The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-11

wilderment Of dusty, threadbare ped
dler thus addressed was speedily con-
verified into majestic pride upon
learning that he, John Durbeyfield of
Marriott, was actually lineal descend
ant of the noble family Of D'Urber-
vile.
And no sooner had Joan, his hand
some, shallow.minded wife, the easy
going mother Of his many children,
heard of her exalted estate, than her
romantic soul began secretly to devise
a brilliant and fitting alliance for her
beautiful young daughter. To which
end Tess was artfully prevailed upon
| to seek work in a wealthy upstart fam
lily Of the same illustrious name.
And so the innocent child. whose
single-minded desire was to mend the
broken fortunes Of her family, became
poultry keeper for a blind old woman
Of spurious title and ultimate prey for
her son, a dissolute wretch. young
Alec D'Urberville. After while back
to Marriott came the disillusioned girl,
where she lived in a gray seclusion
until her weakened little baby's death.
But after several bitter years of
heart searching Tess determined to
leave home again-this time to be
dairymaid at Talbothays, large, fer
tile farm in the valley Of the Great
Diaries. And here, too, was young
man, the youngest son Of stern and
jealous divine of the old school. Angel
Glare had sadly disappointed his faith
er, first by non-conformist views and
then by sincere scruples against TAX
ing orders. So now, in process of be-
coming gentleman farmer, he was
specializing at various farms. Cultur.
ed, idealistic, sympathetic, he seemed
to Tess demigod, and though she
had sworn herself to celibacy, the en-
forced propinquity ripened into init
macy and drifted into love. Together
they went afield in the wondrous dewy
dawns and the warm summer after
moons found them making butter and
| cheese in the cool, white dairy house
! The birds sang for them and for them
| the stars shone and the whole verdant
valley, teeming with richness and in
crease, gave up its odorous vapors
Young, happy, pagan-hearted, the uni
verse was theirs Her quick mind
grew in contact with his, and her
warm rich voice lost its country speech
and unconsciously adopted his cultur-
ed accents.
! Tess spectre doomed but vaguely
brought her to poignant realization of
her situation in this man-made world.
But all Withdrawals were overcome by
| Clare's gentle insistence; all attempts
at revelation were lightly thwarted.
Finally, within a week of the wedding
day which she had reluctantly set, her
resolution takes shape in writing-a
four-page confession is breathlessly
thrust under his door. Ironically con-
cealed under the carpet it lies until
Tess, with sudden late intuition on
her wedding morn, discovers it's hiding
place and tears it up. In a lumberins
old relic of coach days (symbolic of an
ancient D'Urberville legend of crime)
Tess and Angel are carried to church.
and upon their final departure a white
cock crows thrice. "An afternoon
crow" and the dairy folk shake their
heads at the evil omen.
To an old .farmhouse-a derelict of
an ancient D'Urberville mansion-in
ready range of model mill, Clare,
with a-sense of the practical and the
romantic. takes his lovely bride From
the panelled wall outside her door, two
old D'Urberville portraits CLEAN evilly
ana Clare and Tess SILVER as they
trace subtle likeness to her own in
fore the glowing fire the adoring bride.
groom, his wife's hand clasped in his,
tells the story of his one alteration.
of his 4S hours dissipation with a
Scarlet Woman, and confidently Graves
her pardon which Tess is only too de.
lighted to grant; and, with the first
real CLEAN Of hope, unfolds her own
sad story.
Inc Wanton action of a man Of ma
tur1ty-the deceived innocence of an
ignorant child! And yet, the man can
not forgive the woman! All the rigid
rule Of his forebears, all the domino.
ton Of an unjust social order grip him.
Angel Clare, the prophet of emancipa.
ton, no longer exists. For several
days they lead formal, isolated exist.
ence. Tess, whose sole wish is to
please her idol, acquiesces in his atti.
tude, and, after a first wild outburst
at the injustice, does nothing to exon.
crate herself. and her one chance for
reinstatement is blighted by the mock.
ing witness of the vindictive Dor.
traits. No chaste-minded. unsophistic
ated peasant maid she, but the last
dregs of decadent stock! A separa.
ton, temporary at least, is decided up.
on, and while Clare RACES afar, Tess
again creeps home. Joan, after the
first bitter reproaches for the mad dis.
obedience Of her repeated injunctions
of secrecy. treats the affair with her
usual fatalistic light heartedness; but
the harsh words Of the father in a
drunken moment Of excessive ances.
trail pride cause a dignified departure
with the conciliatory donation of half
her meas NOT subsistence and the in.
tfmatiOnI that she Ia refoinin0 how hive
band.