We must not be afraid of emotion, at least, not of right emotion; nor must we be shy of offering our highest tributes of admiration to honour, virtue, and real greatness. We must not be ashamed to mention honourable deeds, and we must teach our children that honourable failure is better than dishonourable success. Life is not all an armchair for youth to rest in, or a country of roast larks even for the youngest, and there are higher and better things even than having "a good time." Such were the thoughts that flashed through my brain as I lighted my yellow Broseley-ware candlestick and went up the oak stairs to bed. --------------------- The next day, as soon as I had finished breakfast, I got a message from our old gardener, Burbidge, to the effect that he wished to speak to me, and that at once. [Sidenote: BROTHER BEN IS "OVERLOOKED"] I found the old man in the long lower passage of the monks. "What is it?" I asked. "Nothing wrong in the garden?" "Not so bad as that; but 'tis about my brother as I've come." "Your brother, Burbidge?" I repeated. "I did not even know that you had one." "Well," replied Burbidge, "'tisn't often as I speak of him, and 'tis twenty year agone since I've seen 'im, for when folks be hearty yer needn't trot round the country like a setter to see 'em; but now as Benjamin is old and in danger, I think as I'd better have a day off, and go and see him." "Where does he live?" I asked. "At Clun, just outside the town," was Burbidge's reply. "He's been there these seventy year, and more. When he were quite a lad he lived at Bridgnorth, but over seventy year he have a-lived with Farmers Benson--first with Farmer James, then with his son Joshua, and lastly with his grandson, Farmer Caleb. Benjamin he have a-buried two wives and thirteen childer, and the berrial of the lot have a-come upon him like tempest in summer. But he have allus kept hale and hearty--till this year." "Has Benjamin been able to work all these years?" I inquired. "Of course he 'ave," replied Burbidge, scornfully. "Of course he did, till he war _overlooked_." "Overlooked?" I said, and turned to Burbidge puzzled. After a pause, Burbidge, seeing that I did not realize the full importance of his statement, repeated, "Overlooked, and by a _black_ witch too." And then he lowered his voice and added, "For all their education, parsons, newspapers and what not, there be black witches, and some of 'em has hearts as black as hell, and can suck the very life out of a fellow." "But surely your brother doesn't believe that _now_?"