Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BLUEBELL M E A D O W
T T
T H E N she c m home i n the
W W
g f r o m r e a d i n g i n the
tall beeches, a m i r o u n d a
right-angled
h a n d to hurst over a waterfall a n d
a salmon h a p - ( ) n the right bank,
a n d a bow th< f a l l , a sluice gate r e g u lated th< ( l o w of a m i l l r a c e . A h u n dred yards d o w n s t r e a m , the millrace
was carried in aqueduct over a r o u g h
m o u n t a i n stream that came d o w n to
join the river. B e t w e e n river a n d race
a n d m o u n t a i n stream was a t r i a n g u l a r
park of five or six acres, w i t h seats h\
the watersides and swings for c h i l d r e n .
H e r favorite seat was under a tall
nib r a n d rlostr to the c o r n e r where
the m o u n t a i n stream m e t th< river.
Because blm k lis _ o w in the woods o n
the far side of the millrace, the plao
was ailed B l u bell M e a d o w .
W h e n the riv< r was n o t i n flood, a
4 T \
1 he c a n v a s bag on his b a c k
was sod-
Vli
The
i k
w o r d s impressed
him. I k said,
(hipping
. . . Explosive
. . . Long
Proclaims
overdue
failure
the
of
. . . True
our
never t h o u g h t oi h i m as an ambassa-
first,
knee-deep a c r o s s a
P r o t e s t a n t s o u t of the w a y , and it t h a t
don
shallow b a r o f g r a v e l , a n d w a l k i n g o n
a c r o s s a green
send t h e m t o h e l l w i t h t h e i r r e d - w l t t t e -
'What,
then?
matchmaker?
the)
go-between?
A gooseberry?"
wen
both
then w a d i n g
hill
t o w a r d the d e e p s
laughing.
Lofty
was a b l o n d , t a l l , freckled f e l l o w , w i t h
and
the
above
r o d dipping
and
twiddling
h i m , a n d the laden, h a g
even
and-blue."
N u r s e r y rhymes,
She sat facing h e r aunt in the t r a i n ,
t h o u g h sir. k n e w it w a s full of d e a d ,
a n d her
sir
g a p i n g t r o u t . She
ware
Ike a trout.
I d love o n e .
l
* I
can
in McCaslan's
J >
$1 op up at the w a t e r f a l l
V* ho w i l l I 1.11 m \ a u n t a n d uncle
gave m e the t r o u t ? "
and a trout
jumped
out at
vouA
left las h a g a n d r o d w h e r e they
beauty of L o u g h
was a well-known
fisherman,
a jewel-
Lofty
and
his p e o p l e
w e r t unrespectable,
Her
Then
ocean
th< \
excursion
train
to
Bun-
just
once,
"You
Superior. N o end
were
hearing Lofty's
prejudices
an
said,
Lake
for ever)
to
people,
witi
uncle
should se<
hack
long
V - / in
H t came
They
the
E r n e , w h i c h has a n
wooded or p a s t o r a l ,
her
all
island,
gk
tin
at
sat beside
looking
town.
lh
uncle
quiet,
w a s h a d m a d e h e r a gift of t h e t r o u t ,
T e l l t h e m n o t h i n g . T e l l t h e m you
whistled
k n e w he w a s a pop-
about
and
a l l quiet,
the
who,
religion
with
over-
w h o had
mother,
of
no
the
three
other
corridor
from
t h e m , She had a g o o d - n a t u r e d , c a r r y -
heard
i n g voice, a n d r e a l h
Jh
west to B u n d o r a n but w e n t n o r t h
trout,
bloody
look; d sadly
Lofty
said,
mouth
up a t the
c
I'd
like
gaping,
t w o of t h e m ,
t o go out w i t h
you.
I m o f t e n o u t . Here "
So h.. laughed and
t r o u t , and
tht
falls,
went
casting
Jean's
telling
funny
to
P o r t r u s h . T h e sea w a s sectarian. W h a t
were th< w i l d waves saying?
A t Port-
about
the
young
fellow
sins and
t h e papishes every
her the
Protestant
toward
Or
at
heard
no
hut you m a s t
harry
handed
hank
have
to c o n f e s s i o n ,
Protestant
I mean
one,
drive
tla.
disrespect
w a s fun to listen
r u s h : " S l e w t e r , s l a u g h t e r , holy w a t e r ,
o n upstream
from
mother
at
boys w i l l e a r n
Bundoran: " O n
D a y , jolly a n d gay, w e l l
more
told
women
h i m a story
i n it than
that
King
had
Solo-
the d r u m . "
St. Patrick's
kick a l l the
36
R E B E C C A ,
14
says h
T h e t r a i n dived t h r o u g h a t u n a - I of
w a i t , i d a \ . t i n u , forget. Years,
s ears, i a- m , sseng
w h o sits e >n the nest
id the one
one
was - i l l that
Ne>bod)
good.
< \ er
. th< penguin
a t a t i m e , a n d a l s o l i k e the
one
told
be c o m i n g yourself: the messenger h g r o w i n g
me.**
s t r i n g , t o u g h feet for l a u d ,
butter-yellow
8kke rs d o w n o n h e r t h r o u g h th*
spiralling branche s of t h . great conife r.
L o f t ) is o n the. v e r i tip o f the
leather
peninsula
o j sand and g r a v e l , d e m o n s t r a t i n g i u
casting to half a d o / - , n e l d l d r e n w h o
a sunun
impressed
w r i t i n g l o n g p a g e s , t e a r i n g t h e m up
VALENTINE
i t o the t r
n w h i c h the s u n l i g h t ^s
reall) alive, creeping r o u n d the great
bolespots of light leaping tiki birds
flash of
trucks, the gun
brass b u t t o n s a n d pipe-clayed belts. I n
because
c u t it r e t s like an overripe
melon
and is useless as firewood, d i e leaves
a r c targe, glossy, a n d deep green, like
laurel leaves
and a l s o bitter. But
they give shade f r o m the bare sun to
makes h e r feel
nam
most!) M o t h e r o f G* d b l u e . W h a t t h i
S : . i r r o n is for, ccept v a r i e u o f a sort,
she can't guess. L o f t y ' s r a t t l i n g , restless t a l k w o u l d lift M o t h , r T e r e s a out
d her froze n black
rigidity.
H1 h u m o r , n n ,oity, witii
and
beast,
and
men
mark
the \v
net
w a s . A p r i l the
first
r i m e la
burn.
sat
be-
side her
I t is n o w m i d - J u n e . He r
school w i l l close s o o n for the holidays,
and she w i l l no longer K compelled
t o w e a r the u n i f o r m
black stock,1
blue
clri
if
r:
stripes
Not
that
thev are
her.
star-cross d
R o m e o . T h e i hav< n ' t
he
thinks
she m i g h t he*. T h a t
for h i m as she
might
Loft)
himself r e a d s a lot o f m i l i t a r j
books-
was a w k w a r d . A n d a bit w i l d
i
lot of L o f t i
\ \ go w i t h the
worh
the splen
r gularly.
Lofty
They
can
hold hands
re ad
palm
an
a l w a y s ther<
hav*
i rav t u hy a w a t e r he n o r
fish
been
t g l i s h-.ssa\ s f r o m C a v t o n t o Be l l o
>f froth
f r o m the
i n us,
" T h e y h a w us s u r r o u n d e d ,
bouched, and c t r c u m n a v i
" W e ' l l tell M a n a n n ,
The
r i m -.
British
s o l d i , rs
who
are
i t n use sist*
Sltgo, o n e f r o m W e x f o r d
Lancashire
tualh
falls.
ne s a w
enfiladed,
dis-
rat
ads
Orange woman.
generals, N a -
campaigns and
in
England
likes t h e m . The
right up ta the
Lancashire
lad climbs
sh green of w o o d s she
on i n the t o w n a n d tells t h e m
about
it
Then
can see
the
I K has a l u r i d i m a g i n a t i o n .
they
go
away
toward
the
waterfall,
APRIL t 4,
197
w i t h h i m . It w. s a pubfree-and-eas) t o w n , and
.. right to sit where he
this was her o w n seat
black
man
almost exclusively
L o f t ) was there.
said, " T h e
ScotchicS
That's the Hi
ht'cuiti\v.!
hov.st\
t\:o
lovely
rmldrfii.
Mr.
ItfcCastan had m e n t i o n e d tin.
m a t t r to t h e m . T h e y had been o f l e n -
sive
a n d even
t h r e a t e n i n g to th
old
behind t h e m . I t was f u n n y ,
dog d i d n ' t
bark or
wttn
growl
i rtain
i r ot quiet d e t e r m i n a t i o n and w o u l d n ' t
[as far as she k n e w ) savage
nybody.
B u t he was a big d o g , < ven \ r a box< r ,
and the retreat oi the miscreants was
faster than th. Keystone C o p s . Sac
l a u g h e d so m u c h that the book f e l l on
t h - grass. T h . black m a n picked it up
a n d sat d o w n beside her. S i r thought
o f h i m ..s a b l . u k n a m n o t becaus* h<
w a s a N e g r o but because h e r u n c l e
had told l a r that he was a n a m b c r of
tie
B l a c k Preceptor)', w h i c h w a s a
special branch of t h O r a n g e O r d e r ,
She had seen h i m w a l k i n g last T w e l f t h
of [lily in the big parade in m e m o n
of tla B a t t l e of the B o y n e . I K had
w o r n tla b l a c k sash, w i t h shining m t a l l i c esoteric insignia attached, as had
the other o w n w h o marched beside
him
T h e c o n t i n g e n t that f o l l o w e d
w o r t blue sashes and were supposed
T h e drums d r u m m e d , thi
banners
II
filled
his pip< a n d lit i t . T h
smell of tobacco w a s v... Icome. Ir m i g h t
have b e e n her i m a g i n a t i o n , but u n t i l he
p u l l e d and puffed and sent the t o b a c c o
smell out a r o u n d t h e m she had t h o u g h t
that the resinous air u n d e r the tree: was
pollute d b) the o d o r s of the butcher's
- s h o p , H e said that th< salmon were a
sight to see l e a p i n g th : falls w h e n they
w e n t r u n n i n g upstream. She said that
sh< had o f t e n watched t h e m ,
" F i n told you're v r\ friendly w i t h
a w e l l - k n o w n y o u n g fisherman of m>
p. r s u a s t o u . "
" W i n not?"
But it occurred to i n r that the)
hadn't been c h u m m i n g i t up or a n a t h i n g >. Isi before
the w h o h
town.
W h a t eyes could have s p u d on t h e m
on this e ne hante d island f
" H i s uncle's a tyler, that's w h y . "
" I never k n e w he had an m a i , "
I ! i s m o t h e r ' s brother is a tyler and
\ t i y strie t . "
"What's a tyler?"
k k
i s h o u l d n ' t r e p e a t i t , lassie. B u t 1
w i l l , t o impress on you how serious i t
ts. A tyler ht is and a s t r i c t one.
W a s n ' t i t h i m spoke u p to h a v e L o f t )
h t i n t o the B-Speciafs?"
" D o n ' t a s k me. I never k n e w ha
was a B-Spe rial."
B u t one dav (of a joke, she ta m m -
39
handful
of bullets.
i he nuns w o u l d n ' t tell vou this at
school, but the B-Specials were set up
by Sir Basil B r o o k e to hold Ulstet
against the Pope and the Republic of
Ireland."
'
1 be nuns for sure hadn't t o l d her
a n y t h i n g o( the sort- - M o t h e r T e r e s a ,
w h o was very s t r o n g on p a r i t y and
being
lad)
and
not
sitting
lib
m a n , w i t h y o u r l e g - c r o s s e d , had never
once m e n t i o n e d t i e . defensive
heroi s m s of the B-Specials, w h o , out in
country places, went a b o u t at night
v.it 1 i g u n s and in black u n i f o r m s , h o l d
tng up Cathe>lic neighbors and aski n g t h e m their names a n d addresses
w i n c h the)' knew ver) well to begin
w i t h , d d i e Levft) s h e knew in d a \ l i g h t
b) this l a u g h i n g r i v e r d i d n ' t s em
hi cut out fe>r sucl n o c t u r n a l cap- rs.
this t o w n / '
any w i n re
Lancashire
and beJ n
stick. T h e
LR.A."
" I ' m not a F< m a n n o r an L R . A . "
sine
"Youha.
Roman
Catholic,
sense. T h e y o u n g haw no w i t . W h a t
would Mothei I
sa sa) if she h e a r d
you we
company
with a
P
that he w o u l d n ' t
about l i e boost . '
Protestant:
" W h o w o u l d tell h
vou;
A n d there i s n ' t a m
have
o t h e r S o r t . Sir
one
of
them
"Sir W h o V I t r "
"I
Ht knock*
and put it a w a y .
B-Speci
otfk ,
having
first
a ne!
m i g h t . F o r yoi
for L o f t y . "
"Speak w i t h respect,
j o u n g lassie A t v h r, a l t h o u g h f s h o u l d n ' t tell
\ i m the se cr. t, is a big
m a n i n th O r a n g e O r de r at d. t c t i n g i n t r u d rs. H i s obligation i - this:
' ] do s o l m n l ) d. clan
that I w i l l o faithful w
m\
oinie as a monkey u p a
b l a c k m a n calmed himself.
aren't
duu< s of
The
* V o u r o w n clerg) a r e ( h a d set a g a i n s t
"It
i t s unci
km w
that the t w o of v o i : , and
you a Catholic g i r l , we re
r a m tng i n, the re a!
he 11 up< in . a r t h . "
the
else r
Fhe pi a s a n t tohaco
th
< )i
reekled,
Phe
ar<i t a
"A
Or
Half
was
a..a
In ta.
Kaiser
lodge
n u t, and
hi
is still
cciting. l a k e
th
rom
t he ( ] mean*
oil.
ce ii v e n wno was
. clergyman
was
a Protes-
ular iok
it w a s a
m mia r
n o v.
ulsion
O r , f o r that m a t t e r
fot
ride between
herself a n a
water
things
tut
-another
m a n on
d he
to make a
to have b u l -
1 .>an.
\ of \ou
Reggrh
tla. footballer, \ o n
a chair
or
he
s* i g* ant ca >uldn
had
no
sun.. The
rh,.
rod
end
n I and
childre n calle d
,n-,v,i
e j, kill k
wa
r.a.j
urn
i m mat i nine
he should
hlea
h< ta >re m m
I ana
right
high as M t .
anc
hr
n a - u i n sp.
rattrap
r, G
( ra7\
a h r w h o went
to
t rank
r h tt
about
spying on
r
th
ulv>
with
arum
also
Re * n n
seldom,
was
a.
to match. A Worshipful M a s t .
Worshipful
is w i n t e r . O n e w h o l * week, the p a r k
is flooded. Sir. c o u l d n ' t xactl) r t , mher w i n n it was that L o f t ) h a d
\
If u
r u e , ge kou-natun if
w e l l . I t w a s r h ar t h a t "the
O l d l o w w h i t house - h u e th
hill
p f r o m t h e b r o o k and the c u mat
rative ci ana. ry t o the ce l i t e r i f t l u
St, he pre t ,
\ , ant
or
tnat
t s p e a k to anybody
ithout mentioning
i his hair up the
gK . w t < i pan.
d d k , w o r loud scarves, and played
what's
vvaIrani
fiVMYl
neva r,
kne w . I t w a - a row. n ! aa
shoulder-high
skt d I i m again. * 1
had
d a a d of
ranis
qua t, His
. I ne t o w n is \ r\
t h e r belt creaks and
strains to Isold h i m together. ' I he butt
ol his pistol, his black baton case shine.
Mack to the w a l l in the d a y r o o m ,
Lofty
sits,
pah
and
nervous,
p r o w , a n d a dozen boyfriends oi a
creeds a n d classes. N o t h i n g sectaria
a b o u t G l a d y s , w h o w a s one of his o w
k i n d and th daughter of a W nrshif
fnl M a s t e r . Somebod) should tell t l
eye
on
her
But
t w o of t h e m . "
Her
own
set'
at
savs,
Orang
she
walked
Hall
on the
slowh
way
past
tl
home, sl
i i r. sa
^ia.
he
"There
v a s n t una i h a r m in i t . '
" N t n f o r the g i r l , " says the n
bind the desk. " B u t fot h i m a bre
disdpline."
Loft)
has surel)
n e v e r sti
sl
M >tin r
at w i l l ta- a w kwarc
, V\ h it w o u l d
on
c r e a k i n g cam. chair. Sir has never noticed before that he has a Stutter. A n o t h e r sergeant sits behind i desk and
make, s notes. Tv%o y o u n g constable s ar<
Laughing in t i n b a c k - r o u n d . T h e black
a n comes in am
ys, " I w a r n e d the
V'knu,
ryh r to k e e p an
think
h) R t g g i e was a sp* e i a l d i s t i n c t i o n .
blu
and
might
went
aim
r,
T b a
%l
>thal] v e n
J h
A lost
i marks.
w
11.
n g a i , to re
ol ' . tV a n
win n
thought
o u n d to s a v i n g was " L o f t y ,
in
reel ma
ana \ <
in th city of R o m e .
A l l this she meant to m e n t i o n to
L o r n the. next time he came to the seat
i.
\ou follow,
passing
although M o t h i
k. d its branch
>wn
The
oi
-till l i v i n g ,
led on t o w a r d t l a
bet
btugh]
h SlK.
it
e a the
w a n a rl j r r girls against.
" Y o u ' l l h a w . tro
o rnewu
com* ,aL v e
barracks w i t h me, I ' l l walk ahead and
T h e g r e a t tree
Loft)
R o m a n Ca-tholii.
In t
black
tion i n m a r r y u
was g r a t e f u l .
war.
sings.
e child)
gre 'e n e a n s a e
bvi
Roman Catholic C h u
a"-. SSUrc e >n a p a r nt*
w o u l d M o t h e r Teresa t h i n k i f t h e ser-
tie
r r e c pt< i
Is parents
them.
have
His admissie
voce
ston
Or
Grand
yot
bullets
think if v i a k m u
H i g h on its
i William
wall
ivotild
a 11A
convert
ck-
I liv<
t t o
lovaM,
41
her
topping mad
"Sacred Heart
unci,
walks
i n , and
so
t n a t n, seems to hav< a
o n g t i m e , and the)
listen
respectfully,
'You
o t h e r black m e n do,
Uncle?"
"The)
small
shot.
Here,
a h e l l u v a fuss
'A
breach
of disi i p l i n e , " s a w t h
r p< ats it m a n )
walk b o n a
time s as t h . \
together.
while , and w e n t to
thi
t o w n art<
w o r k in L o n d o n . O n a , bona on bohdays, sia
and
murders
No
l a u g h i n g Lancashire, bo) i n B r i t -
thi
another, tla
hi
tall
r
tree
iS L<- >n.
soldi, rs go about in
and checkpoints at t i n e n d s of
tla. t o w n . A s a
"Nowadays,
woman
said
to
we
Specials,"
And
I
he s h o u l d n ' t have been t o o l i n g
but n e v e r d i d . T l u H i t l e r w a r cam* o n .
S i n . m a r r i e d a n A m e r i c a n , and w e n t to
east
and
live i n , of a l l places, D e t r o i t . H e r
a was
government
ss-
un-
tim
:roit:
bombings
jiwno
the
all the
tla
ait
then
gan.
"Hut,
la ta
national
ror
soldier? f r o m the N o r t h
young
E n g l a n d cities d o i n g their
but
t o o k off f o r home, and
HtUets."
luct*ant
of
" W h a t did t h
tnd
have
aunt.
n a policeman in D e Some
N e g r o trouble
from
t h e n , am
Remembering
her,
walked,
the
was on p a t r o l w i t h a trained m a n . T h e
, \ w ma
black n a n , and
millrace
tin o w n
clobbe rs the
onscious.
stoops d o w i
first
teak
nam unma he
broken
down
grass g r e w
n t o s t ,<d the
,
island.
a
T
to
foot
a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , that she
had
eon a
KIELI
*an
high
hulh I . "
pudg).
holster,
ot t l u
over
was
Rank
h. d h
where
thi river in fierce ii^^d
had
taken e v e r y t h i n g hefoia i t . T h e e h i l dren's s w i n g - - a n d all the seats were
maids
p i s t o ] out
plank.
to n . u s t t
wr
t i n people
i t w a s a w i d e t r a c k of s a n d a n d g r a v e l ,
ther
takes the
ih<
trained
town,
where
da) a f t e r .
aid,
C a s l a n a n d his d o g d i e d .
( >klahom.
>nii), is a n a n a u - o u t
Newry,
wors
and
shoots
one , t
by J u l )
22.Arts
Dull*
tin,