The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-09 00:00:00

[Au, itiqxas 124s1pEtvErn.]
STRIVE AND THRIVE.

CHAPTER XVL

Tat A . A COUNTRY LOVER.
month saw the impoverished Walworth
ee-mY fully installed in their new home. Their re-
rh;Ption was one in which a faint welcoming was
1711gled with a very patronising air, and with some
;ilea eelY disguised sneers at their fine apparel, and the
evidences of refinement in their manners and
:eviage.
thaArchibald and his family were all surprised to find
hadt ~Ecla, whom they had not seen for several years,
d "ecome quite a young lady, and they were evi-
alleildtlY equally impressed with her extreme beauty
said.gracefulne,ss ; but on the last point nothing was
The visitors had arrived about dinner-time, and
When h they were beginning their meal, which Esther
Prepared with extra care, perhaps as much out of
a desir
e to display her housekeeping qualities as from
sPTitalitY, she said:
fe;‘ 'Pose you won't be able to eat with steel
We ka with only two tines in 'em, but it's the best
have.„
BuTheodore made some jocose reply, but he did not
frAcceed in averting a succession of ill-natured remarks
Ctn. the whole trio of his affectionate relatives
ttfaa.nast various city customs, with which the plainer
f ers of the country were supposed to contrast
avourab4
While Theodore Walworth and his daughter simply
ead„
u. 'red these things, and wondered whether street-
Ping would not be more respectable than depend-
spele uPon such people, Master Franky alone had
his mind freely, and criticised, with a child's
eonsciousness, everything not quite according to
i4d.l_l_(,)tions of propriety. His innocelt, speeches,
had been the immediate cause' ot no small
Faiziyof. the censorious remarks of the host and his
don't like these forks, Edy. They've forgot the
lens, Edy. Where is your bell, Aunt Esther?
Y don't you have goblets? What a brown table-
-41,_14 Such were some of the child's sayings,
Unfortunately, proved galling to the narrow
`-lus of his relations, and which Eda and her father
1:44,1 it impossible to repress, for Frank had always
a an unbridled chatterer at home.
If
aa,„, -uee was the first day's experience of this new
of life, its subsequent workings may well be
aeZda was "put down" by her cousin Polly on all
Zsiens ; and as the poor child made but feeble
fr-o'hstance to any mode of imposition—not, indeed,
Want of spirit, but because she thought her
banY to her father required her to submit—but a few
fa-1;4118 Passed before she became the drudge of the
he,?°llY Was beginning to play the fine lady, dressing
N'is,elf every afternoon in her best, and sitting by the
rour
Window, while Eda set the tea-table, assisted
eZ,annt to wash the dishes, and even began to learn
Most abhorrent of all work to her—milking cows.
th-Ae by side with the most slatternly of servant-girls,
11,1' Went tremblingly to the barn-yard, with a pair of
W 1 Pails, and took her first lessons in this fine art;
aar, Esther and her daughter leaned over the fence
to" encouraged her to the work. The astonished
WeW,s, Missing the iron grasp to which their udders
raa.,e, accustomed, grew restive under the delicate
re,,"ll3tilations of the novice, and falsified their
alik'datation for docility, by plunging and kicking,
sideshY driving the city maiden in terror from their
13n f
t Eda, though repulsed, and permitted to retire
rea„ ears for the time, was scolded and taunted into a
of her attempt on subsequent days, until she
ta,a'Atally learned her work, and night and morning
441' contentedly down beside the meek-eyed, motherly
e4ihttals, laughing at her former fears, and almost
leOng her new occupation. She had already
the—,„ed to make butter and cheese, and, by degrees,
1,"4„ anagement of the dairy was chiefly committed
uart7r hands; so that her services, though constantly
I)5;Zr-lated, and made to appear of trifling value, soon
he, 2,11 e far more than an equivalent for her own and
.iather's support.
<lra Walworth did not improve in health, and he
taa disaPpointed in finding that he could perform no
of
i1_1.113.1 labour without increasing the worst symptoms
theals disease. He was confined much of the time to
11°use, but in fine weather he had many pleasant
-441
paa, e 8 in the fields and woods, always with the corn-
y of the prattling Frank; and sometimes, when
the "euld be spared from her multifarious duties, with
0.0!ore valued society of his beloved Eda.
his
14,11 another recreation he had. He had taught
tenter chess, and occasionally, though rarely, she
ta;to d tune to amuse him by a trial of skill at this his
iiisclir,ite game, which always more fully engrossed
Of and more effectively shut down the gates
'-'eraor upon the mournful past, than any other
°e'ellPatiou•
none of these pursuits could be enjoyed without
tstr tg some taunting inuendo from the relentless
trfier about wasted time, and tha houlth whioh wao
cient for everything but labour. For her part
thuaendid not thank that hoeing potatoes was any harder
going
hi; ng- and as to this moving a
Passel " of red and white bones on a checker board,
after hour, she thought some folks would be
th
onger, and better able to do something useful, if
ey let it alone.
41...1i1a she could not scold her niece, who always took
ithe later hours of evening for this amusement, when
rejo•PoBBible work was done; and Esther secretly
vi-a 1 iced, too, that it served to keep her out of the
48. of Charley Stoddy, the squire's son, who came
sighatrking " Polly; for Charley, having once caught
to of the bewitching face of Eda, had never failed
'quire for her on his subsequent visits.
Your,h,rleY was a good-natured and good-looking
nlad-p, Irian, broad-shouldered and huge-fisted, who
sad Some pretentions to dress, but in intelligence
Of ~_4laritlerS he was considerably below the average
N.hc7lntry beaux in his neighbourhood. His father,
(list* Wa's Wealthy, and a justice of the peace, had
. arlpo guished himself on a trial of more than ordinary
his , 'lance by interrupting one of the counsel during
atulltaing up," to ask which of the parties before
l'lclvas plaintiff and which defendant.
tleaB ,_scri was not likely to surpass his sire in shrewd-
tow' out he had an eye for beauty in woman; and
NIAIII.„.g was more certain than that his attentions to
kat./ walworth began to diminish from the day he
Noeerve her pretty cousin. He still made his semi-
char Y visits at the house, but they assumed more the
to haieter of neighbourly calls; and while his addresses
tleairB late flame became less and less marked, his
Ares: to form the acquaintance of Edo, was openly ex-
'4;4 Polly put him off on various pretexts. Eda
always engaged, or unwell, or out; but Mr.
troa,d7 grew suspicious of these excuses, and rather
tiy intimated his incredulity.
ckit she don't want to see me, let her jis. say so,
vv-alei out," he said, "and there's an end on't."
lleera‘ 'e,.11, the truth is," replied Polly, "that Edy don't
kth to care about company; and you know she is
er citified in her notions about folks—that's a 11.,,
aint good enough to come near her, then, I
Nil 48e I Very well. 'Nough said!" and the angry
, ursed his wrath in silence.
B'4l-UM'B son had never laden captivated so much
at.," oily h
oted, erself as by the broad acres which she repre-
Z,!Nsas tor she was old Archibald, s only child. Yet
;nth t altogether sordid' and but for the scorn
"reatAdwinich heb
supposed the bewitching Eda had
'dm, he was ready to be "off with the old love
ttia.4l with the new." y
Ntio,, and her father had walked out together one
a ea
afternoon and, tempted by the fine weather,
1743,4 beautiful and inviting face of Nature, had
1,1°,.141e, Unconsciously, much further than usual from
lhey were in sight of Squire Toddy's fine
;Ith :rill-,house, when Mr. Walworth was affected
)ettidden faintness, arising from his unusual
oe4 'B, and the terrified Eda shouted to some
rers
t4e in one of the fields for assistance. Tney
a„Naearokly to her aid, and one of them, at her
l'an to the house for water, while the other
litjtaasni_e_d,her to the side of the invalid, who, with
eya`tlAtiter 'not almost inarticulate voice, begged his
Alrei n not to be alarmed, and then swooned
as
la trk• Walworth's disease had been pronounced to
147,1401;1e heart, these were, of course, alarming
and poor Eda, almost frantic, supported
i. hahl, chafed his hands and his bloodless temples,
taloo4Zed anxiously back for the help which,
444; very prompt, seemed to her many long
141Zoarie.,,1 Coming,
th„ IliwY,,Stoddy and his sister accompanied the
b latt4'ne former bearing a decanter of wine, and
.Pit,Nlit a pitcher of water, while Miss Stoddy
.ot'Ve oh a/nelling salts and a fan; and as all three
a rapid run, they were quickly at the side
akhn_maarte'llent and his distressed daughter.
fee,,,t2 41,3',1Wh0 seemed to have some practical good
fr°44e4 who had the advantage of not being
44°,1111 theede instantly lowered Mr. Walworth's head
Ileathea a,,,P of Eda and let it rest upon the ground,
""b44o"`Tk off his neck-tie, and unbuttoned the
AA Or his shirt, which afforded speedy relief.
Isgttlb aCloa a
Vei4A -8 consciousness returned, he gave him
0,_114 water ; while the relieved Eda, who
114 lawa "; father to have been rescued from the
`falt:erizi,.°' death, looked upon the stranger as some
tetthrinew,a,tl_,gel, and poured forth her gratitude with
,and eyes literally overflowing with
"1 'l4l
uieYe, ;Who thought he had never seen snob. a
2vitC,t,holTtire before, and who was sure the world
A`lle4XlegiA, equal; relieved her acknowledgments
emotions, and replied to them awkwardly
A''elaatrovi. LWati surprised to find that Eda did not
to of h,,710 he Was; and when she accepted, in
the L `self and , his invitation not only to k
kitn.ook,e-"-''o:_ and rest, but to pelenit him to take
l'h"uaent his wagon he was quite wild with
" d h
t todd eig t.
,411,,'Pente "Y 8 all proved very hospitable; and white
Wer
it0.14-40red, „8 conversing with Mr. Walworth, now
t 'Lk nlore he son found opportunity and courage
reek
th to
Yo,24ur b ght you knew me," he said; "
allae Pretty often."
• ItuTowita'°,w., now," replied Eda, smiling ;
have never seen you before,
• - that
wasn't my fault, neither." replied


CharleY, p-r-Omptlk. 66 rre asked for you often
enough."
" Ah, indeed! I was not aware of that."
What! do you mean to say that Polly never told
you that I wanted to see you ? "
"She certainly never did," answered Eda, think
ing only of vindicating herself from a charge of im-
politeness to the man who had just conferred a favour
upon her.
Charley felt certain that his affections had turned
an entire summersault, and had lighted upon the
beautiful girl before him; and he was astonished at
his own assurance in making the fact palpable.
Eda coloured, and saying something about her hope
that her cousin would be able to remove his suspicions
of her insincerity, she broke up the tete-a-tete by in-
timating that it was time they were going.

-.um*