The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-04-08


Rise from disaster and defeat
The stronger,
And conscious still of the divine
Within them, lie on earth supine
No longer.
III. ". LoSGFELLow, in Harpers Magazine
for March.
AFTER MANY DAYS.
An English Romance.
BYw. II. s. ATKINSON.
Away on the dear old Yorkshire wolls
in merry England, just at the foot of the
bold hill known as the Beacon Top, rest
ing there secure from all but the south
winds, is the pretty and QUART village OF
Beacondale.
You ought to see Beacondale, for it is
the very sweetest of English rural viii
lagos, whether you look at 1t from the
Top or from the low-ly1ny south, or
walk up its one street. Its church is
worth long walk or drive, whether you
see it Inside or out, or both-such pref
ty house was never erected elsewhere Tor
the worship Of God. 1t is small and old,
but most handsomely fitted and furnish
ed through the generosity of the Squire,
who owns all the surrounding property,
and 1t is plenty large enough to hold the
rustic congregation which assemblies
there Sabbath by Sabbath. Adjoining
the church is the vicarage, where dwclls
the good man, who, notwithstanding his
weakness IN favor of tapcrs and vest
ments, faithfully tells these simple villag-
ers the story of Gods love. No. hut what
heresy in the shape of dissent ha fplant-
ed its fort in this void village For on
one side of the street is little square
box, capable Of holding perhaps forty
people, known as the Primitive Metho-
dist Chapel; while opposite, and on the
same side OF the street as the church,
stands similar brick box-only that
this Wesleyan Methodist stronghold can
." look down somewhat upon its neighbor
" across the way; for has it not a porch al
most as large as the chapel itself? How
everchurch and dissent get alcng pretty
: amciably together on the whole.
Methodist farmers and Church. Of Eng
land farmers meet and are the best Of
friends every Saturday at St. Ulavcs Mar
ket, and their laborers, following their
example in an humber way, drink a
glass together at the village tavern every
payday, without discussing their theo-
logical opinions and principles. But to
go on with our village. There is, as
hunted, tavern, postottice and couple
OF general stores leach Of which displays
its stock-ln-trade in small, four PANIED
cottage window, and these. with two or
three farm houses, small foundry and
forge, and about score of cottages,
ranged on either side broad road and
stream running alongside each other,
make up as pretty village as could be
discovered in life's tlavel.
About two miles from Beacondalc to-
ward the south, stood lonely home
stead. The house was ancient and in
bad repair, but was nevertheless a real
comfortable old home, and was occupied,
together, with large farm of several
hundred acres, by hale old bachelor OF
60, and the mistress Of the house was his
widowed sister, who lived there with her
daughter. John Fielding and his sister,
Mrs: Mitchell, we're fair specimens of
Yorkshire folk-hearty, honest, lively
keeping open house for any one and Tor
every one. Among the occasional well
come visitors to this hospitablc home was
) = young fellow named Ferguson, who at
hrst invariably came with his particular
frlend, George Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell's
son. After while, however, he took to
visiting more frequently. and for some
months every other Saturday saw Fergu-
son at the Thorpe farm, where he staid
until Monday.
Will Ferguson was confidential clerk
at an extensive engineering establishment
at Milton, some fifteen miles, over the
wolds, from Beacondalc. His position
was good one, and although barely %,
and scarce two years connected with the
hrm, his employers implicitly trusted
him with their financial affairs and the
management of their business. There
was nothing particularly attractive about
Ferguson. Tall and plain. featured
; rather ugly than Handsomely pleasant
! companion, generally kind and thought
: tul to all whom he knew, attentive to
! business, he was perhaps as we'll liked as
any other young fellow in Milton.
Will Ferguson had often visited Thorpe
farm, because his chosen friends were rcla-
tives OF old John Fielding, and lie, there
fore, accompanied them frequently; be-
sides he liked the drive and was fond of
the ThoT pc folk, and he also liked on Sun
days to attend service in the Beacond ale
: church.
One bright Sunday morning in October,
Ferguson and George Mitchell drove over
to Thorpe farm for the sake Of the ride
over the wolds and quiet day at the
old farm house.
Evening came, and, as usual, thew
walked down the lovely lane which led
to the village and church. This was
not their frat visit to Beacondale church
BY any means,s so that they walked in and
took their accustomed seat. The service
had commenced and the young meu were
hastily finding their place in the PRAYER
book, when they became aware of strane-
EN-, occupying the seat Immediately IN
front OF them. They were bonnie strany-
ers, too-the prettiest handed a pray
er-book to the late arrivals, and from
that moment Will Ferguson was a gone
man. HIS heart was no longer his own.
III He felt that he had met his fate, and
II al through that service he was trying to
devise plan whereby he could become
acquainted with this girl who had so
u completely captivated him at one glance,
n and little attention did he pay to what
the clergyman said that evening. After
service he returned the book, which gave
q him an opportunity of saying one word,
and hearing that same word-sThank
you-from those pretty lips.
That evening on their way home the
two friends called on an acquaintance,
and. while seated there, putting cigars,
tney heard soon the sound of merry, girl
!. ~ voices, and into the room walked the
three lair strangers of the village church.
They appeared perfectly at home here,
and tho mistress of the house introduced
I than @ Miss Hanaford, Miss Annie
D landlord and Miss Maggie Handford.
\ Ms landlord and Miss Maggie might
lust o Wolthave been still at Church for
Ill Will Ferguson saw of them. He was