Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-02


to her, and you'll never see her door without
a child or two lurking about the half-hatch.
She draws EN- like the flower draws the bee
"And for the same reason" declared Pur
ley. "Theres always a bit of honey for
child where Joanna Wedlake is
@'Tis pair of you, then" said Nicholas
Westover; "for you spoil the girls and boys
something shameful, Jacob. A good thing
you've got none of your own to ruin"
I'D have been very glad to have had
brave CULVER full of EN-, if could have had
EN- ready made" confessed Purley. "I'd
have liked to be father; but-well, never
could have abided all the business of EN-
coming into the world. 'Twould have racked
my heart-'tis all SO narrowing and doubt
full And the curious thing is that Joanna
Wedlake feels very much the same as me.
She dotes on the childer, and would dearly
like to have few of her own-if they could
be picked up under gooseberry bushes, with
out all the bothersome business of husband
and one thing and another"
3Never heard of such an unnatural pair
of fools!" cried Peter Slade "Once let it be
whispered abroad that you want spare
child or two, and mark me they'll be down
on you like flight of starlings! For your
own sake, Jacob, beg you to keep your
mouth shut on such rummage, else you'll
have basket of nameless brats hollering
on your doorstep some fine night"
"If that happened, my old dear, should
know just what to do, answered the saddler.
little SILVER had many eyes, and
II few women in it were SO busy but that
they found leisure to consider the business
of all the rest. Thus it began to be said that
Jacob Purley and Joanna Wedlake spent
remarkable amount of time in each others
company, and the gossps prophesied that
wedding might enliven the dull days after
Christmas.
Those most interested heard nothing of
this rumor, and in no case could they have
denied it; for Purley undoubtedly sought
the spinster, and found himself drifting to
Lane End upon questions that, six months
earlier, he would very easily have answered
for himself They compared notes and
sometimes laughed at their parity of ideas.
They continued to pay each other COM
pliments and find increasing pleasure in each
others society.
Then, greatly daring, Purley considered
whether, given such helpmate, he might
not change his state.
On Christmas Eve Joanna came into the
saddler's, and, with fine Indifference to
business, he bolted the door, and invited her
into his parlor behind the shop.
1--WE sent old Milly Burt to do the mar
keting,r he said, @and sha'nt lose no Gus
tom to name, for folk don't want what sell
today; so if you'll step into the parlor and
give me ten minutes, I'll thank YOU
She followed him, and he mended a low fire,
invited her to his armchair, and then began.
3Where do e eat your Christmas dinner,
Miss, if l may ax?'
"'ro Lane End. Where should I?'
1Well, it depends on the next ten minutes,
in my opinion. 'Tis like this, and if | be too
rash and too pushing, you've only got to
lift your little finger, and I'm dumb and will
heap dust on my head, in Bible language,
and trouble you no more. In word, be
offering for you, Joanna Wedlake, and
want you to know all there is to know first,
so as you can take it or leave it.
@When l was five and twenty | was
tokenod to maiden, and won't deny that
l loved her very we'll; but after we'd been
axed out twice she Hinged me over for
farmers son and ran away with him. | was
poor as a coot, you see, and the other chap
stood to be rich. And certainly the girl did
very well for herself, and fourished like the
green bay tree,-a rich and prosperous
creature to this day, with chider and plenty.
"But that job turned me souri, and hated
the female sex like poison for years and
years; and, though chlder was meat and
drink to me, such was my feeling against
women that not for barrel load of childer