The Newtown bee., 1879-03-04

not have my husband become the laugh ing-stock of the whole village, and if I tear your jacket to pieces, you shall not wear that ridiculous cross.
 And as she spoke thus, the wife att tempted to brush Roberts shoulder and the latter, who knew that resistance would be useless, walked off, shutting the door after him violently.
 !" What fury l'' muttered he, as he went away. eff she had been more gentle, I would have told her of my good fortune; but she does not deserve to know it. ,
 "Oh oh Robert" exclaimed old Fox, at the moment when Hope turned the corner of his house, "what is that white cross on your back p "Take care of your own clothes, :" in- solently replied Hope, going his own way.
 "Mr. Hope" said little Patty Ste- vens, the grocer's daughter, ss stop one moment, if you please, that may rub out that great white cross you have on your shoulder"
 "Go and sell your herrings, lazy girl, replied Robert, "and do not con- cern yourself about the passers-by."
 The little girl, silenced, hastened to re-enter her mothers shop.
 At this moment Hope arrived at the house of the butcher, who was convers. ing on the threshold with his neigh. Dor tue blacksmith.
 "You are just the man I wanted, , said the latter, stopping Robert; and he began to speak to him on business but hardly had he commenced, when old Peggy Turton arrived in her plaid gown and blue apron.
 Mercy Mir. Hope, exclaimed she taking up her apron, what is that or your back ?'
 Robert turned to tell her to let hin alone, but the blacksmith then perceived the mark made by MT. Taylor.
 Heavens l" said he, laughing; "he might serve for sign to the White Cross"
 "I suppose" said the butcher, ssthat his wife has marked him thus for fear ot losing him."
 Hope felt that there was for him but one method of escar ing at the same time from the apron of Peggy, and the jokes of the butcher and blacksmith, SC he hastened to leave the spot, not with out some abusive language 10 his neigh bors; but the cross had begun to weigh more heavily upon his shoulders thar he had at first supposed.
 The unfortunate Robert seemed des tined this day to provoking encounters for he had gone but a few steps when hs found himself opposite the schoolhouse School was just out, and the scholars were at this moment issuing from tho door, ready for any fun that might pre- sent iteelf. Hope was terribly uneasy and imagined he already heard cries be hind him. His fears were soon realized he had scarcely passed the schoolhcuse door when long shout was heard, ant fifty scholars at least began to pursue hin and point at him, throwing up their capi in the air.
 "Look, look !" exclaimed one; ssthert is sheep marked for the butcher"
 "Don't you see, replied another, ssi is crusader just setting out for Pales tine."
 And the shouting and laughter recon
 menced more loudly.
 Hope became pale with anger; h,
 turned like cross dog pursued by chil
 dren, and perhaps would have cruell, revenged himself on his young perse cutors, had not MT. Johnson, the school
 master, suddenly apHeared at the doo of his house.
 Robert advanced toward him. com blaming of his pupils as being insolent . MT. Johnson replied that he would no for the world encourage impertinence il them. but that the wlite cross which h. , had on his back migls make wiser peo , pie than boys laugh.
 "What is this eros to you ?" replied Robert, grossly. "Isn not myback my r own property?"
 The schoolmaster snilingly assented and Hope went on hs way. But tht cross was growing healer and heavier He began to think tat it would no : be so easy to pay his snt in this man.
 ner. So much raillery lad already beer heaped upon him, wha would it be i the cause were known His Landlord . might as we'll have written on his bacl a receipt in full.
 , As he reflected thus, Robert arrived . at the tavern. Hewas pssing by whel D he perceived MT. TayloA himself at . few paces distance, and pn the othe
 side his neighbor Hullins dragging hi
 wooden leg, and conversile with Harr, f Stokes, the carpenter. Harry Stoke
 was the wit of the villag, and Hop, [ would not have encountea him befor, n Hallins for the world. He therefor,
 took refuge in the tavern.
 But the place was not png tenable : The drinkers did not fail td perceive th, ], cross, and to rally Hope, who grew an Q gry; the quarrel became violent, an, fl the inn-keeper, fearing some seriou
 result, turned Robert out of doors @ The latter had left home with tla in d tention of examining some work wicl g had been offered to him in neighbo is ing village, but his mind had been
 disturbed by old Fox. Patty Steven |, the blacksmith, the butcher, Pegt e Turton, and the schoolboys, that he r It solved to return home, thinking th Q would be, after all, the peaceable plac L. Have you ever seen in the month
 September, young partridge, the la ? of the brood, futtering along throug