Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-07-07
q Serial Sturp.
FORCED APART
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL.
CHAPTER vi.
THE STRANGFrELDs

CHAPTER VI e..
THE STRANGFELDS
Hard by an open space Of yard, rudely
rallied, stood q house Of wood; falr-slzed
house. and strong as an oak-built hull
The ward that adjoined this house was q
shipwrights yard, and often as the tar cal
dron belched its smoky stencil in the midst
of it. the fumes could never kill the sweet
favored smells that filled the air around
from the white deals and shavings OF the pine,
and the blocks Of red-hearted oak and teak
from India.
And now even at this stagnant season,
when the Frenchman's and the Yankees love
of small sweet pickings was SO voraclous,
that the art of the British coasting trade was
a plucky coquetting with wind and haven,
even now in this yard were the skeletons OF
two vessels-a lugger and schooner-to be
finished, equipped, and afoat by August,
under the signed contract Of Michael Strang-
field. who wanted neither pen nor witness to
make his word binding.
On this evening of Cuthbert's impressment,
the master shipwright sat in the parlor OF his
wooden home, filling the room with the mist
of navy tobacco. In this matter of the pipe
his flesh was weak.
Mr.. Strangfeld sat in high-backed arm
chair near the table, and opposite to him was
his wife.
Both of them were busy; the one with his
pipe and design on paper of the hull Of the
schooner-a skeleton yet in the yard-and
the other with knitting needles.
On the table, at Mr.. Strangfeld's elbow,
was big horn Bible.
tlTl ha ;,, c1o ordty
withdrawing his pipe, and speaking slightly
through his nose to retain the flavor OF the
tobacco, "that the lines here laid down be
those that'n give Mr.. Wainwright the speed
he looks for" He eyed the paper earnestly.
And as he said this he laid down the draw
ing, and looked at his wife through pair of
thick-rimmed spectacles.
The spectacles of those days were disfgure-
ments, as ell persons know who are familiar
with old prints and paintings.
But neither the irresistible enlargement Of
Mr.. Strangfeld's eyes, nor the goblin circles
through. which they surveyed Mrs. Strang-
field, could deform the stern and worn
beauty of his countenance.
Fifty-fve his age was, and ten years added
would still have left his days behind his face
due to half-weary expression Of asceti-
cism, and the puckering of All over-hanging
brow, and an acidulated droop of the under
lin. His dark hair, well laced with white,
hung in decent profusion over the white col
lar of his coat, and his attire was gray, coarse
stockings, stout broadcloth, furnished with
dingy metal buttons, and square-toed boots,
with soles thick enough to warrant hira no
skulker
.If the moon wasn't so clean should al
low there was gale of wind in the sound OF
the sea-"
He yawned loudly.
@Wife, I've smoked enough, and enough is
contsntment to thankful heart"
He rose to place his pipe on the mantel
shelf, and reared figure that brought his
head close to the low ceiling.
"Jenny is in her bedroom, and there she
sits and sits What ails the girl! Hast thee
noticed her, Michaels" said Mrs. Strangfeld,
who, though she put her questions with
touch of fretfulness in her voice, went on
knitting very placidly.
This was q woman to be admired for her
pretty hands, soft eyes, and rich brown hair,
neatly smoothed beneath full cap.
Otherwise, her face disarmed criticism by
its vacant, goo1-natured and cheerful in
sipidity
Strangfeld turned to look at her, and re-
sumed his chair.
"You have seen me watch her" said he.
"Why, therefore, do you say, Hast thee
noticed her, MichaelP You are apt to speak
without care, wife. Your lips 60 one way
and your mind another"
swell, well, have my faults"
@Truly you have, my dear"
@As gospel says, who is without sinF I'm
less it's thee, Michael; and that one should
know by your readiness to cast stones"
Mr.. Strangfeld frowned, but was wise
enough to hold his peace.
"What ails Jenny, them continued the
mother. "You should know. You be a
man of long sight never could hide q
secret from thee"
Mr. Strangfield sat for space behind his
spectacles, pondering, while his wife laid
down her needles to pass her hand over her
hair.
"What should be the matter with her?" de-
manded Mr. Strang6eld, presently. "Her
health is sound"
II hope so!" cried Mrs. Strangfeld, ner-
vously.
No one has been meddling with her heart,
to my knowledge"
"Meddle! Certainly not. Should I not
know?"
HUnfess," continued Mr.. Strangfeld, "she
be fallen into that state against which the
Apostle warned the Corinthian damsels, put
ting it in this way-that the unmarried
woman careth for the things of the Lord;
which was, doubtless, q true thing to say
- hatt
now"
Mrs. Strangfeld shook her head softly.
"If she had a sweetheart she would tell
me-" said she, looking rather vaguely, how
ever, at her husband, as a woman might
whose conscience does not place her perfectly
at ease.
II could not imagine that she would not"
said the husband, sternly.
aAs to Mrs. Meads gossip, it's idler than
the wind Being known to her somehow"
continued Mrs. Strangfeld, who was not
very easily repressed, and who, when she had
a point to get at always Travelled to it along
the most roundabout paths-"for the chit
will not explain how their acquaintance be-
gan-is it not proper that Mr.. Shaw, who Is
a born gentleman and knows manners, should
take off his hat to her and pass pleasant
word when they meetl Now, through some
blockhead neighbor, Mother Mead hears OF
their talking on the beach, whittier Jenny
had gone for shells for a pin cushion And
to me she comes with wise tossing OF the
nose. But, says I, 'Ma'am, am my daugh-
ter's mother, and what concerns me shall be
my proper trouble, under Providence, that
our neighbors may have full time for their
own affairs That was we'll said Michael,
dost thee not think!"
"Let Mrs. Mead beware how she meddle
with Jennys name! But there should be
no cause, neither for her nor any other gossip,
to talk"
1Cause!" cried Mrs. Strangfeld, opening
her mild eyes, with little toss of the knit
ting needles "A pretty pass, truly, if Mr..
Shaw cannot pull off his hat to Jenny, and
praise the weather, without his politeness be-
ing called cause. A cause to set Mrs.
Mead's tongue goinga You need not stand
on your head to do that"
"I'u not have Mr.. Shaw's name chimed
with my wench's," exclaimed Strangfeld.
aBeelzebub himself is not harder on us than
the doctor up at the schoolhouse."