She died a month or so afore I was
married to your mother.'
James Fern was silent again for some minutes, leaning back upon his
pillow, with his eyes closed, and his thoughts gone back to the old
times.
'If I'd only been like mother, you'd have been a hill-farmer now, Steve,'
he continued, in a tone of regret; 'she plotted out in her own mind to
take in the green before us, for rearing young lambs, and ducks, and
goslings. But I was like that poor lad that wasted all his substance in
riotous living; and I've let thee and thy sister grow up without even the
learning I could have given thee; and learning is light carriage. But,
lad, remember this house is thy own, and never part with it; never give
it up, for it is thy right. Maybe they'll want to turn thee out, because
thee art a boy; but I've lived in it nigh upon forty years, and I've
written it all down upon this piece of paper, and that the place is
thine, Stephen.'
'I'll never give it up, father,' said Stephen, in his steady voice.
'Stephen,' continued his father, 'the master has set his heart upon it to
make it a hill-farm; and thou'lt have hard work to hold thy own against
him.
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