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.”