The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-17

the same time pointed out to her that
they were without application inh case,
since the metal in question was only
electro-plate. Foracre had a good deal
Of quiet humor-a gift which, when
Joined to imperturbable good temper, is
not resented by even the dullest people,
and though he never offended others, he
was very forgiving when the offense was
committed against himself. For example,
he was cheated very shamefully by his
housekeeper. He used to go away for a
short holiday every year, choosing some
slack time in agricultural operations,
which he passed, it was understood, at
the house of one or other of his numer-
Gus friends. During his absence this
woman used to send vast hampers full of
dairy and garden produce to a sister in
London, who was in the greengrocery
line. One of these was intercepted and
the fraud discovered; but nevertheless
her master forgave her. l shall never
forget his describing how neatly all the
stolen articles were packed, as if that
had really been point in the woman's
favor. She had also written note with
them, which he carried about with
him, and read with a good deal of
quiet appreciation. "The B at the
bottom" [she meant the butter] "was
churned latest" was one sentence; and
at the end she had written, 81 hope this
finds you as well as it leaves me, thank
God" This housewifely care and par
ticularity, and also the piety that
mingled with it, seemed to Mr.. Foracre
so admirably humorous that, so far from
prosecuting the thief, he retained her in
his service, though not without exciting
some scandal. Miss Tabitha always said
that if the woman had been less good
looking (though for her part she could
see little enough to admire in her), she
would have been dismissed from the
Manor Farm. 1t was not likely, however,
| that the flicker of Miss Tabitha's forked
tongue could affect honest Robert Foracre
| in the opinion of those who knew him.
As matter of fact, vices he had none,
| and even his weaknesses were not preiu-
dicial to other people. If he took glass
too much at market, it never made him
quarrelsome; he would come home sing
ing in the gig, instead of silent-that
was all. And in his latter years this was
rather frequent. Many time have /
heard him thunder by the rectory door
at night (for on such occasions he would
drive very fast), caroling forth his favor
ite ditty of the "Hornet," or "Harnet," I"
as he termed it in his country pronun-
citation:
"a harnet sat IN hollow tree,s
A proper spttful twoad was he,
And a-merrily sangas ee did set
His st ny as sharp as baggonet," etc.
These little things in Wiltshire are very
properly considered as mere foibles. What
his neighbors would have ridiculed him
more for, had they known it (but it was
only known to DR.. Prim, Mr.. Smart, and
his intimate friends), was that he was a
hypochondriac, which. to look at him or
to listen to his CHEEKY talk, you would
never have imagined.
He had often short but severe attacks
of illness, and on these occasions always
imagined himself at the point of death.
But his end did not happen, poor fellow,
at all as he expected. He was thrown
out of his gig coming home from Parton
market, and from being little elevated
by liquor, perhaps, got fall that broke
his neck. No occurrence, without any
exception, was ever mOurned 80 much
in our village; for We all felt that an
honest man was gone, and one who had
never had cross word for anybody. All
The principal persons of the parish at
tended the funeral, and my uncle and
myself (at Mr.. Smart's invitation) went
afterward to the Manor farm to hear his
will read. There were good many 9th
er folks there-the friends that had beer
staying with the poor man from time tt
time, and who, having doubtless read Of
the accident in the newspapers, had come
to pay him their last tribute of respect
but not one of them seemed to know any
of the others. Under the circumstances
Mr.. Smart thought it necessary to say {
few preliminary words:
"Youwill perhaps wonder, gentlemen,
said he, in his dry way, "why l have
taken upon myself all the arrangements
of Mr.. Foraere's interment, and am herr
in this prominent position when there
may be some here who have known hin
longer and more intimately. But th'
fact is, I was not only his legal advis
er, but am bound to him by ties of obi
cation, which I hope myself and Eb
enezer here"-he pointed to his son, ,
serious young gentleman OF nineteel
years of age, whom he had brought witt
him-"will not easily forget. When For
acre came into this district he was un
known to any one within it, an(
it was my good fortune to have the op
portunity Of letting him small farm
He remained in it for some years, win
ming the appreciation of all about him
apparently in the enjoyment Of goot
health; but presently he had one of thos
sudden and severe attacks of illness o
which, as most of you know, he was un
happily subject, and caused me to b
sent for professionally. Gentlemen, l d.
assure you had no more notion thar
yourselves, when I was thus summoned
that that visit of mine would have beel
fraught with any consequences to me o
mine. iudpe therefore NV astOnishmen