Through the Fray

A. Henty G.

Description

As the Industrial Revolution began to take hold in England and across Europe, a contingent of workers banded together to protest the technological developments that threatened their livelihoods. That's the tumultuous backdrop against which young Yorkshire resident Ned Sankey enters adolescence, dealing with problems at school and family tragedy along the way.

Sujets

• Historical fiction

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776674299
• Langue: English

Extrait

THROUGH THE FRAY
A TALE OF THE LUDDITE RIOTS
* * *
G. A. HENTY
 
*
Through the Fray A Tale of the Luddite Riots First published in 1886 Epub ISBN 978-1-77667-429-9 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77667-430-5 © 2015 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Preface Chapter I - A Fishing Expedition Chapter II - The Fight on the Moor Chapter III - A Cropper Village Chapter IV - The Worms Turn Chapter V - The New Master Chapter VI - The Thief Detected Chapter VII - A Terrible Shock Chapter VIII - Ned is Sorely Tried Chapter IX - A Painful Time Chapter X - Troubles at Home Chapter XI - The New Machinery Chapter XII - Murdered! Chapter XIII - Committed for Trial Chapter XIV - Committed for Trial Chapter XV - Not Guilty Chapter XVI - Luke Marner's Sacrifice Chapter XVII - A Lonely Life Chapter XVIII - Ned is Attacked Chapter XIX - The Attack on Cartwright's Mill Chapter XX - Cleared at Last
Preface
*
My Dear Lads:
The beginning of the present century, glorious as it was for Britisharms abroad, was a dark time to those who lived by their daily labor athome. The heavy taxation entailed by the war, the injury to trade,and the enormous prices of food, all pressed heavily upon the workingclasses. The invention of improved machinery, vast as has been theincrease of trade which it has brought about, at first pressed heavilyupon the hand workers, who assigned all their distress to the newinventions. Hence a movement arose, which did much damage and for a timethreatened to be extremely formidable. It had its ramifications throughall the manufacturing districts of England, the object being thedestruction of the machinery, and a return to the old methods of work.The troubles which occurred in various parts of the country were knownas the Luddite Riots, and the secret body which organized them wascalled King or General Lud. In the present story I have endeavored togive you an idea of the state of things which prevailed in Yorkshire,where, among the croppers and others employed in the woolenmanufactures, was one of the most formidable branches of the secretassociation. The incidents of the murder of Mr. Horsfall and the attackupon Mr. Cartwright's mill are strictly accurate in all their details.
In this story I have left the historical battlefields, across so manyof which I have taken you, and have endeavored to show that there arepeaceful battles to be fought and victories to be won every jot asarduous and as difficult as those contested under arms. In "FacingDeath" my hero won such a battle. He had to fight against externalcircumstances, and step by step, by perseverance, pluck, anddetermination, made his way in life. In the present tale my hero's enemywas within, and although his victory was at last achieved the victor waswell nigh worsted in the fray. We have all such battles to fight, dearlads; may we all come unscathed and victorious through the fray!
Yours sincerely,
G. A. Henty
Chapter I - A Fishing Expedition
*
It has just struck one, and the boys are streaming out from theschoolroom of Mr. Hathorn's academy in the little town of Marsden inYorkshire. Their appearance would create some astonishment in the mindsof lads of the present generation, for it was the year 1807, and theirattire differed somewhat materially from that now worn. They were forthe most part dressed in breeches tight at the knee, and buttoning upoutside the close fitting jacket nearly under the arms, so thatthey seemed almost devoid of waist. At the present moment they werebareheaded; but when they went beyond the precincts of the school theywore stiff caps, flat and very large at the top, and with far projectingpeaks.
They were not altogether a happy looking set of boys, and many of theircheeks were stained with tears and begrimed with dirt from the knuckleswhich had been used to wipe them away; for there was in the year 1807but one known method of instilling instruction into the youthful mind,namely, the cane, and one of the chief qualifications of a schoolmasterwas to be able to hit hard and sharp.
Mr. Hathorn, judged by this standard, stood very high in his profession;his cane seemed to whiz through the air, so rapidly and strongly didit descend, and he had the knack of finding out tender places, and ofhitting them unerringly.
Any one passing in front of the schoolhouse during the hours when theboys were at their lessons would be almost sure to hear the sharp cracksof the cane, followed sometimes by dead silence, when the recipient ofthe blows was of a sturdy and Spartan disposition, but more frequentlyby shrieks and cries.
That Hathorn's boys hated their master was almost a matter of course. Atthe same time they were far from regarding him as an exceptional monsterof cruelty, for they knew from their friends that flogging prevailedalmost everywhere, and accepted it as a necessary portion of the woesof boyhood. Indeed, in some respects, when not smarting under theinfliction, they were inclined to believe that their lot was, incomparison with that of others, a fortunate one; for whereas in manyschools the diet was so poor and bad that the boys were half starved, atHathorn's if their food was simple and coarse it was at least wholesomeand abundant.
Mr. Hathorn, in fact, intended, and as he quite believed with success,to do his duty by his boys. They were sent to him to be taught, and hetaught them through the medium then recognized as most fitting forthe purpose—the cane; while, as far as an abundance of porridgefor breakfast, and of heavy pudding at dinner, with twice a week anallowance of meat, the boys were unstinted. He would indeed pointwith pride to his pupils when their parents assembled at the annualpresentation of prizes.
"Look at them!" he would say proudly. "None of your half starvedskeletons here—well filled out and in good condition every boy ofthem—no stint of porridge here. It keeps them in good health andimproves their learning; for, mark you, a plump boy feels the cane twiceas much as a skinny one; it stings, my dear sir, it stings, and leavesits mark; whereas there is no getting at a boy whose clothes hang likebags about him."
This was no doubt true, and the boys themselves were conscious of it,and many had been the stern resolutions made while smarting in agonythat henceforward food should be eschewed, or taken only in sufficientquantities to keep life together. But boys' appetites are stronger thanboys' resolutions, and in the end there was never any marked falling offin the consumption of viands at Hathorn's.
Like other things punishment fails when administered in excess. Therewas no disgrace whatever in what was common to all, for although someof the boys of superior ability and perseverance would escape with asmaller amount of punishment than their fellows, none could hope toescape altogether. Thus it was only the pain that they had to bear,and even this became to some extent deadened by repetition, and wasforgotten as soon as inflicted, save when a sudden movement caused asharp pain in back or leg. Once in the playground their spirits revived,and except a few whose recent punishment incapacitated them for a timefrom active exercise, the whole were soon intent upon their games.
One only of the party wore his cap, and he after a few minutes left theothers, and went toward a door which led from the playground into theroad.
"Don't be long, Sankey; come back as soon as you can, you know we agreedto go fishing this afternoon."
"All right, Tompkins; I will come back directly I have done my dinner. Iexpect I shall have finished quite as soon as you will."
Edward Sankey, who was regarded with envy by his schoolfellows, was theonly home boarder at Hathorn's; for, as a general thing, the masterset his face against the introduction of home boarders. They were, heconsidered, an element of disturbance; they carry tales to and from theschool; they cause discontent among the other boys, and their parentsare in the habit of protesting and interfering. Not, indeed, thatparents in those days considered it in any way a hardship for their boysto suffer corporal punishment; they had been flogged at school, andthey believed that they had learned their lessons all the better for it.Naturally the same thing would happen to their sons. Still mothers areapt to be weak and soft hearted, and therefore Mr. Hathorn objected tohome boarders.
He had made an exception in Sankey's case; his father was of a differenttype to those of the majority of his boys; he had lost his leg at thebattle of Assaye, and had been obliged to leave the army, and havingbut small means beyond his pension, had settled near the quiet littleYorkshire town as a place where he could live more cheaply than inmore bustling localities. He had, when he first came, no acquaintanceswhatever in the place, and therefore would not be given to discuss withthe parents of other boys the doings in the school. Not that Mr. Hathornwas afraid of discussion, for he regarded his school as almost perfectof its kind. Still it was his fixed opinion that discussion was, as ageneral rule, unadvisable. Therefore, when Captain Sankey, a few weeksafter taking up his residence in the locality, made a proposal to himthat his son should attend his school as a home boarder, Mr. Hathornacceded to the proposition, stating frankly his objections, as a rule,to boys of that class.
"I shall not interfere," Captain Sankey said. "Of course boys