The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-11-18

to precede a journey when it is a rare
event. He took out his watch. Five
minutes of three. Jones ought to be
here" he said impaticntly.
You didn't order the carriage until
three" his wife reminded him, timidly.
you must give a great deal of love to
father" she added, "and to your sister
Clara and Frances, and the doctor, and
to" She hesitatcd. Il suppose you
Will see the Wyatts?'
If have time l shall look them up,
he answered.
Clara says Letitia is as handsome as
ever" she venturcd. How long is II
since YOU have seen her? 1t must be
twenty years at least
1T is all of that.
she Will find YOU very much changed.
"Changcd?" He turned on her sharply.
Yes, you have grown 50 much stouteF,
and you are getting so gray. III Is very
becoming to you Mrs. Hollis hastened
to add. L never saw you looking bet
ter. than you are looking this minute,
was only thinking she would find a diff
ference. We are middlc-a8ad people,
now, Frank"
lie looked at his wife, with her plump,
matronly figure and gray hair. Sophy
had never been pretty, and on the whole,
the years had been kind to her; she had
gained more than she pad lost. Still, 1t
was true, they were middIe-aged people
according to the ideas of the world, and
perhaps it was too much 20 expect her
to understand him SO completely as TO
be able to realize that there were days
when he felt like an ardent boy, in spite
of his sixty years. This was one Of
those days. 1t was not of Sophy, who
had been his faithful wife for more than
thirty years, that he was thinking, as
the c~arriage drew up to the door, but of
a girl whose marvellous beauty had won
his heart nearly forty years ago
The Rev Francis Hollis had been a de-
voted husband, according to the average
standard; he had nothing to reproach
himself with, he declared, as he went
down the doorsteps, and yet in all those
years there had not been a time when
the mere mention of this other woman
name had not quickencd his pulses. Safe
1T the bottom of q drawer in his study
was her photograph, and deep down in
the bottom of his mind was the thought
Of her. Letitia Wyatt was the most
beautiful woman he had ever known and
the most gifted. Her standard had been
so high that she could not think of him
for a husband, but this had only set her
on a more lofty pinnacle. Humility was
not his chief characteristic, but he was
very humble whenever he thought Of
Letitia Wyatt.
Prank, aren't you going to kiss me
good by" Sophy asked, running down
the steps after him.
Il thought l had" He turned and
kissed her With hasty pcrfunctoriness.
Don't NOPE While l ia gone. Have a
good time
AS the carriage was taking Mr.. Hollis
away from his wife. he did not once
think of her. lie was fond of Sophy,
more so than she imagined or thar he
realized himself, but he was going East,
and his heart was full of the exultant
happiness of a sc%hoolboy. 1t was of that
other woman he was thinking, and of the
time when he had loved her, nearly forty
years ago. At each stage of the journey
the Rev. Francis Hollis left Il few years
Of his life behind him, until by the
time he reached Eppingham he was Ii
diculously young. ON the station plat
form ne looked eagerly to the left. The
trees had grown: they made such a bow
CT of yellow aud red that he could only
catch a glimpse of the WAITS ~chimneys
III the distance. The village, with its
white houses and two slender white
spires, had changed very little i'll forty
years. To be sure there were evidences
OF electric lights and telephones, and
mon and WomeIxWere making their swift
way on bicycles through the sleepy
streets, but these things did little to i'm
pair the general impression of aristo-
cratic conservatism and peaceful self
satisfaction.
When Mr.. Hollis reached the Newhall
farm his father-in-laW was standing On
the doorstep to greet him. 1t was six
years since they had met, 3 trifling
space Of time in the life Of the octogen-
arian. and his son-in-laW could truthful
~ say. You have not changed in the
least. You have learned the secret of
eternal youth"
L guess eternal age would come near
CT it," said the old man. "You've grown
heshy, Frank, and you are getting gray.
That don't seem right in a boy like you,'
he added with a smile.
I suppose you will see the Wyatts
when you are stopping with Clara?''
Peter NeWhall said after supper, as he
and his son-in-laW We're sitting in the
prim parlor that was only used on state
occasions.
~ thought | should look them up"
Lucy Wyatt was here in the summer
long with her sister Deborah. They
came to buy a COW, She's q real sweet
woman, Lucy Wyatt"
4 never could forgive her for the way
she treated Alec"
"Tll own I'd felt kind o hard 20 her
all these years" said the old man, but
whom | come to talk with her and to
see her With the same childlike eyes and
yellow hair, but SO changed in her face,
and when | see the tears come into her
eyes at the sound Of my poor boys name
| felt different. | guess she's had ner
own punishment But so far as | could
find out it was her folk that made the
trouble. ! kind o. mistrustcd al along
that Lctitia was at the bottom of it,"
"Letitia, | am sure she would never
use 4 influence. She is the most