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    TALES OF NORTHUMBRIA




    BY THE SAME AUTHOR

    BORDERLAND STUDIES
    THE MARK O' THE DEIL
    THE WHITE-FACED PRIEST




    TALES OF
    NORTHUMBRIA

    BY
    HOWARD PEASE

    METHUEN & CO.
    36 ESSEX STREET, W.C.
    LONDON

    1899




    TO
    EARL GREY

    EVER KEENLY INTERESTED IN WHATEVER
    CONCERNS HIS NATIVE COUNTY
    THESE SKETCHES OF NORTHUMBRIAN CHARACTER
    ARE DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR




CONTENTS


                                         PAGE

    NORTHUMBERLAND                          1

    'A LONG MAIN'                           7

    THE SQUIRE'S LAST RIDE                 29

    [`A] L'OUTRANCE                        41

    'T'OWD SQUIRE'                         59

    AN 'AMMYTOOR' DETECTIVE                79

    'IN MEMORIOV'M'                       109

    'THE HECKLER' UPON WOMENFOLK          121

    THE 'CALEB JAY'                       133

    GEORDIE ARMSTRONG 'THE JESU-YTE'      147

    'GEORDIE RIDE-THE-STANG'              165

    YANKEE BILL AND QUAKER JOHN           187

    THE PROT['E]G['E]                     209

    THE SPANISH DOUBLOON                  243




The tales that go to make up this small volume have already appeared
in print: the first part of the Introduction, 'A Long Main,' 'In
Memoriov'm,' in the _National Observer_; 'The Prot['e]g['e],' in the
_Queen_; 'Quaker John and Yankee Bill,' 'T'Owd Squire,' 'An Ammytoor
Detective,' in the _Newcastle Courant_; '[`A] l'Outrance,' in the
_Newcastle Weekly Chronicle_; and the remaining six in the _Newcastle
Daily Leader_. I desire to tender my thanks herewith to the various
editors concerned.




TALES OF NORTHUMBRIA




NORTHUMBERLAND


It is generally admitted that your Northumbrian pre-eminently
possesses the quality which the pious but worldly Scotchman was used
to pray for, namely, 'a guid conceit o' hissel'.'

It is the more unfortunate, therefore, that of late years a
considerable landslip should have taken place in the ground whereon
his reputation rested.

The local poet no longer hymns the 'Champions o' Tyneside,' for
Chambers and Renforth and other heroes have long since departed,
leaving 'no issue.'

Advancing civilization, again, has, it is to be feared, made havoc of
the proud insularity of the Northumbrian squirearchy. No longer are
they content, like the Osbaldistones of yore, to devote themselves to
cellar and stable, to stay at home, contemptuous of London and its
politics, of travel and of new ideas. 'Markham's Farriery' and the
'Guide to Heraldry' have lost their pristine charm, and the
Northumbrian is, as a consequence, foregoing his ancient
characteristics merely to become provincial.

'Geordie Pitman' alone makes a stand against all modern innovation.
Firm in his pele tower of ancient superiority, he is still convinced
of the superiority of all things Northumbrian.

'Champions' may have died out elsewhere, and patriotism be decayed in
the higher social ranks, but in the pit-village there still lingers an
admirable quantity of the old self-love.

In each separate village you may find some half-dozen self-styled
'champions' who will match themselves against 'any man in the world'
for [GBP]10 or [GBP]15 a side at their own particular hobby or pastime.

Defeat has little effect upon a 'champion': like Antaeus, he picks
himself up the stronger for a fall, and having advertised himself in
the papers as 'not being satisfied' with his beating, challenges
another attempt forthwith.

       *       *       *       *       *

Now this self-satisfaction--though somewhat decayed of late--is
probably one of the oldest strains in the Northumbrian character,
having been developed, doubtless, in the first instance, under stress
of constant raid and foray, and but little affected thereafter--owing
to the remoteness of the county both from the universities and from
London--by the higher standards of softer and more civilized centres.

After this, the next most predominant trait is a love of sport,