Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: September 16, 2025
"You must see a good deal of the coarser-grained human material here in Crossbourne," remarked Dr Prosser to the vicar, as they strolled together in the garden in the evening after their meeting. "When I last had the pleasure of visiting you, before you came to this living, your parishioners were of a more civilised stamp."
The day that followed the great temperance meeting was one full of excitement to the operatives of Crossbourne. Every mill and workshop resounded with the eager hum of conversation and conjecture touching the marvellous occurrence of the previous evening the speech and conduct of William Foster.
He showed us plenty of infidel weeds; but as for the Scripture flowers, they was so smothered by the sceptical objections, it'd take a sharp eye to notice 'em at all." "You don't think, then, my friend," asked the doctor, "that this apologetic style this parade of candour in stating the views and objections of the sceptical is of much use among the people of Crossbourne?"
Now, if you positively refuse to drink the toast I have just named in spirits, we shall be constrained to anoint you all over from head to foot with our ointment, and then to sprinkle you with the feathers; in so doing, we shall be affording an amusing spectacle to the inhabitants of Crossbourne, and shall be doing yourself a real kindness, by furnishing you with abundant means of `feathering your own nest."
It's a fine thing when you can stick by the rule, `A place for everything, and everything in its place." But now it is not to be supposed for a moment that a man like Thomas Bradly could escape without a great deal of persecution in such a place as Crossbourne. All sorts of hard names were heaped upon him by those who were most rebuked by a life so manifestly in contrast to their own.
Not a word about this to living soul, mates. I'm sure we all see as that's our line; and a blessed thing it'll be if we manage to keep clear of another scrape. This one's been bad enough, I'm sure." So all slunk quietly back to their own homes. And next day all Crossbourne was horrified to hear that Joe Wright had been found on the line cut to pieces by some train that had run over him.
"Saint Foster," said Levi Sharples, who stood just behind the lantern, and spoke in a sneering, snuffling voice, "we don't wish you any harm; but we have brought your saintship before our right worshipful court, that you may answer to the charge brought against you, of having deserted your old principles and companions, and inflicted much inconvenience and discredit on the cause of free-thought and good fellowship in Crossbourne.
Such was Crossbourne some forty years back. But now, what a marvellous change! Coal has been found close by, and the little village has leapt, as if by magic, into a thriving town. Huge factories and foundries rise from the banks of the stream; the ford is spanned by a substantial bridge; the corn-mill has disappeared, and so have the rheumatic-looking old mossy cottages.
But the next step is just to leave all in the Lord's hands for the present." And so it was left. Week after week rolled by, and James Barnes continued firm to the pledge which he had signed in Thomas Bradly's "Surgery." And now the usual time for holding the annual meeting of the "Crossbourne Temperance Society" had come round, and a meeting was accordingly advertised to be held in the Town Hall.
And, to make all complete, Crossbourne now boasts of a railway running through it, and of a station of its own, from which issues many a train of goods; and near the station a distillery, from which there issues continually a long and lengthening train of evils.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking