DADDY LONGLEGS AND HIS JOANNA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5285, 15 June 1895, Page 2

DADDY LONGLEGS AND HIS JOANNA.

(Cornhtll.)

An old, gaunt, withered woman called one afternoon to see Mrs Pointon. I had met her a few days previously, creeping feebly along in the sunshine, and now I had the curiosity to inquire who she might be.

" Oh, that be Daddy Longle/js's Joanna, zur," said my landlady with something of a sigh.

" I am not much wiser now, Mrs Pointon," I said, trailing ; " I don't know who Daddy Longlegs is. I suppose Joanna is his wife? "

" Beg pardon, zur, I'd forgot for the moment that you be a stranger. Everybody 'bout here knows JJaadj's Joanna. Joanna be tlie maid Daddy tonglegs be coorten. His proper name be Xonglnnd, but ho allus bo called Longlegs, and then Tolks put Paddy to it— it seemed natral

like."

" But surely that ia an old woman," I said, "not a girl. She is over seventy, I should say."

"Kb, 2ur, 'bout zixty-vive. Do'ee zee, zur, Daddy begun coorten slie long avore I was married, and Poinfcon and me -was man and -wife togeder yor eighteen, yer and he's bin in his coffin nine yer come Moerton Vair, when he was a ' young chap and Joan a bouncen maid — vino man, and woman- when I vurat knew cn — and zo volka 'bout here thinks of en as boy and maid still, zur."

" And Daddy longlega is dead, I suppose ? " " Oh, no, 2ur, he baint, pore chap, though I do zay he'd be bett-er thereaway than where he be j now, vor he have been in Suckton workus thease ! seven yer. He allus call to zee I, and I generally • gives him zomethen when he cornea oncot a month in Zam way's donkey cart, and yolks generally be very kind to both of en, vor, do'ee zee, zur, we all be pore in Barleigh, and wo veels vor they two j who's loved one other too long. Pore yolks be zo I vond of one other when they be in love as rich yolks, and they two be aLua morfcial loven. Daddy he getten childlike now, and lie allus do zay, when he conies down oncet a month, ' Ihe thinken of been married zoon, ma'am/ he do zay, c to Joanna. She be willen and Ibe willen, and we's | gwain to wed in the zpring.' But we in I Barleigh thinks, zur, that it be very likely they i will be married in the zpring, but it'll be in the churchyard." And Mrs Fointon did not disdain to wipe a tear away. love tales generally do not interest me as much ac they do some people, but I was both interested and touched by the tale of this love that was still serene after the misfortunes and trials of forty years, and Mrs Pointon was only too glad to tell me all she knew of Daddy and his Joanna. Joseph Longland was born at Poddle, a hamlet of half a dozen houses, two miles from Barleigh. He was the seventh and youngest child of Ezekiel Xougland and his wife Susan. Ezekiel and his wife -had managed to rear their seven children in a mud cottage consisting of a bedroom, a living oom, and a tiny pantry. EzekiePs Btanding wage was 7b a week, sometimes less in winter, a little more in harvest time. Farmer Penny, long einco dead, employed this hand for twenty-two years, and lived hia life un vexed by labourer's unions and other detestable engines for spoiling the farm hand. Yet the farmer lived to witness the average wage rise from 6s to 7s, and ever after he was filled with gloom as he thought of his country's future. In harvest time Ezekiel worked from four in the morning till half pasfe eight at night, and when he used to go on the Saturday night for the extra half-crown he had earned, his master was aggrieved. " Thee'st earned a girt lump, Zeko, theaee wit, a girt' lump. I can't afford to pay it all to 'cc thease wile — it'll have to stand o'er. Here's zixpence of.'t. Zeven and zbepence in one wik ! Yo hands be gotten richer than your maisters." Yet Ezekiel managed to bring up his four sons and three daughters without costing his country a penny. If National Biography were written in perspective, Ezekiel Xongland's name would have more than an infinitesimal space in it. Daddy was brought up healthy and strong limbed on the ninth part of 7s a week till he vraa ten, when employment was found for him as a scarecrow and stonepicker at 6d a week. By slow stages he had. reached 6s 6d a week by the time he was twenty. Then ambition fired him, and he resolved to go out into the world — which, to Barleigh folks, generally meant Suckton. To Suckton he went and earned Os, a week as hod carrier. It was hard labour, for he had to rise at three for his five mile walk to the town, and there was the same weary journey back in the

eTenmg. Ho only remained there three weeks. But it was not the toil that frightened him. Barleigh had a fascination too strong to be resisted; he felt miserable and out of place amid tbe coaselesa hustle of the 6000 inhabitants of Suckton, and he could ill brook the witticisms of his fellow workers, to whom no good thing could come from Barleigh. He went back to Barleigh and Gs a week, determined never to face the life of cities again. Daddy as a young fellow was shy, and never shared in the delights of waiting round the church door on Sundays. But when he was twenty-six tho great and abiding mystery and joy wero revealed to him and his lifelong love for Joanna Snellirigs began. Joanna was a year younger than Daddy, a large boned young woman with red cheeks and redder anus and hands, and the feet of a sturdy I man. Joanna was an only child, and the bread winner for her helpless parents. She had steadfastly resolved that they should never be «• disgraced *' by the pauper garb* Mid by haphaatrd.

work in farm kitchens and the fields she fought a grim and desperate battle against starvation.

It was while potato digging for Daddy's employer that their life love began. Daddy was digging up the potatoes and Joanna was picking them, and for three daj s they were in close fellowship. In those days Daddy had very old fuahioned ideas on woman's sphere, and he looked with a very jealous eye on woman's competition in the fields. He was not nice to Joanna the first day they worked together; if she rested a moment he sneered, and be professed to find hey workmanship crude and inartistic. But he could not raise her anger ; sha merely laughed and went steadily on with her work.

The second day was very hot, and Daddy was obliged to rest at short intervals and grumblo at the weather. Tho sight of Joanna steadily working angered him. '• Ye wimun," he said, " make beleiive 'cc work hard putten taties in a sack ; if 'cc had the diggen of en'ee'd know what work be."

Joanna looked up and measured him for an instant as he leaned on his spade, then, pushing him aside so roughly that he fell, she seized the spade and dug away for some time without pause or word. Daddy sat where he had fallen, looking on in helpless amazement and longing vainly for signs of exhaustion, until Joanna asked him if he thought picking up the potatoes would bo too hard work for him.

Daddy spoke no word the whole afternoon until they were going home. " Joan," he said, " Ibe vexed I zed what I did to 'cc, ano. I were a vooil to zay what I did. Thee beeat a vurst rate maid vor work, zno."

Joanna unbent at this apology, and the next day they were quite confidential. It was while they were having dinner together under the shelter of the hedge that Daddy did the most courageous action of his life by saying to Joanna, " Could'n us two rub along togeder, zno ? "

Joanna considered the matter a little, but sue gave Daddy his answer in the course of the afternoon. '"Hike 'cc well enough," Bhe said, "to marry 'ee, but there be pore wold father and mother I could'n leave. I promised en."

Daddy cordially approved. , " But lbok'ee here now,' Joan," he said. "let we agree ta be wed if I can get enough to keep all your o' we and lay by a bit vor littlo uns comen."

"I agree to that," said Jonnna; "butwe'fl have to wait a bit I s'pose."

"But it never came to bo," said Mrs Pointon. "They two were very cheerful waiten vor better times, but times went bad 'zteado' better vor 'em and vor most o' pore yolk here, though I ain't any then to complain of, thanks be to the Almighty for it, zur."

"Thank you, Mrs Pointon," I said; "I'm very much interested in your story. When is Daddy's nest visit to Barleigh due ?"

" let I zee, zur ; this be the vour-teenth. He will be out on Wednesday wik, 2ur."

<s I ehould like to see him when ho comes," I said. " Will you ask him in to see me r"

" That will I, zur. Daddy'i] bo as proud as a setten hen to have a talk wi' a gentleman. And I'll tell 'cc what, zur, that is, if you don't mind. I'll have some roasted taties ready vor him and you shall give en to him, zur, and that'll loosen his tongue. He allus was main vond of roasted taties."

"Thank you, Mrs Poynton. He smokes, I suppose ?"

" That ho do, zur; he do like a pipe o' baccy. Moost like ho'll pull out his wold clay and play wi' en as a hint to 'co, zur, as he would like a

pipe."

Hooked forward with impatience to ray meeting with Daddy. In the meantime I met Joanna and had a few words with har.

"Wednesday came, and with it wind and gusts of rain. But Mrs Pointon assured me that the weather would not stop Daddy, and about three o'clock I saw an old man, bent nearly double, go shuffling past the corner of the house to the back door, and knew him by his workhouse garb of corduroy;

"Well, Daddy," I heard my landlady say, "you be come to zee we oncet more. How beP" .

"I be tol'able, tliank'ee, ma'am, tol'able. Bit stiffish 'bout the jbitj^ but tol'able. Ees, Ibe come once more, ma'am. Ibe comes to lire here

zbon agin,"

"Ay, Daddy, I's afeard. But come in now and wipe they boots on thik mat. Theer's a gentleman in the parlour want 3to zee 'ce — a rale gentleman vrom London. Wipe they boots and come along o' I."

Mrs Pointon came up the passage and knocked, and I could hear her whispering ere she opened the deor, "Now mind 'ee manners, Daddy."

'• Here be Daddy longlegs come vor to zee 'cc, zur," was Mrs Pcinton's introduction.

"I am glad to see you, Daddy," I said. " Come in and sit down in this armchair. I want to have a long talk with you."

• Daddy came forward and did not "forget Ms manners." I cursed the workhouse regimen with all my heart as this quivering old man, whose life had been a tragedy and a heroism, came forward, Ms back bent with rheumatism till his cV.in was on a level with his middle, holding his staff and battered gray top hat — which he kept for visiting purposes — in one hand, and with his right hand twitching the knot of storm bleached hair that overhung his forehead as a sign of respect and servitude to me, even as, I suppose, he entered the presence of his lordly, rulers, the master and matron of the workhouse and the guardians of the poor. It waa in that attitude that the guardians and myself ought to have stood bafore Daddy. We send our worn out horses to the knacker's yard, and we send our worn out veterans of plough and spade, aa the best we can do for them, to something less merciful than a knacker's yard — to the badge and slavery of the pauper. In heaven's name, if we cannot provide rest homes and pensions, let us provide a poleaxe.-

I made a signal to Mrs Pointon to bring in iho taties, and then turned to Daddy. "You must make youraelf at home, Daddy. I want you and me to spend a pleasant afternoon together. Giyo me your hat and stick, and warm, your hands. I have something , good coming for you ; can you guess what it is?"

•' Taties he asked, his eyes twinkling brightly among the furrows.

"Here it comes," I said, as Mrs Pointon entered with a plateful of the great delicacy.

"Taties? roasted ?" said Daddy again, a low and scarcely audible cackle shaking him.

" They baint none too hot vor 'cc, Daddy, said Mrs Pointon, "zo 'cc can begin. Thank the gen "

I stopped Mrs Pointon imperatively. " Begin, Daddy.

From long habit Daddy closed his eyes, and his lips moved for a space ere he began. But Providence was in the plate there before him, and bis glistening eyes and eager tremulous hands were his best grace. Daddy had no need of knife and fork. He burst the potatoes by pressing them lovingly between his fingers, and he ate slowly — first because it was polite, and secondly because it was a banquet fit to linger

over.

"You like ale, Daddy P" I asked,

Daddy's eyes sparkled. "Ees, zur, I do like a drap o' ale now and agin. It do put the spirut nto a man zoo. We's ale at Chesmas, and pudden."

"Well, I have some for you to«dar, Daddy, better than you get at Christmas." And I opened a bottle.

Daddy looked at me with awistfulnessthat was more than pathetic. Ho took the glass in his trembling fingers and held it up to the light. " Health, zur."

"And yours, Daddy," I answered. "I am going to have a glass with you."

I watched Daddy in silence while he ate and drank. A smile of contentment would now and again light up his face, and now and again, I imagined, a shade of disappointment crossed it as he thought of Joanna banquetless. I could eoe in him the battered and bent ruins of a fine man. He must have been close on six feet in his prime, and in his shrunken arms and legs I saw the deserted homes of powerful muscles. His face was red — the red of winter rains and east winds and scorching sun — and was ploughed deep at all angles. His lips had fallen in over the toothless gums, and his hair lay thin and white and long ovor his forehead and outstanding ears. From their deep caverns his eyes shone with the brillianoy common to old age. His hands were flesbless and the kauoklei were draws up in great knots ) hi*

apinc was bent to the shape of aU. Like manj an English pensnnt lie hEd aakoA Vread of Mother Xituro in storm and sun. The bread had gone to others, and for him was tho peasant's curserheumatism.

Daddy^ite slowly, and drank his ale in nips according to the fashion of the Christmas banquets of tha wotkhouse. When ho bad eaten all ,1m potatoes but four he stopped, eyed them lovingly, and began fumbling for his pocket.

"Have you had enough, Daddy?" I asked, "I be gwaiu to zee Joan, zur; she do like roasted taliea."

'' Eat those yourself, Daddy, if you can ; I will see that Joanna has some."

" Will 'cc now, zur ? Then I eats en," and Daddy set to work again, finishing them with a sigh of contentment.

" Now Daddy," I said, " draw up your chair nearer to tho fire. Here is a pipe and come tobacco for you, and a glass of alo when you are thirsty."

Daddy pulled his forelock again with a '•T hanke e, zur, very kindly," as he took the proffered pipe. At intervals his Bides would shake with a silent fit of laughter, and he would look at me with twinkling eyes.

We smoked together silently for come time, Daddy intent on his pipe, and I watching him smoke as if every whiff were precious, just as I could imagine a convict smoking who was accorded the luxury of one pipe a year. Suddenly Daddy took his pipe in his hand and said, "You bo a genwino genm'n, you be, zur." "Why, Daddy?"

"I mind," went on Daddy, "vorty yeragone when 'lection time be, Izeed a rale genm'n; he gave I alo and baccy and vive shillens. Er were a parlymentman; leastways he wanted wo chaps to put en theor. They waa time_3, zur, was they."

"But you have seen gentlemen since then, Daddy?" " Noa, zur, noa rale genm'n.. I zeen squire and passon and magistrate, but they baint kind genm'n. N"oa, noa, zur, they bain'fe." But surely the parson wns a real gentle* man ?"

" Noa," said Daddy emphatically, "he worn't, I mind ho were a magstrates, and he put away dree of we chaps vor tekkin a rabbut vrom a snore. * Tortnit in quod,' zays passon, and wo chaps knowed nothen about thik snare. "We zeen tliik rabbut and grrbes vor to take en, haven nothen vor to live upon." Daddy quivered, and bis hands shook violently. " Passon kind ? Wustest ov all ov en, he be."

"Never mind that now, Daddy, 1 ' I said: "empty your glass and fill your pipe again. I want you to tell me about Joanna."

"Joan, znr, Joan my sweetheart, zur! Do 'cc know my Joan, zut ? Vine woman she be Smartest maid hereabouts I do. zay. "We's gwnxn to wed come zpring when rheumatiz be gwono. We'a waited one vor other vor vorty yer, and I be gwain to make Joan a wife in de zpring. Ibe comen outo' yonder and git zome work, and then we'll wed."

"You have courted Joanna a long time, Daddy. Why have you put it off so long? Do you like Joanna?" , Daddy took his pipe from his mouth and emphasised hiß sentences with it. " Joan and me's been main rond and loren , allu6,' allus, zur, since we vurst begun coorten, Joan loves I and I loves Jonn. A vine maid, my Joan, zur; baint she, zor? Have 'cc zeen roy

Joau, zur?"

" I saw her yesterday."

"I be getten on inyers a bit, but Lord love '00, Kur, I be zpry, that I be, when rheumatism holds offen, and Joan bo getten on a bit, too. But lord love 'cc, zur, we feela as young and tender and loven as bits o' bwoys and maids. Coorten Joan be as nice as ever 'twere. "We be tol'able grownupish, but we can voot it wi' the bestest of en' me and Joan.

" I minds, zur, as it be thease wik. Joan and me was worken tatie getten. I never thinks so much as nothen bout Joan till thik day, and I mind I were allus mortial shy wi' the maids. But when we weTe gwaiin hwotne at dusk, Lord, if Ididd'n get talken, and next znarn'nl up and asks she if she'd wed I, and Joan zes, ' Ees, if her wold yolks were provided vor.' "

Daddy's laughter at that day of days shook him from top to toe.

" Joan was allus a vine maid and a zpry maid, wi' cheeks as red as any Lon'on lady's, and strong — bless 'cc, zur, she be mighty powerful in the arms, Joan be. Willum Thackit, he had his eye on Joan ; sheep eyes, zur. But Lord love cc, zur, it warn't a moseel o' use him foolen round. Joan never looked at en, she were allus zo vond o' me.

" Joan zes to me, we's to wait till her folks were gone. 'Eight,' zes I. ''No workus for they,' zes Joan. ' Eight zes I again, quite cheerful, ' but, howsomever, s'pose I can keep all your o' we, how then, Joan P' zes I. ' Then I marry 'cc,'

zeß Joan,

" Joan's father hadd'n use o' his limbs and her mother were bent like — like zome yolks be, zur, and could'n do nothen, zo Joan kop' en. I calkelftted it'd be a grand harvest summer and plenty o' work, zur. But it turned out wettish, ter'ble wettisb, and, wages went down. And then my father — waggon went over he, and I had to keep my mother. ' Joan,' zes I, ' we's to wait a bit longer.' And Joan were a brave maid, and she kissed I, and zes, 'We be gwain to wait. If a Dook comes to I and zes, " Joanna, marry me," I shall zay I be waiting vor a chap o' my own.' I tell 'cc zur, Joan be a maid to worshup. Vine maid she be, zur.

"And zowe waited, zur, and one thing and then the other come 'twixtwe. But Lord love 'cc, zur, we didd'n mind zo much as that." (Daddy tried to snap his fingers.) " I used to g wo coorten reglar; zometimas we's. gwo walken out and coorten, and zometimes we's coort at Joan's house. Lord! but it be vine work, be coorten. Did 'cc ever gwo coorten, zur? I comes once't a month to coort now, and it be zo grand and heavenly as 'twere avore. My Joan allus be a teazer, zur, and when Ie wanted to kiss zhe, zhe zes, • Noa, it ain't proper.* But Lori ? I know what maids be, zur, zo I takes hwold o' zhe, and takes en. "When Ido zee her, zur, we considers 'bout de house we's have, wi' a rale carpet on t*he vloor, and a pig and two or dree vowils vor Joan to make a shillen or two out of en."

Daddy stopped to light bis pipe ; every crease in his face deepened with joy at the thought of life with the woman heloved.

" Yolks uset to laugh at wo betimes and zay 'twere nearly time I took Joan to church. Butit be like this, zur. Yolks all think different ways, zur; you thinks your way, zur, and I thinks mine, I thinks it bean't 'zaetly right vor bits o' bwoys and maids to marry. Little chits o' maids get married thease times, zur. Do 'cc zee, zur, Joan and me bo zensible, and we know one the other's ways by this time. We's he wed in de zpring if rheumatiz gwoes, zure."

The old man smacked his lips over his pipe and looked at me half cunningly, as he made this reiterated statement. I nodded in encouragement, and he went on.

" Yolks laughed at me, but Lord ! they meant no harm. Everybody liked my Joan. Zo they allus zaid, friendly like, puffectly friendly, •Whens't wedding to be, Daddy?' 'Zoon,' zays I, 'zoon. Zpring it'll be, I expects.'

"Avore my mother died rheumatism got in my bwones at sheep shearen, andVarmerVUitch. he turned I off. Varmer Wenton took I on at zix zhillena o week, but do *cc zee, zur, I were bad th;k winter, and avore I knowed they took I over yonder " — pointing with his pipe over his shoulder. I would my country's law makers had been with me to listen to the old man os he leant forward to tell of his defeat in the battie. They might have thought as I did, that "over yonder" was hardly the fitting place for the wounded veteran.

" I mind Ibe a bit down then, aui 1 , and Joan be down, just about. But I'zes cheerful like, * Steady, Joan, maid, we bo strong and zpry yet; I be comen in zpring, Joan, and then wa's wed.' But they places — over yonder, be damp, mortial damp, a.nd rheumatiz bain't quite gone yet, zur. Howsomevor, it'll be gone come Zpring, I 'low. If it bain't taken a libbity, zur, praps 'ee'd step in and zee me and Joan next spring. Our place' ll be clean, zur, vor Joan bo vuvsfc rate maid to clean up, zur."

"If I am here I shall certainly come lo see you, Daddy, and have a cup of tea with jou. Now, liiten to mo. It's getting l»to, and 10 we

will have tea, and after that 1 shall drive you back in Peggies trap."

"Thank'eo, zur, you be a rale genm'ni Why, I haven't been pleasuring in a trap since 'lection time. Howtomever 'ee'll put mo down, zur, when we gets to Suekton Hill. I's bo able to vind de way myself aloan, zur.

Ah! Daddy, I knew why. You were anxious that I should not see your degradation as you stepped into tbo grim portal* of Orer Yonde". I left Daddy with his pipe, and while Mrs Pointon prepared tho tea I went to bring the gaunt ■withered maid to have tea with hey sweetheart.

"Hope WH excuse me, zur, comen, but I don't have a frock fit to come in," said Joan. But I would listen to no excuses and took her prisoner.

That tea was as a waft of keener and purer air, and strengthened my faith in human nature; so much I owe to the two old paupers. Joan, the bent, withered, timid woman before mo, was still the rosy cheeked damsel in Daddy's eyes, and if she had been the first among English beauties ho could not have been prouder of showing her tome. Joan was too timid to say much, but Daddy was a model of chivalry and devotion. When he picked up a slice of toast which he fanoied was nicer or softer than the rest, he would place it on her plate, offering me ns an apology, "Joan's teeth be ter'blo fchy, zur." "Tea 'greeable, JoanP " he would ask at every second sip, adding to mo, "Joan do like a cup o' good tea, zur; " audthen in a whisper, "Vine maid, baintzhe, zur?"

I left them together for a few minutes while I got tho trap ready, and I knew by Joan's confusion when 1 returned that Daddy had kissed her. " Come zpring, my maid," he said as he bade her good-night.

Great was the old man's pride as we drove down the street, and he returned the salutations of his friends with a condescending affability it was delightful to witness.

"How, Daddy," I said as soon at* we had left the Tillage, " jou must try to rid yourself of the rheumatism, for to-morrow I shall look out for a house for you and Joan to live in when you are married."

Daddy brightened for a moment, then his countenance fell. "You be kind, rale kind, zur. But we's no money till I find work in de zpring."

" Make haste and get better then, Daddy, and I Trill see that you have some -work."

"Thankee kindly, zur, rheumatiz be gwain. I bs vurst rate tho day, zur."

I put Daddy down directly we came in sight of the town, and I pleased the old man still more by driving off at once instead of watching him.

There are not many houses in Barleigb to choose from, hut fortunately a little two-roomed cottage with a strip of garden stood empty close to the church. Mm Pointon guided and advised me in stocking the farmyard, that is to say, the pig and the "yew vowils," and most of the furniture we bought at a sale in Buckton. On the following Sunday the vicar asked for the first time if any onoknew just causa or impediment why Joseph Longland and Joanna Snellingn should not attain their long deferred heart's desire.

They were married on the Monday following " the last time of asking."

All Barleigh took part in the rejoicings, and drank the health of bride and bridegroom with great fervour.

I have not the heart to raise a laugh over the scene. Neither Joanna nor Daddy bad seen their homo till they came from church to their a wedding breakfast. Daddy's speech in returning thanks was brief, but it was eloquent. " Kind neighbours, Joan and me's bin made man and wife the day. I zaid we should be in the zpri&g. God bless we all !"

It was only by degrees that the splendour of the simple cottage unfolded itself to them. Daddy gave a chuokle of delight over every fresh articla ; Joanna wept But the climax came when Daddy, exploring in the garden, found tho pig and the " two or dree vowils." All Barleigh were invited to see them. ; ,

I wanted to pay the nearest neighbour to look after the old couple, but she indignantly spurned my offer. " Zurely, zur, you baint thinkin we want to be paid to help they two. All o' we'll be only too thankful to do a bit vor en. Never rear, zur, they'll be zeen to."

When I left Barleigh the vicar consented to be the administrator of the sum I left for them and to keep me informed of their ongoings. Cheaper pleasure man never had.

The vicar ■writes to me once a fortnight and makes me merry with Daddy's sayings and doings. Ho is busy all day in his garden, but he is steadily growing weaker, and the doctor fears he will not be able to survive the winter.