The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-07-07

| Agnes praised his ami ltlOn and genius,
prophesied all sorts of honors to him,
and promised to wait faithfully for his
return. Her father was a different one
to manage, and Richards heart quaked
as he entered the 'squire's own peculiar
parlor. 1t was sunny room, Uttered
with odds and ends of hunting and fish
ing matters; and the squire was sitting
on a big, old-fashioned sofa, playing
with couple of thoroughbred black
English terriers.
He said, frankly enough:
."Good-day, Richard Broadbent;" but
he did not trouble himself to rise, for the
Broadbents had been tenants of Saurham
from the days of King Stephen. That i'll
these cotton-spinning days they had
grown rich did not alter their position at
all in Squire Saurman's eyes. Fifty
years ago the great landed proprietor did
not consider money as an equivalent for
good birth; so the squire treated Richard
pretty much as he would have done a
favorite servant.
"Miss Saurham says that thou art 60
ing away, Richard. What for, lad?"
"To study, sir"
eyes, yes. When lands and money
all are spent, then learning is most ex-
cellent.' have always heard that; but,
lad, thy father has money-why need
thou go study"
Because, sir, wish to make a great
name, to become famous; then, sir, per-
haps, squire = then"
"The dickens! Speak out, lad.-then
what?"
"Then, sir, perhaps you will permit
me to tell you how dearly l love Miss
Saurham."
"No, Richard, shall never allow any
thing of the kind. If twere not for old
Josiah 1 would say worse than this to
thee. Come, Giddy, come Rattle. we
will go to the bayfield,. 1 hope thy study,
Richard, may teach thee to be more mod
est and sensible"
Richard watched the sturdy figure in
its green coat. white corduroys, and buff
top-boots across the lawn, and then, with
a very angry feeling in his heart, left the
hail. He disappeared soon afterward,
and after few desultory inquiries from
various acquaintance, he seemed to be
| forgotten. The Broadbent mills went on
as usual. Josiah and Stephen and Mark
passed to and from them as regularly as
| if their lives were ordered by machinery;
and once week the rector went up to
their house, smoked pipe with Josiah,
and generally said, as he left:
call is we'll with Richard, Josiah
very well indeed!'
In the fourth year of his absence there
was much trouble between the mill own
ers and operatives. The masters were
everywhere threatened, and many mills
were set on fire, and the excitement and
terror was hardly allayed even when the
prominent offenders had been imprisoned.
| Their trial was one that affected the in
terests of all manufacturing districts, and
| the spacious court house was crowded.
Josiah was present of course; so were
Mark and Stephen.
Now, if there was anything these men
| had an almost idolatrous respect for, 1t
was the paraphernalia of the law. Those
advocates in their black gowns, those
grave men in their imposing wigs, those
wise-looking, calfbound volumes, the
pomp and ceremony of the sheriffs, con-
stables and criers, were to them the most
obvious representative OF the majesty OF
English law and power.
| Conceive, then, their amazement, when
prominent among those gowned advo-
Gates, giving directions to other lawyers,
and demeaning himself as one having au-
.hority, was Richard Broadbent. Old
Josiah flushed and trembled and touched
Stephen and Mark, who were also too
much affected to do anything but grave
" nod their heads. But when the argu-
ments were over, and Richard Broadbent
rose as a special pleader in the matter,
curiosity changed to amazement and
amazement to enthusiasm. Such aspeech
had never been heard in West Riding be-
fore. 1t was cheered and cheered
until even Yorkshiremen' lungs were
weary.
The good rector had his reward when
he stood beside his protege, and saw the
squire and the city magnates crowd
round the brilliant young lawyer with
their congratulations. But far greater
was his Joy when old Josiah and Stephen
and Mark pressed forward with radiant
faces and full hearts. They were no men
given to speech and the happy father
could say nothing but God bless thee
ladr while Stephens and Marks pride
and love found its full expression in
"Well Dick! Dick" But no words could
have been more satisfactory.
The good for-nothing had found his
vocation. Two years after his departure
from Leeds he he had been called to the
bar at Gray's Inn, and since then, by his
tact and eloquence had made himself one