Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-05-21
MIS- C Ell l. A n Y.
From Dickens Household Words.
HOW THE OLD LOVE FARED.

HOW THE OLD LOVE FARED.
CHAPTER l.
One morning as the sun shone glorious
from his blue home in the skies athwart
few pale yellow clouds, its rays fell dishcart-
encd and cold on some two or three hundred
yards of murky atmosphere, beneath which
lay rising town.
The streets were something narrow, and
the house curiously .jammed, and had a per-
manently blackened look ; but what they
lacked in size and beauty, they compensated
for in number. Sea-faring men stood talk
ing in groups at the corners of the crossing.
Every pair of trousers in the place was more
or less daubed with tar; and some of those
who wore them were fine stalwart specimens
Of the Saxon race, with bullet head, bulldog
neck, handsome sunburnt face, and crisp, fat
wore their fathers SOU -westers. One jostled
another as he passed along the street; anoth-
or one was climbing up coast-wall, in a
sort of fly fashion, inserting his toes in in
visible chinks. and holding on by projec-
tions not to be discerned by ordinary eyes.
lie fell more than once, and from fair
height, too :; but rose nothing daunted, and
doggedly recommended the ascent. They
wore a reckless self-reliant air, and were, |
suppose, of the proper stock to make British
sailors
Standingrather apart with folded arms,
and profoundly discouraged air, young gen
tleman was likewise gazing all around him.
lie was broad d-shouldered. rather undersized,
but not ill-made, and muscular. He had
full blue eyes, quantity of hair, of tawny
red, large mouth garnished with set of
capital teeth. Naturally, his smile was
constant, bright and jovial and now it was
considerably overcast. He walked up to one
Of the contractors with the air of a man who
has made up his mind to last effort.
Then you do not see any prospect OF en-
ployment for me, Mr.. Langford :"
No. do not indeed, Sellon. You see
Kenny manages it all, and he has the cash.
that place would have just suited you, and
you would have done the work far better
than Renneys nephew. It's not the right
place, Stephen. But the man is in the place;
and right will not turn him out, while might
keeps him in I'm very sorry for it, Steph-
en-; but it cannot be helped.
"Well, goodbye, then, Langford. shall
be at Wenden on Sunday They shook
hands and parted
CHAPTER II.
It was Sunday in the old town of Wendon
and the cracked bell of a large church was
changing forth its invitation to the people
to enter its open doors. 1t was an old church
you might tell that by its strange, high,
numbering pews, which no devout young
Oxford curates had yet swept, with here and
there pane of stained glass in quaint pat
tern these were distributed with perfect
irregularity. These windows looked on to
fbo hoo be nf tho rrlo hon md IN
grave stones, where the forefathers of those
who now stood there, slept.
Just before the confession, a pretty dark
eyed girl glided down the aisle, with a
rather conscience stricken air, opened with
some difficulty one of the doors, and hid her
self Immediately in the very highest pew
there she knelt down to say her short prayer
Within, just as much time as suggested the
idea that he had fingered outside in order not
to appear together, Stephen Sellon entered
and seated himself in the adjacent pew The
two behaved very well during the service,
taking only stealthy, innocent glances al
each other, and even those at long intervals
but when the sermon was read, and the bene
diction said, the girl remained little Longer
than usual on her knees, and Stephen wa
waiting for her when she rose. They walked
silently together out of church and turned
out to a broad walk, shaded by trees, which
bordered the river on which the town stood
As they got farther and farther away from
the departed congregation, Stephen being al
enterprising youth in all he undertook, pos
sessed himself of her hand and put his fac
under her bonnet in such fashion that sh
could not choose but look at him. And h
looked long, but not apparently making him
self the happier for so doing, for at the con
clusion he gave great sigh.
Margaret, my darling, I've no good new
for you. I've been up to the dock works
but the place that Langford hoped to Civ
me, is filled, and there's no chance of an
other opening. They dom want your untrie
hands there, and Of brains there is plent
and over These are hard men, Margaret
they might have given me trial"
"But, Stephen" said the girl, and he
voice faltered little as she spoke, 20
know what you wish cannot be, ] cannc
leave my father, he is ailmg sadly. thin
his poor eyes are growing dim, and now b
would rather hear all his beautiful mus
played to him than to do it himself; and m
dear Stephen, my great hope, is, that ma
be able to teach his pupils for him."
"You would do it well, Margaret 20
have wonderful knack of teaching people.
Margaret smiled there was pecul
mocking expression which seemed like RI
pie about her mouth. She became gra
again.
{" You don't know how hard practi
every night, and how treasure up his ]
structions. I'll can induce one or two famili
to let me take his place, and then, when he
80 old he can work no longer, | can still su
port him as he has been accustomed to liy
lie has worked for met is fit should wo
for him"
% But if could get work near, you ne
not leave him, Margaret we could mar
and all live together"
''No, Stephen, we are too young to fet'
ourselves with such uncertain prospec
Alone we may struggle, and if we fall we {
alone, and drag down no others; but if
were married, and your employment 50 u
certain, cares would come upon MS m'