Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-01-07
CHAPTER I.


One evening Of late summer n young
man and woman. the latter carrying a
child. were approaching the large village
of Wcydon Priors on foot. They were
plainly but not III clad though the thick
honr of dust which had accumulated on
their shoes and clothing from an obviously
long journey lent shabbincss to their
appearance that did not belong TO II In
ordinary times.
The man was of fine figure. swarthy and
stern in aspect and he showed in profile
facial angle so slightly inclined as to he
almost perpendicular He wore n short
jacket of brown corduroy. newer than the
remainder of his suit. tanned lcggins. and
q straw hat ovcrlaid with black glazed
canvas. At his back he carried hy Il loop
cd strap rush basket from which pro-
truded at one end the crutch Of II hay
knife. wimblc for hay bonds being also
visible In the aperture. His measured.
springlcss walk was the walk of the skill
cd countryman distinct from the dcsul-
tory shamblc of the general laborer; while
in the turn and plant of each foot there
was n doggcd cynical indifference. person
al to himself.
What was really peculiar IN this cou-
pies progress. and would have attracted
the attention of any casual observer 9th
crwisc disposed to overlook them. was the
perfect silence they preserved. They
walked side by side In such way as to
suggest afnr off the low, easy. confidential
chat of people wrapped In reciprocity: but
on closer view 1t could he disccrncd that
the man was reading. or pretending to
read. q ballad-shcct which he kept before
his eyes with some difficulty by the hand
that was passed through the basket strap.
The woman enjoyed no society whatever
from his presence. Virtually she walked
the highway alone, save for the child she
bore. II any word at NIL was uttered by
the little group It was an occasional whis'
Der of the woman to the child--a little
girl In short clothes and blue boots OF
knitted yarn-and the murmurcd babblc
Of the child In reply.
The chief attraction Of the young wOm-
ans face was what was impaired to 1t by
It's mobility. When she looked down side.
ways to the girl she became pretty. and
shade Of the hedge. silently thinking, she
had the hard. half-npathctic expression Of
one who deems anything possible ut the
hands Of Time and Chance except per-
haps fair play. The first phase was tho
outcome Of Nature, the sc cond probably
Of civilization.
That the man and woman were husband
and wife, and the parents Of the girl In
arms. there could be little doubt. No
other than such relationship would have
accounted for tho distinctive atmosphere
Of domcsticity which the trio carried along
with them like nimbus as tAey moved
down the road. The scene might have
been matched Mt almost any spot In any
county In England ut this time Of ycar; q
road neither straight nor crooked. neither
level nor hilly. bordcrcd by hedges, trees
and other vegetation. which had entered
the blackcncd.grccn stage Of color TINT
the doomed leaves pass through OH their
way to dingy and yellow and rcd.
When the outlying houses Of Wcydon
Priors could Just be deserted the family
group was mot by II turnip.hocr with his
implement on his shoulder, and his dinner
bag suspended thcrcfrOn,. Whatever tho
husbands absorption In his sheet Of bull
lads II did not render him unconscious OF
the IabOrcr's approach: aud as soon as
they nearly confronted each other the
reader promptly glanced up.
'Any trade doing hcre?" he asked
systematically. designating the village In
his van by wave Of the broad sheet. And
thinking the laborcr did not understand
him, he added, Anything In the hay
trussing lincy"
"Hay.trussing--' said the turnip.hocr
who had already begun shaking his head
"Oh, no. Why, save the man. what wis
d0m's In fashion that n should come Il
Weyd0n for job Of that sort this time O
year? You be quite out Of your bearing'
here II trusting IL all that 80 Gun turn
your hand to-"
"Then IL there any house to let-a lIttl,
small new cottage Just buildcd, or sucl
likeT asked tho other.
mo. faith. Pulling down 10 moro til,
mater Of Weydon," replied the pcssimist
"Thcrc were Eve houses cleared ava,
last year, and three this; and tho folk
nowhere to gO-n0, not 10 much as
matched hurdle; no that tits the way o
Weydon PriOrs. when any stranger come
among 'cm with mind to bldc, to star
at him as cold as water"
The hny.trusser, which no obviousl,
was. nodded with some superciliousness
Looking toward the village. he continued
"Thcre is something going ON here. how
ever, Is there nOty'
''Oh, ny. IT'S Fair Day. Though wha
sou hear now II little more than the clat
ter and scurry of getting away tho none,
O children and fools, for the real bushes
IL done earlier than this. I've been work
Ing within sound O. I all day. but didn'
90 up-nOt ]. Twas no business Of mine
And now I'm for home along"
The trusser and his family proceeded o.
their way, and soon entered the Fair field
which showed standing-places and peu
where many hundreds Of horses and shee
had been exhibited and sold In the fore
noon. Tho crowd was denser vew thai
during the morning horrs. the frlyeiou
contingent OF frequenters having latterl
lOcked In, persons whose activities foup
a c0ngepial field among the peep.showi
tOy.stands, wax-wOrk, inspired m0nsteri
disinterested medical men, who travele
for the public good. thimble-rigger,
knicknack vendors, and readers Of Fate.
Neither Of the pedestrians under motto
had much heart for these things, and the
looked around for refreshment ten
among the many which dotted the dowr
Two, which stood nearest to them In tn
0cherous haze of expiring sunlight, seen
ed almost equally inviting. One was form
cd Of new, milk-hued canvas. now kindle
to orange on Its western face, and Dor
red flags on Its summit; 1t announce
"GOOd HOme.brewed Beer, Ale and G,
der" The other was less new: littl
iron stove pipe came out of It at the bacl
and In front appeared the placarll, 1900
Furmty Sold Hear" The man mental
weighed the two inscriptions. and incline
to the former tent.
NJ In. hos nuo ~ a. 4 4,