Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-01-14
CHAPTER III.

along, two persons not unconnected with
that family walked now.
One Of the two who walked the road
was she who had figured as the young
wife Of Henchard on the previous occa-
sion; now her face had lost much Of Its
rotundity; her skin had undergone q tex.
tual change; and though her hair had not
lost color II was considerably thinner than
heretofore. She was dressed In the mourn
ing clothes Of widow. Her companion,
also In black, appeared as q well-formed
young woman Of eighteen, completely pos
Sessed Of that ephemeral precious essence
youth, which IL itself beauty, irrespective
Of complexion or contour. A glance was
sufficient to inform the eye that this was
Susan Henchard's grown.up daughter.
While middle summer had set It's harden.
ing mark on the mothers face, her former
spring.like specialties were transferred 30
dexterously by Time to this second figure,
her child, that the absence Of certain facts
within her mothers knowledge from the
girls mind would have seemed for the
moment, to one rejecting on those facts,
to be a curious imperfectio In Natures
powers Of continuity.
They walked and Joined hands, and It
could be perceived that this was the act Of
simple affection. The daughter carried in
her other hand witty basket Of old.
fashioned make; the mother blue bundle,
which contrasted oddly with her black
stun gown.
Reaching the outskirts Of the village
they pursued the same track a. formerly,
and assembled to the fair. The mother and
daughter thrca ded the crowd for some lit
tie distance and then stood still.
lsl~ Ats~S~ ~
IN here? I thought you wished to get on.
ward?' said the maiden.
Eyes, my dear Elisabeth Jane" explain.
ed the other. "But had fancy for look.
ing up here"
"WhyT
1T was here first met Newson-on
such O day az this"
"First met with father here? Yes, you
have told me 90 before. And now he's
drowned and gone from usr' A she
spoke the girl drew card from her packet
and looked at Il with sigh. It was edged
with black, and inscribed within design
resembling mural tablet were the words:
I'm aflectionatc memory Of Richard New
son, mariner, who was unfortunately lost
1t sea, aged Al years."
"And Il was here" continued her moth.
Or, with more hesitation, shat last saw
the a relative I've, We are going to look for-Mr.
"What 10 bis exact relation to 10, moth.
er?-I have never clearly had Il told me"
HE IL, or was-for he may DO dead-a
relation by marriage" said her mother,
deliberately.
"That's exactly what you have said a
score Of times beforcr' replied tho young
woman, looking about her inattcntively.
"He's not near relation. l supposed"
"Not BY any means"
HE was hay trusscr, wasn't he, when
you last heard Of himy
HE was"
II suppose he never knew mel" the girl
innocently continued.
Why should Mrs. Hcnchard have paus.
ed? She did pause for moment, and
answered, ''Of course not, Elizabeth Jane.
But come this way"
ut Is not much use inquiring here for
anybody, should think" the daughter
observed, ~ she gaxed round about. "Peo'
pie at fairs change like the leaves Of trees;
and dare say you are tho only one here
to-day who was here oil those years ago"
II am not 10 sure Of that" said Mrs.
Newson, a. she now called herself, keen
~ eying something under q green bank
uttIe way Ous GU SueEcs
The daughter looked In the direction
sisniHed. The object pointed out was a
tripod Ut sticks stuck into the earth, from,
which hung q threc.legged crock, kept
hot BY O smoldcring wood FIRE beneath.
Over the pot stopped an old woman. bag.
gard, wrinkled and almost In rags. II
was the former mistress Of the furmity
tent.
''She was hero at that time." resumed
Mrs. Newson, making o step % u to draw
nearer.
Don't speak to her-it isn't respecta.
bley' urged tho other.
II will Just say word-you. Elisabeth
Jane. can bide here"
The girl was not loath. and turned tc
some stalls OF c0l0red prints while heI
mother went forward.
''Can you call to mind" she said, eau
fiously, to the old woman. tho sale Of a
wife by her husband In your tent eighteen
years ago to.day?"
The bag reflected and half shook bel
head. III It had been big thing should
have minded II In q moment" she said
II can mind every serious fight Of mar.
ried parties, every murder, every man
slaughter. even every pOcket-picking-
leastwise large Ones-that 1t has been my
lot to witness. But selling? Was |,
done quiet.like2"
"Well, yes. think So"
The furmity woman half shook her heat
again. "Apd yet" she said, II do. Al
any rate ] can mind man doing some
thing O. the sort-a man In cord jacket
with basket Of tools. The only reason
why can mind the man Is that he came
back here to the next years fair and told
me quite private-like that IL woman evel
asked for him was to say he had g0n,
to-where ?-Caster bridge-yes-to Cas-
terbridge, said he."
Mrs. Newson would have rewarded thu
old woman as far as her small, means
Afforded had she not discrcetly borne II
mind that II was by that unscrupuloui
persons liquor her husband had been dc
graded. She briefly thanked her inform
ant and rejoined Elizabeth Jane, who
greeted her with. "Mother, do let's 20 OF
1t was hardly respectable for you to buy
refreshments there. l see none but tn,
lowest do"
II have learned what I wanted. how
eve:," said her mother, quietly. "Th'
last time our relative visited this fair b,
said he was living Mt Casterbridge. 1t 4
) q long, long way from here, and 1t wal
many years ago that he said It; but ther'
think Wen co."
With this they descended out Of tn
fair and went onward to the village
where they obtained nights lodging
The next day they set out on their jour
ney.