Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-09-23

| to leave MorwelI to his younger
daughter, but he was not sure that the
Duke would approve of this, and he
was quite sure that Eve was incompe,
tent to manage a farm and dairy.
At the time of which we treat, it was
usual for every squire to form por-
ton of his own estate, his manor
house was backed with extensive out
buildings for cattle, and his wife AMI
daughters were not above superin-
tending the dairy. Indeed, an ances-
tress of the author took farm after
farm into her own hands as the leases
| fell in, and at last Harmed the entire
parish. She died in 1875. The Jor-
dams were not squires, but perpetual
tenants under the Dukes of Bedford,
and had been received by the country
gentry on an equal footing, till Mr. Jor-
dan compromised his character by his
union with Ewes mother. The estate
of Morwell was a large one for one
man to farm; if the Duke had exacted
a large rent, of late years Mr.. Jordan
would have fallen into arrears, but
the Duke had not raised his rent at
the last renewal The Dukes were the
most indulgent of landlords
Mr.. Jordan came into the hall 1t
as the same as it lad been seven
teen years before; the same old clock
was there, ticking in the same tone,
the same scanty furniture OF lew
chairs, the same slate floor. Only the
cradle was no longer to be seen. The
red light smote into the room just as
it had seventeen years before. There
against the wall it painted a black
cross as it had done seventeen years
ago.
Tgnatius Jordan looked up over the
great fireplace. Above it hung the
musket he had been cleaning When
Ezekiel Babb entered. 1t had not
been taken down and used since that
day. Seventeen years! It was an
age. The little babe that had lain 10
the cradle was now beautiful MARI
ageable maiden. Time had made IT'S
mark upon himself. His back was
more bent, his hand more shaky, MS
walk less steady a careful, thrifty
man had been converted into an an-
haIf-crazed dreamer. Seven
teen years of gnawing care and ceas-
less sorrow! How had he been able
to bear it? Only by the staying wings
of love. of love for his little Eye-tor
her child. Without his Eve, her child,
long AGO he would have sunk and been
swallowed up, the clouds OF derange-
ment of intellect would have de-
scended On his brain, or his bodily
health would have given way.
Seventeen years ago, on Midsum-
mer-day, there had stood on the little !
folding oak table under the window
tumbler full of china roses, which
were dropping, and had shed their
leaves over the polished, almost black
table top. They had been picked
some days before by his wife. Now,
in the same place stood glass, and
in it were roses from the tree, not
drooping. but fresh and glistening,
placed that morning there by hef
daughter. His eye sought the clock
At five O'Clock, seventeen years ago,
Ezekiel Babb had come into that hall
through that doorway, and had Dor
rowed his money. The clock told that
the time was ten minutes to five. II
Mr. Babb did not appear to the hour
he would abandon the expectation OF
seeing him. He must make journey
to Buckfastleigh over the moor,
long days journey, and seek the de-
faulter, and, know the reason why the
loan was not repaid.
He thought of the pocket-book on
the gravel. How came it there? VINO
could have brought it? Mr.. Jordan