CHILDHOOD III.
wards Lord Hill}, Sir Robert, Sir Francis, Sir Noel, anc Colonel Clement Hill, were in the battle of Waterloo and my mother has often described to me the sickening suspense in watching for the postman after the firs' news of the engagement had come, with the almos certainly that at least some of the brothers mnst fa killed. iMiss Em ma was deputed to receive the news as the sister of strongest nerve, but when she liearc that all her brothers were safe (only Sir Robert bein| •slightly wounded), she fainted away. Lord Hill use( to ride to see my Grandfather upon the charger In rode at Waterloo, whieh horse had such a reputation that people would come from great distances mor< oven to see the, horse than Lord Hill himself. L earlier days, the family at Tlawkestone used to b likened to that of the Osbaldistons in " Rob Roy " -and had all the same elements — the chaplain, th soldiers, the. sportsmen, the fox-hunter, the lishermar and in Rachel (daughter of the Colonel Hill who wa killed by a fall from his horse) a very handsom Diana. Vcrnon, with frank natural manners: peopl called her u the Rose of 1 lawkestone." My inothc oft on used to recall how remarkable it -was thn though, when gathered at home, the* family seeme tu have no other purpose than to pursue the amus< inents of a country life, when called on by the! country to go forth in her service, none of her sor wen* so bravo, none more self-devoted, than the Hi brothers.
When all the family were at Ilawkostone, the dined early and had a hot supper at nine o'clocl As the family interests were confined to sportiiij (after-gg the butler on the be found in spring under the moss-grown apple-trees.lergy, driving back late afterwards through, the hot lanes. I always liked this expedition and scram-is a safe punishment for naughtiness, more safe, I think, than giving a reward for goodness. c If you are naughty I must punish you,' is often a necessary threat: but it is not good to hold out ad (J<><1 to forgive him for !*'in^ so nau^Imhr- and the most attractive in Florence. thru