Tim Yardley's Year (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... TIM AND HIS CHRISTMAS PUDDING. IM YARDLEY was for once in his life in luck. There, lying close beside the beaten track, and half sunk in the soft snow that bordered it, was a large, handsome morocco-leather purse. Tim stooped and picked it up. It was plump and heavy. He opened it. Within were various divisions: in one were a number of pieces of silver; in a second at least a dozen bright golden sovereigns; and in another, which shut up by itself, some folded pieces of crisp, white paper. Tim stared at his treasure-trove in simple wonder. He could not all at once take in the extent of his good fortune. His chief feeling was one of bewilderment. That he, Tim Yardley, should have become possessed of all that quantity of gold and silver seemed as though it could only be a dream. Yet there was no question about his being wide awake. The keen, frosty air which nipped his fingers and toes gave him positive assurance on that point. And it was real money--money which would buy and pay for such things as were sorely needed in Tim's home. For this winter had brought hard times to Anthony Yardley's cottage. Since the beginning of the cold weather the old man had again been unable to work, and the family had had no regular weekly income except Tim's very, very small wages; whilst the sharp, settled frost of the past fortnight had caused the pinchings of poverty to be more severely felt than usual. Tim was still engaged at the Holt, where, for his grandfather's sake, Mr. Pegler found something for him to do. He had no regular occupation now, but went on errands and did any odd work that might need doing. This particular day he had been sent by Mrs. Pegler to Kinborough, and it was on the high-road to that town, and some half mile beyond his own village of Dilton, that ...