BY
FRANK R. STOCKTON
1894
In Uniform Binding
LETTER ONE.
Wanted, - a Vicarage
LETTER TWO.
On the Four-in-hand
LETTER THREE.
Jone overshadows the Waiter
LETTER FOUR.
The Cottage at Chedcombe
LETTER FIVE.
Pomona takes a Lodger
LETTER SIX.
Pomona expounds Americanisms
LETTER SEVEN.
The Hayfield
LETTER EIGHT.
Jone teaches Young Ladies how to Rake
LETTER NINE.
A Runaway Tricycle
LETTER TEN.
Pomona slides Backward down the Slope of the Centuries
LETTER ELEVEN.
On the Moors
LETTER TWELVE.
Stag-hunting on a Tricycle
LETTER THIRTEEN.
The Green Placard
LETTER FOURTEEN.
Pomona and her David Llewellyn
LETTER FIFTEEN.
Hogs and the Fine Arts
LETTER SIXTEEN.
With Dickens in London
LETTER SEVENTEEN.
Buxton and the Bath Chairs
LETTER EIGHTEEN.
Mr. Poplington as Guide
LETTER NINETEEN.
Angelica and Pomeroy
LETTER TWENTY.
The Countess of Mussleby
LETTER TWENTY-ONE.
Edinboro' Town
LETTER TWENTY-TWO.
Pomona and her Gilly
LETTER TWENTY-THREE.
They follow the Lady of the Lake
LETTER TWENTY-FOUR.
Comparisons become Odious to Pomona
LETTER TWENTY-FIVE.
The Family-Tree-Man
LETTER TWENTY-SIX.
Searching for Dorkminsters
LETTER TWENTY-SEVEN.
Their Country and their Custom House
Title Page
Vignette Heading to Table of Contents
Tail piece to Table of Contents
Vignette Heading to List of Illustrations
Tail-piece to List of Illustrations
Heading and Initial Letter
"Boy, go order me a four-in-hand"
The Landlady with an "underdone visage"
"I looked at the ladder and at the top front seat"
"Down came a shower of rain"
"Ask the waiter what the French words mean"
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
Jone giving an order
The Carver
"You Americans are the speediest people"
"That was our house"
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"The young lady who keeps the bar"
"I see signs of weakening in the social boom"
At the Abbey
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"There, with the bar lady and the Marie Antoinette chambermaid, was
Jone"
"At last I did get on my feet"
"Rise, Sir Jane Puddle"
Vignette Heading and initial Letter
"In an instant I was free"
"If you was a man I'd break your head"
"I'm a Home Ruler"
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"And with a screech I dashed at those hogs like a steam engine"
"In the winter, when the water is frozen, they can't get over"
"Who do you suppose we met? Mr. Poplington!"
Mr. Poplington looking for luggage
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
Pomona encourages Jonas
"Stop, lady, and I'll get out"
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"Your brother is over there"
To the Cat and Fiddle
"And did you like Chedcombe?"
"Jone looked at him and said that was the Highland costume"
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"I didn't say anything, and taking the pole in both hands I gave it a
wild twirl over my head"
Pomona drinking it in
Vignette Heading and Initial Letter
"A person who was a family-tree-man"
"This might be a Dorkminster"
Jone didn't carry any hand-bag, and I had only a little one
* * * * *
POMONA'S TRAVELS
This series of letters, written by Pomona of "Rudder Grange" to her
former mistress, Euphemia, may require a few words of introduction.
Those who have not read the adventures and experiences of Pomona in
"Rudder Grange" should be told that she first appeared in that story as
a very young and illiterate girl, fond of sensational romances, and
with some out-of-the-way ideas in regard to domestic economy and the
conventions of society. This romantic orphan took service in the
"Rudder Grange" family, and as the story progressed she grew up into a
very estimable young woman, and finally married Jonas, the son of a
well-to-do farmer. Even after she came into possession of a husband and
a daughter Pomona did not lose her affection for her former employers.
About a year before the beginning of the travels described in these
letters Jonas's father died and left a comfortable little property,
which placed Pomona and her husband in independent circumstances. The
ideas and ambitions of this eccentric but sensible young woman
enlarged with her fortune. As her daughter was now going to school,
Pomona was seized with the spirit of emulation, and determined as far
as was possible to make the child's education an advantage to herself.
Some of the books used by the little girl at school were carefully and
earnestly studied by her mother, and as Jonas joined with hearty
good-will in the labors and pleasures of this system of domestic study,
the family standard of education was considerably raised. In the
quick-witted and observant Pomona the improvement showed itself
principally in her methods of expression, and although she could not be
called at the time of these travels an educated woman, she was by no
means an ignorant one.
When the daughter was old enough she was allowed to accept an
invitation from her grandmother to spend the summer in the country, and
Pomona determined that it was the duty of herself and husband to avail
themselves of this opportunity for foreign travel.
Accordingly, one fine spring morning, Pomona, still a young woman, and
Jonas, not many years older, but imbued with a semi-pathetic
complaisance beyond his years, embarked for England and Scotland, to
which countries it was determined to limit their travels. The letters
which follow were written in consequence of the earnest desire of
Euphemia to have a full account of the travels and foreign impressions
of her former handmaiden. Pruned of dates, addresses, signatures, and
of many personal and friendly allusions, these letters are here
presented as Pomona wrote them to Euphemia.
Letter Number One
LONDON
The first thing Jone said to me when I told him I was going to write
about what I saw and heard was that I must be careful of two things. In
the first place, I must not write a lot of stuff that everybody ought
to be expected to know, especially people who have travelled
themselves; and in the second place, I must not send you my green
opinions, but must wait until they were seasoned, so that I can see
what they are good for before I send them.
