The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-02

these was intercepted, and the fraud dis
covered but nevertheless her master for
gave her. ] shall never forget his describ-
ing how neatly all the stolen articles were
packed, as if that had really been point
in the woman's favor. She had also writ
ten note with them, which he carried
about with him, and read with good
deal of quiet appreciation. ''The B at the
bottom she meant the butterl was
chuned 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 min
gled 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 to admire in herr, 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 weakness were not prejudice
al to other people. IF he took glass too
much at market,it never made him quar-
relsome; he would come home singing
in the gig, instead of silent that was all.
And in his latter years this was rather
frequent. Many time have seen him
thunder by the .ectory door at night for
on such occasions he would drive very
fast), carolling forth his favorite dltty Of
the Hornet" or Harnet, as he rendered
1t in his country pronunciation:
"A harnet sat in hollow tree.
proper spiteful twead was he,
And a-merrily sang as Zee did set
His sting as sharp as baggonet," etc.
These little things in Wiltshire are
CO sldered very properly as mere foibles.
What his neighbors would have ridicuicd
him more for, had they knew it (but il
was only known to DR.. Prim, Mr.. Smart,
and his intimate friends). was that he
was hypochondriac, which, to look at
him or to listen to his CHEEKY talk, you
would never have imagined.
He had often short but severe attacka
OF illness, and on these occasions ALWAYS
imagined himself at the point of death.
But his end did not happen, poor fell
low, at all as he expected. He was
thrown out of his gig coming home from
Barton market, and from being little
elevated by liquor, perhaps, got fall
that broke his neck. No occurrence,
without any exception, was ever mourn
cd so much in our village, for we all telt
that an honest man was gone, and one
who never had cross word for anybody.
All the principal persons Of the parish
attended the funeral, and my uncle and
myself Cat Mr.. Smart's invitation), went
atterward to the Manor Farm to hear
his will read. There were good many
other folks there-the friends that had
been staying with the poor man from
time to 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 cir
cumstances, Mr.. Smart thought it neces-
sary to say few preliminary words
"You will, perhaps, wonder, gentlemen .
said he, in his dry way, why I have ia
ken upon myself all the arrangements for
Mr.. Foracrc's interest, and am here IN
this prominent position, when there may
be some here who have known him longer
and more Intimately. But the fact is, I
was not only his legal adviser, but am
bound to him by ties of obligation,
which hope myself and Ebenezer here .
he pointed to his son, serious
young gentleman OF nineteen wears
OF age, whom he had brought with him
swlll not easily forget. When Foracre
came into the district he was unknown
to anyone within 1t, and 1t was my good
fortune to have the opportunity of let
ting him small farm. He remained in
1t tor some years, winning the approba-
ton OF all about him, apparently in the
enjoyment of good health; but presently
he had one OF those sudden and severe
attacks ofillness to which, most of you
know, he was unhappily subject, and
caused me to be sent for-p1otess1onally.
Gentlemen, do assure YOU [ had no
more notion than yourselves, when I was
thus summoned, that this visit of mine
would have been traught with any CON
sequences to me or mine; Judge. there
fore, my establishment when our deceased
friend-wno, indeed, looked like a diving
man, and whom l little thought had the
useful career before him with which we
are We'll acq uainted-was SO good as to
thus address me: 'Mr. Smart said he.
you have behaved very kindly to me
since came into your neighborhood. l
have not been gooi farmer as I might
have been, but you have borne with me
very patiently Gentlee en-, these words
went home to my heart; for, as matter
OF fact, ha l written 10 him rather IN
temporarily, and even warned him that
he would have notice to quit his farm.
i propose to make to you. said Mr.. For
acre, In faint voice. some little return