Mossdale

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Chapter I

"Through many a dark and dreary vale They passed, and many a region dolorous.

I*

Milton.

[ICTURE to yourself a narrow valley, with very high and rugged mountains on either side, and having huge masses of rock and •large stones lying scattered about in all directions — many of them deeply imbedded in the ground, and completely overgrown with a profusion of thick, soft moss in a variety of the most beautiful shades, varying from the lightest and brightest green to a dusky brown, and the darkest olive colour. On one side of the valley runs a rapid stream of clear and sparkling water, murmuring, bubbling, and gurgling over its bed of smooth stones. Such is Mossdale, or, as it is there called, Moosthai, in Alsace — ^not far from Switzerland on the one hand, nor from Germany in another direction.

A

Owing to its narrowness, and the great height and ruggedness of the mountains on each side, the valley would always be rather dark and gloomy-looking, were it not that, stretching from north to south, on a gentle declivity, it has the full benefit of the sun*s rays during a part of the day ; but as the dawn is of course later in appearing there than in the plain, and the sun also sets proportionately earlier, the length of the days — more especially in the winter time — is somewhat curtailed, a circumstance which is not calculated to give the place a cheerful aspect But a profusion of wild-flowers and creeping plants — many of them of gay colours — ^growing in the clefts of the rocks, thus covering a part of their ruggedness, and gracefully concealing the extreme harshness of their bold outlines, greatly relieved the gloom. A number of birds, attracted to this sheltered spot, also enlivened it with their brisk movements and joyous notes. One part of the valley is somewhat wider than the rest ; and the ground here having recently been cleared of the masses of rock and loose stones which encumber it elsewhere, there stands — ^however incongruous it may appear in such a place — a factory^ built of stone, and the machinery in which is set in motion by a large water-wheel turned by the gurgling stream. At a short distance from the factory is a house in the Swisscottage style, having a newly-made garden in front, as yet rather bare of vegetation. In this garden, and looking towards the factory, stand a gentleman and lady — Mr and Mrs Harebell

Mr Harebell, who might be about five-and-forty

years of age, was well-favoured, having a broad, intellectual-looking forehead, and his whole countenance beaming with intelligence, bearing the impress, too, of very extraordinary powers of mind, united to a child-like simplicity of character.

Mrs Harebell, now approaching forty, was still a very comely person, or rather, still very pretty, with such a kindly, cheery, happy face as was a pleasure to look upon. She was the first to speak, saying :

" How clever you are, Alaric — how very clever you are, to have planned and done all this so well, and in so short a time ! How fortunate it was, too, that you could have this ground so cheap, the place being, as it is, so exceedingly snug and sheltered."

" Why, as to the situation," remarked Mr Hartbell, hesitatingly, and rather anxiously, " I don't know — I don't feel quite easy about it You and the girls may

find it very dull ; and "

" Oh ! pray, don't torment yourself with such needless fears," broke in Mrs Harebell. "We shall be much too busy to feel dully take my word for it," she said. ** How fine the air is ! and what an agreeable odour of wild thyme ! and how sweetly the birds are singing ! — at least to judge of their songs by so much as the noise of the water-wheel will permit us to hear." She smilingly added : " But, I can assure you, that the splashing of that water-wheel is far more agreeable to my ears at present than would be the sweetest music." " Yes," said her husband, " I understand that, for so it is to mine — telling of difficulties overcome, and giving hope for the future of prosperous industry and its consequences — comfort and independence. You look upon the matter in a right way; in a cheerfid^ hopeful^ right way^' he said. " We must no>y try to make the best of it, which I feel sure you will do. And that is a great comfort and encouragement to me to know," he said, affectionately taking the hand that she had laid on his shoulder.

It is not necessary to enter into any of the details of what had led Mr Harebell, an Englishman, to purchase land and erect a factory in Alsace, as they are immaterial to this narrative. Suffice it to say, that he had thought fit so to do ; and the whole had been completed, the house also built, only a short tinie before he has been introduced to the reader.

The family consisted, besides Mr and Mrs Harebell, of their eldest son, Christopher, now approaching twenty years of age — of a slow, quiet, thoughtful disposition, not at all like his father, to whom, however, he was of great assistance; Lilian and Maud, girls of from sixteen to eighteen — Lilian, handsome, high-spirited, and rather passionate, but generous and affectionate — Maud, pretty, timid, irresolute, and rather inclined to artifice, through cowardice, although, being strictly honourable and upright at heart, she blamed herself severely, and suffered acutely, whenever she had been guilty of any such meanness, as was owing much more to the effect of weakness of character than want of principle. Next in age came Walter and Jasper, boys of from ten to twelve ; and lastly. Bertha, a very sweet and lovely child of five years of age, and the pet and darling of the whole family.

Chapter II

** Meeting with Time — Slack thing, said I, Thy scythe is dull; whet it for shame.

No marvel, Sir, he did reply, If it at length deserve some blame :

But where one man would have me grind it,

Twenty for one too sharp do find it. *****

For where thou only wert before

An executioner at best.

Thou art a gardn*er now, and more."

George Herbert.

R HAREBELL had no easy task before him as a cotton-spinner in this secluded place in Alsace. Aided by an overlooker of but very inferior capacity, he had to instruct the work-people, new to the employment, and very inapt at learning ; and, moreover, as stupidly obstinate and proudly self-opinionated, as very ignorant people so often are.

The greater part of them were extremely indigent, gaining a very scanty subsistence by working on the land, and living in such a way as in England would be thought wretchedly poor and comfortless, suflfering innumerable hardships and miseries from their extreme poverty, and having at best such a bare maintenance, they were not in the habit of laying anything by. Nor could it be expected; and therefore, in cases of sickness or misfortune, there being no workhouse or any such institution in the neighbourhood, their only choice was to beg or starve.

And, besides, little remunerative as was their labour in the land, it was very far from affording a sufficiency of employment for the bulk of the population in the locality. The consequence of which was, that in a family of six or eight persons capable of earning, one-half that number might perhaps be regularly employed, whilst the remainder had little or nothing to do.

One would have been led to suppose that in such a place to establish a means of providing the people with an abundance of much more lucrative employment than any they had hitherto been able to obtain — ^which the working of a factory in Mossdale would effect to a very considerable degree — would be unanimously regarded by them as a great and notable benefit, and hailed with gladness ; but it was only by a few of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood that it was looked upon in any such light, whilst the others were inclined to regard it with distrust and suspicion as an unwelcome innovation, and to look upon Mr Harebell with rather hostile feelings as an impertinent intruder.

In order somewhat to lighten his labours — somenam

HENR Y ME ADO WS. 7

times very heavy under existing circumstances — Mr Harebell had decided, after talking the matter over with his son Christopher, to try to procure an efficient overlooker from England, rightly judging that a clever young man would probably soon be able to make himself sufficiently master of the language ; and had accordingly caused a suitable advertisement to be inserted in one of the principal English newspapers, which was not long ere it met with a reply from a Mr Henry Meadows, who proposed himself as a candidate for the situation, and who, after a short correspondence, during which he furnished highlysatisfactory testimonials, as well in regard to his abilities for filling the proposed situation, as to his character, Mr Harebell had engaged him ; and he had now arrived in Mossdale a few weeks ago. In the testimonials, however — otherwise so fully satisfactory — ^the referees had given very few particulars, and very scanty information respecting Mr Meadows* antecedents ; but as these referees were, by reputation at least, known to Mr Harebell as people of some importance and great respectability, he contented himself with the measure of information they had thought fit to give, and which, in point of fact, was amply sufficient for the purpose ; and thought that in regard to further particulars, it would suffice to learn them later from the young man himself.

On first seeing Henry Meadows, Mr Harebell felt decidedly prepossessed in his favour; for he was a pleasing-looking young man of about four-and-twenty, with a handsome, intelligent countenance; but on attempting to converse with him, more particularly if touching on anything regarding himself, he found him repulsively cold and reserved. His brows were often contracted as with mental or physical suffering, and a cloud of gloom would son^etimes settle upon his dark, pale face.

" Meadows is not a pleasant fellow," said Christopher, in vexation. " I can't understand him ! "

Meanwhile he did not complain of anything ; was scrupulously attentive to his duties, irreproachably exact in fulfilling all Mr Harebell's orders, and indefatigable in studying to make himself master of the language spoken by the workpeople,* and in which he was already making rapid progress; retiring to his room to study at every spare moment. For as they had a room at liberty, and as Mr Harebell thought it would be advisable for the overlooker to be as near the works as possible, he had provided him with one in his own house.

* The peasantry speak a German patois, and the educated people, mostly French ; but in this narrative, conversations with either will be rendered in English.

CHAPTER III. The open air around, And the gentle snowdrop bloometh

Where none beside are found."

ESCENDING Mossdale, and passing out at the lower end, the entrance to another and much wider valley is immediately approached, where the contiguous mountains are no longer so rugged, and are clothed with pine forests on the one side, and on the other with vineyards and other cultivated ground, above which are wild tracts of land stretching far and wide, covered with heath and gorse in flower. Amongst the cultivated ground, some is allotted to com, and some to colza, with its bright yellow blossoms, whose strong perfume scents the air all around for some distance. The fresh green of the vines, the wavy com, the gay colza blossoms, and the varied colours of the heath and gorse in flower, form indeed a most pleasing whole ; more especially when contrasted with the dark pine forests on the opposite side of the valley.

Passing along this wider valley, and at the distance of about a mile from Mossdale, is a village we will call Gemsendorph, and which, seen from a distance, looks pretty and picturesque, with its church on an eminence, plots of cultivated land and trees interspersed amongst its cottages ; but it only looks pleasing when viewed from a considerable distance ; for, alas ! any such idea is quickly dispelled on a nearer inspection.

But let us now in fancy accompany Mr Harebell, as, with his son Christopher, he enters the village and takes his way to one of the cottages, where resided a numerous family, comprising several grown-up sons and daughters, of whom Mr Harebell wished to engage one or more to work in the factory \ the rather, as he had been informed that they were in great poverty, and therefore thought it would be doing them a benefit.

They had now entered the village ; a narrow road, very uneven and dirty, being littered with refuse of various kinds. On each side of this narrow road were houses and vegetable gardens ; but many of the gardens were in great disorder, and the houses irregularly built and awkwardly placed. One would stand so forward as to very inconveniently encroach upon the road, already too narrow ; its next neighbour, on the contrary, retreated so much as to leave an untidy open space, which, instead of forming a small flowergarden or anything of that kind, served only as an additional receptacle for dirt and disorder, besides containing a pig-sty and dunghill ; whilst the third house would present only a gable end jutting out into

A KIND EMPLOYE!^. 11

the road ; and the fourth would perhaps stand quite crookedly, as if the builder, unable to decide how to place it, had at length cast it down at random, neither lengthwise nor endwise to the road, but aslant. Some of the houses were only approachable by traversing a small yard, partly inclosed by a half broken-down wall or other fence, which intervened between them and the road, containing a stable or cow-shed, and perhaps also a pig-sty, and furnished in the centre with a sort of pit filled with manure, slightly covered over with branches of fir — the miasma from which was, of course, exceedingly unpleasant — ^and over which it was necessary to pass in order to gain the door of entrance.

It was to such a house as this that Mr Harebell and his son now approached, picking their way as best they could across the littered yard, and feeling at every step the fir branches give way under their weight, and their feet come into contact with the unpleasant compound beneath.

Mr Harebell might have done the errand by deputy, and so have spared himself the annoyance of this disagreeable visit, if he had only consulted his own inclination; but on former the like occasions, he had found that plan very unsuccessful, and, being a humane man, and therefore having really at heart to better the condition of the people — for it so happened that he was not now in want of work-people, the case being merely that if he had more^ he could Und them sofne employment; — consequently he had come to do the errand for himself, in order to see whether he might not succeed better.

An ill-clad, dejected, emaciated, and dirty-looking woman stood idly at the door. She might be about forty-eight, but looked more like seventy, and only just sufficiently made room, so that by brushing past her they could enter ; whilst she told them — ^not very civilly — ^that her husband was within, and they could speak with him if such was their wish.

On entering, they found themselves in a low room, in which the air was very stifling, the flooring of boards quite black with dirt, the ceiling also black. In one comer was a stove, on which some kind of mess was simmering in a brown earthenware pan, and the apartment was filled with smoke from the green wood and fir branches burning in the stove ; by the side of which — ^although the weather was very warm — cowered the husband of the woman at the door, apparently a feeble old man, much bent with age, though in truth he was but little more than fifty. On the other side of the stove sat — on a bench that was propped against the wall because one of the legs was gone, his clothing very ragged — a lubberly young man of seventeen or eighteen years of age, in perfect idleness ; whilst a sickly-looking, ragged girl of thirteen or fourteen was rocking a cradle, in which lay a child of at least two years old; which, although of that age, could yet hardly walk, no one having taken the trouble to teach it, but, on the contrary, having kept it almost constantly in bed, to be out of the way, and, as much as possible, asleep ; consequently, the poor little creature's limbs had no strength, and its head had grown quite disproportionately large.

" Well, Holzhacker," said Mr Harebell, " I'm come to see whether any of your sons would like to work with me ? "

" I don*t know, I'm sure," he replied, in a weak, tremulous voice, and at the same time making a sign to his son to give the visitors places on the bench, which, however, the other only did by moving nearer to the end, and so making room for them beside him. But the bench was not securely enough propped to bear the weight of the three, and fell to the floor. Whereupon, as the young man was propping it up again, Mr Harebell could not forbear saying to him, though having noticed, when he saw him stand, that he, too, was ill-formed and looked weak :

" I should think, youngster, you might easily mend this bench.'*

At first, instead of making any reply, he only stared stupidly ; but, after an instant, said :

"Who'll give me anything if I mend it? Will you?"*

Mr Harebell again addressed the father, sajring :

"Where are your other sons; and how are they occupied now ? "

" The two eldest, androne of the girls, are gone to fetch fire- wood from the forest Have been gone since morning. We're waiting supper for them. It's a long way to where they went; but I think they might have returned by now," he said, in a fretful tone.

• This conversation — as all others with the peasantry — ^was in provincial German.

Passing along this wider valley, and at the distance of about a mile from Mossdale, is a village we will call Gemsendorph, and which, seen from a distance, looks pretty and picturesque, with its church on an eminence, plots of cultivated land and trees interspersed amongst its cottages ; but it only looks pleasing when viewed from a considerable distance ; for, alas ! any such idea is quickly dispelled on a nearer inspection.

But let us now in fancy accompany Mr Harebell, as, with his son Christopher, he enters the village and takes his way to one of the cottages, where resided a numerous family, comprising several grown-up sons and daughters, of whom Mr Harebell wished to engage one or more to work in the factory ; the rather, as he had been informed that they were in great poverty, and therefore thought it would be doing them a benefit.

They had now entered the village ; a narrow road, very uneven and dirty, being littered with refuse of various kinds. On each side of this narrow road were houses and vegetable gardens ; but many of the gardens were in great disorder, and the houses irregularly built and awkwardly placed. One would stand so forward as to very inconveniently encroach upon the road, already too narrow \ its next neighbour, on the contrary, retreated so much as to leave an untidy open space, which, instead of forming a small flowergarden or anything of that kind, served only as an additional receptacle for dirt and disorder, besides containing a pig-sty and dunghill ; whilst the third house would present only a gable end jutting out into

A KIND EMPLOYE!^. 11

the road ; and the fourth would perhaps stand quite crookedly, as if the builder, unable to decide how to place it, had at length cast it down at random, neither lengthwise nor endwise to the road, but aslant. Some of the houses were only approachable by traversing a small yard, partly inclosed by a half broken-down wall or other fence, which intervened between them and the road, containing a stable or cow-shed, and perhaps also a pig-sty, and furnished in the centre with a sort of pit filled with manure, slightly covered over with branches of fir — the miasma from which was, of course, exceedingly unpleasant — ^and over which it was necessary to pass in order to gain the door of entrance.

It was to such a house as this that Mr Harebell and his son now approached, picking their way as best they could across the littered yard, and feeling at every step the fir branches give way under their weight, and their feet come into contact with the unpleasant compound beneath.

Mr Harebell might have done the errand by deputy, and so have spared himself the annoyance of this disagreeable visit, if he had only consulted his own inclination; but on former the like occasions, he had found that plan very unsuccessful, and, being a humane man, and therefore having really at heart to better the condition of the people — for it so happened that he was not now in want of work-people, the case being merely that if he had more^ he could find them some employment; — consequently he had come to do the errand for himself, in order to see whether he might not succeed better.

** Well, well," exclaimed Mr Harebell, impatiently, " we*ll see about assisting you in some way ; but the first thing to decide now is, about furnishing your children with suitable employment, by which they may gain so much more than they do at present ; and then, you know, when you will have more money, you may easily procure the wood in some other way, besides more clothing, and all other necessaries."

Both husband and wife, seeming to understand this reasoning, made no further opposition, and therefore it depended upon the children themselves to decide. The eldest son, called Bernard, came forward and boldly said he would like at once to be engaged ; and Mr Harebell was on the point of taking him at his word, when one of the others, who seemed to have been consulting together, plucked him by his tattered sleeve, and whispered something in his ear, whereupon poor Bernard, becoming very red, and looking confused and ashamed, stammered out, "that he would rather not," and retreated into a comer.

"Ah! I knew how it would be,*' said his father; " it's of no use."

"The fact is," said his mother, "that he has no decent clothes to put on. No more have the others; and they're afraid of being sneered at in the factory. You see, sir, going to fetch wood from the forest makes sad work with the clothes."

A glance at the countenances of the young people convinced Mr Harebell that the mother had given the true reason for Bernard's sudden retractation, and probably also for the silence of the others; and, after

A SOTTISH PARENT. 17

some slight consideration, he offered to provide each of them who would come to work in the factory with a new suit of clothes on entering, the cost to be defrayed only by very slow instalments out of the ample wages that he intended to give them, and himself taking the risk that, when once possessed of the clothes, the young people would refuse to fulfil the engagement. They all now came forward and joyfully assented. But their father did not seem quite satisfied, and represented to Mr Harebell that it would be better were he to give him the money required for the clothing, so that he might procure it all ready, and spare him the trouble. This, however, the latter had his reasons for peremptorily refusing to do. And as he and Christopher were leaving the house, the mother followed them into the yard, on pretence of taking out of their way some of the long branches left there by the wood-carriers, and, coming close to Mr Harebell, she said :

"Oh! sir, don't give the money to my husband; pray, don't I Neither the children nor I would be the better for it if you did. He'd only go with it into a public-house until it was all spent"

With mingled feelings of pity and disgust, Mr Harebell and his son returned to Mossdale, discoursing, as they journeyed along, on the marked difference between the villagers of England, both as legards social position and good breeding, and those poor people they had just left.

B

Chapter IV

"A youth, light-hearted and content, I wander through the world ; Here, Arab-like, is pitched my tent And straight again is furl'd."

Longfellow.

N entering the house, Mr Harebell found visitors. The newly-appointed ^ar//<f-^^«^rdr/,* and Mr Mond, a manufacturer from a neighbouring town, and already known to the Harebells, who came to introduce the other — Mr Sommerfogel, a young man of about twenty-six. Tall, and rather handsome, dressed in a very gay uniform of silver and green, with so long a gold watch-chain that it crossed more than once over his breast, and with many glittering rings on his one ungloved hand, the garde-g^n^ral made a very brilliant appearance. He spoke elegant French, in a very agreeable -voice, and the graceful ease of his jnanner, and the good-humour of his

• A garde-giniral is an upper forest-keeper, employed by Government, and having the direction and control over a number of under forest-keepers. The situation is considered an honourable and gentlemanly one, but the pay is extremely small

SOMMERFOGELS DIFFICULTIES. 19

countenance, expressive of such perfect confidence in, and reliance on, the good-will and kind intentions of those whom he addressed, made him decidedly pleasing ; and accordingly he made a very favourable impression upon the Harebells.

Mr Mond explained that his friend, Mr Sommerfogel was in search of a lodging, and much regretted not having been able to meet with any in Gemsendorph ; and concluded by inquiring whether the Harebells happened to know of one in the village that might suit?

They all, however, either said they knew of none, or remained silent. Whereupon Mr Mond said he was very sorry — very sorry, indeed ; and, speaking in a low tone, whilst the garde-g^n^ral was engaged in conversation with the young people —

"For," said he, "it will be a very serious inconvenience to my worthy young friend, if he is compelled to lodge so far from the scene of his duties, as is the next town. And as he could not afford to hire a conveyance of any kind, only consider what the fatigue would be, not to mention the loss of time, of having continually to perform the distance on foot."

Mrs Harebell, who had been silent on the subject until then, overhearing this speech, did not think it well to remain so any longer ; and, with some reluctance and hesitation, said that she knew of a widow in Gemsendorph who had a larger house than she required, and had expressed a wish to have a lodger ; but added :

"Widow Schlosser lives in such a poor way — so dirty.

■I too, and disorderly, the house is so miserably furnished, aijd, in fact, the whole place is really so very common and uncomfortable, that I am almost ashamed to mention it, much less could I recommend it, as a suitable lodging for your friend, and "

But Mr Mond interrupted her by saying that he was very glad to hear of it, and thought it might suit very well ; and calling to Mr Sommerfogel, at once acquainted him with the welcome news, who seemed much pleased to hear it ; and, saying that he should like to see the lodging without loss of time, took leave of the Harebells. Mr Mond accompanied him, but said that he would shortly return and inform Mrs Harebell of the result of the inspection ; which she felt curious, but at the same time rather uncomfortable in hearing — by no means feeling assured that she had done well in naming the place.

It was not long ere Mr Mond returned, and Mrs Harebell rather uneasily awaited his communication. But she might have spared herself all uneasiness on the subject, as she soon saw.

" My dear madam,*' began Mr Mond, " my young friend is delighted with the lodging — just the thing for him — and he has at once engaged it, and is now gone to the next town to fetch his things, and will establish himself in his new dwelling as quickly as possible. I am very glad ; it's quite a weight off my mind to know him so comfortably settled; and we are both much obliged to you for kindly aiding us in the matter."