The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-11-20
.This then. is the exclamation ="

JOnnS WneCn6r Ine wedding uay was
fixed; but no letter came. He learnt
not single particular till, meeting
Johns one day at horse auction,
Darton exclaimed genially - rather
more genially than he felt-"When is
the joyful day to be?"
To his great surprise a reciprocity
of gladness was not conspicuous in
Johns. mot at all,' he said, in a
very subdued tone. "'Tis bad job;
she won't have me-"
Darton held his breath till he said
with treacherous solicitude, "Try
again-'tis coyness."
"Oh. no. said Johns, decisivelv.
"There's been none Of that. We
talked it over dozens of times in the
most fair and square way. She tells
me plainly, don't suit her. 'Twould
be simply annoying her to ask her
again. All, Charles, you threw away
a prize when you let her slip five years
ago"
II did did," said Darton.
He returned from that auction with
new set Of feelings in play. He had
certainly made surprising mistake in
thinking Johns his successful rival.
It really seemed as if he might hope
for Sally after all
This time being rather pressed by
business, Darton had recourse to pen
and ink. and wrote her as manly and
straightforward proposal as any wo-
man could wish to receive. The re-
ply came promptly
DEAR Mr.. DARToN-I am as sensi-
BILE as any woman can be Of the good
ness that leads you to make this offer
to me a second time. Better women
than [ would be proud of the honor,
for when [ read your nice long speech
es on mangold-wurzel, and such like
topics. at the Casterbridge Farmers
Club, I do feel it an honor, [ assure
you. But my answer is just the same
as before. I will not try to explain
what, in truth, I cannot explain-my
reasons; I will simply say that I must
decline to be married to you. With
good wishes as in former times, am,
"Your faithful friend,
"SALLY HALL"
Darton dropped the letter hopeless
ly. Beyond the negative, there was
just possibility Of sarcasm in it
mice long speeches on mangold-wur-
eel" had a suspicious sound. Howev-
er, sarcasm or none, there was the an
swer, and he had to be content.
He proceeded to seek relief in a
business which at this time engrossed
much Of his attention-that Of clear
ing up curious mistake just current
in the county, that he had been near
ly ruined by the recent failure of To-
cal bank. A farmer named Darton
lost heavily, and the similarity Of
name had probably led to the error.
Belief in it was so persistent that it
demanded several days Of letter-writ-
ing to set matters straight. and per-
suade the world that he was as olvent
as ever he had been in his life He
had hardly concluded this worrying
task when, to his delight, another let
ter arrived in the handwriting of
Sally.
Darton tare it open; it was very
short.
DEAR Mr. DARToN-We have been
so alarmed these last few days by the
report that you were ruined by the
stoppage Of IS Bank, that now it
is contradicted, | hasten, by my moth
er's wish, to say how truly glad we
are to find there is no foundation for
the report After your kindness to
my poor brothers children, | can do
no less than write at such moment.
We had a letter from each Of them
few days ago.
''Fonr faithful friend,
"SALLY MALL"
"Mercenary little womanr' said
Darton to himself with a smile. ''Then
that's the secret of her refusal this
time-she thought | was ruined"
Now, such was Darton, that as
hours wore on he could not help feel
ing too generously towards Sally to
condemn her in this. What did he
want in wife, he asked himself.
Love and integrity. What next?
Worldly wisdom. And was there
really more than worldly wisdom In
her refusal to go aboard a sinking
ship? "Begad," he said, I'll try her
again"
The fact was that he had so set his
heart upon Sally, and Sally alone,
that nothing was to be allowed to
baulk him; and his reasoning was
purely formal.
Anniversaries having been unpro-
pitious he waited on till a bright day
late in May-a day when all animate
nature was fancying, in its trusting,
foolish way, that it was going to bask
out of doors forevermore. As he rode
through Holloway Lane it was scarce
recognizable as the track of his two
winter Journeys No mistake could
be made now, even with his eyes shut.
The cuckoo's note was at its best be-
tween April tentativeness and mid
summer decrepitude, and the reptiles
in the sun behaved as wlnningly as
kittens on a hearth. Though after
noon, and about the same time as Oh
the last occasion, it was broad day and
sunshine when he entered Hintock
Abbas, and the details Of the Knap
dairy7hause were visible far up the
road. He saw Sally in the garden,
and was set vibrating. He had first
intended to go on to the inn; but
No" he said; "l'll tie my horse to
the garden gate, If all goes well it
can soon be taken round; it not,
mount and ride away"
The tall shade Of the horseman
darkened the room in " hich Mrs Hall
sat, and made her start. for he had
ridden by side path to the top Of the
slope, where riders seldom came. In
a few seconds he was in the garden
with Sally.
Five-ay, three minutes-did the
business at the back Of that row of
bees. Though spring had come, and
heavenly blue consecrated the scene,
Dartnn snccaeded not MNnn said