The Shilling by Great Grandma Fraser

The Shilling.

One day my brother and I were going to a point to point with the Leigh-Pembertons. Point to Points were race meetings set up for the day by a local hunt and the racers were usually local horses and riders. As we approached the course I saw a sign which said ‘entrance one shilling’. I worried that I would be asked for the entrance money and I didn’t have any. ‘ Michael, will you lend me a shilling?’ I said.” No” he answered. Oh dear I thought. What shall I do?” I will lend you a shilling Bridget” Mrs. Pem said. Of course they paid the entrance for everyone. I had the shilling to spend and probably put the money on a horse which must have lost. The fact remained that I owed Mrs Pem a shilling, and I had no idea where the money was going to come from. What would Mrs Pem think of if I did not pay her back? Eventually I was able to scrape the money together and next time we visited them I presented it to her. ‘Here is the money I owe you.’ She looked genuinely surprised. ‘What an honest child’ she said, “do you mind if I put it in the poor box?’ She had totally forgotten all about it.

*I will be adding stories from my family as they share them with me