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Life and Times of Nestor Horaatio Plimsoll pg 2

Nestors grandmother belonged to a Scots-Irish branch of the clan McGheegon. They lived a rugged yet well heeled life. At the tender age of seventeen, the grandmother was said to have had a 'misfortune' ( or adventure ) at the hands of an "'auld Irish uncle".
We shall not here and now be concerned with any details of that particular event. However... This episode had caused the old wives and widows of the clan to refer to her in not so flattering adjectives and noun titles, in the locality. So much so, that the grandmother uprooted herself by herself and moved far away. In fact she took herself to the south,south, South Coast of Cornwall. One could not get much further south and still walking, unless the divine nature were to take the feet. There she found herself 'a fishers cot' and settled down. She referred to herself as an heiress and none knew to question her. She had a wee baby when she come'd to The Mount., of South Cornwal. And she called herself Mrs. McGheegon. Obviously a young widow of some means. By and by she married and was in some short span of years accepted by the locals who never could get a word of history out of her. When the marriage was known to the 'Auld Aunties' up to the Scots- lands they referred to her in decidly kinder adjectives and nouns, Not that the grandmother ever cared a fig about it from the day she left. The child Esmeralda' for that was the childs name. Grew well and thrivied ( yes thrivied ) in the place where she lived and dwelt.

A day came and the grandmother sent Esmeralda to her peoples clan in the way far Northwest of the island. It was time she knew of her whole history and was well educated and well turned out. So the girl child was nearly seventeen and went to live with the many aunts and uncles, cousins and relations of her mothers people. Eleven years she was in that far place.

Eventually the lass 'langied' for the south, her mother and her "ain home upin' the sea!"

When Esmeralda returned home she and her mother went about arm and arm for many weeks. Seldom were the two seen apart. At the end of the fall something near to the fourth month of her return Esmeraldas mother left this world.
Many knew the sorrow of placing a head stone that year. For a time the light was gone from Essies' eyes. She mourned her mother hard. But time passed and the return of spring brought Essie's first smile in two seasons to her pretty face. She wrapped a shawl around her soulders and took herself a walk to the cemetry' where her mother had been laid. The lady in mention had been granted the rare privledge to rest in the kirkyard upon The Mount. Essies' step-father had arranged long ago that his wife would lay in the tombed hillside of The Mount. Essie went often to visit the place and lay a few blooms to cheer herself of her loss, She felt closer to her when she went to honor the one who had given her such a good life. How surprised she was to find many a fine flower and a wreath, freshly made upon the grave. Though she asked about for many a day she never found whom it was that was the bequithor of the bouquets. Occasionaly over all the years, of her life, flowers would appear on the grave.

One day a package arrived and Esmeralda found a tidy sum of money to her name. She had always been refered to as the 'heiress'. With the money was also a pouch, in the pouch was a ring. It had been sewn all 'round about and could not slip from the pouch. She knew it was her mothers. Had never seen the ring even, but held it dear. She supposed that it all came to be from the clan and the stepfather. She lived a life of economy and did well to live alone.

Eventually her time of mourning was over and she was bored. She craved a bit of company and fun. On a balmy and warm night at a low tide she joined the warfmen of the mainland and their companions upon the docks and the causeway, for a dance. The music was cheery and the night warm. Esmeralda found herself in want of a drink. Some local lad fetched her one and then another. Oft she danced, and soon there was but one partner for her time and again. Refreshed by her punch, the lad fetched her al she wanted to drink. Glisting with exhertion, ( glisten 'twas but a very proper word for a bit of shiny, dewy, sweat!) She danced and she 'glistened' and she requested of her partner to be 'refreshed' several times. Later that night there was a wedding upon the warf. Two near strangers were married and just before the dawn after the tide began to turn, a small boat carrying two was seen making its way toward the villge on The Mount.

Esmeralda awoke a Mrs. Mrs. Lestor Horatio Plimsoll, to be exact! Aside from a headache and some blushing memories. She was neither shocked nor sad nor distressed. Here was something new after all and in her little cottage too. She was married and it was a normal thing was it not? After a while she found herself to be in the "family way'. She was pleased with that. She smiled better for most all her life after. She had been truley joyed by the realization that a child of her own was a sure thing. She settled down nicley then, and was glad to be having ""a child, a barren of myne ain' to love an't'ta'care fer'"

Nestor Horaatio Plimsoll was born and life was goodly and Esmeralda and her manny were all contented.