Mabel, Vol. I (of 3)

, happy, t

with risin

he beam cel

re makes all

morning is

and upris

and darkness s

ife, and powe

eb

alling first upon the ivy-covered tower of the little church, seemed, to the eye of fancy, to linger with pleasure round the sacred edifice, as if glad to recognize the altar of Him, who, from the beginning, had fixed his daily course through the bright circle

wn the steep and winding path, which led from the rectory, and strolled leisurely forward, as if attracted by the beauties of the early morning. The slow pace with which he

in India, and returned to England, with the hope of recruiting his

le, who wished him to try the bracing air of Gloucestershire as a change from to

ht and fresh colored, spite of Indian suns, and, on the whole, prepossessing, though not untinged by cer

upon the herb alone, it seems to rest upon the spirit of man which rises full of renewed strength to that toil before which it sank heavily at eve; and as Captain Clair felt the breeze rising with its dewy incense

ens, lay in the hollow, and the church, standing nearly alone, was built a little above these, having the hill on the left immediately

ver wound through the valley, carrying life and fertility along its banks. Wide spreading oaks and tall beeches, with the graceful birch and chestnut trees bending the

on surrounding it, might have admitted. These had been gradually acquired by each successive owner of the mansion, who took pleasure in addin

hung in careless grace. The butterfly awoke, and sported in the sunshine-and the bee went forth to the busy labors of the day, humming the song of cheerful industry. All combined to bring back long forgotten days of innocent childhood and boyish mirth; the pulse which an Indian clime had weakened, beat quicker, and his spirits revived before the influence of happy memories and the healthy br

e simple lawn sloping down towards the road, from which a low, sunk fence divided it. Here, careless of observation, a young child had seated herself-her straw hat upon the turf beside her, while she was busily engaged in twining for it a wreath of the wild lily, forgetful that in

on as the sight of that young child, or why he felt almost sad, as he thought of her twining those fading flowers, and as he

ate, he found his uncle stro

grown older-for the struggle between good and evil, which must be in every well principled mind, a perpetual struggle, had been carried on by him for many years, and so successfully, that each year brought heaven nearer to the good man's thoughts; and now, as the race was so nearly finished, his zeal became more earnest, and his conscience more tender; fearing, lest, after a life spent in his Master's service, he might be found

dhood is gone-but no sigh will recall it. But when we see an old man who has passed the waves of this troublesome world, true to the faith with which he entered life, we feel that here is an example which we may follow. Childhood we have lef

ng man solicited his father to prefer his tutor to Aston, when that living became vacant, partly, he told him, from his wish to secure himself a friend and companion, whenever he visited home. Mr. Ware gratefully accepted an offer which at once placed him in independence; and, a

able sitting-room, looking out upon the garden, and the neat little chamber, where all her old favourite books-recovered from the friend who had taken charge of them during her wanderings-rested upon the neatly arranged shelves, he felt as happy as man ca

ply impressed, to make him wish to replace it by giving his affection to another. His sister, now almost his only near relative, had sympathised, most sincerely, in his loss, and had endeavoured to aid his own manly judgment in regaining that cheerfulness o

e most cheerful attention to his wishes and whims, and with

d gardener seemed to possess peculiarly good tempers-they were, indeed, scarcely e

k strutting about, giving a lazy crow now and then-all seeming to take their ease, and enjoy th

come down wearied with London amusements, like some stran

y his uncle's side, "in your neighbourhood. I have seldom seen anyt

ted if it has the power to make you spend a month or two here agreeably. If you are

ew, "I have been admiring it extremely. I cannot think why Hargrave

only for a short while; but y

armed with him-indeed, I scarcely ever met more variety in any character. Sometimes I could scarcely keep pace with his flow of spirits, and then he would fall into a fit of musin

ix or seven years-though we write to each other occasionally. You must tell me more about him at your leisure, however, for he is a great favourite with Mary as well as myself; but now, I think, you

el better already with the fresh country air-and he

and her cap, looking as white as snow, fastened round the head by a broad lilac ribbon; but the smile upon her face was the best of all, and was never wanting at th

r," giving her hand to her nephew. "I was just preparing to send your bre

the morning-room, where breakfast waited them. The meal was dispatched with cheerfulness, and he amused his aunt by an account of his wal

Ware invited him to j

he entered the army. His father, who has now been dead some years, constantly resided here, till the death of his wife, which made Aston a very different place from what it is at present. Poor Mrs. Hargrave was universally beneficent, and was so much loved and respected by the people in this neighbourhood, rich as well as poor, that her name is scarcely ever mentioned without the title of 'good' being added to it. The time when good Mrs. Hargrave lived is always looked back upon with affectionate regret. When she died, however, her husband, who was passionately fond of her, took a distaste to a place which constantly reminded him of his loss, and he only paid very casual visits to it during the remaind

blown off by the high winds, or were kept in place only by heavy stones laid upon the roof. In some places the walls, which bounded the little gardens, had been suffered to crumble down-loose stones lying in the gaps, but no effort seemed to have been made to replace them. A ditch ran along the road, part

ace, which might have accounted for the wastes of ground which might be seen,

uncle's attention, "this self-negle

people, losing their accustomed stimulant, arising from a resident family, and depressed by the low and uncertain wages they receive from an oppressive bailiff, have

e for a seat during the day. The windows, where panes had been broken, were filled up with dirty rags; two or three children were playing about with naked feet, and their mother, a remarkably pretty young woman, was working at the d

consciousness that he was not particularly welcome

m sorry to see you at home, f

d, without risi

nest labor as was ever given in exchange for money. I have heard you read-'cursed is he that keepeth a man's wages all night by him until the morning,'-but I don't know what would be said to him that can keep th

e, "but the wrong done you does not excuse your

the farmers round; but

manage to

an," answered th

, and do not sit down here idle all day. I hear that Colonel Hargra

in, "that we cannot put any faith in it. He

exerting himself, and then, with a small gratuit

inued, after a pause, "lives a woman, who has hitherto obtained her livelihood by supplying the poor inhabitants with bread and other necessaries; for some months past, however, Rogers, the bailiff, has found excuses to withhold the wages from most of the workmen engaged in repairing the premises at Aston, and they have been obliged to live upon credit, which this poor woman has been persuaded to give them-in co

furniture, with the exception of a shelf, on which the poverty of the house was displayed, in half a loaf of bread which rested on it. Here an old man sat by the smouldering embers of a wood fire, holding his hands as close to it as possible, as if he hoped

he cold December wind would whistle through the old window; but when he thought of asking some questions concerning it, he was chec

e, when they had left, "that nothing

urned Mr. Ware, "unless we can pe

Clair, "would his co

e who were too old for hard work, were allowed to sweep away the leaves, or clean the weeds from the walks on the estate, which were a few years since beautifully kept. The absence of a rich family in a place where the people have learnt to depend upon them, is a serious loss. You will wonder, perhaps, that I do not instantly, and fully relieve the situa

nfluenced you, or I know such cases would meet with instant relief

and if Rogers gave me the proper directions, it is hardly likely my letters have not rea

d Clair, exhausted from unusual exercise, threw