Page:The English Peasant.djvu/224

 Cheviots, and famous for a fierce border battle, described by Shakespeare.

The hill itself is wild and picturesque, with great boulders of granite scattered all amongst the fern. In some parts the naked rock rises quite precipitous, while the dells between are filled with the foxglove, amongst which the rabbits start, and play hide-and-seek. When at last I reached the top, the wind blew so fiercely that I was glad to shelter myself behind a great cairn which had been raised there. Before me was a deep gorge, and then arose the Cheviot range—great purply round-shouldered hills, with sudden ascents and declivities. Hedgehope lay in light, all its sinuosities brought out soft but distinct, while Old Cheviot rose immediately opposite, wrapped in gloom. Behind its dark brow, like a sea of hills bathed in sunshine, was the Scotch border, while turning to the north-east I saw the German Ocean.

In my descent I came upon an old man carrying home a bundle of wood. He appeared surprised when I told him that I understood labourers were better off in Northumberland than elsewhere. He said that they reckoned, when they had taken everything into consideration, that they did not get more than 12s. a week. He had never been married, but had lived in his old and miserable cot for twenty years, "Why had he never cared to marry?"

"Because," he replied, "a woman in Northumberland 's not worth house room. Why, you see, sir, she's out in the field all day, and knows nothing about housework. A man can do varra superior to the vast of them."

He had made up his mind early in life, not only on this account, but because he would not bring a woman and perhaps a family into the bargain into misery. " Men and women lived disagreeable, for there was nothing like poverty to make them quarrel." Here was the other side of the question, though some will, no doubt, think he was a cynical old bachelor. But his face had nothing sour in it, and I could not but admire the manner in which he accepted his hard fate. He assured me he was quite contented; and although it seemed hard to believe, there was no reason to doubt that he meant what he said.

Next morning I started for a ramble over the Cheviots, but soon lost my way. However, I came upon a couple of cottages,