Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-03
" COPYRIGHT esI: AN1<E1LocCN NEfGHAPERce.

about withl4ler eyes cast down an has lost all her good loolza am nat'ral peart- ness. It makes my heart ache to look at her.". And your good dame? Surely she is not a victim of this general melan- choly?'>
 ~Shers like me-nearly worn out wi their tantrums. never l1nowed her sick for twenty years, but hers losing weight every day, tell ee."
 %iEs NJ. d'Estreville still with you?"
 %NOf course he is."
 And are his spirits at zero, too?"
 Mot they. He crawls about the house like a tame cat, wi snigger an grin on his sallow face as he goes to the women folk, one after another, an whispers soft nothings in their ears. I eatcfed him talking to my Nell f the garden arbor on Tuesday eve, an by the Lord Harry if ever find him alone Wi her again HI dress him down so that his own mother wouldn't know him!'
 "It is to Miss Nellie that his atten- tions are paid, then?" Dunbar asked, with a selfish chucl1le.
 No, they 'bean't, an they never will be as long as her has a father to keep her out O harms way. I didn't know as it was safe for me to go to market to-day, but I'm at peace about that now, for I seen him in Chertsey just afore started this evening""
 -+ChertseyI What was he doing there?"
 How should know? Mayhappen getting his hair curled."
 Thus for an hour they chatted to- gether, the yeoman getting more and more Respondent over his household troubles.
 Suddenly a bright thought struck Arthur Dunbar. It was evident that Miss Grahame was unhappy and needed a friends sympathy. Who more proper to play the part of a consoler than him. self? The difficulty was In securing an interview, for his pride would hardly permit him to face Mime. Campignon after her ungracious manner towards him, and he felt assured that if he were to present himself boldly at the farm house a tete-a-tete with the young lady would never be accorded him. Why not make a confldant of the good natured farmer? He would do so.
 ''Mr Barlow" he began, in a hesitat- ing, difident way, ''I am a bad hand at asking favors; but your kindness to me, a total stranger, emboldens me to be- lieve that should not ask one of you in vain"
 "You are right, lad," was the hearty response. "I know what thee mean, so dunnot blush to thy ears in telling me-"
 ''I never thought you guessed -" Dunbar cried.
 'Eof course thee didn't. Poor chap, SO many miles away from his kith an ldnl Mayhap thee hast motherP"
 Quite mystihed by the farmers singu- lar remarks, Arthur replied: "Yes. have a mother"
 ''An' love her dearly? Aye, thought so. Mayhap, too, thy father be dead?"
 ''Yes, he died when I was boy"
 '"I guessed as much. Now heark ken, lad. It wasn't always as me an Sarah had only one chick to comfort us. Years ago we had little boy, but He who gave took him away from us. Poor little chap, he fell from a tree an broke his back, for he was aye a daring lad to climb, an we laid him to rest in the God's-acre of Sudbury church. Now, see here, that little lad might growed to be man like you-might travelled to foreign parts like you-might fell into difficulties like you-well, if he had, an your good father had been alive, do you think he'd given him a helping hand2"
 1T am sure of it. He was a generous man."
 An that's just what I'm a going to do by thee. So dunnot beat about the bush, but just open thy mouth wide an say how much"
 As Barlow spoke he drew from his brooches pocket long leathern bag and began to tumble with a roll of notes and gold. "I sold a stack of wheat to-day" he added, ''so thee needn't be afeard to speak out"
 Arthur grasped the yeoman's hand.
 My dear kind friend" he said, you quite mistake my need. am not in want of money; in fact have more of it than I have occasion for; but shall never forget your open-hearted kind ness"
 Not want money! Then what the devil dost thee want?' John Barlow burst forth in maze of surprise.
 "I want to secure an interview with Miss Grahame when your French friends are not present"
 Johns reply was 8 long low whistle
 "Can it be done?" Arthur demanded
 Poor Mir. Barlow was at a loss how to answer. He had an honest liking for the man who made the request. Kate Gra- hame was particular favorite of his and it would afford him the highest satisfac- tion to circumvent mademoiselle and her obnoxious nephew, but-and the 'but'' was very prominent in his mind was 1t fair to Miss Balderstone?
 "You hesitate" Arthur said, his brow clouding.
 q doan't quite see my way, young fellow"
 "And you refuse?"
 ''No, don't, but I'm going to sleep on it. You walk out tomorrow morn ing down the lane by the big cow-pas- fura aus unav-harnAO T,l1 maaf- khaa o.