Evening star., 1914-08-02
DAVID AND
JONATHAN
BY EDEN PHILLPOTTS
Drawings by
]. c. Coll

shop, and when she did she came for husband or a
brother. He sold leather and steel and the things
needed in the business of the plowman and carter the
gamekeeper and huntsman. A bright array OF brass
bound whips shone in sheaf among the attractions of
Pureys window and there might also see horse
cloths stirrups, b-dles and gtering assortment of
those brass decorations that shine and jingle the
collars of draft horses tell of vanished superstition
Bottles of lotion, saddery hunters horn two oil,
gunpowder and every sort of strap and buckle might
be purchased at Pureys; and behind his counter,
odor of cobbers and leather he sat- always ready
to obge his least and greatest customers. He loved
work for ITSELF and outside his shop,
when the shutters up
Jacob five and fifty, of kindly disposition and
fond of children, but reserved and shy He avoided
women, and if any tncture of bitterness touched his
tongue, it the subject of the sex. He was a
bachelor, with sister younger than him
self; and it remembered a remarkable fact by
the village of Little Silver that when Mary Purey
welded Chagford man, year before the incidents to
be related Jacob made alteration in the of his
mehodca life and did not go the road to attend
the wedding His misogyny variously explained,
and the maids and mothers of Little Silver doubted not
that he had suffered sad experience in his youth
Otherwise, argued they, it impossible to suppose
outstanding and personabe man should have
reached the confines of old age bachelor.
There was his refreshing affection for children
show that unnatural aversion to the joys of the
family circle had restrained him; and other signs did
not lack to prove that accidental disaster must
nave come JACOB delgntS OF W11e ana
little So at least the village argued; but
could speak with confidence, for the mans character,
dignity, and reserve such that none broke
through to his secrets knew the inner truth Of him.
He lived alone his shop, for the service of
ancient Millv Burt the charwoman, who devoted six
hours day his comfort. His of life
ceedingy regular and his leisure brief An hour night
he spent at Nicholas Westover's inn, The Travellers
Rest and that all the relaxation he permitted him
self; while week only he took walk-and that
md hatui Cboofa arJ Do
Church and his home. To the church of Little Silver
Purley went because the vicar bought nothing
at his shop
HITLER, on a winter day, came stranger
= She was Of brisk and birdlke appearance, neat
and precise her attire, very certain of herself, and
agreeable to the eye.
I'm wanting some embrocaton, treble strength, for
my pony" she said @Hes to these parts and that
lane you call Feather Bed Lane-Lord knows why
frightened him yesterday He slipped and had pull
him up, and he's hurt his hook And want hone, and
l want dog collar with my it, and want
datchers sickle
He nodded. @For your good man, no doubt?"
@For myself. l amt got good man-nor yet bad
man. for that matter
@Ah! Then you'll be Miss Wedlake-Miss Joanna
Wedlake, by all accounts?'
@Yes, that's right. I've into Lane End Cottage,
owing the death of my Uncle Wedlale who have left
it to me; and since be fond of QUITO door work, be
going to take on his huckster business. And why
not?'
@Wel us have good bit coarse weather up in these
parts and ts rough work for woman, should fear"
4Be you the sort that thinks we're all made O cotton
wool?' she asked
And Purey looked into her bright eyes, and observed
that she cornely strong, and well up streak
of gray had touched her hair and her face weather
ed; but time had not dinmed the fine nut-brown of
Miss Wedlakes complexion set any very disfgurng
wrinkle upon her countenance.
Il be the sort that don't think about way
tother, he answered. "A who sets out to find