Blade-O'-Grass. Golden Grain. and Bread and Cheese and Kisses.

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Farjeon Benjamin Leopold. Blade-O'-Grass. Golden Grain. and Bread and Cheese and Kisses.

BLADE-O'-GRASS

INTRODUCTION

PART I

A STRANGE EVENT OCCURS IN STONEY-ALLEY

HOW SHE ACQUIRED THE NAME OF BLADE-O'-GRASS

THE LEGEND OF THE TIGER

THE BATTLE OF LIFE

MR. MERRYWHISTLE RELIEVES HIMSELF ON THE SUBJECT OF INDISCRIMINATE CHARITY

MRS. SILVER'S HOME

MR. MERRYWHISTLE MEETS THE QUEER LITTLE OLD MAN

JIMMY VIRTUE INTRODUCES MR. MERRYWHISTLE TO HIS PLACE OF BUSINESS

THE STRANGE IDEA OF HALLELUJAH ENTERTAINED BY BLADE-O'-GRASS

THE INTERLUDE

PART II

THE PRISON WALL

ONE OF MANY HAPPY NIGHTS

FACE TO FACE-SO LIKE, YET SO UNLIKE

ROBERT TRUEFIT ALLOWS HIS FEELINGS TO MASTER HIM

TOO LATE

HELP THE POOR

GOLDEN GRAIN

I. THROUGH COUNTRY ROADS TO SOME GREEN PLEASANT SPOT

II. THANK GOD FOR A GOOD BREAKFAST!

III. THEY LISTENED WITH ALMOST BREATHLESS ATTENTION TO EVERY WORD THAT FELL FROM HER LIPS

IV. FOR MERCY'S SAKE, TELL ME! WHOSE VOICE WAS IT I HEARD JUST NOW?

V. YOU'RE A PARSON, SIR, AND I PUT IT TO YOU. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PARTING MOTHER AND CHILD?

VI. FOR THESE AND SUCH AS THESE

VII. HEALTHY BODY MAKES HEALTHY MIND

VIII. THIS 'ERE FREE AND 'LIGHTENED COUNTRY OF OUR'N'S CRAMMED FULL O' TEMPLES O' LIBERTY

IX. OPEN YOUR EYES, BABY! SPEAK TO ME! LOOK AT MOTHER, MY LIFE!

X. NO, NO! BORN IN LOVE! IN LOVE!

XI. ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED ON AN ISLAND-

XII. IN THE DIM TWILIGHT OF THAT HOLY DAY

XIII. HIS SOUL IS IN YOUR HANDS TO SAVE AND PURIFY!

XIV. IT IS SUNRISE. A GOLDEN MIST IS RISING FROM THE WATERS

XV. FAIRHAVEN

BREAD AND CHEESE AND KISSES

Introduction,

PART I

COME AND SHOW YOUR FACE, LIKE A MAN!

AND SO THE LAD GOES ON WITH HIS BESSIE AND HIS BESSIE, UNTIL ONE WOULD THINK HE HAS NEVER A MOTHER IN THE WORLD

YOU WORE ROSES THEN, MOTHER

IF I DID NOT LOVE HER, I WOULD NOT GO AWAY

WITH THE DAWNING OF A NEW YEAR, BEGIN A NEW LIFE

DEAR LOVE, GOOD-BYE

TOTTIE IS READY TO TEAR OLD BEN SPARROW LIMB FROM LIMB

HERE AND THERE ARE FORGET-ME-NOTS

BATTLEDOOR AND SHUTTLECOCK

TOTTIE'S DREAM

I CAN SEE YOU NOW, KISSING HER LITTLE TOES

ONE KISS FOR HOPE, ONE FOR FAITH, AND ONE FOR LOVE

YOU ALONE, AND MY MOTHER, ARE TRUE; ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD IS FALSE

PART II

THEY SAW, UPON ONE OF THE NEAREST PEAKS, A MAN STANDING, WITH SUNSET COLOURS ALL AROUND HIM

MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD, PURER THAN DIAMONDS, ARE THESE SWEET AND DELICATE WAYS

PART III

I HAVE COME TO RETURN YOU SOMETHING

WELL, MOTHER, DO YOU WANT ANY WASHING DONE?

THE MAN IN POSSESSION

SOFTLY, SWEETLY, PROCEEDS THE HYMN OF HOME

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In the heart of a very maze of courts and lanes Stoney-alley proclaims itself. It is one of multitude of deformed thoroughfares, which are huddled together-by whim, or caprice, or in mockery-in a populous part of the City, in utter defiance of all architectural rules. It is regarded as an incontrovertible law, that everything must have a beginning; and Stoney-alley could not have been an exception to this law. It is certain that the alley and its surrounding courts and lanes must once upon a time have been a space where houses were not; where, perhaps, trees grew, and grass, and flowers. But it is difficult to imagine; more difficult still to imagine how they were commenced, and by what gradual means one wretched thoroughfare was added to another, until they presented themselves to the world in the shapes and forms they now bear; resembling an ungainly body with numerous limbs, every one of which is twisted and deformed. Easier to fancy that they and all the life they bear sprang up suddenly and secretly one dark night, when Nature was in a sullen mood; and that being where they are, firmly rooted, they have remained, unchangeable and unchanging, from generation to generation. Records exist of fair islands rising from the sea, clothed with verdure and replete with animal fife; but this is the bright aspect of phenomena which are regarded as delusions by many sober persons. Putting imagination aside, therefore, as a thing of small account in these days (if only for the purpose of satisfying unbelievers), and coming to plain matter of fact, it is not to be doubted that Stoney-alley and its fellows grew upon earth's surface, and did sot spring up, ready-made, from below-although, truth to tell, it was worthy of such a creation. In the natural course of things, the neighbourhood must have had architects and builders; but no record of them is extant, and none is necessary for the purposes of this story. Sufficient that Stoney-alley rears its ugly body-though lowly withal-in the very heart of London, and that it may be seen any day in the week in its worst aspect. It has no other: it is always at its worst.

Out of it crawl, from sunrise until midnight, men and women, who, when they emerge into the wide thoroughfare which may be regarded as its parent, not uncommonly pause for a few moments, or shade their eyes with their hands, or look about them strangely, as if they have received a surprise, or as if the different world in which they find themselves requires consideration. Into it crawl, from sunrise until midnight, the same men and women, who, it may be observed, draw their breath more freely when they are away from the wide thoroughfares, and who plunge into Stoney-alley as dusty, heat-worn travellers might plunge into a refreshing bath, where the cool waters bring relief to the parched skin. What special comfort these men and women find there, would be matter for amazement to hundreds of thousands of other men and women whose ways of life, happily, lie in pleasanter places. But Stoney-alley, to these crawlers, is Home.

.....

'You're at it agin. No, I'm not Mr. Virtue' (he had to struggle with the 'V' before it would pass his lips), 'but Jimmy Wirtue-and that's not Jimmy Wice. What's your'n?'

'Merrywhistle,' replied that gentleman shortly.

.....