Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-24
The OLD MANS DARLING.

The chGrCh-yard at Hawkshaw, in Kent, Is
one o. the prettieSt N England. Thirty years
sgO, the then vicar made regular garden of
Z, taking advantage of certain corrupt inc
qualities Of ground, planting shrubs OF cheerful
character, 20 the exclusion Of yews and weep
lnc-wlllOws, causing the gravel paths to wind
about, instead of interesting the lawns at ri ght-
angles; and encouraging the graves into flower
beds. To be buried there does not seem like
being buried 50 much as being planted ont, and
the grave Is robbed of much of that extrinsic
terror for which we English seem to entertain
gloomy prediction.
I speak of the beauty of this church-y yard in
the present tense, because It is tended with As
much care now as when the late vicar was the
proprietor, not a tenant OF it; but it only
recently laid out, and the roots of the young
trees had hardly got fairly hold of the soil on
the fine october afternoon when DIR. Antr0bus
entered IL for the first time DIR. AntrObus was
very learned, very ingenious, very clear-headed,
and very young; as young as man well could
be to have taken the degree of doctor of medi-
cine His student friends called him Faust.
averring sOlemnly that he was well on in his
second century, but had drank rejuyenating
potion, some witch's put me back; and it was
certainly difficult for the ordinary learner to
imagine how he could have acquired so much
knowledge in so few years. The secret OF his
success was, that he loved science for its own
sake, without any thought of self-interest or
fame. Possessed of small property, which
rendered him independent OF his profession,
private practice was not the all-impOrtant mat
ter 10 him which it is TO most medical men, and
he was quite content TO settle down in quiet
country town, with a small, poor, and healthy
population, where he had plenty of leisure to
devote TO the O!Og.es.
Had he, however, been ever so DESTROYS OF
professional success, il Is doubtful whether \ n
TObus could have attained il. He was thought
very highly OF at hospitals; more than one
learned society cOurted him; high-cass medi-
cal and philosophical. journals considered his
manuscripts as valuable a. baak-nOtes But
he was most modest, diffdent, hesitatng; ami
lie was not a ladies man.
II was on the third day of his arrival that he
entered the pretty csurch-yard, hammer in
hand. for when he found himself in a new part
rNN HFasaE n Esav nsa1-
with pie, he could net keep his fingers on the
crust; and, ia cutting pathway on the side Of
hill. the wOrkmen hal exposed a rock of in
teresting character, there being room tor aTgu-
ment as 10 how il got there.
DIR. AntrObus was OF middle height, dimin-
ished by slight stoOp. the result of studious
habits, which had likewise compelled him to
wear spectacleS; he had benevolent expression
OF. cOuntenance, and a broad, massive fore
head. His dress was always the same, summer
and winter, gTubbing i'll the fields, dredging at
sea, or at a patients bedside, and consisted of
shepherds plaid trousers; black tsil-coat AMI
waistcOat; spotted handkerchief, twisted sew
eTal times around his neck and tied in a little
bow, sometimes under one ear, sometimes under
the other, never straight; high shirt-co in
very well, and chimney-pot hat in
need of brushing, and worn too far
back on his head. But he was as clean, though
not 30 sleek, a. cat.
He was in geological luck that afternoon. for
Mattock, the sexton, was digging grave, and
30 revealing secrets Of sUbseii. Mattock misin-
terpreted the Interest taken by the stranger in
his operations
az 1t wiz be dry un, SIR said lie, pauslng in
his work, and looking up to the top OF the pit in
SO perceive-chalk," replied the doctor.
You knowed her, may be, sir?1 continued
the sexton, leaning on his spade in a chat-iu-
yitng manner. Experience had taught him
that promiscuous conversation often lead to
beer.
:" can't say till hear ler name; most prob
ably not"
".Cane. her name wasr-Mss Cane as is to
be burned Tomorrow"
"NO; never heard of her."
" All! then you haven't heard of Hawkshaw
before; that's certain. No offense. l thought
you might have been relative. y lor, what a
Doubtful whether this was praise or blame,
Dr. Antrobus uttered neutral "Ah!"
She were," continued Mattock, "reg'lar
lightning and vinegar; regla lady, too, but
such a tonguel The children used to cut and
run when they saw her, ami she could never
keep but one servant, who as stone deaf. But
heart"
This last sentence was a tribute to death. not
the result Orexperence. MattOck remembered
the proverb De s0rtEis, etc, ust then, 'and felt
that II applied with extra force when the de-
parted was a customer. He would glady have
mentioned her virtues, but they did not Chance
to occur to him; so he shook his head and went
on digging.
Papa cried a silvery voice behind DR.
Ahtroous, who turned round and saw a fairy
who, hndlng stranger instead of a father
opened her small mouth AMI large eyes very
wide, and took stock of him. Approving, sbe
renamed where she was, and smiled.
"Well, my dear" said the doctor 'fvou see 7
look for him."
No. Who are you?''
g am Gregory Powder"
where are the nOwers?''
1.-The flowers; well, do not see any. There
are no autumn flowers planted, and the sum
mer flowers are all dead"
what PITY"
"Neyer mind, dear; they viii all come again
in Ine spring.
AN come again in the spring? sure?''
"T5s, their roots are IN the ground, aud
alive"
..why is MattOck digging hole?'' asked the
child, peeping in.
They are going to bury Miss Cane"
" oh. Do you know that l did not like Miss
tane-muCh." Then, after pause, ~ hope
Miss Cane won't come up again in the spring."
"Oh, you nice child" cried the doctor, catch
ing her up. have great mind to kiss you
" You may kiss me if you won't sc'ub," said
me little maid composedly. Papa sc'ubs
uresdfnl sometimes Oh, there he is.''
The doctor turned in the direction indicated,
and saw stout man with a green net who i'm
medistely called out:
what, Antrobusl am glad to have lit
upon you IN this lucky way. I called on you an
hour ago, but you were out. I was pleased to
see your card yesterday, can tell you. Is it
true that you coming TO settle here?"
Inc speaker WAS none other than the famous
Scaraby, whose researches in natural history
banon, though Of late years he had confined
his personal Investigations very much to moths
and beetles. His worship OF science, however,
was catholic, and he was president of philoso-
lhieal society, which reckoned DIR. Antrobus
among It's most promising members.
have fallen in love with your little girl
SAID the doctor. ''By the by, Scaraby,1 did
not know that You were a family man."
-" have lost all but Ethel,' replied Mr.,
Searabyi land their mother has gone from me
700. should be lonely maj without my
naey, else had sailed before row to Fevra-
s 9aha IN search Of the Staggering farderorans, of
which ! have no satisi sctory specimen. 1t
WOULD be hardly prudent TO take her, sup
Hardly; especially as, II you lost her while
moth-huniing, you would not nnd her again in
yard" Sn"eo-
you not, Ethel?'' AN
ometimes, when papa's yer. long chasing
The acquaintance which already existed he.
tween Searaby and Antrobas soon ripeu mad into
close friendship. Their tastes, taeir int rasts
we're the same; their dispositions we're similar
And the twenty Year, difference Between their