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Article A LONDONER'S VISIT TO A NORTH YORK DALE. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Londoner's Visit To A North York Dale.
delightful dales ivhich beautify the North Riding of Yorkshire , he took a run down from London to look at it , with a view to becoming the purchaser if it suited him . It was before the days of railways , and , as the dale in question was snugly situated among the Cleveland Hills ( then hiding their immense treasures of ironstone for
the searching geological ken of a Professor Phillips to make known to a future generation , but as yet untunnelled by stalwart miners from all parts ) , the broad North York dialect Was still spoken in all its purity by the inhabitants , or natives , as I might very truthfully call them ; for most
of them were born there , lived there all their lives , died there , and were there gathered to their fathers , in the quiet " God ' s acre . " Indeed , many of them had never been out of the dale during their lives , except , perhaps , to tbe neighbouring
market town and to a few of the nearest idllages , where their " native Doric " was also spoken , so that they rarely heard and never understood any other language . After much coaching , and aided by a post-chaise at the latter portion of his journey , Mr . Tomlinson was set down at
the end of a rustic lane leading into the dale—a lane musical with the song of birds , and redolent of the perfume of many wild-flowers , but , as might be expected from its situation , far from being so level as the streets of the great metropolis ,
even Holborn Hill being smoothness itself compared with the moor road in question . Mr . Tomlinson , feeling his legs very stiff with so much riding , and wishing to promote the circulation of the blood to his benumbed extremities , on reaching the
summit of a hill , determined to run clown it . Off he set , and , gathering speed as he proceeded , went for a time at a good rate . But he was soon to be checked , for , tripping up over a large stone or natural boulder rising above the road , he was thrown over on his back in a most unpleasant manner .
A good Samaritan was at hand , in tho form of a brawny countryman , who , advancing , picked up the fallen traveller , saying , as he did so : " Weel , maister , thou ' s getten a bonny crack ! AVhativver was ta aboot te tummel like that . " Poor Mr . Tomlinson was not much
injured by his fall , although he hlu received a few slight bruises and scrubs which a medical man at a coroner ' s inques t would call " abrasions ; " and , as he brushed the dust off his clothes he began to explain matters in the following terms : " You see I was coming down the
declivity with such impetuosity that I lost my perpendicularity , and fell with such velocity that I nearly dislocated my collarbone . "
The countryman stared at him in amazement as he said this , for he mi ght as well have spoken to him in Greek or Hebrew . So when Tomlinson had clone speaking , and was feeling his shoulder to make sure that it was neither dislocated nor fractured , the poor dalesman asked :
" AVhat did tha say ?" Mr . Tomlinson repeated his remark , but ivith no better effect ; for as soon as he had done , the countryman gave a loud whistle , aud exclaimed :
"By Gox , hes a Irenchman !" Mr . Tomlinson was puzzled , for he saw at once that his language was not understood , and asked to be shown the way to the nearest hotel .
" AVhat 1 asked the dalesman , quite as much puzzled as before . " Show me the way to the nearest hotel , and I will give you half-a-crown . " " Nay , there isn ' t onny aboot here as Ah knaws on . De tha grow whahld _" " Confound you ! '' ejaculated Mr .
Tomlinson , beginning to lose his temper . " I don ' t mean any plant , but a house where I can get something to eat and drink- —an inn , tavern , or public-house . " " Oh , a public dis tha mean 1 Now Ah knaw . Cum on ; " and , taking Mr .
Tomlinsou ' s portmanteau in his hand , off ho set , and soon led the Londoner into a straggling little village , principally composed of mud-walled cottages , roofed with thatch , with roses growing about the little windowswhose diamond-shaped panes
con-, , nected together with lead sashes , were rendered firm by iron bars in stone stanchions . The inn was not hard to find , as the sign hung on a post before the house , like a murderer on a gibbet . The time had not yet come for every insignificant tavern
and beershop to take the title of an hotel , but , as Mr . Squeers remarked to Nicholas Nickleby on nearing Dotheboys Hall , " * ¦
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Londoner's Visit To A North York Dale.
delightful dales ivhich beautify the North Riding of Yorkshire , he took a run down from London to look at it , with a view to becoming the purchaser if it suited him . It was before the days of railways , and , as the dale in question was snugly situated among the Cleveland Hills ( then hiding their immense treasures of ironstone for
the searching geological ken of a Professor Phillips to make known to a future generation , but as yet untunnelled by stalwart miners from all parts ) , the broad North York dialect Was still spoken in all its purity by the inhabitants , or natives , as I might very truthfully call them ; for most
of them were born there , lived there all their lives , died there , and were there gathered to their fathers , in the quiet " God ' s acre . " Indeed , many of them had never been out of the dale during their lives , except , perhaps , to tbe neighbouring
market town and to a few of the nearest idllages , where their " native Doric " was also spoken , so that they rarely heard and never understood any other language . After much coaching , and aided by a post-chaise at the latter portion of his journey , Mr . Tomlinson was set down at
the end of a rustic lane leading into the dale—a lane musical with the song of birds , and redolent of the perfume of many wild-flowers , but , as might be expected from its situation , far from being so level as the streets of the great metropolis ,
even Holborn Hill being smoothness itself compared with the moor road in question . Mr . Tomlinson , feeling his legs very stiff with so much riding , and wishing to promote the circulation of the blood to his benumbed extremities , on reaching the
summit of a hill , determined to run clown it . Off he set , and , gathering speed as he proceeded , went for a time at a good rate . But he was soon to be checked , for , tripping up over a large stone or natural boulder rising above the road , he was thrown over on his back in a most unpleasant manner .
A good Samaritan was at hand , in tho form of a brawny countryman , who , advancing , picked up the fallen traveller , saying , as he did so : " Weel , maister , thou ' s getten a bonny crack ! AVhativver was ta aboot te tummel like that . " Poor Mr . Tomlinson was not much
injured by his fall , although he hlu received a few slight bruises and scrubs which a medical man at a coroner ' s inques t would call " abrasions ; " and , as he brushed the dust off his clothes he began to explain matters in the following terms : " You see I was coming down the
declivity with such impetuosity that I lost my perpendicularity , and fell with such velocity that I nearly dislocated my collarbone . "
The countryman stared at him in amazement as he said this , for he mi ght as well have spoken to him in Greek or Hebrew . So when Tomlinson had clone speaking , and was feeling his shoulder to make sure that it was neither dislocated nor fractured , the poor dalesman asked :
" AVhat did tha say ?" Mr . Tomlinson repeated his remark , but ivith no better effect ; for as soon as he had done , the countryman gave a loud whistle , aud exclaimed :
"By Gox , hes a Irenchman !" Mr . Tomlinson was puzzled , for he saw at once that his language was not understood , and asked to be shown the way to the nearest hotel .
" AVhat 1 asked the dalesman , quite as much puzzled as before . " Show me the way to the nearest hotel , and I will give you half-a-crown . " " Nay , there isn ' t onny aboot here as Ah knaws on . De tha grow whahld _" " Confound you ! '' ejaculated Mr .
Tomlinson , beginning to lose his temper . " I don ' t mean any plant , but a house where I can get something to eat and drink- —an inn , tavern , or public-house . " " Oh , a public dis tha mean 1 Now Ah knaw . Cum on ; " and , taking Mr .
Tomlinsou ' s portmanteau in his hand , off ho set , and soon led the Londoner into a straggling little village , principally composed of mud-walled cottages , roofed with thatch , with roses growing about the little windowswhose diamond-shaped panes
con-, , nected together with lead sashes , were rendered firm by iron bars in stone stanchions . The inn was not hard to find , as the sign hung on a post before the house , like a murderer on a gibbet . The time had not yet come for every insignificant tavern
and beershop to take the title of an hotel , but , as Mr . Squeers remarked to Nicholas Nickleby on nearing Dotheboys Hall , " * ¦