It Is Never Too Late to Mend

ultivated a small

England, had they been as intelligent as other traders, could have pur

at do I say? There are soils and situations where, in spite of intelligence and sobriety, he is almost sure t

ertain great street every three months, and obs

on of all other traders. But the individual trader, who fights for existence against unfair odds, is to be pitied whether his shop

go, assisted by his brother William, filled "The

o young Fielding, for a farmer's farm and a sailor's ship have always something sacred

oor sour land. George's father had one hundred acres gr

r even an old stump to s

y oral tradition

rove," only the title had outl

ght have been seen near his own homestead, co

will be common some day, but was nea

nder that he had enormous good sense; his good sense was really brilliant, he

iling, or sauntering about whining, what did me the Honorable Frank Winchester? He looked over England for the means of getting this money, and not finding it there, he surve

lace events) going to Australia with five thousan

Fielding to accompany him as bailiff

e," and the farmer had saved his life at great personal risk one day that he was seized with cramp bathing in the turbid waters of Cleve millp

I must have somebody to put me in the way. Stay with me one year, and a

e fire, "that's an old story, sir?" with a sweet little hal

all have five hundred sheep and a run for them, and we

ting one of us," continued George, "dear me, sir, it's like taking up an oak tree th

d never go to the parish church? Miss Merton is a

, sir?" sa

the time. He said, "People don't go to Australia to die-they go to Australia to make money, and come home and

ook the cigar from his mouth, and looking at it said, "I say, sir! seems to me the fire is uncommon near the chimbly." Mr. Winch

ry going to shoe a horse," but with his rustic delicacy he s

o a horse's hoof, and Australia into an English f

dged lovers, but marriage was not spoken of as a near event, and latterly ol

. For all that she had, besides a host of admirers, other lovers besides George; and what is a great deal more singular (for a

eart, but though he trembled with pleasure when she was near him, he neve

" and was inspecting a field behind George's house, when he was accosted by his friend, Mr. Meadows

ommon man, and merits s

ntry "a lucky man"; everything h

respectable man, who had been a carter in the midst of them, and

elves; yet they could not put their finger on any dishonest action he had done. T

fatigable, and an eye never diverted from the great objects of sober indust

ther, at market; in his office at a third, and

d when you had found him, you found a man superficially coy perhaps, but at bottom always

months the intimacy of these two men had ripened into friendship; the corn-factor often ho

s John

a healthy, weather-colored complexion, and a massive brow

, Mr. Merton? It wants some of y

, "it lies cold; the sixty-acre field is well eno

out as his, had dropped into hi

undertone, "they are thrashi

Why I didn't hear

lding was at the bank this morning, trying to get money on their bill, and the b

their father was a safe man;" but the accent with which he eulogi

late," mused Merton. "But you s

not as if she loved him with all her heart and

spirit, but never with me; my word is law. Yo

d save her-but there-all that is

iend. I'll step round to the barn and see what is do

farmers wanted to borrow a little money under the rose, and would pawn

stranger of gentlemanly address and clerical appearance. The constable wore

k so; your pocket was picked last Martinmas fair of th

wa

em?" said the man,

ared the number with a memorandum in hi

ed it?" i

rove" with George Fielding; that is, if his name is Robinson, but we th

For so rich a man, he seemed wonder

see if he knows him." The constable went on to inform Meadows that Robinson was out fishing somewhere, oth

ify the notes," said the gentleman from B

oy upon his black mare, and hurried him off to the rendezvous, while he stayed and entered with st

answer; "he won't know me t

r as the village stocks, keepin

events was closing round

its. Robinson had showed him how to relieve the tem

. The Farnborough Bank will give you notes for it. These country ban

her moneys. And then Susanna Merton was to dine at "The Grove" to-day, a

ords, Robinson, who had no idea how he was keeping people waiting, fi

and was the cause of his rencontre with a very singular

ebrows also were darker than his hair, and under them was an eye like a royal jewel; his voice had the Oriental richness and modulation-this old man was Isaac Levi; an Oriental Jew who had passed half his life under the sun's eye, and now, though the town of Farnborough had long been too accustom

and his thoughts, especially in his moments of emotion, and above all, when he forgot the money-lender for a moment, and felt and t

y without allowing the old gentleman to speak, "If you are come to talk to m

Isaac rented, and had instant

to raise the rent to its full value, so he had come to treat with his new landlord. "Mr. Meadows," said he persuasively, "I have lived there twenty years

was th

u, sir! w

Lady-day you turn

pahan, Mecca and Bassora, and found no rest. When my hair began to turn gray, I traded in Petersburg and Rome and Paris, Vienna and Lisbon and other western cities and found no

ce is all thi

have bought; and there my Leah died also; and there at times in the silent hours I seem to hear their voices and their feet. In another house I shall ne

the ster

darting into his eye; "then you

rim reply to thi

tantly suppressed. "And what have I done to gain your enmity,

lend

, now and then

no money in hand; but when the security is good, nob

ther-they are not like yours. We are brothers, and that is

e, I am; what I do on the sly you

de enough for us

where you like, for the little town of Farnborough is not wide eno

is not enm

u are hard to please," cried he. "

Our people are industrious and skillful in all bargains, but we keep faith and covenant. So be it. Let us be fri

your history-take mine. I have always put my foot on whatever man or t

firmly. "Some man will be sure to

threaten me?"

to find one as strong and more skillful; the cunning man one as adroit and stronger than himself. Be advised, then, do not trample upon one of my people. Nations and men that oppress us do not thrive. Let me have to bless you. An old man's blessing is gold. See these gray hairs. My sorrows have been as many as they. His share of the curse

cks of rocks, a strong will and a vulgar soul. But indeed the whole thing

give the respectable

both kept sheep, and we can't, because we fleece 'em. So Abraham gave Lot warning as I give it you. And as for dying on my premises, if you like to ha

ew's eyes, and his pent-up wrath burs

lter with a sudden Eastern fury that for a moment shook even the iron Meadows. "Be accursed!" he yelled again. "Whatever is the secret wish of your black heart Heaven look on my gray hairs that you have insulted, and wither that wish. Ah, ah!" he screamed, "you wince. All men have

n and true to some sore in his adversary's hear

on Isaac with a fierce snarl, and lifting hi

ood encountered leather

hand, and by an adroit turn of his muscular wrist he parried a blow that would have stopped the old Jew's eloquence perhaps forever. As it was, the corn-factor's stick cut l

s glared at Isaac's champion with surprise and wrath, and a sort of half fear half wonder that this of all men in the world should be the one to cross weapons with and thwart him. "You ar

I won't have him for a tenant against m

ed upon Meadows)? "It never came out of Judea in any name or shape. D'ye call yourself a heathen? Ye

ion is," said Meadows, inadvertent with passion, and t

y it's like a woman's, it's all he has got to hit with; leastways you mustn't lift hand to him on my premises, or you will have to settle with me fir

man's eye, "he doesn't look you in the face. Any soul that has read men from

ted Meadows, who was now s

d he turned white and

the sort-there, don't you be so spiteful, old man-why if he isn't all

t-girl answere

, and his mug and pipe," then he whispered her, "and

with you, but I will go in and rest my limbs which fail me

e suddenly paused, and

and comfort and love foll

e surprised and touched by this. "How old are y

rief for myself, grief still more for my nation and city. Men tha

ex yourself any more about it. Now you go in, and forget all yo

le took place in him, but nature conquered prejudice and certain rubbish he called religi

the man's whole face and body showed these words

ung Fielding stood watching

George's hand, and darted a long, lingering glance of demoniacal hatred on Meadows, he coupled two s

nice to hear a hyena say to the shepherd's dog, "I am your friend," a

respected his own motives and felt his own power; a

ount, George Fielding," and left the yo

dn't know he w

od word, parson's and all-who'd think he'd lift his hand, leastways his stick it was and that's worse, against a man of three

William Fielding just ri

ver," said the elder

he money for the sheep, 13 pounds 10s.; no

money-the 80

ooked sul

There's your draft again,

ge's face, as much for the a

redit is down, the whole town knows our rent is over

new wheat at such a price," said Willi

loan of a neighbor, and be denied-it

farm is not farmed my way, nor ever was. No! Give

ve fourscore hogs snoring in the farmyard; that's your idea of a farm. Oh! I know you want to be elder brother

le burst of temper! We

, "you got us into the mud, elder b

ued his ton

id he, as one address

-factor; he lends money at times to friend

Susanna's father! Oh, Will

ows,

de he's a man that never knew trouble or ill luck

adows. I'll ask him if you will try uncle

ree," said he, with simple cunning, and lowered his eyes; but suddenly raising them, he said cheerf

said the other,

d while the brothers were arguing, he had been in the barn, and finding old Merton there had worked still hig

ns William Fielding, sore

were here, sir! I wa

ur service,

only for a time, and George says he should take it very kind if y

d have done it as easy as stand here; but my business drinks a deal of money, Mr. Willum, and I laid out a

leaving William planted

out of th

el

has got no m

s into the bank yesterday, and you

t lies to avoid lending

rom Meadows, if you had a mind; but you want to drive your poor

r said so; and you durstn't sa

or that, I'd sa

ed William to Merton, who turned instantly and came toward them. "George wants

id Merton, "for I w

ght of his being abo

its to open his subject, Mr. Merton, who had

out new wheat?" s

red George,

rmer has no business to go t

n? to the church door,

ship-fold,

got grass and water a

never be a farmer. Now, George, I must

like you very well, but I l

said Geor

en a pretty while how things are going here, and if she m

tters are not so b

Merton, "to eat a woman's bread; and if you are

ear," gasped George. "So n

s best when the mind is

u?" said George, with a trembling li

ll stand to; and I hope you know better than to

ry sternly. "Enough said, old man

eorge!" and away

uncle! (ungrate

the news, "our mother took him out of the dirt.-I have heard her say a

l he lend

er ask

sked him!" c

appealingly into his brother's face; "he sees we are going

our business to own the truth and ask him

t that Carlo dog of yours. You're no brother o

adows, and he said No. You fell talking with uncle about Susan, a

I'll knock your ugly

fool into the barga

will have

can give

you on your mettle. The best man shall farm 'The Grove,' and the ot

am, hastily; "and have bee

tle, shook hands, and then retired

was thicker than water? Was it the farm, money, agricultural dissension, temper?

had long been fermenting, and now it exp

ter; this changes, and, if good, always reverses it! Mind that, reverses it! turns honest men to snakes, and doves to vultures. Horrible unnatural mixture of Love with Hate-you poison th

ands mechanically, and reced

best man; but they both knew they had an antagonist

us, was preparing to come to closer quarters when all of a sudden, to the other's surprise, he dropped his hands

ut his hands in his pockets, and began to saunter about, in a circumference of three yards, and to get up a

eful pantomime a beautiful young woma

ds renewed th

, and she looked from one to the oth

William-William h

mellifluous voice, "William was showing me-a tr

the first you ever told me"-(George colored)-"you

he combatants at this stroke o

land-within a stone's throw of a church, where brotherly love is

iam, his conscience suddenly illumin

as the gracious reply. "What a ruffian you m

I wasn't going to shed the beggar's blood. I was

your own," replie

e William's hand; take it this instant, I say,"

in a passion, Susan, about no

hand, which they did with both their heads hanging down

to prevent so great a crime; and as for you, your character must change gr

" said George, letting go William's h

quarrels with nobody; you are always quarrel

aucy words

ade her face as repulsive

time was come round to fight and be a

lly, "it is always poor Geo

bout her lips, "I could scold William, too, if you think I a

nk to scold anybody but me, Susan; and William," s

if you please," answered

h my ill luck, and almost bade me to speak to you no more, leastways as my sweetheart; and that was why, when William came at

ntly, "I am very sorry

t is the first drop of dew t

ating, as it were, her conscience, "is a great duty.

any girl to be kind to me that does not love me; I am

don't think it would be worth any woman's while,

eaned his head upon the side of a cart that

a ball waistcoat, as alarming tie, a shooting jacket, wet

ing to himself very sadly, "I am in everybo

is in thi

had made such an impression upon him, that he turned the conversation that way oftener

nia with him, and it must be owned that on this

ntinued Robinson, "a

yours there," sa

ss. I made it, or how

m. "What comes by the w

e dust?" inquir

cially," retort

ladies are sharp, even

d to disabuse their minds

of corn; it comes by harder digging than your potatoes ever saw, and hard

n ox mow an acre of grass or b

; "they'll eat all you can mow

stic idea of wit, that Robinson's antag

him?" said Robinson, sott

plied Susan ostentatiously loud. Geor

irts were wet through and through in the struggle for gold; he told them how the little boys demanded a dollar apiece for washing these same garments; and how

ns on the other side of the Atlantic, not at all complimentary to his island hom

e often gives me a day's work.' Now I should think it was the clodhopper gave the gent

his was a new view of things to him, b

scattered items of argument, he invited his friend George to take his muscle, pluck, wind, bac

f you happen to be married to a duke's daughter,

a c

a bro

a cur

brace of

e stars must move to it, i

of pretty

ltice round his neck and

f rose-water to sit in a

of peaches-and green p

hurch warmed with b

rpet a fo

d room in the house. But this isla

round. You know you can't work it to a profit." (George winced.) "No! steal, borrow, or beg 500 pounds. Carry out a cargo of pea-jackets and fourpenny bits to swap for gold-d

with a volubility to which Berks

was George's reply; but it was not given in that assured tone wit

settled down there like crows on a dead horse; but I thank you

ny should sing me the same tune,"

inner, with a dash of asperity,

rge. She chose an unfortunate topic. She

and he is not a gentleman, in spite of his red an

"He is my friend; he is the only creature that has spoken kin

he color rose in her cheek,

"you don't know how to read a woman,

disdainful, and did not spe

wed her into the house with

a proud and sensitive na

rything was turning cold and slippery and gliding from his hand. He shivered with vague