands, and been a prisoner of war; but he had finished up by helping to capture a rich prize, and his share was enough to enable him to leave the service and settle down. Jack told his adventures during the wedding feast, and he had a joke for everybody as well, and his biggest joke of all was about the Bond of Blood that he and Jenny had signed. Of course everybody laughed, but it was a hollow sort of a laugh, and the bridegroom turned very pale, and drank some beer the wrong way, and choked for a quarter of an hour. Presently somebody said that of course it was only a joke — that Jack didn't consider such a bond serious. " Don't 1 1" exclaimed Jack, looking dreadfully fierce, and brandishing the knife he was eating

with. "It would have been bad for somebody if I had come back and found my little Jenny false!" Jack insisted that Jenny should sit by him, and by-and-bye, when he began to get jolly, his arm stole round her waist. He chaffed the bridegroom about looking so miserable, and the bridegroom began to get very hot and indignant. It wasn't nice to see that sailor fellow carrying on with the bride like that, and before all the village, too. After the feast Jack insisted that Jenny should come for a stroll round the farm with him, as he had such a lot to tell her, and he wouldn't be said " no " to. And just as they were walking in a nice quiet 2>lace, and Jack was squeezing Jenny's hand and calling her liis little wife that was to be, the poor bridegroom, who had been following on tiptoe, uttered a groan, and Jack turned round and saw him. " Shiver my timbers, mesmates, look'ee here !" said Jack furiously ; " why are you playing spy like this ? Go to your wife, sir. I'm ashamed of you leaving her alone on her wedding day !" " But I ," stammered John Hodges. " See here, mate," exclaimed Jack Meadows, "if I catch you eavesdropping again, I'll give you the soundest thrashing you ever had hi your life, though it is your wedding day I" Poor John stole off crestfallen and miserable, and went to the barn where the dancing was, and when he saw Jack and Jenny come in he began such a desperate flirtation with Maggie, his supposed bride, that it was Jenny's turn fco be jealous. It was getting very uncomfortable for them both ; but what were (hey to do ? Jack was so violent that he would smash everything in the place, even if he didn't instantly redeem Ms bond, and have their lives. Everybody in Slocum knew the sort of man Jack was, and nobody was inclined to risk putting him in a rage. Mattors might have become serious, for nobody could think of any way to get rid of Jack, who was a terrible wet blanket to the festivities. Evening was coming on, the guests were going, and Jack was talking of Avhat a nice quiet halfhour's chat he and Jenny would have when the bride and bridegroom had gone to their own home. The bride and bridegroom, however, seemed in no hurry to go, and Jack gave Master Hodges a quiet hint that he should like to be left alone tvith Jenny, and that he and Mrs Hodges could go as soon as they liked. Mr Hodges didn't seem to see it. He said, " I say — look here, you know " — and (i Dash it all J" and it appeared as if there was something more to come, only it never did. At last, when all the guests were gone, and there were only the hands on the premises, and Jack and Jenny and the bridegroom and Maggie Smith, and Jack showed no signs of taking his departure, Mr Hodge's grew desperate, and determined to go off at once to the nearrst magistrate, swear that he was in terror of his life, and demand a police force to protect him and turn. Jack out. But Jack saved him the trouble by bringing matters to a climax. He deliberately thrust Mr Hodges and Maggie out of the sitting-room and locked the door ! " Jenny," he said softly, " I haven't had a minute to speak with you alone to-day, and I must leave Slocum to-night. I couldn't go without a word or two, and so I was obliged to lock that troublesome fool out. Jenny, tell me the honest truth — do you love me still ?" Jenny looked up. Light loomed in the sky. '• I will tell you the truth, Jack. Five years have made a difference in my feelings." " And very natural too, my lass ! And so they have in mine ; but I wanted to be straight and honest with you. I have seen a girl that I could love better than you, Jenny, but I wouldn't say a word to her till I'd seen how the land lay here. Here, Jenny, take this, and G-od bless you!" Jack had drawn from his breast pocket a ragged old paper. It was the Bond of Blood ! With a cry of joy, Jenny seized it, and tore it into atoms. ' Oh, Jack' she cried, ' you've taken such a load from my heart. We were afraid you'd murder .us all if yon found it out, and so we^ had to deceive you. It is my wedding you've assisted afc to-day.' ' What ?' roared Jack. ' Your wedding I' ' Yes, and Mr Hodge is my husband, and you've used him shamefully, and Maggie's only the bridesmaid, and we changed bonnets and things.' Jack dropped into a chair, and roared with laughter till the tears streamed down his face. Then he ran to the door and unlocked it, and let in poor John Hodge, who was nearly black in the face. ' Come in, old fellow !' said Jack ; ' I'm sure I beg your pardon. But it's all your own fault. Dash it all, man ! you don't think Jack Meadows was such a bloodthirsty dog as all that, did you ? There, go and give Mrs H. a kiss, and never mind me ! You've got a, lot of lost time to make up for, and it's all my fault, so I say good night, and give Maggie here my arm back to the village.' Mr Hodges gave a sigh of relief. At last he was the happy possessor of his own bride, and there was no fear of his being married and killed on the same day. He shook hands warmly with Jaek,aud then, with a hearty good night, and a manly grip of the hand the sailor looked into his false sweetheart's eyes for the last time, and went off with Maggie without a sigh. He, too, was glad to be rid of his foolish vow, for in a North-country town he know a dark-eyed lassie who would bo truer to him than the miller's daughter of Slocum had been, the Bond of Blood notwithstanding. THE END.