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Seligor's Castle, fun for all the children of the world.
Mary's Dilemma

The Princess

Seligor's Castle,

   fun for all the children of the world.

PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL

ONCE on a time there was a man who had a meadow, which lay high up on the hill-side, and in the meadow was a barn, which he had built to keep his hay in. Now, I must tell you there hadn't been much in the barn for the last year or two, for every St. John's night, when the grass stood greenest and deepest, the meadow was eaten down to the very ground the next morning, just as if a whole drove of sheep had been there feeding on it over night. This happened once, and it happened twice; so at last the man grew weary of losing his crop of hay, and said to his sons—for he had three of them, and the youngest was nicknamed Boots, of course—that now one of them must just go and sleep in the barn in the outlying field when St. John's night came, for it was too good a joke that his grass should be eaten, root and blade, this year, as it had been the last two years. So whichever of them went must keep a sharp look-out; that was what their father said.

Well, the eldest son was ready to go and watch the meadow; trust him for looking after the grass! It shouldn't be his fault if man or beast, or the fiend himself, got a blade of grass. So, when evening came, he set off to the barn, and lay down to sleep; but a little on in the night came such a clatter, and such an earthquake, that walls and roof shook, and groaned, and creaked; then up jumped the lad, and took to his heels as fast as ever he could; nor dared he once look round till he reached home; and as for the hay, why it was eaten up this year just as it had been twice before.

The next St. John's night, the man said again it would never do to lose all the grass in the outlying field year after year in this way, so one of his sons must just trudge off to watch it, and watch it well too. Well, the next oldest son was ready to try his luck, so he set off, and lay down to sleep in the barn as his brother had done before him; but as night wore on there came on a rumbling and quaking of the earth, worse even than on the last St. John's night, and when the lad heard it he got frightened, and took to his heels as though he were running a race.

BootsNext year the turn came to Boots; but when he made ready to go, the other two began to laugh, and to make game of him, saying,—

"You're just the man to watch the hay, that you are; you who have done nothing all your life but sit in the ashes and toast yourself by the fire."

But Boots did not care a pin for their chattering, and stumped away, as evening drew on, up the hill-side to the outlying field. There he went inside the barn and lay down; but in about an hour's time the barn began to groan and creak, so that it was dreadful to hear.

  "Well," said Boots to himself, "if it isn't worse than this, I can stand it well enough."

A little while after came another creak and an earthquake, so that the litter in the barn flew about the lad's ears.

"Oh!" said Boots to himself, "if it isn't worse than this, I daresay I can stand it out."

But just then came a third rumbling, and a third earthquake, so that the lad thought walls and roof were coming down on his head; but it passed off, and all was still as death about him.

"It'll come again, I'll be bound," thought Boots; but no, it did not come again; still it was and still it stayed; but after he had lain a little while he heard a noise as if a horse were standing just outside the barn-door, and cropping the grass. He stole to the door, and peeped through a chink, and there, stood a horse feeding away. So big, and fat, and grand a horse, Boots had never set eyes on; by his side on the grass lay a saddle and bridle, and a full set of armour for a knight, all of brass, so bright that the light gleamed from it.

"Ho, ho!" thought the lad it's you, is it, that eats up our hay? I'll soon put a spoke in your wheel; just see if I don't."

So he lost no time, but took the steel out of his tinder-box, and threw it over the horse; then it had no power to stir from the spot, and became so tame that the lad could do what he liked with it. So he got on its back, and rode off with it to a place which no one knew of, and there he put up the horse. When he got home his brothers laughed, and asked how he had fared?

  "You didn't lie long in the barn, even if you had the heart to go so far as the field."

"Well," said Boots, "all I can say is, I lay in the barn till the sun rose, and neither saw nor heard anything; I can't think what there was in the barn to make you both so afraid."

"A pretty story!" said his brothers; "but we'll soon see how you have watched the meadow;" so they set off; but when they reached it, there stood the grass as deep and thick as it had been over night.

Well, the next St. John's eve it was the same story over again; neither of the elder brothers dared to go out to the outlying field to watch the crop; but Boots, he had the heart to go, and everything happened just as it had happened the year before. First a clatter and an earthquake, then a greater clatter and another earthquake, and so on a third time; only this year the earthquakes were far worse than the year before. Then all at once everything was as still as death, and the lad heard how something was cropping the grass outside the barn-door, so he stole to the door, and peeped through a chink; and what do you think he saw? why, another horse standing right up against the wall, and chewing and champing with might and main. It was far finer and fatter than that which came the year before, and it had a saddle on its back, and a bridle on its neck, and a full suit of mail for a knight lay by its side, all of silver, and as grand and you would wish to see.

"Ho, ho!" said Boots to himself; "it's you that gobbles up our hay, is it? I'll soon put a spokBooke in your wheel;" and with that he took the steel out of his tinder-box, and threw it over the horse's crest, which stood as still [96] as a lamb. Well, the lad rode this horse, too, to the hiding-place where he kept the other one, and after that he went home.

"I suppose you'll tell us," said one of his brothers, "there's a fine crop this year too, up in the hayfield."

"Well, so there is," said Boots; and off ran the others to see, and there stood the grass thick and deep, as it was the year before; but they didn't give Boots softer words for all that.

Now, when the third St. John's eve came, the two elder still hadn't the heart to lie out in the barn and watch the grass, for they had got so scared at heart the night they lay there before, that they couldn't get over the fright; but Boots, he dared to go; and, to make a long story short, the very same thing happened this time as had happened twice before. Three earthquakes came, one after the other, each worse than the one which went before, and when the last came, the lad danced about with the shock from one barn wall to the other; and after that, all at once, it was still as death. Now when he had lain a little while he heard something tugging away at the grass outside the barn, so he stole again to the door-chink, and peeped out, and there stood a horse close outside—far, far bigger and fatter than the two he had taken before.

"Ho, ho!" said the lad to himself, "it's you, is it, that comes here eating up our hay? I'll soon stop that—I'll soon put a spoke in your wheel." So he caught up his steel and threw it over the horse's neck, and in a trice it stood as if it were nailed to the ground, and Boots could do as he pleased with it. Then he rode off with it to the hiding-place where he kept the other two, and then  went home. When he got home his two brothers made game of him as they had done before, saying they could see, he had watched the grass well, for he looked for all the world as if he were walking in his sleep, and many other spiteful things they said, but Boots gave no heed to them, only asking them to go and see for themselves; and when they went, there stood the grass as fine and deep this time as it had been twice before.

Now, you must know that the king of the country where Boots lived had a daughter, whom he would only give to the man who could ride up over the hill of glass, for there was a high, high hill all of glass, as smooth and slippery as ice, close by the king's palace. Upon the tip-top of the hill the king's daughter was to sit, with three golden apples in her lap, and the man who could ride up and carry off the three golden apples was to have half the kingdom, and the Princess to wife. This the king had stuck up on all the church-doors in his realm, and had given it out in many other kingdoms besides. Now, this Princess was so lovely that all who set eyes on her fell over head and ears in love with her whether they would or no. So I needn't tell you how all the princes and knights who heard of her were eager to win her to wife, and half the kingdom beside; and how they came riding from all parts of the world on high prancing horses, and clad in the grandest clothes, for there wasn't one of them who hadn't made up his mind that he, and he alone, was to win the Princess.

So when the day of triGlassal came, which the king had fixed, there was such a crowd of princes and knights under the glass hill, that it made one's head whirl to look at them; and every one in the country who could even crawl along was off to the hill, for they all were eager to see the man who was to win the Princess. So the two elder brothers set off with the rest; but as for Boots, they said outright he shouldn't go with them, for if they were seen with such a dirty changeling, all begrimed with smut from cleaning their shoes and sifting cinders in the dusthole, they said folk would make game of them.

"Very well," said Boots, "it's all one to me. I can go alone, and stand or fall by myself."

Now when the two brothers came to the hill of glass the knights and princes were all hard at it, riding their horses till they were all in a foam; but it was no good, by my troth; for as soon as ever the horses set foot on the hill, down they slipped, and there wasn't one who could get a yard or two up; and no wonder, for the hill was as smooth as a sheet of glass, and as steep as a house-wall. But all were eager to have the Princess and half the kingdom. So they rode and slipped, and slipped and rode, and still it was the same story over again. At last all their horses were so weary that they could scarce lift a leg, and in such a sweat that the lather dripped from them, and so the knights had to give up trying any more. So the king was just thinking that he would proclaim a new trial for the next day, to see if they would have better luck, when all at once a knight came riding up on so brave a steed that no one had ever seen the like of it in his born days, and the knight had mail of brass, and the horse a brass bit in his mouth, so bright that the sunbeams shone from it. Then all the others called out to him he might just as well spare himself the trouble of riding at the hill, for it would lead to no good; but he gave no heed to them, and [99] put his horse at the hill, and went up it like nothing for a good way, about a third of the height; and when he had got so far, he turned his horse round and rode down again. So lovely a knight the Princess thought she had never yet seen; and while he was riding, she sat and thought to herself—

"Would to heaven he might only come up, and down the other side."

And when she saw him turning back, she threw down one of the golden apples after him, and it rolled down into his shoe. But when he got to the bottom of the hill he rode off so fast that no one could tell what had become of him. That evening all the knights and princes were to go before the king, that he who had ridden so far up the hill might show the apple which the princess had thrown, but there was no one who had anything to show. One after the other they all came, but not a man of them could show the apple.

At even the brothers of Boots came home too, and had such a long story to tell about the riding up the hill.

"First of all," they said, "there was not one of the whole lot who could get so much as a stride up; but at last came one who had a suit of brass mail, and a brass bridle and saddle, all so bright that the sun shone from them a mile off. He was a chap to ride, just! He rode a third of the way up the hill of glass, and he could easily have ridden the whole way up, if he chose; but he turned round and rode down, thinking, maybe, that was enough for once."

"Oh! I should so like to have seen him, that I should," said Boots, who sat by the fireside, and stuck his feet into the cinders as was his wont.

"Oh!" said his brothers, "you would, would you? You  look fit to keep company with sBootsuch high lords, nasty beast that you are, sitting there amongst the ashes."

Next day the brothers were all for setting off again, and Boots begged them this time, too, to let him go with them and see the riding; but no, they wouldn't have him at any price, he was too ugly and nasty, they said.

"Well, well!" said Boots; "if I go at all, I must go by myself. I'm not afraid."

So when the brothers got to the hill of glass, all the princes and knights began to ride again, and you may fancy they had taken care to shoe their horses sharp; but it was no good,—they rode and slipped, and slipped and rode, just as they had done the day before, and there was not one who could get so far as a yard up the hill. And when they had worn out their horses, so that they could not stir a leg, they were all forced to give it up as a bad job. So the king thought he might as well proclaim that the riding should take place the day after for the last time, just to give them one chance more; but all at once it came across his mind that he might as well wait a little longer, to see if the knight in brass mail would come this day too. Well, they saw nothing of him; but all at once came one riding on a steed, far, far, braver and finer than that on which the knight in brass had ridden, and he had silver mail, and a silver saddle and bridle, all so bright that the sunbeams gleamed and glanced from them far away. Then the others shouted out to him again, saying he might as well hold hard, and not try to ride up the hill, for all his trouble would be thrown away; but the knight paid no heed to them, and rode straight at the hill, and right up it, till he had gone two-thirds of the way, and then he wheeled his horse round  and rode down again. To tell the truth, the Princess liked him still better than the knight in brass, and she sat and wished he might only be able to come right up to the top, and down the other side; but when she saw him turning back, she threw the second apple after him, and it rolled down and fell into his shoe. But as soon as ever he had come down from the hill of glass, he rode off so fast that no one could see what became of him.

At even, when all were to go in before the king and the Princess, that he who had the golden apple might show it; in they went, one after the other, but there was no one who had any apple to show, and the two brothers, as they had done on the former day, went home and told how things had gone, and how all had ridden at the hill and none got up.

"But, last of all," they said, "came one in a silver suit, and his horse had a silver saddle and a silver bridle. He was just a chap to ride; and he got two-thirds up the hill, and then turned back. He was a fine fellow and no mistake; and the Princess threw the second gold apple to him."

"Oh!" said Boots, "I should so like to have seen him too, that I should."

"A pretty story!" they said. "Perhaps you think his coat of mail was as bright as the ashes you are always poking about, and sifting, you nasty dirty beast."

The third day everything happGlass Hillened as it had happened the two days before. Boots begged to go and see the sight, but the two wouldn't hear of his going with them. When they got to the hill there was no one who could get so much as a yard up it; and now all waited for the knight in silver mail, but they neither saw nor heard of him. At last came one riding on a steed, so brave that no one had ever seen his match; and the knight had a suit of golden mail, and a golden saddle and bridle, so wondrous bright that the sunbeams gleamed from them a mile off. The other knights and princes could not find time to call out to him not to try his luck, for they were amazed to see how grand he was. So he rode right at the hill, and tore up it like nothing, so that the Princess hadn't even time to wish that he might get up the whole way. As soon as ever he reached the top, he took the third golden apple from the Princess' lap, and then turned his horse and rode down again. As soon as he got down, he rode off at full speed, and was out of sight in no time.

Now, when the brothers got home at even, you may fancy what long stories they told, how the riding had gone off that day; and amongst other things, they had a deal to say about the knight in golden mail.

"He just was a chap to ride!" they said; "so grand a knight isn't to be found in the wide world."

"Oh!" said Boots, "I should so like to have seen him; that I should."

"Ah!" said his brothers, "his mail shone a deal brighter than the glowing coals which you are always poking and digging at; nasty dirty beast that you are."

Next day all the knights and princes were to pass before the king and the Princess—it was too late to do so the night before, I suppose—that he who had the gold apple might bring it forth; but one came after another, first the princes, and then the knights, and still no one could show the gold apple.

  "Well," said the king, "some one must have it, for it was something that we all saw with our own eyes, how a man came and rode up and bore it off."

So he commanded that every one who was in the kingdom should come up to the palace and see if they could show the apple. Well, they all came, one after another, but no one had the golden apple, and after a long time the two brothers of Boots came. They were the last of all, so the king asked them if there was no one else in the kingdom who hadn't come.

"Oh, yes," said they; "we have a brother, but he never carried off the golden apple. He hasn't stirred out of the dust-hole on any of the three days."

"Never mind that," said the king; "he may as well come up to the palace like the rest."

So Boots had to go up to the palace.

"How, now," said the king; "have you got the golden apple? Speak out!"

"Yes, I have," said Boots; "here is the first, and here is the second, and here is the third too;" and wAndrew Langith that he pulled all three golden apples out of his pocket, and at the same time threw off his sooty rags, and stood before them in his gleaming golden mail.

"Yes!" said the king; "you shall have my daughter, and half my kingdom, for you well deserve both her and it."

So they got ready for the wedding, and Boots got the Princess to wife, and there was great merry-making at the bridal-feast, you may fancy, for they could all be merry though they couldn't ride up the hill of glass; and all I can say is, if they haven't left off their merry-making yet, why they're still at it.

(Asbjornsen and Moe.)

(from The Blue Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang)

 Seligor's Castle Introduces

Line of washing
  
* The Spring Cleaning * 
By Marie Bayne.

There was such a turn-up in the dolls' house; for Nora and Trix were giving it a spring clean, and the Daddy Doll and the Sailor Boy did not like it a bit.
     Doll's pramThe Daddy Doll liked to sit in his doll's easy chair by the hearth, and the Sailor Boy liked to lie on the pink silk sofa in the parlour. But now Nora put them both in the Baby Doll's pram, and how silly they felt !
     They put the Lady Doll and the Golliwog in the pram as well; but the Golliwog did not mind. You see, he did not live in the dolls' house, for he was too big to go in. So he was quite pleased to sit by the Lady Doll. Then Nora and Trix set to work with a will.
      First they pinned up their frocks with big safty pins, and put dust caps over
their hair. Next they took all the chairs and tables out of the dolls' house, and piled them on top of one another. They lifted the carpets Lady Dolland beat them well, and they got soap suds in one of their sea-side pails, and scrubbed out every floor.
     The kitchen took quite a long time to do, for they had to blacklead the range and polish the pots and pans.
  "I do love blacklead !" said Trix, as she put it on, But Mother laughed and made her look in the glass, and then she saw that she had a black smudge on her cheek.
  "Oh dear, what a sight I am !" she cried. But she poured some water into the toy basin and soon got it off.
  "Well, what next ?"  Said Trix, drying her face as she spoke.
  "Now let us think !" Nora replied.
  "I know what I think," said the Daddy Doll in the pram.
  "Pray what sir ?" asked the Gollywog.
  "I think," said the Daddy Doll, "that it is high time we had tea !"
  "And so do I," sighed the Lady Doll.
  "And I think ditto," said the Sailor Boy.
     But Nora or Trix seemed to hear.
  "We must clean the windows," said Nora at length.
  "And wash the curtains ! cried Trix. And then they got out their toy wash tub, and went at it harder than ever.
     When the curtains were dry, Mother ironed them; and Nora and Trix hung
them up in the nice clean windows.
Then they put all the furiture back again, and there seemed nothing more to do.
  "Tea-time now, surely !" said the Daddy Doll. "Oh dear ! I am sick of this pram !"
  "Not I sir, believe me !" cried Golliwog. "We might be a great deal worse off !" And very soon they found out he was right.
Washed the Sailor Boy

     For just then Nora and Trix caught sight of the pram. "Our dolls !" they cried; We cannot put dirty dolls into a clean dolls' house
     So they gave the Sailor Boy a proper bath, for he was a rubber doll; and the
Lady Doll's face, and combed out her long golden hair. But they could not think how to clean the other two, for their clothes wear sewn on, and they would no
t come off.
  "I tell you what, Trix," said Nora at length: we shall have to beat them like carpets."
     So they beat the dust out of the Golliwog and the Daddy doll. The Golliwog did not mind, but the Daddy Doll did not like it at all.
     Then they were put back into the dolls' house - all but the Gollywog, for he was too big to go in. And Nora put the Sailor Boy in the Daddy Doll's chair -- "For a change;" and made the Daddy Doll lie on the pink silk sofa in the parlour -- and he was so cross.
  "What a mercy," he said, "that Nora and Trix do not often spring-clean !"
                                                                   The End.

Mother puts washing out to dry

                           Bumble Bees love Flowers
                          Bumblebee Minstrel. 
Bumblebee Minstrel resting in the blossom tree, contemplating flowers and the scarcity of hours in the sun-soaked day -
sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between industry and play.
 
Bumblebee Minstrel, sable and topaz avatar of some ancient alchemical mystery whereby dust and rain are transmuted through the joy and pain of briefly flowering beauty into the sweet elixer of honey,
a gold far brighter than the dull and tasteless stuffthat grows deep in the earth and that men value more than truth or honesty,

spilling each other's life blood to possess it and the other metallic and mineral deposits
that once were trees and flowers a hundred million years ago or coursed in the veins of the Sun before She gave birth to her brood of argumentative planets.

Though Bumblebee Minstrel is merely an aspect or reflection of the hidden Bumblebee Mystery and has no true individual Identity or soul, as foolish men choose to call their sense of abstract alienation, he can recall a thousand other incarnations, a thousand other similiar bees that came before him and the myriads of flowers they lovingly plundered: 

on the flanks of high Olympus where drunken Immortals disported, in dragon-guarded gardens of ancient Cathay, tended by beautiful silk-clad maidens, in quiet, rose-trellised corners of England where grave poets dream in the pale golden light of the eternally dying day.

But now Bumblebee Minstel puts such memories and idle speculations aside - philosophy is for men, not bees!

Bidding farewell to the colourful sylphs of the breeze-kissed blossom tree he zig-zags over the lush green water-meadow, lured by the scent of a Michealmas Daisy, a laughing young girl, a maiden, a Lady...

 

Bumble Bees love Flowers
 




many books were written about the Victorian times


HAPPY PEOPLE MAKE A HAPPY HOME!


Castles, palaces, villas, houses, huts……….. there are so many types of buildings  we live in and call them our home.
I have been all over the world and seen all the types that people live in including boathouses floating on water.
The strangest building that I saw belonged to a poor  widowed mother.
Her house was a patched up boot!
All the conversion work to make the boot comfortable and homely had been done by a master builder, who was a close friend of the family.
He had opened up thirteen windows and built a large  balcony.
The lady had seven children and though the place  was cramped all of them lived happily and supported each
other.
It was the happiest home I had ever seen.


Warm, homely fireplace

dottido@hotmail.co.uk



many books were written about the Victorian times         

 Of course the little girl in the story isn't Mary Elizabeth, but she dressed up for Seligor so as to make the story brighter. xx Thankyou Molly Jae. (Who just happens to be one of Seligors grand children.)
Victoria's England for the poor people
Mary Elizabeth



Mary Elizabeth Jamison was a little girl with a long name. She was also very poor. Not only that she was sick she also wore ragged clothes and was forever cold. This one day she was so she hadn’t had any supper or dinner, and what’s more she hadn’t had any breakfast. She had no place to go and nobody to care whether she went there or not. In fact, Mary Elizabeth had not much of anything but a short peach calico dress, a little red cotton and wool shawl, and her long name. Oh yes she also possessed a pair of old red wellies, they were too large for her and they flopped on the pavement as she walked.Mary Elizabeth

On the night of which I speak she begged very hard. It is very wrong to beg, we all know that. It is very wrong to give to beggars, we all know this too: we have been told so many times. Still, if I had been as hungry as Mary Elizabeth, I presume I would have begged too.

So here she was peeping into people's faces, timidly looking away from them; holding out her hand some people pushed her away, others spoke saying “how ill she looked and she would be better off dead, poor little thing” Mary Elizabeth Jamison, was sick, but it was only in her heart - for a very little girl can be heart-sick, especially when she was getting hungrier each hour than she was the hour before.

The child turned into a short, bright, showy street, where stood a great hotel. Precisely how she got in nobody knows. Over the smooth, slippery marble floor, the child crept on. She came to the office door, and stood still. She looked around her with wide eyes. She had never seen a place like that. Lights flashed over it, many and bright. Gentlemen sat in it smoking and reading. They were all warm. Not one of them looked as if they had, had no dinner no breakfast, or even supper.

There was a little noise, a very little one, strange to the warm, bright, well-ordered room. It was the sound of old wellie-boots, much too large, flopping on the marble floor. Several gentlemen glanced at their own well shod and brushed feet.

Mary Elizabeth stood in the middle of the room in her pink calico dress and red plaid-shawl. The shawl was tied over her head and about her neck with a ragged tippet. She looked very funny and round from the back, like the old wooden women in the Noah's ark. Her bare feet showed in the old toeless wellies. She began to shuffle about the room, holding out one purple little hand.

One or two of the gentlemen laughed; some frowned; more did nothing at all; most did not notice, or did not seem to notice the child. One said, "What's the matter here?"

Mary Elizabeth flopped on. She went from one to another, less timidly; a kind of desperation had taken possession of her. The odours from the dining room came in of strong hot coffee and strange roast meats. It seemed to her she was so hungry that if she could not get any supper she should jump up and run into the kitchen and eat the scraps on the floor..

She held out her hand, but only said, "I'm hungry!"

A gentleman called her. He was the gentleman who had asked, "What's the matter here?" He called her in behind his newspaper, which was big enough to hide three of Mary Elizabeth, and when he saw that nobody was looking , he gave her a three-penny piece in a hurry, as if he had done a sin, and quickly said, "There, there child! Go, go on now!"

Then he vanished behind his paper again and began to read quite hard and fast, and to look severe, as one does who never gives anything to beggars.

But nobody else gave anything to Mary Elizabeth. She shuffled from one to another, hopelessly. Every gentleman shook his head. One called for a waiter to put her out. This frightened her, and she stood still.

MaryOver by the window, in a lonely corner of the great room, a young man was sitting apart fro the others. Mary Elizabeth had seen the young man when she first came in, but he had not seen her. He had not seen anything or anybody. He sat with his elbows on the table, and his face buried in his arms. He was a well dressed young man, with brown, curling hair. Mary Elizabeth wondered why he looked so miserable, and why he sat alone. She thought, perhaps, if he were not as happy as the other gentlemen, maybe he would feel, more, sorry for this cold, hungry girl. She hesitated for a second then flopped along walking directly up to him.

One or two gentlemen laid down their papers, and watched; they smiled and nodded to each other. The child did not see them, to wonder why. She went up, and put her hand upon the young man's arm.

He started. The brown, curly head lifted itself from the shelter of his arms; a young face looked sharply at the beggar girl - a beautiful young face it might have been. It was haggard now, and looked dreadful to look at. He roughly said,-

"What do you want?"

"I'm hungry," said Mary Elizabeth.

"I can't help that. Go away."

"I haven't had anything to eat for a whole day - a whole day!" she repeated.

Her lip quivered, but she spoke distinctly - her voice sounded through the room. One gentleman after another laid down his paper or his pipe. Several were watching this little scene.

"Go away!" repeated the young man irritably. "Don't bother me I haven't had anything to eat for three days!"

His face went down in his arms again. Mary Elizabeth stood staring at the brown, curling hair. She stood perfectly still for some moments. She evidently was greatly puzzled. She walked away a little distance, then stopped, and thought it over.

And now paper after paper and pipe after cigar went down. Every gentleman in the room began to look on. The young man was not stiller than the rest. The little figure in pink calico, and the red shawl, and big wellies stood for a moment silent among them all. The waiter came to take her out, but the gentlemen motioned him away.

Mary Elizabeth turned her money over and over slowly in her purple hand. Her hand shook. The tears came. The smell of the dinner from the dining room grew savoury and strong. The child put the piece of money to her lips, as if she could have eaten it; then turned, and, without further hesitation, went back. She touched the young man - on the bright hair this time - with her trembling little hand.

The room was so still now that when she spoke you could hear what she said out in the corridor, where the waiters stood, and the clerk behind the desk looking to see who came in and out.

"I'm sorry you are so hungry. If you haven't had anything for three days you must be hungrier than me. I've got a silver piece. A gentleman gave it to me. I wish you would take it. I've only gone one day. You can get some supper with it, and maybe I can get some, some where else. I wish you'd please to take it."

Mary Elizabeth stood quite still, holding out her silver piece. She did not understand the sound and stir that went all over the bright room. She did not see that some of the gentlemen coughed, and wiped their spectacles. She did not know why the brown curls before her came up with such a start nor why the young man's wasted face flushed red and hot with noble shame.

She did not in the least understand why he flung the money upon the table, and snatching her in his arms holding her fast, his face on her plaid shawl sobbing. Nor did she know what could be the reason that nobody seemed amused to see this gentleman cry; but that the gentleman who had given her the mManoney came up, and some more came up, and they gathered round, and she in the midst of them; and they spoke kindly, and the young man stood up, still clinging to her, and said aloud,-

"She's shamed me before you all, and she's shamed me to myself! I'll learn a lesson from this beggar, so help me, God!"  So then he took the child upon his knee, and the gentlemen came up to listen, and the young man asked her what was her name.

"Mary Elizabeth, sir"

"And where do you live, Mary Elizabeth?"

"Nowhere Sir” she replied

“Then where do you sleep?"

"In Mrs Flynn’s shed, sir. It's too cold for the cows, so she kindly lets me stay."

"Then who stays with you child?"

"Why nobody sir, I live on my own."

"Where is your mother?"

Mary Elizabeth looked at the floor. “I’m afraid she died, sir."

"Well what about your father?"

"He is dead also sir. He died in prison."

"So there is no one at all to look after you.?"

"Not now sir, I had a brother once, but he died also." Mary Elizabeth continued -

"I do want my supper," she added after a pause, speaking in a whisper, as if to herself.

"Wait, then." said the young man; "I'll see if I can't beg enough to get you your supper."

fruitAnd truly the young man put the three penny bit into his hat, then he took out his purse, and put in something that made less noise than the silver, and something more, and more and more. Then he passed the hat round the great room, walking still unsteadily, and all the gentlemen put something into the young man's hat.

When he arrived back to the table he emptied the hat and counted the money. “Right Mary Elizabeth, there is eight pounds here, and it is all yours.

"Eight whole pounds” Mary Elizabeth spluttered, never in her life had she seen eight shillings let alone eight pounds before.

"Yes, and it is all yours," said the young man. "And now I hope you will come and have supper with me. He sat Mary at the table. “But see this money.” He pointed to the gentleman who gave her the silver piece. I am sure that if you ask him he will take care of the money for you. You can trust him. But come now let us eat our supper now"

"The old gentleman came over to the table. “Mary Elizabeth, it will be my pleasure to help you with this rich amount and I am sure my wife will know what ought to be done with you, and till we get it sorted I am sure she will take care of you."ladies

"Thankyou very much,” Said Mary smiling, but I must first go and thank Mrs Flynn for the shed."

"Oh yes, yes; we'll fix all that." said the gentleman. "A little girl with eight pounds needn't sleep in a cow shed anymore. Now do you want that supper?"

"Why, yes, yes I do please." said Mary Elizabeth.

So the young man took her by the hand, and the gentleman took her by the other hand and one or two more gentlemen followed, and they all went out into the dining room, and put Mary Elizabeth in a chair at a clean white table and asked her what she wanted for her supper.

Mary Elizabeth said that a little dry toast and a cup of milk would do nicely. Poor Mary Elizabeth, she couldn’t understand whyMary all the gentlemen laughed. The young man with the brown curls laughed too, and began to look quite happy. But he ordered chicken, and sauce, and mashed potatoes, and rolls, and butter, and an ice cream and a cup of tea, and nuts and raisins, a cake with cream, and an apple and some grapes.

And would you believe it, Mary Elizabeth sat in her peach dress and red shawl and ate the whole lot; and why it didn't kill her nobody knows, but it didn't.

Mary Elizabeth is a young lady now. She went to work for a lovely lady and gentleman who treated her like their own daughter, whom they never had. It wasn’t long until she was fully adopted into the family and now she is engaged to be married to the son of… well you never will guess… Yes the son of the young gentleman with the curly brown hair. And do you know what I do believe that they will live happily ever after
 

   Some of Mary Elizabeths favourite Sea Shanties
 To accompany Mary Elizabeth on her sad journey through life into the wonderful world of food and drink that you could eat even if you weren't very, very hungry. Seligor has searched around the wonderful You tube and found some beautiful Sea Shanties, My mum (Seligor) used to teach me these songs when I was a little girl. Her elder sisters even taught me how to do the Hornpipe.

Enjoy the songs Seligor and Mary Elizabeth have chosen for you and say thanks to the people who put the video's together, I wish I could do them for myself... maybe one day eh! Take care, Diddily Dee Dot. xxx



 




These are a few of the songs for you to watch and listen too.
among the treasures of the deep are:
Cheer up me lads.
Muppet Treasure IslandSanty Anna.      
Haul Away for Rosie.
Go to Sea Once More.


Muppet Sea Chanty!Horizon Tides
The Pigs Calypso.
Horizon Tides.
Miss Piggy's CalypsoMagic Dance.






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