Horace Bleackley

“ Davie staggered, and the ground seemed to reel beneath his feet.
“Ay, and that’s Fuller Pilch’s bat you’ve got,” shouted Tim. “Here, give it up!”
And he caught hold of the blade.
A fierce struggle followed. Both Tim and Davie pulled with all their might. But youth must be served, and in less than a minute the mutinous young professional had wrenched the magic bat from the grasp of the old groundsman.
His brother professionals closed around to let him make good his escape, and in an instant he had disappeared among the crowd that had collected at the sight of the disturbance. ”

“ There was a great crowd around the common to see the commencement of the game, and there was much satisfaction when it became known that Hamble Green had won the choice of the first hand. A burst of applause arose as the familiar figure of Notchy, accompanied by his usual partner, came out into the field to commence the innings. The first ball was low, and fast, and hit the batsman a hard blow on the shin.
“Poor old Notchy, we’ll be having someone killed by this new-fangled overcast bowling,” grumbled Farmer Giles, who was an uncompromising opponent of the Lillywhite school. ”

“ The forthcoming cricket match between Miss Dolly Temple’s eleven and the Rev. Samuel Cassock’s parish club caused much interest and excitement in the district. Dolly’s young uncle, father of the irreverent Tommy, was intrusted with the task of raising her team. Unfortunately, volunteers had been so many and so talented that the side was a very formidable one. Every man in the neighbourhood who could handle a bat or bowl a ball was naturally anxious to come to the assistance of the pretty heiress. ”

“ The third ball felled Notchy’s middle stump.
“Why, that were a toss,” cried Farmer Giles, scratching his head.
“Lit full on the bails,” said the maltster. “They’re offering even money, Farmer. Will you have any more on?”
The luckless batsman walked from the wickets with drooping head, while the followers of Sampley cheered wildly, and the natives of Hamble Green pulled long faces for their champion had been dismissed without a notch.
“Well, Bumper, how d’you feel now?” said Lord Jeffry, grinning with delight at his friend. ”

“ Dolly went on earnestly. “My ideal clergyman is he who can not only instruct his parishioners in church, but who can take the lead in their field sports. I am sure that you help your people in their amusements, Mr. Cassock.”
Although the parson’s complexion was only a shade paler than his scarlet hood he actually flushed a deeper colour, for the remembrance that he had lately refused a valuable portion of the glebe for a Sunday-school cricket ground tickled his conscience. ”

“ Half-a-dozen cricketers were in extremely bad tempers, for this morning they all had taken the unprecedented course of going on strike. The most important county match of the season was to take place next day, and, lo and behold! six of the most talented professionals had struck work. No wonder that they smoked and grumbled, and sipped beer more immoderately than usual.
“We’ve landed that blessed committee in a very tight hole,” observed Tim Twister, a well-groomed smart-looking young man, the leader of the movement. ”

“ Athanasius has been married some years, and there are many little Stoles to whom Dolly is a most devoted mother. He is now a Dean. His face has lost the sad, ascetic expression that used to charm the ladies, but it is more benign and human. He has gained a rich, jovial laugh, which was never heard in the old days of fasting and tribulation, and though his figure, too, has lost its lines and he cannot play cricket as of old, he devotes his leisure to coaching a young Athanasius whom he expects to see some day making great scores at Lord’s. ”

“ In this spot a few seconds later they came face to face.
“We play our great game against Sampley to-morrow,” Notchy began, his arm still round his sweetheart’s waist after the first greetings were over.
“La, Notchy, it’s all cricket with thee,” answered the buxom Margy with a pout. “You talk ’bout nothing else.”
“Good reason, lass,” returned Notchy, his red, jolly face all over smiles. “My lord Bumper has promised me fifty guineas if Hamble Green wins. He’s backed us heavy. If I get the brass we can be wed as soon as the missus can let you off.” ”

“ Mr. Armstrong, our clergyman in Dorsetshire, was a splendid all-round athlete, and I am sure he was the most popular man in the county—especially with the poor people. Of course, when he gets older he will have to be content with looking on and encouraging other people—like you.”
“I was considered a free, hard-hitting bat some few years ago,” exclaimed Mr. Cassock, suddenly remembering that in spite of his bulk he was only forty-five.
“It is a noble game,” answered Dolly. “Papa was mad on it. We’ve a cricket ground in the park here, you know. ”

“ It was fortunate that it did, for that same day Tim Twister played the great innings of his life, and it was mainly through his batting that his county succeeded in beating the splendid Yorkshire eleven.
When he was out old Davie came to him in the players’ dressing-room to offer his congratulations.
“I say, Tim,” he remarked, after they had been talking for a little while, “that must be a splendid bat you’ve got.”
“Oh,” answered the young professional carelessly, “it’s right enough.” ”

“ His vanity aspired to emulate Notchy’s prowess at cricket! His duty to his farm left him little leisure, but all his spare moments were devoted to assiduous practice. Alas, his brother’s talent was denied him, and he was the only one who could not realise that he was a hopeless duffer.
One fine summer’s evening, about nine years after his brother’s departure from home, Dicky Wood was sitting in the little porch in front of his tiny cottage, gloating over one of Notchy’s rare epistles. This is how it ran:—
“Dere Dick,—May this find you well as it leeves me, and my lovin respects to mother. ”

“ Then Davie, whose temperament was as romantic as a Welsh bard’s, told Tim the story of his dream.
Now, in Davie’s county, when any man plays a remarkably fine innings it is always said that he has got Fuller Pilch’s bat. ”

“ Cassock to the young curate, “in virtue of her position, almost in the light of Squire of this parish, and I think it is our duty to please her as far as we can.”
“She’s a deu—— I mean, jolly pretty girl!” exclaimed the curate with enthusiasm. “I’d do anything in the world——”
“Ahem!” interrupted the rector, with a cough of disapproval, “I fear that sport does not flourish here as much as I should like. Hitherto I am afraid that my curates have been rather effeminate.” ”

“ The elder—by five minutes—very soon displayed wonderful skill at cricket, and because of his early success as a batsman he began to be called Notchy, while his twin-brother was never known by any other than the derivative of his Christian name, Richard.
As soon as Notchy reached man’s estate he began to grow ambitious, and longed to earn a reputation in the world of cricket. This fact coming to the ears of the lord of the manor, young Earl Jeffry, a keen sportsman with a peculiar reputation, he secured the young man an appointment with the famous club at Hamble Green, in Kent. ”

“ The match between Hable Green and Sampley was brought to an early conclusion on the following day, and thanks to the batting and bowling of the real Notchy, Hamble Green secured an easy victory. No one ever discovered that one player had been substituted for the other. As it was only just that all bets should stand, the home team having been so handicapped in the first innings, Lord Bumper and the Rector kept their own counsel, being anxious, for the sake of Lord Jeffry’s family, to avoid scandal. ”

“ Yorkshire, and I seed you play an extraordinary innings—you made two hundred runs?”
“A hundred and fifty it were,” murmured Davie absently. “But then, you see, I’d got Fuller Pilch’s bat.”
“I dreamt that dream twice over,” Tim continued, not comprehending the last remark.
“Ay, no wonder you chaps dream about cricket,” muttered Mrs. Davie, who was bustling around with a contemptuous toss, “you talk o’ little else.”
“Well, it’s made me think a bit,” proceeded Tim solemnly. “If some of the young ’uns come off to-day, the county may do without the fellows on strike. That’d be a bit awkward.” ”

“ Johnny Trouncer remarked cheerfully. “Our schoolmaster is good for fifty runs every time he takes a bat in his hand in a match like this, and the grocer’s young hopeful is a demon when the wicket suits him.”
Mr. Cassock groaned at the remembrance.
“Besides,” continued the curate, “I’m not so bad myself!”
“That only makes three,” answered the rector.
“Ah, but I’ve got something up my sleeve, sir. A great surprise!” cried the Rev. Mr. Trouncer. “Old Hurdles is going to play for our team.”
“Hurdles!” said Mr. Cassock. “Who on earth is he?” ”

“ Boys on their way to school have a chance of witnessing a few overs without going out of the straight path, and tradesmen can look on at the play from their shop doors. At one extremity stands the “King’s Arms,” with the sturdy old oak tree in front of it, past which, and all along the side of the common, runs the London road. Branching off from this at right angles, and forming the northern boundary of the cricket field, is the Sampley road, across which lies the rectory garden, with its three stately elm trees rising close behind the hedge. ”

“ Athanasius and himself would have much contention!
“And how would you define,” he remarked, slowly and with priestly ambiguity, “doing one’s duty?”
“Making people happy,” returned pretty Dolly readily. “To me it does not seem enough to be merely self-righteous. One may spend one’s whole life in church services without doing any actual good.”
“A—ha! I agree with you, young lady,” cried the Rev. Mr. Cassock heartily. “That is the mistake poor Mr. Stole makes. Matins and evensong every day! What time does it leave for solid parish work?”
“Or amusements,” quoth Miss Dolly. ”

“ Old fogies can come hither to watch the sport of their youth without tiring their ancient limbs, while small urchins have no need to stray far from the cottage home to learn their first lessons in the game. ”

“ The Hamble Green wickets fell rapidly after the dismissal of the supposititious Notchy, and in an hour the whole side was out for fifty runs. The intelligence was conveyed to Lord Jeffry at the “King’s Arms,” where, as the liquor was to his taste, he had
“‘Let me loose!’ roared Notchy in a very masculine voice.” ”

“ Cassock, after the curate had departed. “Dear Dolly is quite right. It is a clergyman’s duty to take the lead in field sports as well as in spiritual matters.”
During divine service the following Sunday, while the Rev. Athanasius Stole was reading the first lesson he became conscious that a very pretty girl was sitting in the front pew. Such occurrences did not usually attract the attention of the devout Athanasius, but as he immediately realised that the fair worshipper was Miss Dolly Temple, and as this was her first visit to his church, the recognition at such a time must be pardoned. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1939, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 84 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”

“ Of course, he was there about fifteen years before me, but he came down every summer term to play for the old boys, so I knew him well. Why, he was the best all-round man in the Oxford eleven in his day! He played for the Gentlemen half-a-dozen times, and twice against the Australians ten years ago. ”