The Story of the Toys Part 1

The Story of the Toys.

by Mary Harris Toy Dodge.

FOREWORD

This story of my mother's family was set down by her originally only to recall it to my mind when I might no longer listen to it as it fell so often from her own lips. It was written in the intervals of her ill-health, without copying or revision, and was not intended for publication. For this reason, she has dwelt more at length upon the history of her own family life than upon that of her sisters, and has purposely omitted all but a slight reference to the grandchildren and the events of later years, her intention being to record only what was outside my memory, leaving the rest to some other pen. The story, however, has proved to be of so much interest to the other members of the family that she was expecting to review it with me as soon as possible, in order to prepare it to be printed for them. Her sudden illness and death cut short her plans; but I have carried them out as closely as I could, and the little book is printed very nearly as she wrote it. Any errors or inaccuracies are mine and not hers.

It has seemed to me that there could be no more fitting memorial of my mother among ourselves, than this story. Its style is appropriate to the subject and characteristic of herself--forceful, yet full of tender sentiment, ready wit and apt quotation of Scripture; while through it all, quite unconsciously to herself, there s.h.i.+ne her cheery hopefulness, her rare unselfishness, and her beautiful faith in G.o.d. Since my father's death her health had been very much better, and she was looking forward to years of comfort; but, in December, 1908, she was suddenly seized with a serious heart trouble, and after a distressing illness of about three months, which she bore with her own brave patience, on the morning of February 27, 1909, she went to join her beloved.

For those of us who have known her wonderful personality, no memorial is needed to increase our love and admiration of her; but to the younger members of the family, whose memory of her may be slight, I hope that this little book may give a glimpse of the beauty of her life, as well as of the n.o.ble souls whom she so worthily represented and whose blood we are proud to share.

"They climbed the steep ascent of Heaven Through peril, toil and pain; O G.o.d, to us may grace be given To follow in their train."

S. W. D.

THE STORY OF THE TOYS

I wish to preface this memorial by a little sketch of Cornwall, especially those parts of it most nearly connected with our family history. I have gathered the materials for it from a little book on Cornwall, by Mr. Tregellas.

The long coast-line of Cornwall, the most southern and western county of England, has been, like Italy, compared in shape to a Wellington boot, the iron heel of which is the ma.s.s of serpentine rock which forms the southern point of the Lizard, and the foot that part which lies between Mounts Bay and Land's End. The instep is at St. Ives Bay, and the body of the boot const.i.tutes the main portion of the county, the highest part toward the eastern end forming the Bodmin moors. Along the northern coast, the mural cliffs, against which the Atlantic rollers forever break, are in marked contrast to the tamer and more sylvan scenery of the south and west sh.o.r.es; while across the low-lying lands between St.

Ives and Mounts Bay the sea often threaten to meet in the spring tides.

The climate of Cornwall, owing to its situation, is so remarkable as to deserve notice. The month of January at Penzance is as warm as at Florence or Madrid, and July is as cool as at St. Petersburg. There is scarcely a country in the world with a climate so mild and equable.

The people are "ardent and vivacious, self-reliant and versatile." It is no uncommon thing for a Cornishman to build his own house, make his own shoes, be both fisherman and miner, and, possibly, small shop-keeper besides; and wherever the Cornish miner emigrates, he is pretty sure to take the lead in enterprise and danger.

Wilkie Collins says: "As a body of men they are industrious, intelligent, sober, and orderly, neither soured by hard work, nor depressed by harsher privations"; and the old poet Taylor, in 1649, writes: "Cornwall is the compleate and repleate Home of Abundance, for high, churlish hills and affable, courteous people. The country hath its share of huge stones, mighty rocks, n.o.ble free gentlemen, bountiful housekeepers, strong and stout men, handsome and beautiful women."

Many curious old customs linger in Cornwall, among them the ceremony of "cutting the neck," or last few ears of corn at harvest time, the lighting of bonfires on the hills at St. John's Eve, and the "furry" or Flora dance at Helston, on the eighth of May. Among the peculiar dishes of the Cornish cuisine, prominent is the pasty, the almost universal dinner of the working cla.s.s. It is a savory compound of meat and potatoes, inclosed in a crescent-shaped crust; but one must be a Cornishman to appreciate this dish thoroughly. The variety of pies is truly marvelous. It has been said that the devil himself would be put into a pie if he were caught in Cornwall. Most of them are richly saturated with clotted cream, a real Cornish dainty, which is very popular, as are also Cornish seed-cakes.

From time immemorial Cornwall has had a leading part in the mineral industries of England. Mines of tin, copper, lead, and zinc abound, and have been the chief source of revenue to the county. They give abundant employment to the laboring cla.s.s, and men, women, and even children are freely employed in various ways about the mines. Since 1870 the mining industries have declined; the mines have been less productive, and the great discoveries of ore in this and other countries have greatly reduced prices and scattered the Cornish miners over the world.

The fisheries of Cornwall have been another very important industry, especially the mackerel and pilchard fis.h.i.+ng. The pilchard is a very delicious fish, similar to a herring, and is found almost exclusively on the Cornish coast.

Cornwall abounds in interesting antiquities, and many of these are claimed to be almost as old as the granite rocks and cliffs of which they are composed. They are relics of the early Britons,--remains of villages, various sorts of sepulchral and memorial stones, and also some that were a.s.sociated with ancient religious rites. Some of these, such as the "holed stones," have given rise to many superst.i.tions among the common folk, who have been in the habit of dragging invalids through the orifices in the hope of curing them. There are also "cliff castles,"

especially at Land's End and at other points on the coast,--retreats of the native tribes from enemies,--and also earth-work forts on elevated sites throughout the country. The early Christian antiquities include churches and priories and the oratories or small chapels, frequently a.s.sociated with a Baptistery or holy well. Some of these are as early as the fifth century. There is also an unusual number of crosses. As to their uses an ancient ma.n.u.script says: "For this reason ben crosses by ye way, that when folk pa.s.synge see ye croysses they shoulde thynke on Hym that deyed on ye croysse, and worshyppe Hym above althyng." They were also sometimes erected to guide and guard the way to the church, and sometimes for the beautiful custom of leaving alms on the crosses for poor wayfarers. The crosses were formerly far more numerous than now, but recently some of them have been rescued from doing duty as gate-posts and the like, to be reerected in the churchyards. There are also inscribed stones, such as the Camborne altar-slab, and others.

Of the towns of Cornwall, almost all have some interest, ancient or modern. Truro has recently become the episcopal town of the county; a fine cathedral has been built, and the Bishop has his residence there.

Falmouth, at the mouth of the Fal, is a comparatively modern town, beautifully situated. Its magnificent and famous harbor has given it considerable commercial importance in former times. One of its chief attractions is Pendennis Castle. It stands on a bold promontory two hundred feet high, on the western side of the harbor. It was one of the works of defense undertaken by Henry VIII, but the enclosure is of the time of Elizabeth. It is an interesting example of the military architecture of the period. During the Civil War, Pendennis Castle played a prominent and interesting part, and was the last but one of the old castles that held out for the King's cause.

A picturesque spot of much interest on the coast is the jutting headland of the Lizard. The serpentine rock of which it is composed is very beautiful when polished. The best time to visit this spot is at low tide on a summer day, after a storm. Its soft yellow sandy beach, its emerald waves, deep rock-pools and gorgeous serpentine cliffs, of green, purple, crimson, and black, are then of astonis.h.i.+ng beauty. Pa.s.sing eastward along the coast, we come to the little town of Marazion, in front of which rises from the strand the far-famed St. Michael's Mount--an isolated, rugged pyramid of granite, about a mile in circ.u.mference and two hundred and thirty feet high at the chapel platform. Several Sir John St. Aubyns have successively inherited it since 1860, the date on which they acquired it from a Ba.s.sett of Tehidy.

The chapel and the hall are the portions most worthy of examination. A few steps below the chapel is a recess called the dungeon; near it, a narrow winding stair leads to the tower. Near the platform are the remains of a stone cresset called St. Michael's Chair, which is supposed to bring good fortune to those that sit in it.

The town of Penzance, "the Holy Headland," is the place of approach to the Land's End--a bold promontory standing out into the sea at the southwestern extremity of England. Its granite cliff-scenery is the finest in Cornwall. The tempest-scarred cliffs, the furious onset of the waves in stormy weather, and the gorgeous sunsets, so frequent at that point, invest Land's End with a deep and almost melancholy grandeur. It is said that Wesley stood upon this point when he wrote the hymn,

"Lo! on a narrow neck of land 'Twixt two unbounded seas I stand."

But the chief interest of Cornwall for our present purpose lies in the town of Camborne on the Cam, or "crooked river." It is one of the great mining centres, and has numerous rich mines, of which the princ.i.p.al is Dolcoath, one of the deepest and most ancient in Cornwall. It is a busy town, built mostly of stone, with nothing of note in the way of architecture. The plain parish church, with its three sharp gables, contains nothing of special interest. It stands in the midst of the churchyard, in which are found many monuments and inscriptions to attract the attention of those who love to recall the past. About three miles to the north is Tehidy, the seat of the Ba.s.setts, with its fine park and gallery containing pictures by Gainsborough, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Vand.y.k.e. In driving to the high bluffs on the north sh.o.r.e it is easy to visit Carn Brea, a rocky headland seven hundred feet above the sea, with picturesque granite blocks piled upon its summit. Here, it is said, was the chief scene of Druid wors.h.i.+p; here was the sacrificial rock, in the hollows of which the victim was laid; and here were the granite basins hollowed out to receive his blood. The castle, of Norman origin, was built by Ralph De Pomeroy, and was occupied by a Ba.s.sett in the time of Edward IV. There are also here the remains of ancient British earthworks, and "hut circles," and a tall monument to Lord De Dunstanville of Tehidy, erected in 1836.

A point of great interest to us is that Mr. Samuel Davey, the inventor of the safety fuse for blasting and mining, was a native of Camborne, and had his residence there, as did also his partner in business, George Smith, LL.D. Mr. Smith was a man of high character, and great ability as a scholar and writer, and the author of many works of theology and biblical history. Among these are "The Hebrew People" and "The Gentile Nations," which have been accepted as text-books in some theological courses. The other member of the firm was Major John S. Bickford, a man of wealth and influence, and the t.i.tle of the firm became "Bickford, Smith and Davey." The manufactory was located at Tuckingmill, a village a little distance from Camborne. The business, at first small, has grown and become very successful, and has branches in many parts of Europe and America. The original firm, as represented by its successors, still carries on the business in Tuckingmill.

One of the noteworthy features of the town life is the Sat.u.r.day market-day. On this day are gathered the people from all the outlying country, with varied products of farm, garden and dairy, as well as wares of all kinds, which are offered for sale in the great market-house of the town.

"Camborne Feast" is a harvest festival answering to our Thanksgiving. It occurs on November 13.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BIRTHPLACE OF JOSEPH TOY]

In the little hamlet of Roskear, an outlying village of Camborne, my father, Joseph Toy, was born. The long, low stone cottage, with small windows and overhanging roof, still stands. A narrow drive runs in from the village street, and a low stone wall separates it from the plain yard in front adorned with here and there a shrub or climbing vine. The house is little changed since the large family of children were sheltered under its eaves and played about the yard, and the dear mother spread the simple food on the white table, and sanded the well-scoured floor. My father was born in April, 1808. He was the son of Robert and Ann Hosking Toy. He was the youngest of eight children: John, Robert, Nicholas, William, James, Joseph, and his sisters Mary Ann (Mrs. Sims), and Nanny (Mrs. Granville). His parents were honest, G.o.d-fearing people, training their children to a life of industry and integrity, and early leading them into the ways of piety and obedience. Joseph, being a bright, attractive child, and possessing an affectionate nature, was very naturally the pet and darling of the family. While he was quite young his father died suddenly, and as the elder children were mostly married, the home was broken up, and he, with his widowed mother, was received into the family of his brother John, a man of much energy and ability, who afterwards became captain of the West Seaton mine. In a few years his mother, too, entered into rest, leaving her beloved Joseph to the care of his elder brother, and well did that brother and his estimable wife fulfill their trust. The home was full of love and suns.h.i.+ne, and the most tender affection was lavished upon the young brother. My uncle scarcely ever came home without the inquiry, "Where is the dear boy?"

Mrs. Jane Gilbert, my Uncle John's youngest daughter, writes thus of the family. "Their father died when Joseph was a lad, but he was always a great pet with his brothers. I have heard my father tell how when he was going courting Joseph had cried to go with him, and he has taken him many a time. Their mother died when your father was young, and he came to him at our house and continued to live with us until his marriage. So my sisters looked upon him more as a brother than an uncle. I can remember that when the letter came to father announcing your dear mother's death, he wept aloud and said, 'Poor little Joe!' Their mother's maiden name was Ann Davey, and she was born at Nans Nuke Illogan. She was a grand old Christian, a splendid character and handsome. I have always heard her children speak of her with reverence and love. Our grandfather's mother's name was Andrews, and she was born in the parish of Newlyn East."

The circ.u.mstances of the family made it necessary that all should share in its support, and, as soon as he was thought capable, my father was put--as were other children of his age--to do such work at the mine as was then almost the only employment open to children. They were set at picking up the ore for wheeling from the opening, and other light work suited to their age, the labor and responsibility being increased as they grew older. The advantages of education for the children of the working cla.s.ses were few indeed at that day, and where so many mouths were to be fed, but little could be spared for books or schooling. My father early developed a fondness for reading which grew into an earnest thirst for knowledge, leading him to devote much of the time spent by other boys in play to the search for it as for hid treasure.

There was considerable natural musical talent in the family, and, as my father had a sweet voice, he was early taken into the surpliced boy-choir of the parish church, to which one or two of his brothers belonged, though his family were devoted members of the Wesleyan church of Camborne. The beautiful ritual of the church and its impressive services had a refining influence upon the sensitive boy, and the musical training he there received was of much value to him, and gave him much enjoyment in after life. He used to speak with enthusiasm of this experience, and I have often heard him tell of the delight with which the boys would go forth in the frosty air of the Christmas morning to sing carols under the windows of their friends, and how eagerly they would catch the pennies which were thrown from the windows in response to their greeting. The drinking habit of those days was universal, and total abstinence was a thing unknown; and I have heard him say that the good rector, Parson Rogers, would often pat the boys affectionately when they had done particularly well, and say, "You have done well, boys. Now come with me and have a little drop of something warm." His connection with the parish choir was also the means of attracting the notice of some people of influence who were afterwards of much a.s.sistance to him.

As he grew older, his interest in education increased greatly, and produced a distaste for the drudgery of his life at the mine. The conviction grew upon him that he was fitted for something better, and while he patiently bided his time, he was diligently improving every opportunity for study. Kind friends soon noticed the boy's struggles, and began to encourage him by lending him books, a.s.sisting him in evening studies, and giving him help in every possible way. Prominent among these were Mr. Thomas Davey, Mr. Thomas Garland, Dr. George Smith, the author and scholar, Lady Ba.s.sett, and Lord De Dunstanville of Tehidy, whose kindness and sympathy were very helpful.

At the age of nineteen my father pa.s.sed the religious crisis of his life, and his conversion was thorough and complete. He united with the Wesleyan church, and threw himself with all the ardor of his nature into its Christian work. He was very active in the social meetings, and showed such decided talent in that line that he was soon appointed a cla.s.s-leader. He was also a teacher in the Sunday School, where he showed such apt.i.tude for the work as to incline him to the profession of teaching as a vocation. He became Superintendent of the Sunday School, and was soon licensed to preach, receiving an appointment as local preacher on a circuit.

By untiring diligence he had qualified himself for the position of teacher and obtained a situation in one of the Lancastrian schools, so popular at that day, located in Camborne. He filled this position for some years with much acceptance, continuing at the same time his own studies, until he acquired, almost wholly by his own exertions, a solid and excellent education. He was a good English scholar, a fine reader, carefully exact in spelling and p.r.o.nunciation, well read in history, a good mathematician, fairly proficient in algebra and geometry, with considerable knowledge of Latin, Greek, and French. He demonstrated clearly what can be accomplished by any boy with a good mind, by energy and perseverance, in the face of the most serious obstacles.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BENJAMIN OSLER]

About this time he formed the acquaintance of Miss Jane Osler, a young lady of refinement and culture, who was at that time proprietor of a millinery establishment in Camborne; and he married her in 1833. My mother was the daughter of Benjamin and Jane Osler of Falmouth, and was born August 1, 1802. The family was a very excellent one. Benjamin Osler was the son of Edward Osler and Joan Drew, sister of the famous Cornish metaphysician. He was a man of very decided character, a "gentleman of the old school." His discipline in his family was very strict, though kind, the rod always occupying a conspicuous place over the mantel for the admonition of any child inclined to disobedience. A fine miniature of my Grandfather Osler is in my possession, and it is our most cherished heirloom. It is in the form of a locket. The picture shows a fine oval face, with delicate features, powdered hair, and the heavy eyebrows we have learned to call "the Osler eyebrows." On the reverse side it has the hair of my grandfather and grandmother, smoothly crossed, and upon it the monogram, "B. J. O.," in exquisite letters formed of tiny pearls. This locket was given to my mother by her father when the family went out to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, in the year 1819. It was painted in London some time previous to that.

In April, 1797, according to the Falmouth church register, my grandfather married Jane Sawle, the daughter of Stephen Sawle of Falmouth, an officer in the British navy and afterward Captain of a Falmouth packet, the _Hanover_. A solid silver tankard is preserved in our family, which was presented to our great-grandfather by the British Admiralty. It bears this inscription: "For twenty years'

faithful service"; and on the side, the letters, "S. S." It is now the property of my sister, Mrs. R. H. Ensign. There is also somewhere in the Osler family a picture of our Grandfather Sawle, an old gentleman in naval uniform.

My mother was also one of a large family, which consisted of eight girls and two brothers.[1] They were: Susan, Eliza, Mary Ann, Amelia, Philippa, Jane, Julia, Sarah, Stephen, and Benjamin.

While my mother was still young, her father went out to the Cape of Good Hope, in charge of a colony of settlers. Dr. William Osler has kindly loaned me a diary of my grandfather's, containing lists of provisions and supplies purchased for the party, as well as other items. The entries extend from January 3, 1815, to January 25, 1821. There seem to have been in the party fourteen men, sixteen women, one boy, and three girls. All payments were to be made in a proportion of the products of the land. My grandfather settled in Simons Town, with most of his family, and was probably a magistrate of the new colony. Two of the daughters, Julia and Philippa, being in business in England, had remained behind. My mother was left in the care of her mother's sister, Mrs. John Harris. They were people of some culture, and having no children of their own, were very fond of my mother and gave careful attention to the cultivation of her mind and manners. Her uncle took special delight in training her in reading and elocution. I have often heard her recite with much spirit:

"My name is Norval. On the Grampian hills My father feeds his flock";

also many selections from the Iliad and Odyssey, taught her by her uncle. Her home with these dear friends was most pleasant, and she cherished the loving memory of their kindness all her life. It found expression in the name she gave to me, her first-born, of Mary Harris.

She learned her business while she remained with them, and became the head woman in a large millinery establishment in Falmouth, and afterwards set up in business for herself in Camborne. My mother became a member of the Church of England, to which all her family belonged, at the age of seventeen, and so continued till near her marriage, when she united with the Wesleyan church in Camborne.

My grandfather Osler died at Simons Town, after some years' residence there. My grandmother returned to her English home, but most of the children, being married and settled in business at the Cape, made their homes permanently there, and their descendants are now living mostly in Simons Town and in Cape Town. After my grandmother's return to England, she taught for a time a school for girls; but later came to Camborne and made her home with her daughters who were in business there. Her home was with my mother till her departure for America.

While my mother remained in Falmouth, her Aunt Osler, the last of the old family, lived near her with her two daughters, and they were a great comfort to her. This Aunt Osler died in April, 1864. She was Mary Paddy Osler, the wife of my grandfather's eldest brother, Edward. Their eldest son, Edward, has descendants in Canada, with whom we have had very pleasant relations, and a daughter, Mary, was the mother of Mrs.