The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-05

oppositeuess.
 There had been great reioicings and good deal of pride on the part of the new squire when, little more than a quarter of a century back, the mistress of Callows farm had presented her hus- band with son. In the face of the pro- perty being tied up on Mrs. Brock and her heirs, or, failing issue, to pass to old Mir. Callow's nephew, who had the happi- ness 10 possess i've stalwart sons, it is hardly necessary to say that the small heir was made welcome. He was rocked m satin and lace, and had a brace of godfaihers from town to give him a num- Der of fine names, of which, however, he availed himself but sparsely, preferring in latter life to sign himself Ned on all but formal occasions.
 It was not until she following summer. when his father again betook himself to the distraction of town, tha, they dis covered that poor Mrs. Brock was likely to be an invalid for life. There was a great deal of head-shaking, and a num- Der of cures were tried. There had been complications" said the great man, the physician called in by the country doctor but in the end the great man ard the complications left the mistress of Callews farm on sofa from which she never rose.
 Before that time she had been a rather eager and emph atic woman, apt, per haps, 10 persuade her neighbors 10 take her particular tonic and inclined to in- sist upon their going her particular shor, cut 10 heaven.
 She was large-boned and a trifie ansu. lar in shape, authoritative and chilling in manner. but with sort of native dignity which sustained her under many trials.
 She bore her confined and solitary life as only women can, and suffered without murmur the many indignities of her husband as only women will. The squire's coldness. and her long, helpless illness, did much to change the poor lady. It may have been that in the lone. illness of the night the poor woman soothed her grief with tears, and, per. haps, with prayers, but to no living be- ing did she ever discover the disappoint- ment of her matured years.
 To the neighbors who gathered round her sofa, with their inquisitive sympathy, and indiscree: coincidence, Mrs. Brock had but one answer
 My husband has gone 10 town to see my lawyer" or my husband has gone to co little business nov am such an invalid he has everything to do fer me-
 Her son as he grew up loved her, not passionately aud ex,ravagantly, as sons love injured mothers in plays and novels. but heartily and faithfully, like the stolid, nndemonstrative Englishman he was, but even to him she did not tell the story of this quarter of century of her life.
 Perhaps she saw that the breach be- tween father and son was likely to be wide enough withou, any intervention of hers. but it is probable that he guessed what she so carefully withheld from him. Even by the time the boy left school it was no secret to those about the farm that there was disagreement and ill-will. at any rate on the fathers side, between these nearest of kinsmen. At the age of of twenty, the boy had strongly marked individuality, the sort of individuality which was not likely to please his some. what superficial and pushing father.
 Instead of remaining at a university. to make, as Squire Brock said, " desirable acauaintances," Ned insisted>on going to an agricultural college.
 Hell come back with all sorts of new tangled notions, and probably think he knows better than his father" the squire would exclaim over the dessert, on the occasions when his wife was we'll enough to be carried down to dinner. Hell want to make improvements. I'll be bound, the father would grumble on. " know what that means-more out of our pockets.
 In the meantime the squire, who con. sidered himself judge of horse-fesh. kept couple of hunters as we'll as hack Tn his stables He continued also ,s keep on his bachelor chambers in Ryder street. because, as he often exclaimed, because he could not be expected to bury himself at Swallows Hill. The expensive tastes, of which the squire had been so proud twenty years before, had now be- come part of his life.
 Money troubles, and the constant drain on the invalid's purse in conseouence. were making themselves fels in more ways than one. The poor old lady seemed broken, as If the fret and wear of Ter married life had destroyed her men, tal as we'll as her physical force. People, of course, wondered how any one, who had been as sensible and practical as Miss Callow, could now be so foolishly weak with ood-for-nothing and spend- thrift husband. She had always been credited with some of her fathers thrift 1 how was 1t that she parted now with her last sixpence? What they ignored was that Mrs. Brock was just one of those wives whose affections bear the strain of hard usage.
 It was thus that, that when young Ed ward Brock returned to Callows farm, he found somewhat impoverished and dreary home. The place had become desolate and grass-grown since his child hood, the land had run to waste, the very farm-laborers had dwindled away.
 Great things were expected, however, from the homecoming of the young squire. He was loved at once for his honest. open face, and the simple people l round immediately thought that things would now bv some s0rt of m naoir r,cht