Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/373

 NOTES BY THE WAY. 2&7

made me free of every Gipsy tent wherever I roved .... During my twelve years' residence at Challock Lees I would attend the sick gipsies on the common, in the canvas-covered hoops of their remarkable dwellings. Never once did they pilfer a chicken, a garment, or a plank of wood from my house or person." " To this day [June 14th, 1903] I meet some who have thus known me." When Ebsworth got to Molash he still showed kindness to the gipsies, marrying them, baptizing their children, and when death visited them burying them, giving in all cases official certificates without fee, to protect them from aggression.

On Royal Oak Day, 1865, Ebsworth was married to Margaret, His marriage, the eldest daughter of the Rev. William Blore, M.A., Rector of Goodmanham, East Yorkshire, and they went to live at Bradford, where he was curate of St. Stephen's, Bowling, and afterwards at Christchurch.

The following letter from his mother was received by him on his forty-third birthday :

4, Montgomery Street, September 1st, 1867. His mother's

MY OWN DEAR JOE, letter on his

A mother's blessing greets you : a mother's love and gratitude birthday, is, and always will be, yours.

Her prayers are humbly offered up to heaven for your peace, your prosperity, your happiness, here and hereafter.

May each succeeding anniversary of your birthday bring you some new joy, some new triumph, is the heart-felt prayer of

Your loving mother,

MARY EMMA EBSWORTH.

The rain, which has been incessant, Friday, yesterday, and to-day, has doubtless prevented a dear friend of mine paying her promised visit, and adding her good wishes to mine, but conclude them sent, with others of your friends, whom I have seen. Mr. and Miss Gibb, Mrs. Ness, and Mr. Smith, of Antigua Street. He says : " Mr. Joseph will be glad to learn that my son, Robert, is in Holy Orders, and has preached some three or four times here in Edinburgh."

I have only seen Mr. Herdman once since your father left.

With love to dear Margaret and yourself,

Ever your affectionate mother,

M. E. EBSWORTH.

In January, 1871, Ebsworth became Vicar of Molash, by Ash- Appointed to ford. When he got there he did not allow himself many holidays, Molash. the longest being in 1873, while the church was closed for repairs. In addition to this a vicarage had to be built, and for this he raised the whole 1,600^., without asking a penny from his parishioners. It stands on the site of the former Priory of Molesse vel Molyshe.

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