The Moorland Cottage

e and went, with little

the quiet progress of you

e in France, to receive

he house with her invali

y and elegant and daint

that ripening years w

aunt's dewlike sayings

at aunt was fading away

ss; and both she and Magg

l things subservient to

mo

ad more than once said,

toward your mother. You

understand how it is, if

neither you nor I

wish to keep Maggie at

till she felt that it w

uch valuable friends; and

age which her intimacy a

strain a few complaints,

tion of all the things w

home, and the number o

d that Maggie quietly gav

made aware of any neces

f grumbling, and took li

se

dward to leave school, h

orders, but meant to

aid he to his mother. "O

gets a curacy of seventy

ney. Now the work is not

one's wits about one,

be picked up with mi

ry for this determinatio

an, like his father. She

for so sacred an office

hen once assumed, would

unfitness for holy order

for the profession, and

t

curate at seventy pounds

plied she. "And you kno

--to places where I know

, and he makes his thous

entation to Combehurst,

sake. And in the mean t

acy was any

urying myself here agai

for you and Maggie to

but the idea of my qui

ng too

was very happ

at Oxford," replied Edwa

ose memory even the most

e held i

you would have to

d not interfere between

done with, and that it

on't you see how much be

e? Harry Bish has spoken

rowne

uxton say?" aske

t was he who first put it

olidays, that I should be

Harry Bish says he thin

de of

talking overpowered Mrs

th more regrets than she

n which fluent declamati

ume

r. Bish, and thus gained

his wishes, except his

edged her son's will as

ost disappointed at a ch

his plans for Edward's

me of the money requ

hange with mingled feelin

herself as taking her fat

it was as contemplative,

ith all a child's defici

ed how impossible it w

become a meek, humble,

n which such qualities

ng to understand all thi

g more like a correct fe

the true minister of C

gh sorrow mingled with he

hat he was to

me was growing up into a

bound up in him; and, ac

the difference in their

on, who was singularly

uld become worldly and a

l for honor and distinc

was fading away, as ligh

eemed to remark the grad

rself. The last time tha

h, she knew that she sh

the house, with a cheer

self with languid steps

h she could watch him d

to the inn from which

to look back at his ho

zing after him. He could

rt give a leap of joy by

re kiss and one

, it was at the sudden

istracted. He could not

tears, and oftentimes o

l, holy ideas, which Fra

to him, therefore, about

elief to both when he d

t talk of his mother, wi

ffection. He thought o

e; for when he had bee

quired her presence less

ton regretted this; but

e who was near death, f

ften in her sick-room, f

r husband's hopes and pla

to spring up. But she h

atitude to Maggie for

sciously dropped many se

le brown mouse of forme

ell him much of the inner

om he could speak of her

ch was so little in u

noon, late in the autu

heights was so still th

f came floating down from

only because its life h

g down on the distant s

rimson, but their splend

g year. Even without an

eason which impressed th

rode slowly along, and q

e which there was an i

saw the casement of th

over her work. She loo

s sounded on the flag-w

stood in the door-way, s

old painting. He had s

acefulness, and the large

he features which otherwi

nted. Her brown dress ha

ed. The slanting mellow

-leaves, already frost-

hung over the

e is gone to lie down.

xt

; quite well, in fact, a

I want to talk

rlor-door, and they went

ould not speak of her wh

e shut the casement, and

er back to the window; bu

of the dry wood, Frank s

her voice was even and g

understand what were the

of his mother's last day

would have been imperti

n of her who was dead and

to the sweet-dropping wo

ght it possible that th

fe incomplete, in that

ress wishes and projects,

. But he found that Magg

, had been the depositor

ere not expressed to her

hat they were, though, i

n to name them. The flic

e gloom of evening had

of which the kitchen f

t carpet and wall. Frank

nds against the

," he said, a

all now," said Maggie,

t; but if I think of anyt

tell

" He was silent

t Christmas. She is not t

hope you and she will b

"I think we are already

w it is a year sin

rland with Mademoiselle

gie, I must go, now. My

r for

ask if you would not s

om. And Nancy is getting

e will not be pleased un

you all," added she,

d answer, she

owne ca

u been sitting in the d

! Mr. Frank, you've had a

last week of September.

ur loss is her gain. Poo

im, and of her years of

rele

for any length of time,

soothed grief, and tol

him home

not disappoint him. He'l

ow. You must not let him

other way by always talk

to speak to me in a che

d, I should never have f

o young, and there was n

been living in Combehur

e better of me as I did.

e evenings,

s and was gone. As he rod

t ways of bearing it. He

pose, and to call out in

t if it were faithfully

despairing resistance to

to have some wise end, s

g it on one side, and, b

let it do its full work

ggie. That had been real

o Erminia to have such

pan

t, having this thought, a

earance while she stood i

n of her unobtrusive be

rviews), he should repl

ing Maggie after her

owing! Why, I had no ide

always was; but now her

shed. Frank! speak!

swered he, with a kin

his father, who was list

after dinner, Mr. Buxto

ia's app

nswered

creature. Her complexion

d, it must be owned, the

ss to some pur

happiness at this repl

for the only way he co

towards his neglected a

his son and her child.

extra glas

o dinner, as usual, next

ave been hurt if we had

o come, and they have ne

see any obje

wered he. "I intend to

or ten days, on my way

ng for

hink I shall go up mysel

yer's letters, about the

ould make more sense ou

gso

my plan, of having an ag

w, that they would take

re all those tenants at

te

here's never a one that

uld. Most of them have li

at if they dared to take

on them pret

ttachment to your family-

eri

instead of much troubl

etters some people are a

ed, Frank, I give you l

n. There's my little Er

to he