The Mystery of Kingswood; A Novel

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1888 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II. By consulting my diary, which I sedulously kept (one of the good habits instilled into me by my worthy father) and from which I shall from time to time refresh my memory, I find it was on the twenty-ninth of May eighteen hundred and seventy-two, that I arrived at Euston terminus and booked for Belcombe, which I had been infoimed was the nearest station for Woodlands. My diary also informs me it was a very hot day. A journey of four hours brought me to Belcombe. Here I found the carriage, which Beatrice had told me she would send to meet me, waiting to convey me to my destination. The drive from the station to Woodlands was about five miles. In a few minutes the town was left lehind, and we entered upon the country road. To while away the tedium of the journey I took out a volume of my father's sermons (I usually carried at least one volume of the seven about with me), but the charms of the landscape soon drew me away from them. What can be more exhilarating than a drive through the green lanes of England when Spring has robed Nature in its beautiful garment of green? At that time, Nature seems to put forth its brightest and freshest colour; hill and dale, tree and hedgerow, appear in such a bright garment of verdure as no other country but our own tight little island can show. The scene was indeed delightful. As fttr as the eye could reach, stretched the undulating landscape, bathed in a flood of golden sunshine; here a brond meadow of buttercups dazzled the eye with its bright loveliness, there a stream suddenly leaped from its wooded cover, threw up a brilliant flash of light as the sunbeams kissed its bosom, then as suddenly disappeared. A perceptible slackening of speed awoke me from my reverie, and told me I was nearing my destination. ...