Boycotted. A story

Chapter I

On a calm still evening in October, a few years ago, two sisters were sitting working, at some woollen garments, in a cosy sitting-room. They did not speak much, as if each was occupied by thoughts of her own. Now and then the elder one, who had a pale, anxious face, would rise from her seat, and going to the window, would look out as if in search of some one. A gentle mist was falling. It was a " real soft day," as they say in Ireland, everything seemed so hushed that the slightest noise l: BOYCOTTED. ■2 could be heard— a sparrow hopping from branch to branch, a timid hare running across the lawn, or a late crow crying "caw caw," as he wended his way home. As the ladies worked ,the shadows deepened. Familiar objects grew indistinct, and the short autumn day was quickly falling into night.

It became too dark to see the stitches any longer, so the work was folded up and laid upon the table. Once more the elder lady went to the window. " I cannot think," she at last said, " what has detained Frank in Athenry ; surely, if he knew how anxious we are, he would hurry home." " He had a great many things to get," said the younger, who now left her seat, and gave a vigorous stir to the fire, which, recently replenished with fresh turf, gave out a cheerful blaze. " He also may be boycotted there BOYCOTTED. 3 as well as at Ballascadane, and may find it difficult to get things." "He is sure to be successful, for he is not known there. It was well Mr. Leslie lent him his dog-cart, and that the new boy from Dublin went with him." "Ada" (the young girl now spoke seriously), " why does not Frank give this all up ?

What is the use of his kicking against the pricks ? Our father would only be too glad to have us all at home in England." " I know that much, Constance," and she raised a sad pair of earnest eyes to her sister's face. " This is Frank's place — all he has in the world. How could we trespass with our little ones on our father, who has expensive boys of his own, yet with him ? " "That is very true; but I don't mean that we should go for good, but only until all this worry and trouble is over. Is it wise to BOYCOTTED. 4 remain when all our lives are threatened more or less ? I think it sheer madness." " How can I ask Frank to consent to this thing ? He would think I was craven-hearted ; but, Connie, it would be as well if you were to leave us." " Indeed thin I'm not going to lave ye's, not a bit o' me, as Patsy says ; " and as she spoke she flung her arms round her sister.

" When I asked you to come and pay a visit to us last spring, I little thought that these dreadful things would happen. I knew other parts of the country were badly affected, but not our part, and especially as Frank has done so much for his tenants. Everything they suggested he at once carried out. It is only since he evicted those incorrigible O'Malleys that people have turned against us." Then after a little pause she proceeded. " With what hopes did I come here now eight BOYCOTTED. 5 years ago — full of ambition to have a model parish, and everything was going on well until " "There, Ada, for goodness don't cry. I hear Supers' s hoofs. Yes, it is Frank ; don't let him see your tears." A cheery voice shouting " Connie, Connie," now broke the stillness of the air, and in a very few moments every one within hail was helping to take out the various packages from a smart dog-cart.

It was all done by the light of some lanterns, while a handsome horse patiently stood until the time came when it should be led round to the stables. A tall man, looking taller than he really was because of his long ulster and the shadow of the night, alighted and busied himself with the others. " Oh, Frank, what detained you ? " his wife asked, looking searchingly at him, as if BOYCOTTED. she thought it not improbable that she might find a bullet-hole in his clothes. "You need not have been alarmed, little woman," he said; "but I'll tell you every thing when you are giving me my tea." It may here be stated that the Boyds were boycotted, on account of Captain Boyd having evicted some tenants. They had been so for the last three months. No labourer could be got to mow his acres of hay or cut his corn.

The Irish autumn had fully set in, and there was no mitigation of the decrees of the Leaguers. Turf was wanted for winter firing, but no one would cart it, lest they themselves should suffer. A feeling of in security regarding the head of the house had arisen, other landlords had been shot at from behind hedges. Sometimes even women were not exempt from outrage. All the inhabitants of the county were not rebellious, but here BOYCOTTED. 7 and there, in small towns, there would be about a dozen malcontents who made it the object of their lives to intimidate peaceful people. A delicious cup of tea and hot buttered toa.st refreshed the traveller, who seemed in no hurry to state the reason of his delay. Perhaps he was afraid his communication would alarm his hearers, or at any rate would not be pleasant to them.

" When I was in Athenry this morning," he at length said quietly, " I thought it good to telegraph to Dublin Castle for help. Major Larkin did this last year." He paused, anxious to know the effect his words had upon the listeners. Finding that they wTere silent, he continued, " And I waited for the answer. They are to send me down a detachment of dragoons, and twenty labourers as well." " Frank, what have you done ? You are BOYCOTTED. actually tempting the people about here never to forgive you ; they will think you are an enemy — a wolf in sheep's clothing. Do, for pity's sake, countermand the soldiers. You have acted so impetuously ! — don't you think so, dear?" Mrs. Boyd added gently, when she saw a slight frown cross her husband's handsome face. " Everything was going to rot, rack, and ruin before my very eyes.

God knows I have stood it long enough. My year's in come is gone. What stares me in the face ? — the poor-house. You know a worm will turn, and I have turned now ; I will show these miscreants that as long as I am able I will hold my own. I will not give in an inch, not if I was to be shot for it." He had been sitting in an arm-chair with his ulster still on ; he now got up, and taking it off, made as if to go to the hall with it ; BOYCOTTED. 9 before he could do so his wife ran, and putting her arms around his neck, cried — " Don't, don't say that, Frank, even in jest. They could not treat you so, you whom they have known from a boy. Have you not told me yourself how glad they were when you returned safe home from the war ? These people could not treat you ill. Why, it was they who first taught you to ride, shoot your first rabbit, to throw a fly, or snare a hare.

Oh, they could not do it, darling." She broke away from him, and stood before him, clasping her hands. " Or if you do think they are capable of wickedness towards you, darling, come away from here." " There is no fear for me, Ada. I think, however, if I show them that I am not afraid, that I can do without them, they will be on their knees to me. The only thing to be dreaded is, that there will be a nasty time to BOYCOTTED. get through. I wish to Heaven you and Connie and the little ones were safely located in Buckinghamshire." "You need not trouble yourself about us; if you are safe, so are we — at least I and the children are ; but if Connie thinks it well that she should go home, by all means let her." " The idea ! I go home and leave you here alone ! You think I am a fair weather bird, to remain while the sun shines, and fly away when storms approach.

No, thank you. I intend to stay until the bitter end," added Constance, her eyes brightening with the fervour of her talk, "and fire a gun if need be. There is no use, however, talking of these things, we have a great deal to arrange. Where are we to put these men, and on what are they to be fed ? " " I think I have got everything we shall BOYCOTTED. 11 want — plenty of flour, potatoes, and oatmeal. The twenty labourers I think I shall put in the barn ; Mrs. Doyle can look after them." " What an expense they will be ! " said Mrs. Boyd. " Not much, dear. You see the winter is close at hand ; harvest work may, God help us, go on, and men no doubt will be glad to get something to do. There is no danger for them, the soldiers will take care of that." " How many soldiers will there be ? " asked Connie.

" Twenty men and an officer." "Goodness," said Connie; "a real live officer ! Whatever is to be done with him 1 " standing right in the middle of the room, real distress appearing for the first time on her pretty face. BOYCOTTED. " We will put him in your charge, Connie," said her brother-in-law, "and see that he is well fed." " Oh, dear, what a nuisance he'll be. We shall have to put on our p's and q's from morn until nioht, and as we shall be in a state of siege it won't be pleasant." Seeing her brother-in-law looked vexed at these flip pant remarks, she hastily continued, " What can't be cured must be endured. I suppose I'd better give him my room, which is the best one." " Nothing of the sort, my dear Connie. He must be put in the small spare room on the ground-floor, near the library.

He then can have an eye on his men — from his window." " I wonder what his name is ? " said Connie. " I can tell you," said Captain Boyd ; and BOYCOTTED. 13 taking out a crumpled telegram from his breast-pocket, handed it to Connie, who smoothed it and went towards the lamp for light. Then she read out these words — " His Excellency has pleasure in complying with your request ; nineteen men of the 30 th Dragoons, under the command of Captain Lionel St. Helier and one sergeant, are detailed for duty. Twenty labourers will accompany the troops. If matters become worse, or provisions fall short, telegraph and the Executive will help you." " I begin to feel a little more easy in my mind," said Mrs. Boyd, as Connie had finished reading. "Ah, she says that," said her husband, "when .she hears the Lord-Lieutenant is behind her.

He certainly was very attentive to you at St. Fatrick's ball, or was it to Connie ? Goodness, where is the girl gone BOYCOTTED. 14 I believe she has run to get Captain St. Helier's room ready." On that same evening a group of officers were sitting after dinner in the ante-room in Fortobello barracks, some playing cards, others reading newspapers, others again were chatting until it was time to make a start for the ball to be given that night by a Mrs. Fortescue. " So you are ordered to Ballascadane," said the senior major to a young officer, who was moodily pulling his moustache. "Yes, sir, I am sorry to say I am. Why can't these Irish farmers take care of them selves, and gather in their corn without our aid ? It is a strange course of events when soldiers are turned into guards for harvest gathering."

" These are strange times, St. Helier. The BOYCOTTED. 15 Government wishes to nip these bad deeds in the bud. If they should get ahead, there is no saying how they will end — a civil war, perhaps." " Yes, indeed," said another, " or the Lord- Lieutenant might be boycotted himself." At this remark there was a general laugh " Well, I suppose I must take charge of this clodhopper," said St. Helier, rising from his comfortable seat ; " but I'll go to the ball first, and — apres cela le deluge!' " I would not call him a clodhopper," said the Major ; " I believe the man in question was a captain in the army." " A would-be captain, sir, in all probability. I have lived long enough in Ireland to knoAV that every squireen is called ' captain ' ; and if you inquire in what regiment he has served, you will hear that he was once in the militia — to sow his wild oats.

What a blessing BOYCOTTED. volunteers are not allowed here ; these Irish are so fond of flags and drums, that every Jack man of them would enlist, and be dubbed ' captain ' the very next day." Having said this, St. Helier strolled out of the room, and went across the yard to his own quarters, where he found his servant. " Put up some things for me in a ' portmanteau, Smith, we are off to Ballascadane in the morning, we start at six a.m., and you will come with me." " Shall we be long away, sir ? and Avhat clothes will you take ? " "A few shirts, a tooth-brush, of course my uniform, and you may put in a suit of mine, any suit will do. I believe the west of Ireland is such an outlandish place that it is only one's oldest clothes we should wear." Captain St. Helier went to the ball, danced to his heart's content, was pitied by and BOYCOTTED. 17 condoned with by Lady Flora Fitzgibbon, who made him out quite a hero, going on a perilous expedition.

These compliments pleased him, and before he started next morning from the Broadstone railway station, he felt himself a veteran of the first line ; he not only had proved a guardian angel to a lot of farming people, but had shot several malcontents, and had escaped a hundred deaths — in imagination. c

Chapter II

" They tell me the soldiers have come, miss," cried Bridget, the housemaid, racing into Connie's room, where, in the still light some last hour of the afternoon, she had been putting a few final touches to her dress ; " they are in the yard. Just like a reel battle, miss ; guns and all, Patsy says." " Can I see them without being seen ? " said Connie, who rushed to the window, which oA^erlooked a portion of a commodious and neatly-kept yard. It had its row of stables and coach-houses on one side, and was else where enclosed by three stone w^alls twenty feet high, as if to keep out insurgents, like BOYCOTTED. 19 many a decaying homestead in Ireland. The sepulchral-looking quadrangle had been built in terrible times, when men had often to hold their lives in their hands behind the granite boulders.

" Not through the glass, miss, not through the glass ; bad luck it would bring, the first time and all." Saying which Bridget uncere moniously pulled her young mistress away. In doins; so she herself srot a sight of the red-coats. " Oh, mercy on us," she cried, devoutly crossing herself, " it's meself that is to have the bad luck." " Nonsense, Bridget, you are so super stitious ; 1 will show you how little I think of such sayings by looking at the soldiers." Connie once more went to her window, but the troopers were nowhere visible. They had vanished, only a sound of horses' feet on paving-stones, and sundry admonitions BOYCOTTED. 20 addressed to them broke on the stillness of the autumn evening. Dusk was beginning to come on when the contingent arrived, and it wTas some time before St. Helier could leave his men.

He had expected to see a tumble-down farmhouse, most probably thatched, pigs and other animals wandering about the pre mises ; the owner a heaA^y, coarse-looking farmer, with no ideas beyond his own turnip tops. He had entered " The Grange " by handsome gates, passed through a well-kept avenue, and along a thick shrubbery, which concealed the stables on one side, and some flower-beds with geraniums still in bloom on the other. The house itself looked large, especially in the advancing twilight, with its gables and many stuccoed-faced windows, and round these month) a7* roses lovingly twined. Wide steps approached to a double BOYCOTTED. 21 hall door, and this hospitably stood open. On the steps, waiting, wa.sthe owner, a gentle, soft voiced man, who came forward and greeted him kindly — very unlike the man whom he had pictured.

In a few minutes St. Helier and his men were led round to the yard, where the latter were to be located. The stables so well appointed won his heart ; like all Englishmen, he loved to see horses wTell cared for. Shortly afterwards he was taken by his host into the co.sy drawing-room, where in the flickering firelight sat a lady presiding over a gipsy tea-table, and who rose to wel come him as he entered. And then a lovely apparition, dressed in soft gray cashmere, also came forward and handed him a cup of tea and buttered toast. For the first few minutes he was dumb with astonishment. Could this be the wrong house ? What had these people BOYCOTTED. 22 to do or say with the grim facts of being " boycotted " ? How pleasant they looked, and how friendly and gentle they were. If they only knew what his anticipations of them had been, would they not be shocked ? and perhaps scout him from their presence with ignominy and contempt.

While he was thus wondering, a pretty girl of about seven years old appeared from out the gloom, she had been hiding behind her mother's easy chair, watching to see what the new-comer was like. She was the personification of one of the children Du Maurier has made us so familiar with, and St. Helier was not at all surprised when she informed him that her name was Ethel — the very Ethel in Punch she seemed to him. " And now what is your name ? " asked the demure little maid. " St. Helier," he answered, as he held her BOYCOTTED. 23 hand, and looked into the inquiring depths of her blue eyes. " St. Helier ; what a funny name. Is that your first one — the one your mamma calls you ? " She was standing quite close to him. " No. Lionel is my first name, or rather my mother calls me Lion." " Lion ?

" cried Ethel, shrinking back. "Yes; Lionel means a little lion," he ex plained, anxious to amuse this well-dressed child. " A little lion ; but you are a big lion," gazing at his great form, but gaining confidence in him by the touch of his hand. "Yes, I am a big lion, and have come to take care of you," unconsciously following out the train of thought suggested by Lady Flora. All at once he was sorry for these words, BOYCOTTED. for as yet, in the excitement of his advent, nothing had been said regarding the reason of his appearance. A shadow fell upon the group by the fire-side, but only for a moment. Connie came to the rescue by asking him "how Dublin looked when he left it." He soon found out that Connie was at two if not three dances that he had attended in the spring. This was also a matter of wonder.

How could he have missed seeing so pretty a face ? He also learned that thev had mutual acquaintances, and so the time passed until a gong sounded. " There is the dressing-bell, Frank ; will you show Captain St. Helier his room ? " said Mrs. Boyd. A terrible thought suggested itself to St. Helier. What if these people dressed for dinner % What if a white tie and frock coat were expected of him? What if he had BOYCOTTED. 25 neither ? He lingered a moment after the ladies, and then said rather diffidently to his host — "I am afraid I have brought no dress clothes, I came away in such a hurry that I had no time to think of anything." " Oh, no, we don't dress, I simply put on a black coat." " A black coat," mused St. Helier ; " I hope to goodness that I have one." Captain Boyd showed him up-stairs, but did not enter the apartment, for which fact St. Helier was very thankful ; as on the bed lay, in all their glory, his mess clothes, evidently put there by his man Smith.

A can of hot water steamed on the marble washing-stand. " Good heavens ! " he exclaimed, " what an idiot that Smith is. Did he think that this house was the barrack, or that we were on foreign service ? " BOYCOTTED. 26 Angry for a moment at Smith's stupidity, he hastily opened his portmanteau to get his clothes. On the top of some shirts lay a broad checked coat, brown and red being the predominant colours in the pattern — part of a suit he never liked. He had been in duced to buy it by Douglass, one of the sporting fellows of his regiment, who had assured him it was the latest fad at Newmarket. " What a fool Smith was to put that, coat on the top of the shirts, or to bring it at all," he muttered, as he flung it on the bed. Then the shirts were taken out and other articles ; in a moment all the contents of the portmanteau were on the floor.

Nothing was to be seen of any suit except the various parts of the check one. He turned over and over again his shirts, his collar-box, some ugly ties, and a pair of shooting boots. The perspiration broke out BOYCOTTED. 27 on his forehead. " Was there ever such an ass as Smith ? " What was to be done ? If he wore his mess uniform, he thought, he should look ridiculous, and certainly he could not don the check. It wTould be an insult to his host, Avho now, he felt next door to sure, always dressed for dinner. He only had said a black coat to ease his mind. What would that fairy in gray cashmere think of him when she saw him sit down to dinner in that horsey vulgar pattern ? Standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by his articles of clothing, he looked the very jucture of despair ; suddenly he rushed and opened his window.

He knew it looked out on the yard where the men were stationed, then he thundered out, " Smith, Smith." Smith, thus summoned, soon appeared. For a few seconds St. Helier could not speak. At last he managed to ask, BOYCOTTED. 28 " Where are my dress clothes ? " " At Portobello, sir." " Portobello be d — d ! Why the mischief did you not pack them up 1 " " You said, sir, as how I was only to put up a tooth-brush, and — and — " " And that check suit, and these pair of shootings boots to match, eh ? " roared St. Helier, seizing the boots as if to fling them at the man's head. " What clothes did you think I was to dine in?" " Why your usual clothes, sir — the mess ones. "Mess clothes at a private house! Good ness ! have you lived with me these years without learning the laws of society ? " " Of course I know, sir ; but I thought as how this was to be an expedition, sir, some thing like autumn manoeuvres."

" Thought ! Who gave you leave to think ? BOYCOTTED. 29 Now you will have to find me a black coat somewhere. Ah, but then there's the trousers," he added sadly. " Shall I ask the owner of the place, sir ? he seems quite a gentleman. Maybe he might have a suit to lend you." " Zounds ! man, are you mad ? Ask my host for clothes to appear in ! Whoever thought he was anything else but a gentleman ? What a blockhead you are ! " A great many more words were flung at Smith for entertaining such erroneous opinions. He ended by saying, " By your stupidity I shall lose my dinner, and I really am hungry after the long journey." He quite ignored the tea and toast of which he had partaken in the drawing-room. Smith was truly sorry for his master, although he kept telling himself that it was throug-h no fault of his.

He ransacked his brains to find a remedy ; and at length he BOYCOTTED. 30 came over to where St. Helier was standing, aud whispered, " Maybe, sir, you would not have any objection to Sergeant Hogben's black coat ? I know he has one with tails, and I'll fetch it in a moment." The poor fellow's face was illuminated with joy in that he thought he had solved a way out of the difficulty. St. Helier's face was terrible to see. Wear his own sergeant's coat ! What must Smith have thought to suggest such a thing 1 " Leave me," he said peremptorily ; " and while you are having a good supper down stairs, remember I'll be dinnerless owing to you." Smith, who took his master at his word, timidly suggested that he should " carry him up a bit of dinner." " Begone ! " said St. Helier, further an- BOYCOTTED. 31 noyed that his word should be taken for truth ; he gently pushed him from the door.

Being left alone, with no one on whom to vent his wrath, a full sense of his helplessness fell upon him. While thus pondering a second gong sounded. Boused into action by the noise, he hurriedly commenced to wash ; he had not arrived at the stage of putting on a coat, when a knock came to the door, and his host appeared. " I was afraid that — that you could not know that the dinner-bell has gone, so I have come to fetch you." " I hope I have not kept you waiting. " Not long." "I am very sorry," said St. Helier; "the truth is, that my servant has forgotten to bring my black coat. In fact, the only one he has brought is that Newmarket one," pointing to it on the floor, " and I did not BOYCOTTED. like to put in an appearance in it before the ladies." " That does very well," said his host, anxious to make things pleasant, picking up the coat, and helping St. Helier into it.

His eyes caught the sight of the uniform lying in its ornate beauty on the bed. St. Helier saw him looking at it, and said, "Yes, my stupid fellow thought that was enough." ■s " Yours is a very handsome uniform," said Captain Boyd, turning it over. " Ours was rather 'crack' in its way too." " Yours ! Ah ! Plenty of silver lace ? " " Silver lace ? Oh, no, my regiment was the ' Carabineers.' " St. Helier bit his lip at his premature conjecture. " What a coxcomb he will think me," was his first thought. Then he regained his equanimity. BOYCOTTED. 33 " The ' Carabineers,' that is a regiment to be proud of." "Yes; come, dinner waits," — putting his arm in that of St. Helier's. Both were tall men, and of the same height. St. Helier could not help contrasting bitterly in his own mind the neatness and perfect fit of Captain Boyd's garments as compared with his own vulgar ones.

Now that he knew that Captain Boyd had been in the regulars he was more at ease. At all events, he would under stand the stupidity of soldier servants. His confusion somewhat returned when they en tered a well-lighted dining-room, where the two ladies, in soft, white muslin dresses, were standing by the fire. A pair of pretty feet encased in dainty beaded shoes were resting on the fender. Involuntarily St. Helier's eyes fell, but ere they reached his own heavy boots, he became conscious that the i> BOYCOTTED. ladies were gazing at the broad stripes of his coat. " Ada," said Captain Boyd, " Captain St. Helier was in a dilemma about his clothe? ; his servant had but a few minutes to prepare his kit. I told him. however, that I was sure you would excuse him." " Of course," said Mrs. Boyd, kindly.