ent； one kipper for that。
The trouble was that he never did “taste that nice green fat。”
However； things righted themselves by degrees； as somehow they generally do when one is young and not afraid to take chances。 To begin with； not long after my arrival in England I did the wisest and best deed of my life and engaged myself to be married。
The young lady whom I met thirty…two years ago； and who is today； God be thanked； living； and strong enough to have ent last week； was named Louisa Margitson； the only surviving child of Major Margitson of the 19th Regiment and of Ditchingham House in this county； where we now live。 The Margitsons were originally yeomen in the neighbourhood of North Walsham； crossed with Huguenot blood — we still hold their property； or some of it。 They intermarried with the respected Norwich family of the name of Beckwith； and also with a descendant of Dr。 Robert Hamilton of Lynn； a distinguished man in his day； who was a friend of Sir Joshua Reynolds。 There still hangs in this house a portrait of Countess Margaret Georgiana Spencer and child； by Reynolds； which is said to have been given by him to Dr。 Robert Hamilton； my wife’s great…great…grandfather。 On her mother’s side she is also directly descended from the great Scottish family of Hamilton； thus having a double cross of that blood in her veins。 Her parents died in her youth； leaving her the heiress to certain landed property which would have been valuable had real estate in Norfolk retained the worth which it had at the time of their death。 As things are we do not get much out of it； indeed I believe that directly and indirectly I must have expended nearly as much upon the properties as； up to the present； we have received during our tenure of them。 For instance； fifty years ago the estate produced sufficient to support a family in something more than fort。 Now its rentals； although it is totally unencumbered； about pay for the upkeep of the house and gardens。 I mention these facts because I see it recorded in works of reference that I married an “heiress；” which is an elastic term。
My dear wife was a schoolfellow of my sister Mary； and was staying with her at Bradenham when we met。 After a short acquaintance we became engaged； and at first all went well enough； subsequently； however； her guardians — for she was not yet of age — after consenting to her engagement； reconsidered the matter and wished her to break it off。 I do not altogether blame them； since at the moment my prospects were not particularly brilliant。 As it chanced； however； my wife； perhaps the most upright and straightforward woman whom I ever knew； was not one of a nature to play fast and loose in such matters。 She declined； whereupon one of her guardians； who was a lawyer； made her a ward in Chancery。 Well do I remember appearing before Vice…Chancellor Malins； a kindly old gentleman and man of the world； upon whose gouty toe I inadvertently trod when shaking hands with him。 He soon sifted the matter out and approved of the engagement； making certain directions as to settlements； etc。 The result of the whole business was that； including the cost of the settlements； a very moderate estate was mulcted in law expenses of a sum of nearly 3000 pounds！
In after days I and my wife’s relations； with most of whom； by the way； I never had any difference at all； as they were no parties to these proceedings； became and remained the best of friends。 So I wish to say no more of the matter except that I regret those moneys which went in quite useless law costs。 The end of the business was that after about a year of these excursions and alarums we were duly married on August 11； 1880； I being twenty…four and my wife within a few months of twenty…one； and departed from this house to Norwich in a carriage drawn by four grey horses with postilions。 This is interesting； as I believe it must have been one of the last occasions upon which postilions were used for such a purpose in England； except of course in the case of royal personages。 At any rate I have never seen or heard of them since in this connection； and how we came to have them I do not quite know。 I can see them now in their gay dress and velvet caps touching up the grey steeds with their short whips。 We made quite a sensation on our thirteen…mile journey to and through Norwich； but oh！ were we not glad when it was all over。
In a letter recently found at Bradenham； headed Ditchingham House； Bungay； December 21； 1879； and addressed to my brother William； who was then attached to the British Embassy at Teheran； I find the following estimate of my future wife’s character； and expression of my feelings towards her。
Next； my dear Will — je vais me marier — to such a brick of a girl； Louie Margitson。 They are certain to have told you all about her in their letters from home； so I will only say that I love her sincerely； as I think she does me； and that； unless something untoward occurs to dash the cup from my lips； I think we have as good a prospect of happiness as most people。 She is good and sensible and true…hearted； and every day I see her I love and respect her more。 She is a woman who can be a man’s friend as well as his lover； and whom I would trust as I would very few。 She is willing to e to Africa； so we propose returning there shortly； i。e。 as soon as we can get satisfactorily married。 There is property concerned； and trustees； who； as I dare say you know； are gentry difficult to deal with。 They want us to postpone the marriage till she es of age next October； but we don’t see the force of it in any way。 I want to get married next April — whether I shall manage or not is another matter 。 。 。 。
Good…bye； old fellow。 God bless you。
Your loving brother；
H。 Rider Haggard。
In fact； as I have said； we did not succeed in marrying until August 11； 1880。
The circumstance of my marriage gave me pause as to my plan of leading a farmer’s life in South Africa； and as my father and family were very anxious that I should re…enter the Colonial Service； I made some attempt to do so。 It is； however； one thing to give up a billet and quite another to get it back again。 Had Sir Theophilus Shepstone or even Sir Owen Lanyon still been in power in the Transvaal； doubtless there would have been little difficulty。 But a new Pharaoh had arisen in the shape of Sir Gar Wolseley who knew not Joseph； and probably wished to keep any available patronage in his own hands。 At any rate； on the matter being referred to him； he replied “that arrangements are in contemplation which prevent your reinstatement in the office of Master of the High Court in the Transvaal。”
Those “arrangements” were indeed a blessing in disguise； since； had I been reinstated； we should have had the pleasure； as I have shown； of going through the siege of Pretoria； and on the Retrocession I should have been dismissed from my office without pensation； as I believe happened to the gentleman who succeeded me。 It was one of the peculiar cruelties of that act that Englishmen who had taken service under the British Government in the Transvaal were treated thus； since； of course； even if the opportunity had been given； they could scarcely transfer their allegiance from the Queen to a Boer Republic。 But； after all； they suffered no worse things than scores of British subjects whose farms were looted； and who in practice were left to send in their bill to their new Dutch masters — with results that may be imagined。
When I went home in 1879 Mr。 （or； as he afterwards became； Sir Melmoth） Obsorn entrusted me with the guardianship of his son Jack； a boy of about sixteen； whom he asked me to send to whatever school I might select in England。 So it es about that he wrote me a good many letters； a few of which survive and contain items of interest as to public affairs in Africa at this period。
Poor Jack Osborn after a course of education in England returned to South Africa and was appointed to some office in Zululand。 There； a few years later； he died of abscess of the liver。
In a letter dated Pretoria； October 10； 1879； Osborn says：
I have your letter 23rd August in which you give account of your stewardship regarding Jack。 Accept my sincere thanks for all you have done and the care you took of the boy； who I fear must have been a great bother to you。 Your father’s kind note to me I need not tell you how greatly I appreciate； and I will write to him by this mail。 Jack wrote me several letters since his arrival in England。 He is loud about all the kindness shown him by you and your people； your father especially； whom he seems to swear by。 。 。 。 Sir Gar Wolseley is here。 He would not take up his abode in Government House； but had a house hired for his occupation； and is now in Koch’s new residence near Melville’s； together with his staff。 I have a very hard time of it just now； having to serve two masters who； between us； do not seem to pull together very well。 Sir Gar seems to disapprove entirely of Sir Bartle Frere’s policy with Kaffirs and Boers 。 。 。 。
With regard to your returning to the Colonial Service your father is quite right； and I think you should return。 The business between you and Cochrane could be easily arranged； although I dare say to you there seems a difficulty about it。 If you start again fairly in any other colony but this you are sure to succeed； and I strongly advise you to do so — it would simply be following a pursuit for which you are eminently suited and abandoning one for which you are not。 I think I told you that I did the same thing some years ago： resigned my appointment in the Service and invested in a sugar estate； but soon found that trying to do that which I did not understand involved nothing but loss； and by advice of a friend I re…entered the Service； tho’ in a low grade。 Well； by steady perseverance and without one…half the advantages you have； here I am today。 Perhaps you will say it is not much after all； but if you had to encounter all the uphill work that fell to my lot of which you have no conception； and when you are a little older； you will be able to appreciate matters as I do。
I have but little news to send you this time。 Two regiments are expected here in a few days I believe； so that we will have a lot of troops at hand to cope with