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Stretton, Hesba, 1832-1911

"Fern's Hollow"

Mr. Danesford
intends to make a gift to you of the pasture and plantation, which were
an encroachment upon the manor. And now I want you to take my advice
into the bargain. Jackson wants to come here, and offers a rent of L20 a
year for the place. Will you let him have it till you are old enough to
manage it properly yourself, Stephen?'
'Yes, if you please, sir,' replied Stephen, in some perplexity; for he
and Martha had quite concluded that, they should come and live there
again themselves.
'Jackson will make a tidy little farm of it for you,' continued Mr.
Lockwood. 'My daughter proposes taking Martha into her service, and
putting her into the way of learning dairy-work, and many other things
of which she is now ignorant. Are you willing, Martha?'
'Oh yes, sir!' said Martha, with a look of admiration at young Mrs.
Danesford.
'In this case, Stephen,' Mr. Lockwood went on, 'you will have a yearly
income of L20, and we would like to hear what you will do with it?'
'There's grandfather,' said Stephen diffidently.
'Right, my boy!' cried Mr. Lockwood, with a smile of satisfaction;
'well, Miss Anne thinks he would be very comfortable with Mrs.


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