Streatham

“ Streatham, 17th April, 1782.—I am returned to Streatham, pretty well in health and very sound in heart, notwithstanding the watchers and the wager-layers, who think more of the charms of their sex by half than I who know them better. Love and friendship are distinct things, and I would go through fire to serve many a man whom nothing less than fire would force me to go to bed to. Somebody mentioned my going to be married t'other day, and Johnson was joking about it. ”

“ Thrale called on him in his stuffy lodgings in a court off Fleet Street, and suggested that the air of Streatham would be good for him. Would he come to them? He would. He was not the man to deny himself the care of a young, rich, and charming woman, who would feed him well, understand him, and add to the joys of conversation. From that time on, whether at their residence in Deadman’s Place in Southwark, or at Streatham, or at Brighton, even on their journeys, the Thrales and Johnson were constantly together ”

“ Streatham, Sunday, June 13. After church we all strolled the grounds, and the topic of our discourse was Miss Streatfield. Mrs. Thrale asserted that she had a power of captivation that was irresistible; that her beauty, joined to her softness, her caressing manners, her tearful eyes, and alluring looks, would insinuate her into the heart of any man she thought worth attacking.
Sir Philip [97] declared himself of a totally different opinion, and quoted Dr. Johnson against her, who had told him that, taking away her Greek, she was as ignorant as a butterfly. ”

“ The twilight was creeping on apace, the smoke from the Streatham stage that had been so dense and dark, was now a pillar of fire, and all the laced curves of the moving ways and the translucent roofs and domes and the chasms between the buildings were glowing softly now, lit by the tempered radiance of the electric light that the glare of the day overpowered. The three efficient stages that the Ostrogites held—for Wimbledon Park was useless because of the fire from Roehampton, and Streatham was a furnace—were glowing with guide lights for the coming aeroplanes. ”

“ She has been accused of writing her Anecdotes in self-defence, as a kind of apology for the last sad alienation, but there is little enough ground for this charge; her work is the work of a generous temper, and is a credit to her memory. Life at Streatham was at that time life in the country, and she is able to exhibit the sage of Fleet Street in new and unfamiliar attitudes. Johnson rode on Mr. Thrale’s old hunter, which must have been a strong and trustworthy beast, for its rider was heavy and short-sighted. ”

“ Narrowly avoiding Croydon, it reached Streatham by way of Waddon (where there is one of the many “Cold Harbours” associated so intimately with Roman roads) and joined the present Brighton Road midway between Croydon and Thornton Heath Pond, at what used to be Broad Green.
DOCTOR JOHNSON
There are no Roman remains at twentieth-century Streatham, and there are very few even of the eighteenth century. The suburbs have absorbed the village, and Dr. Johnson himself and Thrale Place are only memories. “All flesh is grass,” said the Preacher, and therefore Dr. ”

“ STREATHAM, a large residential district in the south of London, England, within the municipal borough of Wandsworth. The name appears to indicate its position on an ancient " street " or highway. According to Domesday, Streatham included several manors, two of which, Tooting and Balham (to follow the modern nomenclature) , belonged to the abbot of St Mary de Bee in Normandy. One of several public grounds in the neighbourhood of Streatham is called Tooting Bee Common. ”

“ During my invalidity at Bath I had an unexpected 355 visit from your Streatham friend, of whom I had lost sight for more than ten years. She still looks very well, but is graver, and candour itself; though she still says good things, and writes admirable notes and letters, I am told, to my granddaughters C. and M., of whom she is very fond. We shook hands very cordially, and avoided any allusion to our long separation and its cause. The caro sposo still lives, but is such an object from the gout, that the account of his sufferings made me pity him sincerely ”

“ Thrale paid him a visit in this situation, and found him on his knees, with Dr. Delap, the rector of Lewes, in Sussex, beseeching God to continue to him the use of his understanding. Mr. Thrale took him to his house at Streatham, and Johnson, from that time, became a constant resident in the family. He went, occasionally, to the club in Gerard street, but his headquarters were fixed at Streatham. An apartment was fitted up for him, and the library was greatly enlarged. Parties were constantly invited from town; and Johnson was every day at an elegant table, with select and polished company. ”

“ In time it became his custom to spend the middle of the week at Streatham, devoting the remaining days to his own heterogeneous “family.” He was genuinely attached to his hostess, and thoroughly appreciated the luxury in which the Thrales lived. ”

“ The famous brewery is now Barclay & Perkins’s, and still stands on its original site, where the Globe Theatre once stood, not far from the Surrey end of Southwark Bridge. A more unattractive place of residence it would be hard to imagine, but for some reason Mr. Thrale loved it.
On the other hand, Streatham was delightful. It was a fine estate, something over an hour’s drive from Fleet Street in the direction of Croydon. The house, a mansion of white stucco, stood in a park of more than a hundred acres, beautifully wooded. Drives and gravel-walks gave easy access to all parts of the grounds. ”

“ Dear angel! this day he leaves a nation to which he was sent for my felicity perhaps, I hope for his own. May I live but to make him happy, and hear him say 'tis me that make him so!"—
In a note on the passage in which he states that Johnson studiously avoided all mention of Streatham or the family after Thrale's death, Hawkins says:—"It seems that between him and the widow there was a formal taking of leave, for I find in his Diary the following note: '1783, April 5th, I took leave of Mrs. Thrale. I was much moved. ”

“ Stretham is a large village. It does not run to length, as do places in other parts of the country situated, like it, on a great road. They commonly consist of one long street: Stretham, built on the crown of a hill, has odd turns and twists, and streets unexpectedly opening on either hand as the explorer advances, and is, so to speak, built round and round itself. In its midst, where the road broadens into as wide a space as a village squeezed on to the crown of an island hilltop could anciently afford, stands a market cross. ”

“ Our omnibus was jolting and rumbling down some steep and narrow streets lighted by oil-lamps swung across them. There were no lights in any of the houses, save a few in the upper windows, as though the inmates were all in bed, or going to bed. Only at the inn where we stopped was there any thing like life. A lamp, which hung over the archway leading to the yard and stables, lit up a group of people waiting for the arrival of the omnibus. I woke up Minima from her deep and heavy sleep.
"We are here at Noireau!" I said. "We have reached our home at last!" ”

“ There is no place for fear now. I am king in Ville-en-bois.—Is it not so, my good Jean?"
"Monsieur le Curé, you are emperor," replied Jean.
"If that is the case," he continued, "madame is perfectly secure in my castle. You do not ask me what brings me back again so soon. But I will tell you, madame. At Noireau, the proprietor of the omnibus to Granville told me that an Englishman had gone that morning to visit my little parish. Good! We do not have that honor every day. I ask him to have the goodness to tell me the Englishman's name. It is written in the book at the bureau. ”

“ What Aunt Lucy can see in Mr. Crabtree is more than any of us can understand."
"He must have hypnotized her," observed, Dick. "It's a shame! I wish old Crabtree was in Jericho!"
"So do all of us!" laughed Grace, and then Sam took her off for a quiet chat, while Tom, monopolized Nellie.
"Those Rover boys think a great deal of the Lanings and Stanhopes," observed Larry to Fred. "Well, it's all right—they are awfully nice girls, every one of 'em!"
CHAPTER XXIII BALLOTING FOR A SECOND LIEUTENANT "Back to Putnam Hall at last! How home-like the place looks!" ”

“ PRISONERS IN THE DORMITORIES
“Well, one thing is certain,” observed Pepper, as he and half a dozen others left the mess hall. “We are getting into this thing deeper and deeper. I wonder how it is going to end?”
“I doubt if it ends before Captain Putnam gets back,” answered Jack. “Crabtree is just headstrong enough to attempt something even worse than getting men with whips. Maybe he’ll have all of us locked up.”
“Will you stand for being arrested, Jack?” asked Andy.
“No.”
“Old Crabtree is a fool!” burst out Henry Lee. ”

“ As they were absolutely helpless with the strong bags tied down to their knees, Ritter Coulter and Paxton had to do as commanded, and they were marched out of a back door of the ice house and to a grove of trees some distance away.
“Hurry up, boys!” whispered Pepper, to his chums. “Somebody is coming down the road. It must be the Pornell Academy crowd!”
In a twinkling the prisoners were tied with ropes to several trees. Then Jack led the way back to the ice house. Here Pepper went to the front, while the major resumed his uniform. ”

“ The Rover boys come from a family that is rich, and they can make it exceedingly warm for you if you accuse them wrongfully."
"Oh, I know what I'm a-doin' and the constable knows what he's a-doin', too," answered Aaron Fairchild.
George Strong was sent to summon Dick, Tom, and Sam, and soon came up with the three brothers behind him.
"Something is wrong, that is certain," murmured Dick.
"Those men look mad enough to chew us up," answered Tom.
"Now, boys, keep cool," cautioned George Strong. "I think some terrible mistake has been made."
"What's it all about, Mr. Strong?" asked Sam. ”

“ The master of Putnam Hall mused for a moment. "Well, it is very queer. But, as the snake has disappeared, I think we may as well retire once more. I do not imagine we have anything to fear."
It was a good hour before the school was quiet. Many of the boys were afraid to go to bed, and the teachers could not blame them. The Rovers and their chums got together to discuss the situation in whispers and at the same time remove all traces of the feast which had been so curiously interrupted.
"Dick, what do you make of this?" asked Tom. ”

“ Monsieur Laurentie, under the shelter of a huge red umbrella, is choosing the ripest cluster of grapes for our supper this evening. All the street is as still as at midnight. Suddenly there breaks upon us the harsh, metallic clang of well-shod horse-hoofs upon the stony roadway—the cracking of a postilion's whip—the clatter of an approaching carriage.
It proves to be a carriage with a pair of horses.
Pierre, who has been basking idly under the window, jumps to his feet, shouting, "It is Monsieur the Bishop!" Minima claps her hands, and cries, "The prince, Aunt Nelly, the prince!" ”

“ At once the head assistant strode into the dormitory.
"Have you two been fighting?" he demanded.
"We were only boxing a bit, sir," answered Baxter, before Tom could speak. "No harm intended, sir."
"You were making a good deal of noise," answered George Strong dryly. "What have you to say, Rover?"
"I have this to say, Mr. Strong," answered Tom boldly. "I would like to interview Captain Putnam without delay."
"Don't you dare—" began Baxter, when a wave of the teacher's hand cut him, short. ”

“ Crabtree, there isn’t a word of truth in that!” cried Jack, his temper rising.
“Ha! don’t contradict me!” cried Josiah Crabtree.
“But we shall contradict you,” said Pepper. “We have not been smoking, neither have we been drinking.”
“But you were down to the old boathouse,” put in Captain Putnam.
“We admit that,” said Jack. “We went down there for a certain purpose.”
“What was that purpose?”
“I can’t tell you, exactly.”
“We were looking for some other students,” said Pepper. “Some fellows who are enemies of ours.” ”

“ Casting the light of the acetylene gas lamp ahead of them, the party from the Josephine moved on, directly past the spot where the Rovers were in hiding. The boys hardly dared to breathe for fear of discovery. They stood stock still until the others were all but out of sight.
"This is interesting," murmured Tom. "They must have landed on the other side of the island."
"Yes, and Merrick hired that Walt Wingate to play us foul!" cried Sam. "What shall we do next, Dick?" he continued anxiously. "They act as if they expect to get that treasure to night!" ”

“ Crabtree, I am not a rascal,” interrupted Jack. “I am the major of the Putnam Hall battalion and the spokesman of our class—so chosen by a vote of the cadets. We decided that we wanted dinner—and we are here to get it.”
135
“This is mutiny—rebellion!” gasped Pluxton Cuddle.
“You can call it what you please, Mr. Cuddle. We are entitled to our dinner and we mean to have it.”
“Good for you, Major Ruddy!” came from a pupil from another classroom.
“Crabtree and Cuddle have no right to do you out of your dinners,” added another. ”

“ Grinder, may I ask what you have done with Sam?" he asked.
"I have placed him in confinement until Captain Putnam returns," was the snappy answer.
"Did you put him in the stone cell?"
"It is not for you to question me, Rover."
"In this cold weather it isn't fit for anybody to be in that stone cell. Sam may catch his death of cold."
"I am the best judge of my own actions, Rover, and need no advice from you. Your brother has broken the rules of this school, and must suffer for so doing."
"It's inhuman to make a fellow freeze," burst out Tom. "I don't believe Captain Putnam would do that." ”