It Is Never Too Late to Mend

h nearly off their legs. He surveyed land in half a dozen counties-he speculated in grain in half a dozen markets, and did business in shares. His plan in dealing with this ticklish specu

ught cheap a

to solve the usurers' problem-pe

his own sagacity and t

ce; but, as a body, they have one int

vables are. Whereas the fact is that sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. Owing to the above delusion the propriet

pon oat-ricks, wagons, advantageous leases and such thin

he appeared in these transactions-he had too many goo

men are working it in this nation. He had a human mone

bag of Meadows w

tool. Meadows wanted a tool, and knew the cheapest way to get the thing was to buy it, so he bought up all Crawley's debts, sued him, got judgments out against him, and raising the

hatever a man secretly bids them, are not en

about him that did not attempt disguise, and slouc

attorney. Previously, unless Pythagor

d harder than ever. He hurried from business to business-could not wait to chat, or drink a glass of ale after it; it was all work! work! work!-money! money! money! with John Meadows, and everything he touched

wise saying, and Meadows, by his own observation

r true saying, that "nobo

sistency. He shut himself up at home for two hours, and smoked his pi

ouse; and however fast he rode the rest of his journey he always let his nag walk by the farmhouse, and h

e had made, never to visit the Mert

" said he bitterly. "Well, the best

der a fit of rheumatism, and this was the reason why Meadows and he did not meet. In fact,

was Susan's languid

e had seated himself where he could see her. She took her old place by the pillar; nobody was near her. The light from a side wi

es at a time, and then with a lover's keen eye he saw her heart fly away in a moment from prayer and praise and consolation, and follow and overtake the ship that was carrying her George farther and farther away from her across the sea; and then her lips quivered with eart

as to feel that he ought to pity George, but he did not do it; he could not, he envied him too much; but he pitied Susan,

to meet her casually upon the road home. Susan saw his intention and took

eel and went home with hi

ght of me," was h

a stranger; and in her present grief all were strangers to her except him she had lost and h

n he fell to abusing his folly, and

suddenly started fiercely up, saddled his horse, and rode into Newborough, and, putting up his hor

e a bookseller's shop, he saw advertise

oment, with a sudden change of mind, he returned and bought the book. He did more, he

so that in the evening Meadows had some dozen volumes in his ho

the beginning of it, but it did not end there. The intelligent Meadows had not read a hundred pages before he fou

ver he went, so fascinated was he with this subject. A

le divined the cause, or dreamed what a vow he had made, and what it cost him every day to keep it. So strong was the struggle within him

she would have denounced his love for Susan Merton as a damnable crime. Once she invited his confidence.

here was a soothing influence in this quaint old woman's presence. She moved quietly about, protecting his habits, not disturbing

ws, who had been silent as death for a full half hour,

e this part of the c

s news,

mining district for six

t a change. I think you

no later th

is s

lf time to think, I sh

with the energy of

as he sat reading by the fire, an unexp

scolded Meadows for nev

ave given us a look in coming home from market; it is only a mile

dropped it like a hot potato; he tried another, "Why, this is Australia, too; why, they are al

t soon recovered hi

tell me there are capital investments in that

good out there?" asked the

," answered

rton; "and if you was to ask me to take a glass of yo

extended to facts as well as money, and who was full of this new subjec

his friend's clear, intelligent and masterly descriptions of this wond

I stay later," said he, a

o me?" asked Meadows, as the fa

," replied the othe

, and not a word from Susan, or even a word about her-one word would have paid me for all this loss of time-but no, I was not to have it. I will be in Devon

the front lock by way of salute, put a note into his hand. Meadows took it and opened it carelessly; it was a handwriting he did not know. But his

could take a cup of tea with us on your way home from market, my f

some calves he w

ours res

AN M

ed by rheumatism, and I have

erton I will come, if possible." He then galloped off, and as soon as

is goodness in making a certain v

and they have invited me

rn their admirers under every disguise. She was dull and out of spirits, and wrote for him to come to her; this was a great point, a good beginning. "The sea is between her and George, and I am here, with time and opportunity on

feelings and feign indifference, yet the civil nonchalance with which Meadows, on his

alk. Susan, meanwhile, made the tea in silence, and Meadows began to think she was capricious, and had no sooner got what she as

to be replenished, and upon this opportunity S

farmer very loud ind

country-that Christmas-day is the hott

uestions, in order, it appeared, to draw once more fr

have no smell, and that the birds have all gay feathers, but no song?" Then Susan, scarcely giving him time to answer, proceeded to pu

ll be able to do any good. And will he have his health

he bright eyes were dimm

after, muttering some excuse about his horse, h

han he gave way to a bur

hat infernal country where her George is. I'll ride home t

n, clinching his teeth, returned slowly to the little parlor

u all about that country, for I have a relation there who writes

bright

up, too, and poured out a flood of really interest

is watch, and putting on a fictitious look of dismay and annoyance, started up with many excu

, the grateful smiles with which she had thanked him for his narration-all this had been so sweet at the moment, so

own to it. She shall not be able to do without my chat; that shall be the beginning; the middle shall be different; the end s

ing his mothe

ou think to

e, mo

ney you s

jour

the m

ot

hanged your

t you see I

(very

d her visit and return home. Her son yielded a cheerful ass

ear against a woman's; for the artifice to which his strong will bent his supple talent is one that

. By which means the asses make their absent foe presen

intelligence a glimpse of a way to please her. He looked

ralia. Susan was grateful. To hear of the place where George would s

e from the Mertons he resolved never to return there, but he took no more oaths; it had cost him so much to keep the last; and that befell which might have been expec

, and weaker than the omnipotent. He never spoke a word of love to Susan, he knew it would spoil all; and she, occupied with another's image, and looking upon herself as confessedly bel

evening. There his forehead unknit itself; his voice, pitched in quite a different key from his key of business, turned also low and gentle, and soothed and secretly won the hearer by its deep, rich and pleasant modulation and varie

cs suspected nothing, so

ile out of his way twice a week to talk to me about Geo-about the country where my heart i

too industrious for the lazy ones; he is a good friend of mine, Susan; if I wanted to borr

es home-if ever he comes home to Susan again." These last words brought many tears with them, which the old farmer pretended not to notice, for he

of innocent pleasures, was now utterly tasteless, except in its hours of bitterness when sorrow overcame her like a flood. She had a pretty flower-garden in which she used to work. When George was at home what pleasure it had been to plant them with her lover's help, to watch th

c writers, and sketch one of

the bottom of the garden, and casting her eyes over her whole do

seat, and coolly turning his back on the p

hem!" cried Susan, and she clappe

looking at one of them, and the b

So then they took hands, and Susan drew him demurely about the garden. Presently she stopped with a little start of hypocritical admiration; at their feet shone a marigold. Susan culled the gaudy flower and placed it affectionately in George's buttonhole. He received it proudly, an

e had nursed and watered and cherished this choice flower this three weeks past for George, and this was her way of giving it him at last; so a true woman gives-(her life, if need be). George took it and smelled it, and l

! w

om nor goodness when you come nearer to them. Now the marigold is like those lasses; but this pink is good

"I am a long way behind the marigold or any flower in co

don

ten times bet

why,

er, with an ineffable look of tenderness, tipped with one tint of lingering archness, she let fall, "

did comprehend, his heart exulted. He strode home as if he trod on air and often kissed the little flower he had taken from the beloved hand, "and with it words of so sweet breath composed, as made the thing more rich;" and as he marched past the house k

an one poor person; she carried meal to one, soup to another, linen to another, meat and bread to another, money to another-to all words and looks of sympathy. This practice she did not even now give up, for it came under the head of her religious duties; but she relaxed it. She often sent to places wher

ar woes, Susan made an effort to forget her own and to cheer as well as relieve them. But she had to compress her own heart hard to do it; and this suppression of feeling makes people more or less bitter. She had better have out with it, and scolded them well for talking as if they alone were unhappy; but her woman's nature would not let her. They kept asking her for pity, and she still gulped down her own heart and gave it them, till at last she began to take a spite against her pets; so then she sent to most of them instead of going. She sent rather larger slices of beef and bacon, and rather more yards of flannel than when she used to carry the like to them herself. Susan had one or two young friends, daughters of farmers in the neighborhood, with whom she was a favorite, though the gayer ones sometimes quizzed her for her religious tendencies, and her lamentable indifference to flirtation. But

s at mark

told the gentleman

I to do with fa

of them, I could not think to let him go away without getting a word wit

have I to do wit

not in the least, only he is

to him, Jane; it is my duty, since it

at, you are-nobody ever catches you in

t smooth

? it is smooth as m

is he

front

t be a

try, and is, for that matter, and will be till time and vanity shall be no more. More majorum a girl mu

he saw her. He had seated himself with his back to the light, and was devouring a stupid book on hus

s Me

s,

place has been vacan

s,

illed up for thre

hear,

rer than Barmstoke, which is a chapel-of-

s and a h

re have no divine serv

lowering her lashes, as if the clergyman had said,

to the rich, of eternal hope to the poor, and" (here his voi

him over with one dove-like gla

l under a cloud her

up; but you shall understand that I live thirty miles off, and have other dutie

d! The parish will bless you, sir, and no doubt," added she

Well, let us do the best we can. Tell me first, Miss Merton,

s long for rain after a month's drought;" and Susan turned on her visitor a face into whi

it was with benevolence,

peration. Some clergymen are jealous of co-operation; I am not. It is a good thing for all parties; best of all for those who co-operate with us; for in g

startled, "it is for me to recei

hated intellectual subserviency. He liked people to

-I will co-operate with you, sir, if you

uld like to make acquaintance with some of the people. Suppose we go to the school, and see what the children are learning, and then visit one or two fam

s,

nk y

rden. Mr. Eden stopped to look

eglected of late," sa

, then," said he, "for it looks charming now. Ah!

ration was about to attack them, made himself young to meet their minds. A pleasant smile disarmed their fears. He spoke to them in very simple words and childish idioms, and told them a pretty story, which interested them mightily. Having set their minds really working, he put quest

your class,

n co

little girls w

een here this fortnigh

e now? thought poor Susan. To her grateful relief, the good m

ot giving you too much troub

ome of the folk in

es

I take you

ought to

ooked p

stopped d

nt smile, "and don't look so scared.

ce above a whisper, and in a tone of interrogation, as who should say this is n

oorest, M

t than she had herself. "Young lady, I have friends with their heads full of Latin and Greek who could not have answere

g to take you into th

n heard these with patience, and then, after a few words of kind sympathy and acquiescence, for he was none of t

de; now tell me what you

y mercies to be thankful for. Then he higgled and hammered and fumbled for the said mercies, and tried to enumerate them,

I ask you a few questions," added he, courteously; then, without waiting for permission, he di

es, and the old soldier's personal prowess. Old Giles perked up, and dilated, and was another man; he forgot his rheumatism, and even his old age. Twice he suddenly stood upright as a dart on the floor, and gave the word of command like a trumpet in some brave captain's name; and his cheek flushed, and his eye glittered with the light of battle. Susan looked at him with astonishment. Then whe

f us went from this parish

as many a brave fellow did; you migh

is tru

to look for happiness there, where alone it is to be found. Then courage, corporal; you stood firm at Corunna-do not give way in this your last and most glorious battle. The stake is greater than it was at Vittoria, or Salamanca, or Corunna, or

l, sir; you s

usan had told Mr. Eden h

abide them nasty little

ion. Every sentence in it is gold; yet I think I may safely pick out a few for your especial use at present." And Mr. Eden sat down, and producing from his side pockets, which were very

pe-you don't s

t got any baccy, and I've been out

, corporal, it i

belly and a sorrowful heart, or you wouldn'

all such false consolat

or old man full of nothing but aches and pains, or you wouldn't have asked me,"

le to torment the incurable. So" (diving into the capacious pocket) "here is an ounce of his beloved poison," and out came a paper of

n him,

e for him, if

" A white hand with quick and sup

eauty pay honor to courage; abo

lighted the pipe, and gave it to the old soldier. He smil

put you on the road to heaven, and, in return, I

id Giles dryly, withdraw

have marked, for these very verses have dropped comfort on the poor, the aged and the distressed for mor

art. I feel as I han't felt this many a day. Your words are like the bugles sounding a charge all down the line. Yo

he rest of us," said Mr. Eden quickly;

hey returned to the farm, for Mr. Eden's horse wa

is is Mr. Eden, that is coming t

im, disappeared into the house. As Mr. Eden was mounting his horse, Mr. Merton came forward a

able within a mile of the church, and we have a large hous

. Merton, but must not trespa

, "we shall feel proud if you c

h obliged to you, sir,

ourteen miles an hour. Old Giles was seated outside his own door with a pipe and a book. At the sound of horses' feet he looked up and recognized his visitor, whom he had seen pass in the morning. He rose up erect and saluted him, by bringing his thumb with a military wave