The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-11-13

| mao accomplished IL.
It was the universal custom there
about to wake the bees by tapping al
their hives whenever a death occurred
in the household, under the belief that
if this were not done the bees them.
selves would pine away and perish
during the ensuing year. AS soon as
an interior buzzing responded to hel
tap at the first hive Mrs. Hall went
on to the second, and thus passed
down the row. As soon as she came
back he met her.
"What can | do in this trouble
Mrs. Hall?" he said.
"Oh-nothing, thank you, moth
ing," she said in fearful voice, now
just perceiving him. "We have called
Susannah and her husband, and they
will do everything necessary" She
told him in a few words the particu-
lars Of her sons arrival, broken in
health-indeed, at deaths very door,
sthough they did not suspect it-and
suggested, as the result of converse
ton between her and her daughter,
that the wedding should be post
poned.
Yes, Of course" said Darton. Il
think now to go straight to the inn
and tell Johns what has happened
1t was not till after he had shaken
hands with her that he turned hesita-
tingly and added, will you tell the
mother of his children that, as they
are now left fatherless, shall be glad
to take the eldest of them, if it would
be any convenience to her and to
you?"
Mrs. Hall promised that her sons
widow should be told Of the offer, and
they parted He retired down the
rooty slope and disappeared in the di-
rection of the Sheaf of Arrows, where
ne informed Johns of the circumstan-
ces. Meanwhile Mrs. Hall had en-
tered the house. Sally was down
stairs in the sitting room alone, and
her mother explained to her that Dar-
ton had readily assented to the post
pOnement.
No doubt he has," said Sally with
sad emphasis. 1T is not put off for
week, or a month, or a year. [ shall
hSNC1 mai uIlIl, anu ouc Will.
".
Time passed, and tie household on
the Knap became again serene under
the composing influences of daily rou-
tine. A desQltory, very desultory,
correspondence, dragged on between
Sally Hall and .Darton, who, not quite
knowing how to take her petulant
words on the night of her brothers
death, had remained passive thus long.
Helena and her children remained at
the dairy-house, almost of necessity,
and Darton therefore deemed it 'advis-
able to stay away.
One day, seven months later on,
when Mr.. Darton was as usual at his
farm, twenty miles from Hintock,
note reached him from Helena. Che
thanked him for his kind offer about
her children. which her mother-in-
law had duly communicated, and stat
ed that she would be glad to accept it
as regarded the eldest, the boy. Hele-
ma had, in truth, good need to do so,
for her uncle had left hef penniless,
and all application TO some relatives
in India had failed. There was, be-
sides, as she said, no good schools near
Hintock to which she could send the
child.
On fine summer day the boy
came. lie was accompanied by Sally
and his mother-to the Pack Horse, a
roadside inn-where he was handed
over to Darton's pailiff in a shining
sprlng-cart, who met them there.
He was entered as a day-scholar at
populas school at Casterbridge, three
Or four miles from Darton's, having
first been taught by Darton to ride
forest pony, on which he cantered to
and from the aforesaid fount of
knowledge, and las Darton hoped)
brought away a promising headful of
the same at each diurnal expedition.
The thoughtful taciturnity into which
barton had latterly fallen was quite
dissipated by the presence of this boy
When the Christmas holidays came
1t was arranged that he should spend
them with his mother. The Journey
was, for some reason or other, p T.
formed in two stages, as at his COM
ing, except that Darton in person took
the place of the bailiff, and that the
boy and himself rode on horseback.
Reaching the renowned Pack Horse,
Darton inquired if Miss and young
Mrs. Hall were there to meet little
Philip las they had agreed to be). He
was answered by the appearance of
Helena alone at the door.
''At the last moment Sally would
not come" she faltered.
That meeting practically settled the
point towards which these long-sev-
cred persons were converging But
nothing was broached about it for
some time yet. Sally Hall had, in
fact, impaired the first decisive mo-
ton to events by refusing to accom-
pany Helena She soon gave them a
second move by writing the following G
note:-
Private.
DEAR CHARLEs-Living here so
long and so Intimately with Helena, |
have naturally learnt her history, es-
peicially that of it which relates to
you. am sure she would accept you
as husband at the proper time, and |
think you ought to give her the op-
portunity. You inquire in an old
note if | am sorry that ] showed tenn
per (Which it .easntD that night when
heard you talking to @her. No
Charles, am not sorry at all for what
| said then.
Yours sincerely,
SALLY HALL.
Thus set in train, the transfer of
Darton's heart back to its original
quarters proceeded by mere lapse of
time. In the following July Darton
went to his friend Japheth, to ask him
at last to fulfill the bridal Office which
had been in abeyance since the pre-