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

One evening OF late summer young
man and woman. the latter carrying a
child were approaching the large village
of Wcydon Priors on foot. They were
plainly but not Ill clad. though the thick
hoar 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 1t In
ordinary times.
The man was Of fine figure. swarthy and
stern in aspect: and he showed in profile
n facial angle so slightly inclined rs to he
almost perpendicular. lie wore II short
jacket of brown corduroy. newer than th"
remainder of his suit. tanned lcggins and
straw hat ovcrlaid with black glazed
canvas. At his back he carried 10y II loop
cd strap . rush basket from which pro-
truded at one end tho critch Of n hay.
knife. q wimblc for hny 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 plan, of each foot there
was logged 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 10y side In such n way as to
suggest afnr off the low, easy. confidential
chat of people wrapped in reciprocity: but
on closer view II could be 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 chlld-a little
girl In short clothes and blue boots Of
knitted yarn-and the murmurcd babble
Of the child In reply.
The chief attraction Of the young won.
ans face was what WIS impaired to II by
It's mobility. When she looked down side
ways to the girl she became pretty. nntl
even handsome. When she ploddcd In the
shade Of the hedge. silently thinking, she
had the hard. half-npnthctic expression Of
one who deems anything possible mt the
hands Of Time and Chance except per.
hnps fair play. The first phase was tho
outcome Of Nature, the second probably
Of civilization.
That the man and woman were husbnn nd
and wife, and the parents Of the girl In
arms. there could be little doubt. Nc
other than such relationship would Nave
accounted for the distinctive atmosphere
Of domcsticity which the trio carried aloni
with them like nimbus as tley moved
down the road. The scene might have
been matched Mt almost any spot In an,
county In England ut this time Of year; q
road neither straight nor crooked. neither
level nor hilly. bordcrcd by hedges, tree,
and other vegetation. which had cntcrc,
the blackcncd.grcen stage Of color tim
the doomed leaves pass through on thci
way to dingy and yellow and rcd.
When the outlying houses OF Wcyloi
Priors could Just be deserted the famil!
group was mot by u turnip.lOcr with hi
Implement on his shoulder. and his Dime
bag suspended thcrcfrom. Whatever tn,
husbands absorption In his sheet Of bal
lads II did not render him unconscious o
the laborcr's approach; aud as soon n
they nearly confronted each other tn
reader promptly glanced up.
"Any trade doing hcrc?" he askc'
systematically, designating the village Il
his van by wave Of the broad sheet. An,
thinking the laborcr did not uhdcrstan,
him, he added. Anything In tho hay
trusting linc?'
"Hay-trussing-.' said the turnip. hocI
who Ind already begun sha king his head
"Oh, no. Why, save the man. what wis
dom's In fashion that u should come I
Weydon for job OF that sort this time {
year? You be quite out OF your bearing
here II trusting IL all that SO Gun tur
your hand to-"
''Thcn 10 there any house to lct-a llttl
small new cottage just a buildcd, or sue
llkeY asked tho other.
mo. faith. Pulling down IL moro tn
mater Of Wcydon," replied the pesslmis
"There were Eve houses cleared ava
last year, and three this; and the folk
nowhere to g0-nO. not 80 much a.
matched hurdle; no that tits the way
Weydon Priors. when any stranger come
among 'cm with mind to bldc, to star
at him as cold as water"
The hay-trusscr, which no obviousl
was. nodded with some superclliousnes
Looking toward the village. he continued
"rhcre Is something going on here. how
ever. Is there not"
"Oh, ny. IT'S Fair Day. Though WIN
you hear now IL little moro than the cla
ter and scurry Of getting away tho none
o children and fools, for the real bushes
IL done earlier than this. I've been worI
Ing within sound o. I all day, but didn
90 up-not !. twas no business Of min
And now I'm for home along"
The trusser and his family proceeded q
their way, and soon entered the vsIr hel,
which showed standing-places and per
where many hundreds OF horses and shee
had been exhibited and sold In ths Tor
noon. The crowd was dcnssr POW thu
during the morning hours, the Irlveio<
contingent OF freQucnters having !stterl
fiOcked In, persons whose activities fOuu
congenial field among the peep.show
toy-stands, wax.wOrk, inspired monster
disinterestcd medical men, who travele
for the public good, thimble-rigger
knicknack vendors. ana readers of Fate.
Neither Of the pedestrians under mott,
had much heart for these things and the
looked around for refreshment tel
among the many which dotted the dow
Two, which stood nearest to them In Il
Ocherous haze of expiring sunlight, seen
ed almost equally inviting. One was form
cd OF new, milk-hued canvas, now kindls
to orange on Its western face, and bO
red flags on its summit; 1t announce
GOOD HOme-brewed Beer, Ale and G.
der" The other was less new; lit
iron stove pipe came out of II at the bac
and In front appeared the placard. "GOt
Furmity Sold Hear" The man mental
weighed the two inscriptions, and inclin.
% h. A-