A Final Reckoning | Page 7

for many years to come. It was, too, a position not without dignity; and
indeed, in the eyes of the village the clerk was a personage of far
greater importance than the schoolmaster. He therefore thankfully

accepted the offer, and agreed to give up the school as soon as a
substitute could be found.
In those days anyone was considered good enough for a village
schoolmaster, and the post was generally filled by men who had failed
as tradesmen, and in everything else they put their hands to; and whose
sole qualification for the office was that they were able to read and
write. Instead of advertising, however, in the county paper, the squire
wrote to an old college friend, who was now in charge of a London
parish, and asked him to choose a man for the post.
"I don't want a chap who will cram all sorts of new notions into the
heads of the children," the squire said. "I don't think it would do them
any good, or fit them any better for their stations. The boys have got to
be farm labourers, and the girls to be their wives; and if they can read
really well, and write fairly, it's about as much as they want in the way
of learning; but I think that a really earnest sort of man might do them
good, otherwise. A schoolmaster, in my mind, should be the
clergyman's best assistant. I don't know, my dear fellow, that I can
explain in words more exactly what I mean; but I think you will
understand me, and will send down the sort of man I want.
"The cottage is a comfortable one, there's a good bit of garden attached
to it, and I don't mind paying a few shillings a week more than I do
now, to get the sort of man I want. If he has a wife so much the better.
She might teach the girls to sew, which would be, to nine out of ten, a
deal more use than reading and writing; and if she could use her needle,
and make up dresses and that sort of thing, she might add to their
income. Not one woman in five in the village can make her own clothes,
and they have to go to a place three miles away to get them done."
A week later the squire received an answer from his friend, saying that
he had chosen a man, and his wife, whom he thought would suit.
"The poor fellow was rather a cripple," he said. "He is a wood engraver
by trade, but he fell downstairs and hurt his back. The doctor who
attended him at the hospital spoke to me about him. He said that he
might, under favourable circumstances, get better in time; but that he

was delicate, and absolutely needed change of air and a country life. I
have seen him several times, and have been much struck with his
intelligence. He has been much depressed at being forbidden to work,
but has cheered up greatly since I told him of your offer. I have no
doubt he will do well.
"I have selected him, not only for that reason, but because his wife is as
suitable as he is. She is an admirable young woman, and was a
dressmaker before he married her. She has supported them both ever
since he was hurt, months ago. She is delighted at the idea of the
change for, although the money will be very much less than he earned
at his trade, she has always been afraid of his health giving way; and is
convinced that fresh air, and the garden you speak of, will put new life
into him."
The squire was not quite satisfied with the letter; but, as he told himself,
he could not expect to get a man trained specially as a schoolmaster to
accept the post; and at any rate, if the man was not satisfactory his wife
was likely to be so. He accordingly ordered his groom to take the light
cart and drive over to Lewes, the next day, to meet the coach when it
came in; and to bring over the new schoolmaster, his wife, and their
belongings.
Mrs. Ellison at once went down to the village, and got a woman to
scrub the cottage from top to bottom, and put everything tidy. The
furniture went with the house, and had been provided by the squire.
Mrs. Ellison went over it, and ordered a few more things to be sent
down from the house to make it more comfortable for a married couple
and, driving over to Lewes, ordered a carpet, curtains, and a few other
little comforts for it.
James Shrewsbury was, upon his arrival, much pleased