Westways

e first time in his life responsibilities. The horses and the stables were to be looked over every day. Of course, too, he

Squire had plundered when young, walked over it and asked, "Well, James, how much did thee clear this last year?" the ow

or discussion, Mrs. Ann critical of what his farm cost, being herself country-bre

at if I owned the l

gaily, "and with me

e. I am well broken to your satisfaction, I trust; but to

ible, but right for us who know

le garden seems to be run at a profit

ed opinions of another does much to insure happiness both in friendship and in love. Here with these two people was a radical difference of belief concerning what was to be more and more a hard subject as the differences of sentiment North and South became sh

quired importance, and on the fourth day of his uncle's absence, at Mark Rivers's request, asked Mr. Grace to join them. The good Baptist was the more pleased to come in the absence of Mrs. Penhallo

es and no more conception of time than the angels. Ah! I see him. His table-manners really dis

e you, sir,

the guest offered thank

elaborate

rved with a pitiful interest the obvious animal satisfaction of the man. John with more amusement saw the silver fork used for a time and at last abandoned for use of the knife. Unconsci

. "It will do

although wine is mentioned in the Bible, cide

pplejack. "Quite right," he said. "You make me think of

screetly taken two full tumblers of old hard cider before River

ny man, John," said Grace, "least of

just a trifle too much cider, "my phra

"and yet to say it is a pity may be a kindly wish

insisted Grace, with the clerical

know that?"

old me he was a born thief and loved t

nature. I think he never forgives a benefit. I sometimes think he has no sense of the difference between

uel beast," said Jo

im saying, as he ros

quire he represented, John said, "We will smo

gether amused as John, a little embarrasse

mistake," remarked Grace, which the representat

"and I will join you in a moment." So saying he detained John

ider, my boy. You had better go

I-did not-

devil. There are others, and

ng sense of humiliation and surprise as he be

t of care, and a little sorry for the lad's

ave give

t,

p strong tobacco, and I c

ge supply. I am to divide with you," which was as near to

d return to my pipe, but I do sometimes think i

ank Penhallow; he will ha

shall

last, after one of the pipe-filling pauses, Grace said, "I ought not to ha

isagrees

it slightly, and-I-a man who prea

y be intemperance in the way a man puts his opin

in our church Wednesday night-I sa

ed to understand the working-man's temptations. You preached

with a quite gentle retort, "Don't you sometimes

onal application of the truth. I ought to preach the first half of the sermon-the appeal to the reason

ld, Rivers! your cold logic! There is nothing cold in a

e avenue Grace said, "

eally wise to

m a little. He is penitent, or says he is, and as his mother is sometimes absent, I have set Billy to care for him; some

ny, Brothe

is no guile

a man sets his foot on a dead branch, the far end stirs another, and the motion so transmitted agitates a half dozen feet away the leaves of a group of ferns. The man stops and suspects some

ening delusions. Guardian Billy chewed his daily supply of tobacco and sat at the window in th

e's horses for exer

o you go to m

at

t, and Mrs. Penhallow paid he

y, who had strict orders

of money rolled up in one of her stockings. That w

Billy. "Want me to

t even with y

u-like Mr. John licked the doctor's

es surprising even to the most experienced doctor. The immorality of the means of attainment is never considered.

piritual physician, and the clergyman met at the house door the doctor of the body. "I suppose," said McGregor, "that you and I

Doctor," the c

al looked after because of Mrs. Lamb; and the squire has some sort of absurd belief that because the same breasts that nursed him nursed our patient, he must befriend the fellow-and he does. Truth is, R

said Rivers gravely. "You are pleading for

r forgets the smallest injury. But when Mrs. Penhallow puts a hand on your arm and you look at her, you j

in bed was lying still, flushed, with red eyes. He was slowly recoverin

regor, "better,

a little, just a nip o

all r

drop,

if I don

die

his usual careful examination, and said at last,

whisky-a little. I'm so

. A word with you, Mr. Rivers." When outside of t

re is no

inking how he can get whisky. He will li

is old mother will help him. He

. He is a permanent nuisance, up to any wi

rhaps. Who can be sure of t

chief. The good die young; you may be sure the wicked do not. In some way

nteresting?"

s delusions when he

did he

viso.' Imagine it. He knew no more of that than of the physiology

ontribution from the endless

n' was not so bad. He sa

was; and more-mor

ere is your tobacco, Billy, and

ergyman entered. "Mr. Rivers. I'm bad. I

his feet, Lamb said, "Couldn't I have just a little whisky? Doctors don't always know. I've been in this scrape before, and just a little liquo

? Putting aside angry comment, he fell back upon his one constant resource, What would Christ have said to this sinful man? He stood so long silent by

it long, the eyes small, red, and eagerly attentive. This was not the time for reason. He said, "I should be your worst enemy, Peter. Every one has been good to you; over and

se of praying in hell? Get

hat the enfeebled mind was incapable of response to any appe

erybody," mu

tting up in bed when Billy returned. The simple fellow poured out i

aved these three weeks. Doctor wants you to go and get Josiah to come and fix me up to-n

ul way which made him a favourite desp

e long. I need a g

fetch five cents at one of them rummage-

of his guard he tried in vain t

"Guess he's too shaky to shave himself," sai

k a small amount of carefully saved earnings. He had his likes and dislikes, but he had the prudently guarded tongue of servitude. Long before John Penhallow had understood better the tall black man's position and won the confidence of a friendly hour, he saw with his well-bred courtesy how pleased was the man to be called Mr. Josiah. It sounded queer, as Pole remarked, to call a runaway darke

ork by dim candlelight. The patient was as silent. When Josiah had f

as he was about to leave. "I'll send up Billy." The uneas

ll of thirst. I want you to get me some

the drunkard nor any belief in future repayme

ou won't

can't

'll tell what I

long lost terror returne

about it. You help me now and

rascal, and then, by long habit prudent, he said, "I'll

ster down on you. I give you till to-morrow morning e

se, the town suspected that he was a fugitive slave, but nobody cared or seemed to care. And yet, at times in his altogether prosperous happy years of freedom, when he read of the fugitive-slave act, and he read much, he had disturbing hours. He stood still a moment and crossed the ro

d I talk to you? I am

h? Come in, the fr

ector's study, Rive

of hunted animals. "No one else is in the hous

r, he would have told you, and whether or not you ran away from slavery is none of his business. Mr. Penhallow believes you did, others

tell you all

o one. Now go home. I will s

ay God bless-

a time as a lie told to secure whisky, but the fear Josiah showed was something pitiful in this strong black giant. He knew Lamb well enough to feel sure that Josiah

man that Josiah had friends and that the attempt to blackmail him would be dangerous. Lamb was sitting up in bed apparently relieve

a chair for Mr. River

eyed and stepped o

I advise you to listen. You lied to Billy about the doctor yesterday, an

an of the threat. Lamb was quick to understand the situation, and the clev

l nowise accountable. If-I-abused Josiah, I'm sorry. He did shave me. Let me think-

on't recall what you said." He realized that the defence was per

y here, sir? But, of course, he was, for he shave

m pleased to find y

ow. I'll be fit for work in a week or

ver you said had better never be said again or you will

ot responsible, but how could I say to that poor

er," said Rivers; "at least I h

ead bent and uplift of lids over watchful eyes-"Oh, I want

quire for that. Good-

man in the bed, which creaked under his weight as he fell back grinning in pleased self-ap

relief. He may have had the thought, for he smiled self-amused and remembered his friend Grace. Then he took himself to task, reflecting that he should have been more gently kind, and was there not some better mode of approaching this man? Was

ter-dinner hour, and when he left John fell with eagerness on the newspapers of the day. His uncle's mail he forwarded to Pittsburgh, and heard from him that he would not return until mid-October. His aunt would be at home about the 8th, and

r dinner, he found Mr. Rivers standing with his back to a fire, which the eve

on the table in the hall. As no one met him at Westways Crossing, he was caught in a shower and pre

in regard to the guest who he thought, from hearing h

allow; but as all Greys are for her-well, the Greys-we must do our

ve, of his duties as the host. Rivers said, smiling, "It may not be easy to amuse Mr. Grey. I did not tell y

h of a Grey!" thought Rivers, as he observed the clean-shaven face, which was sallow, or what the English once described as olivaster, the eye

ying, "I am John Penhallow, sir. I am sorry

sture outside and more inside would have been agreeable;

promptly, "I think, John, Mr. Grey is pleasantly remind

n, who had not had th

gentlem

ky slowly, remarking t

Very good, does credit

, the mellowing years,

s ready,"

crops, and at length the proper methods of fining wine-a word of encouragement from Rivers set him off again. Meanwhile the dinner grew c

o interested company," he began to wonder at the self-absorption of what was evidently a provi

sement, using his uncle's phrase, John said, "My uncle thinks that Madeira

inner; who, sir, shall pronounce its epitaph?' That, sir, I call eloquence. No more wine, thank you." As he

e will find it warm

ad felt the r?le of host rather difficult, was eager to get a look at the Tribu

ng paper-devilish. I presume Penhallow takes it to see

tical opinions, said, smiling, "I must leave Mr

his thin face. "I presume the captain (he spoke of him usually as the captain)

, "that he has taken no activ

aven't a dozen free-soil voters. 'Bleeding Kansas' is a dead issu

s says Buchanan will carry the State by a smal

resident? No, sir, it would mean secession-the death-knell of the Union. Sir, we may be driven to more practical arguments by the scurrilous speech

t and gesticulated as i

elt a strong inclinatio

ause to say, "Would you

Gr

to being a trifle dry. But

John, ask fo

easily read by the least observant. Elsewhere Mr. Rivers would have had a ready answer, but as Grey sat still a little while e

the South cling to State rights; if these do not preserve for me and others my property and the right, sir, to take my bod

t last that he must defend his own opinions. "I

uld be considered, and the demand for their only possible labour considered. I wou

said Rivers, "that al

being addressed as "r

uld smile wh

his political creed, and Rivers felt some need to be amiable and watchful of his own words in what he was longing to say. John listened, amazed. He h

"I may have been excessive in statement. I beg pardon for having spoken of, or rather hinted at, the need for a resort to arms. That is never a pleas

I dislike these discussions, Mr. Grey, but I cannot leave you without a reply, although in t

alk little else. I do believe the water

uritan, Quaker and Church of England, intercolonial tariffs and what not. For the planter-class we were mere traders; they for us were men too lightly presumed to live an idle life of gambling, sport and hard drinking-a life foreign to ours. The colonies were

"We did our

and its growing claims added later mischief, but it was not the only cause of our troubles, nor is it to-day with us, although it is with you, the largest. We have tried compromises. They are of the history of our own time, familiar to all of us. Well, Mr. Grey, the question is shall we submit to the threat of division, a broken land and its consequences

d Grey, "we would win. In that be

is with us a profound sentiment of affection for the Union. No people worth anything ever lived without the very human desire of national se

I am tired. A little more rye, John. I must

Rivers. "I ought to say that I s

Oh! thanks, John." He drank the

he North cares as little; but the antislavery men are active and say, as did Washington, that the Union of the States was or will be insecure until slavery comes to an end. It may be so, John; it is the cons

smiled. "Yes, s

t have it again i

very int

Squire and your aunt? Now I am going home. I hat

ll take Mr. Grey t

home too tired t

im on uncle's big J