The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-17
Helen ChurchiII's Lover,

4uo pHVory gIey Oh summer uaWI
was spreading itself over the landscape
rendering soft and indistinct all familiar
objects; yet, even seen by its dim, uncer
tain light, he looked more like onegrown
prematurely old by reason of hard work
and whitening care, than as if he had
merely passed from youth to age by the
ordinary gentle gradatiops.
His brow was lined, his hair silvered
and there was stoop in his shoulders
which told Of hard and continuous toll
yet, notwithstanding these drawbacks
there were the reInainsef outhful beau
ty in the wsll-shaped head and clea,
He had arrived in the neighborine
town too late the evening before to catch
the last train to this little out-of-the-
way hamlet, too late to do aught but
seek q. bed there; but after three or four
hours, the restless craving to complete his
journey 80 oyerpowered him that he rose
and pursued bis wagon foot. And now
with the delicate light of early morn
silvering the birchea and dimpling the
waters OF the stream, be stood at length
where his feet had not rested for fifteen
years. But these fifteen years, awful as
they had been at the time, seemed but as
dream now, scarcely to be recalled on
waking, as he stood thus looking at each
well-remembered spot
There was the quaint, old-fashioned
church, where he could remember kneel-
ing, tiny boy, by his mothers side,
and listening, half-eonsoiously, as he
stared about him. to the soft voice re-
peating the responses. He could see
himself, older still, gazing bashfully
from the high-curtained pew across to
where, beneath marble slabs that spoke
of the virtues of those who slept beneath,
gOlden-haired maiden knelt; inside the
church, only the narrow aisle between
them; outside, all the wide dividing space
that lies between the village doctors son
and the eldest daughter Of Squire
Churchill u.. ..9
With sigh the wayfarer brought
back his straying thoughts from past to
present, and became aware that the sun
had risen; the birds were chirping forth
an early song, and the dewdrops were
glittering all round-on the rose-erown-
ed hedge by which he stood, on the
sprays Of eglantine, and on the far-away
green meadAws that lay between the vii
.lage Of By shorpe and Bythorpe Manor,
halfway up the wooded slopes opposite
SAT length I am home again" then he
muttered; Eat length" throwing his head
back with certain joyful gesture, and
stretching out rough, toil-worn hand
as if in token of greeting-"at length
the years are over-the work is accomp.
lished--the punishment wrought out
and am back to claim my prize!-Ah!
starting slightly, as voice addressed
him with brief "Good morning"
"Good morning, sir" Something in
the strangers appearance apparently
brought forth that "sir," which had moi
formed part of the original sentence, bu,
was hastily added on as he turned his
head to see who had addressed him.
s. "You are about betimes," the new
conner went on. "It is not many of the
gentry as troubles with the sight Of 8
summer sunrise"
"They miss much," said the stranger
briefly. "Though perhaps to us, who
possibly have seen it nearly every morn
ing of our lives, it is common affail
enoughW
The farmer looked at the speaker il
some surprise, and he added immedi
ately: t| - @'3f
"I have not seen it myself for many
years-in England. You belong to By
thorpe" he went on, as if anxious' to di
vert the conversation from any personal
channels l .4
"Man and boy, I have lived here these
fifty years. That is my farm" pointing
with proud, possessive air in the direc
ton whence he had come; "Manol
Farm" sa.. ga .-,,l ,.. r..
"Then you are -" half escaped tn,
lips Of the other; but the words passee
unnoticed by his companion.
"Dick Stisted, Of the Manor Farm,
he repeated. mine now, as it was nay
fathers before me, and will, please God
be my sons by-and-by." s4 s.,
"A perfect life, MIR. Sisted. A home
awife, and little ones. What could {
man require moreT pr a f5
"You do not possess themw question
led the farmer, looking up, surprised al
the energy in the strangers voice.
4, ~ am not married," he, replied briefly
'tBut," he fastened to add, fearing hi
reply might have. been abrupt, "yeu
know the place, you say; then perhaps
you can tell me to whom belongs yondel
hollse,D pointing toward the distant
towers of Bythorpe Manor. "But il
may be I am detaining your
No, no." replied Mr. Stisted eeurte
,ously, "Pm not pressed for time. Yon
der house belongs to Squire Churchill
The young Squire we calls him, mostly
about here, seeing that his father ia dead
not 90 long SINCE"
~ "He is deadw .t a
"Ay, surely; and young Mr.. Edward
has come into the place, and married
bonny wife, he has" a. r,,r,is
b, "The old Squire had daughter, hat
he notY'y oas 70 ua aytn.f I,pgt' ,aa
mTwo. You knew themfs ~"
81 knew them," the stranger replied
evasiyely. And then, pointing to ,