The Hallam Succession

uests, each in

oad-side tab

fe among the

ard set daily

cient room thou

iving souls f

corners may b

s pictures of som

ard-headed and hard-fisted, and have notably done their work in every era of English history. They are also a handsome race, the finest

the charms of antiquity, with every modern grace and comfort. Its walls are of gray stone, covered with ivy, or crusted with golden lichens; its front, long and low, is picturesquely diversified with oriel windows, gable ends, and shadowy angles. Behind is a steep, craggy rang

mbric kerchief tied loosely round his neck. His hat, drab also, was low-crowned and broad-brimmed, and, as a general rule, he kept it on. In the holy precincts of a church, or if the nationa

ees, and looked up into her master's face with sad reproachful eyes. She was evidently jealous, and watching anxiously for some look or word of favor. She had not long to wait. The puppies became troublesome; he chided them, and put the bit of leather they were quarreling

a look half-perplexed and half-pleased upon her face. "Father," she said, "there is a letter from

es half 'way; they arn'

feared fo

from ours-and, father, I do

s a varry thick Churchman when he went to th' Carolinas-but he married a foreigner; she had plenty o' brass, and acres o' land, but I never heard tell owt o' her religion.

she marry

. It's like enough he were a Methodist. T' Carolinas hed rebelled against English government, and it's nobbut reasonable to suppose t'

ified eagerness. They knew he was going to walk, and were asking to go with him. "Be still wi' you, Rattle and Tory

re in th

k him what to do? He

ent thoughtfully from room to room, seeking her brother. There was no deeper motive in her thought than what was apparent; her cares were simply those of hospitality. But when a life has been bounded by house

tly when his sister spoke. One saw at a glance that he had inherited his father's fine physique and presence, but not his father's calm, clear nature. His eyes were restless, his exp

hard and Phyllis Fontaine. They a

is dreadfully dull her

give you a cup of tea, and rea

e supposed her cousins to be Methodists. Antony seized

ain until September, in order to allow the Bishop t

means they a

t a moment, and then he

ery gla

Antony? And there i

ham

e a ripple of life. A Methodist isn't asleep. I have often felt inclined to drop into th

you meant what you said. You know very well that the thousand years of '

nk about-born conservatives every one of them-'

magine what makes you go among a crowd of weavers,

nate together. The weavers prick and pinch me in

, Antony and do

hment in his sister's gray eyes, and the air of puzzled disapproval in her manner. He rega

can news. I shall not go to the Tyrol now. Two new spe

g of your own cousins-'two new specimens

ican Hallams-Americans in Hallam-Croft! I only hope the shades of Hengist and H

the end of May. You have two we

en, and distribute them, so that Antony's imagination, in this direction, had the field entirely to itself. His fancy painted her in many charming forms, and yet he was n

garden so sweet and balmy. Heart's-ease were every-where, honeysuckles filled the air, and in the wood behind, the blackbirds whistled, and the chaffinches and tomtits kept up a merry, musical chattering. The squire, with his son and daughter, was wai

ing his pipe after the bustle of the arrival was over; "not much like a Hallam,

terested, and soon

yllis, she is beautif

zab

rfectly she

yes, her small bow-shaped mouth-a beauty one rarely finds

could you see all that in a mo

ow was she

otless, the gray bonnet, with its drooping, gray feather bewitching. She wore gray

that in a moment or t

ntony. You forget I went

notice

n look as they stood beside you and father was v

oming into life is like a fresh wind

what side he would take. As a general rule, however, he preferred the opposition in all things. Now, the squire's principles and opinions were as clear to his own mind as his own existence was. He believed firmly in his Bible, in the English Constitution, and in himself. He admit

great wind; and though Antony had been but little touched by the spiritual aspect of the movement, the temporal accusations of corruption and desertion of duty were good lances to tilt against the Church with. It gave him a curiously mixed p

had, therefore, allowed his son to discuss "the Church" with him, but in some subtle way the older man divined that his ideas were conviction; while Antony's were only drifting thoughts

ability. In times of need England had found them good soldiers and ready givers; but poets and scholars they had never been. Antony affected the latter character. He spoke several

his position. But he constantly reflected that his father might live many years, and that in the probable order of things he must wait until he was a middle-aged man for his inheritance; and for a young man who felt himself quite competent to turn the axle of

stened with polite attention to Antony's aspirations and aims, they made very little impression upon him. Both he and Phyllis glided without effort into the life which must have been so new to them; and in less than a week, Hallam had settled happily do

and examined, with particular interest, the upper rooms, into which from generation to generation unwelcomed pictures and unfashionable furniture had been placed. There was one room in the eastern turret that

autiously touched the notes of the instrument. How weak and thin and hollow they were! And yet they blended perfectly with something in her own heart. She played till the tears were on her cheeks,

the large windows and let the sunshine flood the pink chintzes and the blooming

p of tea, Phyllis. Shall

ink I have been in an unhappy room and caught some

loved, and the man was utterly unworthy of her l

s us, are we not circled by angels as the stars by heaven? Our soul relatives sorrow in our sorr

good die, bless

ill dewy with tears, the holy soul looked upward; and her lips kept the expression of the prayer that was

dearly. Her death made a deal

s, it is only to bow our heads at going out, and to enter straightway

the conversation. And Phyllis's childish figure, glowing face, and sublime confidence affected her with a sense of something strange and remote. Yet the conversation interested her greatly. People are very foolish who restrain spiritual confid

yllis, that angels care

ilt or wrecked. Elizabeth, if I did not believe that the love of G

cau

I love, and am

we know if the

when I first became aware that I loved John Millard.

t wa

the rolling together of the heavens like a scroll, and the melting of the elements with fervent heat. Ask if it will pass t

of loving throughout a

e in

the threshold of paradise makes me weep. I cannot understand an affection which must look forward to an irrevocable separation. Nay, I ask more than

rd in this way, he and

hat earthly light

he shadow,

s very cool and calm and quiet. It is the restraint which he puts upon himself; really Richard has a consta

are a Wesleyan, yet y

y, Ph

untry, Episcopacy is my mother-Church. If Episcopacy should ever die, El

and Methodist

m the pen of the golden-mouthed Chrysostom, so

eard that,

ow many such words have been adopted and made glorious emblems of victory. It was

m to find a name for Jo

s to be beguiled.' Of course, Chrysostom's 'Methodist' is not our Methodist. The writer knew he was unjust and meant it for a term of reproach, but the word took the popular f

and Elizabeth looked again with admiration at the

kness of her loosened hair. Her dark, soft eyes glowed, her small hands had involuntarily clasped themselves upon her breast. "What a little enthusiast you are!" Then she sto

easons, and both felt that for that day the limit of spiritual confidence had been reached.

o full of what is good and beautiful! Look at those roses! Could flower

y near dinner-time. We have had a very pleas

the days of flutings and bows and rufflings innumerable. Elizabeth's dress was a long, perfectly plain one, of white India mull. A narrow black belt confined it at the waist, a collar of rich lace and a brooch of gold at the throat. Her fair hair was dressed in a large loose bow on the crown, and lay in soft light curls upon her brow. Her feet were sandaled, her large white hands unjeweled and ungloved, and with one she lifted slightly her flowing dress. Resplendent with youth, beauty, and sunshine, she affected Richard as no woman

d's ride to Leeds, and the stumbling of Antony's horse. "We left the Squire in the v

in a cottage cove

hink

from his horse, and was talking earnestly to his favorite servant. He seemed to be in trouble, and he was not the man to keep either Sor

would never do a

to do it mysen. Thou m

t' dinner is eat. I s

Ben Craven murder any-

heard tell o'

d and confidential servant. He felt the imputation as a personal slander. The Cravens had been faithful servants of the Hallams for generations, and Clou

done about it

law, isn't worth t' knowing or t' doing. Then I went for t' Wesleyan minister to talk a bit wi' Martha, poor body? She seemed to want someth

er to see you at t

nor Christian what door to knock at. I wish I may nivver stand at a

re quite rig

kind heart lead them, and it would be against nature

sympathy and admiration in them, that she had no need to say a word. He felt that he had done the right thing, and was pleased with himself

r. "I must go with you dear; if Martha is a Methodist she is my sister, an

ugh the park, and Antony and Richard can meet us

d her garden. She was a woman very pleasant to look at, tall and straight, with a strong ruddy face-and blue eyes, a little dim with weeping. Her cotton dress of indigo blue, covered with golden-colored moons, was pinn

ling. "Come this ways in, Joy," she said to Elizabeth, at the same moment dropping a courte

Miss Fontaine, fro

to talk above a bit about Sibbald Hallam as crossed t' seas

am very sorry, Sister Marth

ta a Method

brightly and

or trouble, I'll not fear it. Why should I, wi'

it happe

enough, but good 'uns mak' as much trouble as t' bad 'uns sometimes, I think. It's Jonathan's daughter, Mary. She's ta'en Ben's fancy, and she's ta'en Bill Laycock's fancy

Clough's mill, if there wa

their mouths about t' new looms as does t' work. Two days ago Clough found out that Tim Bingley hed told t' secret to Booth; and Clough wer' neither to hold nor bind.

the tread-mill last year for a brutal assault. He is

Ben shoot Clough, and

ugh is st

istrates hev been wi' him, and he swea

s Ben las

e, and running there, and all t' village was fair beside itseln. We wer' just reading a bit in t' Bible, when constables knocked at t' door and said they wanted Ben. My heart sank into my shoes, Miss Hallam, and I said, 'That's a varry unlikely thing, lads; you're just talking for talking's sa

ow could y

nough for any thing; and I wer' kind o' angry wi' Ben takkin' it so quiet like.

! What di

e's one thing troubles me, Miss Hallam, and it bothered t' squire, too. Ben was in his Sunday clothes-that wasn't odd, for he was going to t' chapel wi' me-but Jerry noti

is str

Cravens should swing himsen to death on t' gallows.' But I told him, 'Don't thee be so sure that Ben's t' last o' t' Cravens: Thou's makkin' thy count

and the darker it gets, you can cling the closer, u

away, and I couldn't finish t' psalm and I couldn't do much more praying than a little bairn thet's flayed and troubled in t' dark night, I lifted my eyes to thet tea-pot, and I knew t' words thet was on it, and

you sleep

wasn't hard wi' t

ects, yet formed by loving, reverential hands, to commemorate the apostolic labors of John Wesley in that almost savage district. His likeness was on one side, and on the other the words, so often in his mouth, "In God we trust." Phyllis looked at it reverently; even in that poor portraiture recognizing the leader of men, the dignity, the intelligence, and the serenity of a great soul

oined Elizabeth and Richard, and discussed with them the plans he had been forming for the un

ious. However lowly families might be, he believed that in trouble a noble independence would make them draw together, just

said the squire, with a dubious smi

k she ought to

'll tell you beforehand, if you iver hev a favor to ask, ask it of any body but

se she had gathered as they walked home together. He asked it distinctly, the beaming glance of his dark eyes giving to the request a meaning she could not, and did not, m