_"COUNTRY LIFE" Library of Fiction._ NORTH, SOUTH AND OVER THE SEA. By M.E. FRANCIS (Mrs. Francis Blundell.) _with Illustrations by H.M. BROCK._ 1902. NOTE _Some of these stories have already appeared in "The Cornhill Magazine," "Longmans' Magazine," and "Country Life," and are reprinted by kind permission of the Editors of these periodicals._ CONTENTS NORTH GOLDEN SALLY "TH' OWDEST MEMBER" THE CONQUEST OF RADICAL TED HEATHER IN HOLBORN SENTIMENT AND "FEELIN'" SOUTH THE ROMANCE OF BROTHER JOHN GILES IN LUCK "THE WOLD LOVE AND THE NOO" BLACKBIRD'S INSPIRATION THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND HIM OVER THE SEA ELLENEY IN ST. PATRICK'S WARD THE FLITTING OF THE OLD FOLKS "THE SPIDER AND THE GOUT" ROSEEN GOLDEN SALLY The long warm day was drawing to its close; over the sandhills yonder the sun was sinking in a great glory of scarlet and purple and gold. The air was warm still, and yet full of those myriad indescribable essences that betoken the falling of the dew; and mingling with, yet without dominating them, was the sweet penetrating odour of newly-cut hay. John Dickinson walked moodily along the lane that led first to his uncle's wheat-field, and then to the sandhills. He was a tall, strapping young fellow, broad of shoulder and sturdy of limb, with nevertheless something about him which betokened that he was not country bred. His face was not brown enough, his hands were not rough enough, the shirt sleeves, rolled up above his elbow, were not only cleaner than those of the ordinary rustic after a hard day, but displayed arms whereof the tell-tale whiteness proclaimed that they were little used to such exposure. These arms ached sorely now; all day long had John been assisting in "carrying," and the hours spent in forking the hay from the ground to the cart had put his new-found ardour for a country life to a severe test. John had been born and brought up in Liverpool, having since he left school acted as assistant in his father's shop. But on the latter's death, his affairs were found to be so hopelessly involved that it was impossible for his family to carry on the business. Mrs. Wilson and her daughters had obtained employment in "town," and John had announced his intention of taking to farming. Having been more or less master in his father's small establishment he could not brook the idea of accepting a subordinate post in the same way of business; and, indeed, as his mother's brother, burly old Richard Waring of Thornleigh, had offered to take him into his household and teach him his work, there seemed to be no reason why he should not adopt the career which was more to his mind.