A Surprising Legacy. Ernest Swain
is she? Is she alright?”
The pleading in her voice and the wringing of her hands betrayed the agony that she was going through. Taking Sarah gently by the shoulders and looking straight into her eyes, he said,
“Ruth’s fine. She’s waiting for me just outside. She’s staying with me and I’m looking after her. They’re going to release you on the eighth, that’s just seven days time, and we shall both be waiting for you outside when you’re set free”. She took Amos’s hands in both of hers and squeezed. The mixture of anguish and gratitude inside her welled up and the tears cascaded down her cheeks.
“Thank you, thank you. Thank you a thousand times. Please keep her safe for me. I don’t know how I shall ever repay you”. Amos quickly silenced her putting a finger to her lips, saying, “Hush now, there’s no need to talk of repayment. I just want to help you both”.
Outside once more, Amos drew in deep lungs full of clean fresh air, pleased to escape the acrid air of the prison and the unpleasant smell of bad breath. He pulled his coat around him as he hurried down the road to where Ruth waited with the horse. She looked at him with wide eyes full of anticipation. Amos couldn’t help the tears welling in his eyes as he spoke to her. He tried hard to hide his emotion but it was to no avail.
“I’ve seen your ma and she’s alright. She’s been worried about you but I’ve told her that you’re staying with me and we’ll both be waiting here for her when she’s set free in seven days time.” Turning towards the horse he tried to hide his tears which he wiped away with the sleeve of his jacket. The ride back to the caravan wasn’t going to seem half as far.
The week was going to pass very slowly for them both but Amos had a remedy to take their minds away from the days of waiting – the strategy was work. After a good breakfast the next morning, they headed towards a small farm on the sloping land towards the foot of the Roaches, a high rocky formation, separating the pasture land from the high moors. As with most farms in this area it was rented from the large Swythamly Estate, and the living was hard. As they walked into the farm yard a dog ran to greet them, barking excitedly.
An elderly gentleman looked out from the doorway of a cattle shed, and seeing Amos, shouted,
“Amos owd friend, how art thee?” and then catching sight of Ruth hiding behind him, continued, “and who be the young un?”
“I’m well Master John, and this here’s my young friend, Ruth”. The farmer obviously knew Amos and knew full well that he didn’t have a child of his own, but Amos chose not to elaborate at that moment, and Master John didn’t pursue it. Leaning his fork against the shed, he said,
“Come thee in and see Sissie”, and he led them toward the house. Before they had chance to cross the yard, a large motherly figure appeared in the open doorway, beaming a welcome.
“Amos, what a surprise. Yer lookin’ well - but who’s this young lass?”
“I’m well Mistress Sissie, this is my friend Ruth”.
Mistress Sissie looked slightly puzzled but said nothing. She turned her large frame sideways and held out her arm, inviting them into the kitchen,
“Come thee in and hae breakfast wi’ us”.
Amos graciously declined breakfast but accepted a warm drink.
“I’ve come to ask if you could find me some work for perhaps a day or two?” he said.
“Well, the hays in and there’s not much to do”, and then after a moment’s hesitation, he rubbed his chin in thoughtful expression and continued, “but come to think o’ it, ar could do wi’ somebody to cetch some moles. The little blighters are starting to mek a mess o’ me hay medders agen”, said Master John. Amos asked Ruth if she would like to have a look around the farm at the animals whilst he organised the day’s work, and Master John added,
“There’s an old sow wi’ a litter in yon shed”, pointing across the yard. Ruth was only too eager and with the farm dog for company she skipped across the yard to explore.
Amos took the opportunity to explain the situation regarding Ruth. He knew that whatever he said would be treated in confidence. He held the couple in high regard, so he related the story of their meeting;
“I’d set some snares and I had some time to kill before I went back to them, so I went to that barn on the roadside going up towards Halsmere. I went inside to rest and that’s when I found Ruth, she was hiding there. She came to me at the caravan and I fed her. She told me the story about her mother being arrested and how she managed to run away before they caught her too.” He paused, seeing the raised eyebrows of Mistress Sissie.
“Look, before you say anything, I’ve found out where her mother is – she’s in the gaol on the Stafford Road. I’ve been to see her and she’s being released in a week’s time. The problem is she has nowhere to go and no means of looking after herself or the child, so… I’m offering them the chance to stay with me”
Master John and Mistress Sissie listened intently without saying a word until Amos had finished and then Mistress Sissie, grasped the nettle and said,
“Well now Amos, just think fer a moment what yer doin’. You’ve looked after the child, an’ credit to yer, but when her mother comes out o’ gaol she’s no longer your responsibility, after all, yer know nothin’ about her”.
Amos drew a long breath and looked the couple squarely before answering,
“Yes, I only know what Ruth has told me, and I know I’m taking on responsibilities of which I’ve no need, but I am involved now, and in all honesty, I couldn’t turn the child away to live as she’s been living these last weeks. I’ve decided that when her mother is released I’ll offer her shelter. If she decides not to accept, that’s beyond my control, but I know that if she returns to a life sleeping under hayricks and begging for food, then not only will she become seriously ill, she’ll almost certainly end up in gaol again. At best she’ll end up in the poor house somewhere”.
“Yer a kind mon Amos an’ I hope things g’ well for yer. It’s a big responsibility to tek on, an’ a big risk – after all yer don’t know ’em. All I’ll say is just be careful, because there’s them who’d brand yer wi’ the Devil’s mark just fer associating wi’ such a woman. There’s bin a lot o’ trouble lately an’ I know feelin’s are runnin’ high”,
and with those words of warning Mistress Sissie passed Amos his drink.
He knew that what she was saying was said with only the best of intentions and deep within he knew that what she said was true. He was quite used to prejudice, as most travelling people were, but his hide was thick enough, and he would usually let unsavoury or antagonistic comments fly over his head without response.
“Yes, I quite understand what you say, but can’t believe that people can harbour such ill will against a mother and child who find themselves in such distress. The circumstances are hardly of their own making and they surely deserve a little charity”.
Mistress Sissie reached over the table and patted the back of Amos’s hand in a soothing manner,
“Yer truly a compassionate mon an’ I applaud yer for doing what yer doin’, but I felt I had to mention it. There’s many abart these parts who’d profess to be Christians but ’ould be only too quick t’ condemn yer. We’ll say n’ more except that if ever yer need a friend, then we’re here”.
Amos thanked her sincerely. There was a slight silence and then Amos, finishing his drink, rose to his feet asked,
“Right Master John, are you going to show me where these moles are that you want me to catch?”
The mole hills, of black peaty soil, were a regular problem in the hay meadows, where, if not cleared they would cause the scythes to dull at mowing and contaminate the hay. Apart from these practical problems, no farmer worth his salt would cherish the sight of mole hills on his meadows because his pride in the