Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-03-25
CHAPTER XVI.

NewsOn did not return. I.ucetta had
been borne along the churchyard path !;
Casterbridge had for the last time turned
it, regard upon her, before proceeding to
its work a. II she had never lived. But
Elisabeth Jane remained undisturbed In
the belief Of her Relationship to Henchsrti,
and now shared his home. Perhaps, AZ.
ter oil, Newson was gone forever.
For Elizabeth James sake Henchard
had fcttered bis pride sufficiently to nc.
cept the small seed business which some
Of the Town Council, headed by Farfrae,
had purchased, to afford him q new open.
Ing. Had he been only personally con.
cerned, Henchard without doubt, would
have declined assistance even remotely
brought about by the man whom he had
% 6ercely assailed. But the sympathy
Of the girl seemed necessary to his very
existence, and on her account pride itself
wore the garments OF humility.
Thus they lived on In the shop overlook.
Ing the churchys ri. and nothing occurred
to mark their days during the remainder
never ON q market day, they saw Donald
Farfrae only ut rarest intervals, and then
mostly a. q transltory object In the dis.
bic ordinary av0cati0ns, smiling mechan.
ically to fellow. tradesnien, and arguing
with bargaiuers--as bereaved men do af.
ter 4 while.
BY the end Of year Henchard's little
retail seed and grain shop. not much
larger than cupboard, had developed It's
trade considerably, and the stepfathcr
and daughter enjoyed much serenity In
the pleasant, sunny corner In which II
stood.
Time passed on until the quiet weeks
that preceded the hay.making season had
come-setting their special stamp upon
Casterbridge by thronging the market
with wood rakcs, new wagons In yellow,
green and red, formidable scythes, and
pitchforks Of prong SUFFICIENT to skewer
up q small family. Henchard, contrary
to bis wont, went out one Saturday after.
noon to the market place, from a curious
feeling that he would like to pass few
minutes on the spot OF his former tri.
umphs. Farfrae, to whom he was still q
comparative stranger, stood q few steps
below the Corn Exchange door--a usual
position with him at this hour-and he an
peared lost In thought about something
he was looking at little way OF.
Henchard's eyes followed Farfrae's,
and be saw that the object Of his gaze
was no samplash0wing farmer. but his
own step-daughter, who had just come
out Of shop over the way. She. on her
part, was quite unconscious Of his atten-
ton, and In this was less fortunate than
those young women whose very plumes,
like those OF June's bird, are set with
Argus eyes whenever possible admirers
are within ken.
Henchard went away, thinking that
perhaps there was nothing significant af-
ter all In Farfrae's look ut Elizabeth Jane
ut that juncture. Yet he could not forget
that the ScOtchman had once shown a
tender interest In her, Of aeeting kind.
Thereupon promptly came to the surface
that idiOsyncrasy Of Henchard's which
had ruled his courses from the beginning,
and had mainly made him what he was.
Instead of thinking that union between
his cherished step-daughter and the ener-
getic, thriving Donald was a thing to be
desired for her good aud his own, he hated
the very possibility.
With this In view he took his measures;
and one morning surprised the young
woman whom he had looked upon as his
all In this world by saying to her, as II he
did not care about her more; II am going
to leave Casterbridge, Elisabeth Jane,
This little shop Gun be managed by you
alone az well AZ by Us both; ] don't care
about shops, aud streets, and f0lks--I
would rather get into the country by my.
self out Of sight, and follow my own ways,
aud leave YOU to yours"
II am sorry you have decided on this, "
she sail with discinlined firmness "Eov