Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-29
Mr.. SINPERSON'S STORY.
tca.sells Family Mssazine.l

selGeh of me 20 object. lta nigh 10 break
inc INV heart though. 70 part with her"
Nr SimpcrsOn did not look at all like a
ranwho would suffer from broken heart.
Ills hard. square face. with its frame Of
1'hite hair and whiskcrs was a very mask
~ practical English commOn-scnse. A
village grocer and general dealer has sell
dom, any inclination 90 BE- romantic, and
Mr.. Simpcrson's prosperity in that calling
cleared him of any such suspicion. The
Affection between such a crusty old bache-,
Tor and his fair young ward and adopted
daughter. EUnico Gray, was standing
wonder 20 the whole village.
4 still creator wonder was his unwilling
ness 10 consent 10 her marriage with Robert
lIartop. odd standards the Hartops were,
and Rob as promising a young farmer as
there was FOR miles round. " sud think
as waatin' for 4 voung squire TO come
loam." WAS the comment Of Betty Sheard,
whose Judgment Of men and things was
not mellowcd ay age. or, mebbe, all
rnt up WI & parsons lad, as vast o
brass. and . parson 'uld think twice about
However. | had no such views on the
savings 81 the iourishing little shop and
! worked with "a will IN favor OF young
Tun,ce was a pretty little child when
first came 70 the parish. She had great
aunt living in the village ut that time, who
TOOK. how ever. llflit interest IN INC fhlANs
and diving soon afterwards left her without
friend in the world. save her adaptive
father lie WAS amuch crustiCr old bache-
lor lu those days than he has since shown
himself. The child, as she grew, infused a
sweetness and grace into his life to which
le had been wholly stranger lils eXte-
Tior was perhaps. rs crabid "a ever but
/, who knew him intimately, and soon
learned 10 respect him thoroughly, could
trace tho working OF her gentle love upon
the cross grained and stubborn but honest
leari that beat within.
Who was she? aud whence did she come
Village gossip brought 20 my ears It's usual
taucle Of inconsistent statements. Betty
Shcard Of course. knew all about it; but
Ter accounts varied so much from year 10
wear that only one connecting thread could
be traced through thom-a suggestion OF
some old slight on the part of Mr.. Slmper-
son.
confess 10 n certain fondness for Cos
SIN like to know all about my people :;
and rs / can trust myself 10 hear without
rcpcatine. and 90 listen without comment
inc. think no harm rs done If ! take in all
o. n comes and winnOw out the grain at
Thus | learned good deal about Mr..
Simpcrs0n and his young charge. could
guess that a strong passion had once
burned within him. and that cruel blows
had fallen on his sturdy nature, and that
90 had been forged the link that bound the
two together. But he was always most
rcticent on the matter himself. and It was
with great surprise that found bum wait
ing for me in my study one day, and
Ieadv-nay, eager. to tell me all the story
II was soon after his reluctant surrender,
the withdrawal of his unreasonable Oppo-
ston 10 HaTtOp's suit. | had spoken
rather sharply about it, and IL moved me
deeply 10 see how the proud ola man was
anxious 20 excuse his ObStinacy. lie would
mot avOW such a desire, perhaps, even to
himself. His osteusiblc reason for seclng
ire was to ask my advice about telling
Iartop the history. Robert sald he did
not care to know auythng-he was more
than content with Eunice as she was; but
the old man was conscious of the gossip
foating in the village mir, and he thought
mistakes at least. ought 10 be set right.
lie could not bring himself TO tell the
voung mau-thcre was some latent jealousy
I'm his heart no doubt.-but would / hear
the story and tell Robert as much AZ l
thought fit?
shall not tell the story as he told il; it
would hardly be ineligible if ] did. Only
iny previous fragmcntarv knowledge ena-
hled me 10 follow his bald outline awk-
warlly told, with reluctant stammerlngs
and sclf-rcspccting omissions. ! VIII tell 1t
81 | woyo the whole together.
Richard Smpcrson, a sour and silent
man Of fOrty-fiyc, or thereabouts, was
surely ill-advisod when he thought he
could attract a young girls fancy. And
vet il was in a hopeful mood that he sailed
forth one morning from ms dark ana
crowded little shop 90 try hls powers OF
wOOing. Perhaps he WAS conscious OF u
certain worth and integrity. 10 which he
attribItcd more weight than less lonely
mau would have dreamed Of Perhaps he
hoped something ne was Of no roman
lie turn-from the existence OF certain de-
post in the FELTON, Bank and from the
more potent advantages of IA well-st0cked
shop and "a steady custom. Harriet Rush
ton was certainly not III position To de-
spisc such things
He might have relied still more ON an
other advantage, which he was, perhaps,
TOO slow-witted to comprehend. An or
phan from a very early age. with no near
friend but an aunt, widowed aud poor. at
whose cottage she was now stavmg until
she could find fresh employment, Harriet
Rushton would not lightly despso the
offer Of a home, an independence, an as
surcd position, such as Simperson couiu
offer her.
II was q bright autumn day as he went
down through the village by the brook
which borders the road and across which
nro some half dozen little bridges leading
tothe various cottages. The mothers, busy
about their houses, and the old folk sun
ming Themselves before the doors, noted
the unusual sight Of the shopkeeper IN
ms Sunday clOthcs-his rough beaver, ms
black brUad-skirted coat -sauntcrlng as II
keeping holiday. Young Richard shipper
SOM such be was 10 these contemporaries
Of his father "been 10 Widda Rushton's,
surely" quavcrs an ancient hind; and
Betty Sbcard conJecturcs, Courtln, De
ike that lass % James mebbe therell be
$40, f.tf la y hqnns " And
the old crOnc's face, l should think. was
even less aminble than usual, and doubt
loss the gOssips inquired eagerly INTO the
meaning Of this dark hint, and were put
of with sundry mods and grimaces that
might mean much or nothing.
Richard Simperson entering the house
place found Harriet alone. She was skill
lul with her needle and was busy with
some work from our predecessors AT the
parsonage. She looked up with surprise
IN her visitor. She had known him almost
from childhood: Of late he had taken not
Il little notice Of her whenever they had
met-in his own shop. on the village
street, in tho Sunday school, IN church,
where hard, square features added TO
tho awe of the church-wardens o.
hce and 10 the terror OF evil-do-
ing farm-boys. But she had never be-
fore seen him within her aunt's door Per
haps she had been conscious OF something
particular in his attentions. There must
have been something of the sort, else Why
should lim-eyed Betty Sheard be SO ready
with her guessesg And il she saw some
thing, / warrant Harriet was not altogether
IN the dark. Anyhow, she received Inn
with some nervousness, and puzzled
half-dehant look spread over hcr face.
lie seated himself squarelv on chair, "a
squarely placed by the little table; and
thea he began to feel that ms task was
Ii is not to be supposed that can retail
the words he said. lie could not tell me
them himself and certainly. no one else
could. He felt a great lump in his throat
and doubtless he stammered out words OF
the most ordinary import for some time,
fdcoting with his hat-brim and looking for
the most part into its crown. Ana am
sure-I. who watched him closely ss he
told his story long afterwards-that tho
hard lines about his face were soitened,
and dissolved in quiyering doubt and nope
and fear. lie felt his heart grow hot with
-, b,,, aud thcn was terrified al the fire