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 À 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 PROTÉGÉ 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 Protégé,' in the _Queen_; 'Quaker John and Yankee Bill,' 'T'Owd Squire,' 'An Ammytoor Detective,' in the _Newcastle Courant_; 'À 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.