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Friar’s Oak
ON this, the first of January of the year 1851, the nineteenth century has reached its midway term, and many of us who shared its youth hav…
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The Walker Of Cliffe Royal
SO much for Champion Harrison! Now, I wish to say something more about Boy Jim, not only because he was the comrade of my youth, but becaus…
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The Play-Actress Of Anstey Cross
I HAVE told you something about Friar’s Oak, and about the life that we led there. Now that my memory goes back to the old place it would g…
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The Peace Of Amiens
MANY a woman’s knee was on the ground, and many a woman’s soul spent itself in joy and thankfulness when the news came with the fall of the…
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Rodney Stone - Buck Tregellis - (1)
NOW that I was in my seventeenth year, and had already some need for a razor, I had begun to weary of the narrow life of the village, and t…
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Rodney Stone - Buck Tregellis - (2)
“I am vastly honoured, sir,” said my father, looking suspiciously at his guest from under his shaggy eyebrows, for with that grave face and…
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On The Threshold
MY father sent me to bed early that night, though I was very eager to stay up, for every word which this man said held my attention. His fa…
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Rodney Stone - The Hope Of England - (1)
MY uncle drove for some time in silence, but I was conscious that his eye was always coming round to me, and I had an uneasy conviction tha…
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Rodney Stone - The Hope Of England - (2)
“Why, it’s Vuillamy, the furniture man,” cried the Prince. “What, am I to be dunned in my own private room? Where’s Mellish? Where’s Townsh…
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The Brighton Road
MY uncle and I were up betimes next morning, but he was much out of temper, for no news had been heard of his valet Ambrose. He had indeed…
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Watier’s
MY uncle’s house in Jermyn Street was quite a small one—five rooms and an attic. “A man-cook and a cottage,” he said, “are all that a wise…
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Rodney Stone - The Men Of The Ring - (1)
IT was at the end of my first week in London that my uncle gave a supper to the fancy, as was usual for gentlemen of that time if they wish…
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Rodney Stone - The Men Of The Ring - (2)
“Why, it’s old Tom Faulkner the cricketer!” cried Harrison, following the line of Bill Warr’s stubby forefinger. “He’s the fastest bowler i…
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Rodney Stone - The Fight In The Coach-House - (1)
THE curt announcement was followed by a moment of silent surprise, and then by a general shout of laughter. There might be argument as to w…
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Rodney Stone - The Fight In The Coach-House - (2)
“Do you mind doubling our bet?” said Berkeley Craven, who was craning his neck to get a glimpse of Jim. “Four to one on Berks! Four to one…
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Rodney Stone - The Coffee-Room Of Fladong’s - (1)
SO Boy Jim went down to the George, at Crawley, under the charge of Jim Belcher and Champion Harrison, to train for his great fight with Cr…
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Rodney Stone - The Coffee-Room Of Fladong’s - (2)
“Look at our sails!” cried Captain Foley. “Put a French and a British ship at anchor together, and how can you tell which is which?” “Frenc…
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Lord Nelson
MY father’s appointment with Lord Nelson was an early one, and he was the more anxious to be punctual as he knew how much the Admiral’s mov…
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Rodney Stone - On The Road - (1)
AND now the day of the great fight began to approach. Even the imminent outbreak of war and the renewed threats of Napoleon were secondary…
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Rodney Stone - On The Road - (2)
“Well, gov’nor, to cut it short, they began to talk about the fight, and they all laughed at the idea that young Jim ’Arrison could win it—…
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Foul Play
MY uncle’s impatience would not suffer him to wait for the slow rotation which would bring us to the door, but he flung the reins and a cro…
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Crawley Downs
ALL through that weary night my uncle and I, with Belcher, Berkeley Craven, and a dozen of the Corinthians, searched the country side for s…
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The Ring-Side
OUT of the whole of that vast multitude I was one of the very few who had observed whence it was that this black hat, skimming so opportune…
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Rodney Stone - The Smith’s Last Battle - (1)
“CLEAR the outer ring!” cried Jackson, standing up beside the ropes with a big silver watch in his hand. “Ss-whack! ss-whack! ss-whack!” we…
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Rodney Stone - The Smith’s Last Battle - (2)
“What think you now?” shouted all the neighbours of the west-countryman, repeating his own refrain. “Why, Dutch Sam never put in a better r…
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Cliffe Royal
MY uncle was humanely anxious to get Harrison to bed as soon as possible, for the smith, although he laughed at his own injuries, had none…
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Lord Avon
MY uncle was an impassive man by nature and had become more so by the tradition of the society in which he lived. He could have turned a ca…
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Rodney Stone - The Valet’s Story - (1)
THE valet had shrunk into the dark corner of the room, and had remained so motionless that we had forgotten his presence until, upon this a…
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Rodney Stone - The Valet’s Story - (2)
Sir Lothian shrugged his shoulders, and looked blackly at the magistrate. Then he turned to my uncle. “There is a small matter still open b…