Aunt Rachel / A Rustic Sentimental Comedy

ang the public highway, for a space of little less than a month. The campaign had been conducted with varying success, but the old nobleman counted as many victories as fights

tary nominee to the quartette party, his lordship encountered a check which called f

urried by the defeat he had encountered at the hands of Miss Blythe, that he had permitted Joseph to take up the ladder and carry it away from where it had leaned against the apple-tree in the little old lady's ga

ship, when they began their rounds that afternoon. The stro

oseph, who saw through the device. His lordship decided not to hear the q

rees were unusually luxuriant, and the boughs hung unusually low. When they were reached, Joseph contr

heer's nothin' in all Heydon Hay as can put a patch on it. Thee bissent ag

striving to cover his confusion by taking a bigger pinch

should niver ha' thought it." He made a show of shouldering the ladder disgustedly, but dropped it again. "We fled afore a little un yesterday," he said. "I did look for a sh

olve. The Hotchkiss case was a foregone victory for him, and his own desire

by a feeble protest, and the Earl

lordship, firmly, "must come down. Obstr

nted gusto. Branch after branch fell into the lane, and the aged nobleman puffed and sweated with his grateful labor. He had not had such a joyful turn for

nd lopped i' that way. When ourn was alive his lordship niver laid a hand upon 'em. Ourn 'ud niver ha' bent himself to put up wi' it, that he niver would, and Lord Barfield knows it; for tho

firewood. Nice and dry against the winter. Much better there than ob

," replied Joseph.

abashed, feigned to c

of the widow he had no taste for the exercise which awaited him. He braced himself for the task, however, and handing the tools to his henchman, manfully shouldered the ladder and started away

ze," replied Joseph, "a

casual tone, "I think I shall have to get y

said Joseph, decidedly.

of the ladder and fanned himself with a pocket-handkerchief. "But you know, Joseph," he began again after a pause, "nob

ain't five score yards from theer to the Tan-yard. Theer's some," he ad

enny," said his lordship,

a extry sixpince

said his lordship-"twopen

try sixpince," Josep

nse of humor with which he commonly regarded Joseph Beaker failed him for the rest of that afternoon. It happened, also, that the people who r

tunity of venting his gathered sours. The young gentleman heaved in sight near the lodge gates, smoking a cigar and gazing about him with an air of lazy nonchalance which ha

resume?" said his l

at arm's-length and flicking at the ash

one and gesture to be i

he continued, when Joseph had shambled through the gateway with the ladder, "I think you answer me with very little co

disrespectful. You spoke of my daubing. I desired to ad

od, felt the tone to-be more irri

the course here without an effort you are very much mistaken. I take this idleness and indifference very ill, sir, very ill indeed, and if we

ll the year round. There can't be a dissolution before the autumn

he went on, irritated as much by his own speech as by the actual circumstances of the case, "as if you were courting a constituency of dilettanti, and expected to walk in by virtue of your little artistic graces. They don't want a man

nd make a note. But l'homme sérieux is not the only man for election times. I'll wager all I am ever likely to make out of politics that I have secured a vote this afternoon, though I have done nothing more than offer a

ly than ever-"Holland is conservative to th

a voice of toleration, "we are

he liked his young friend in spite of his insolence and tranquil swagger,

ther time," he said, controlling himsel

turned Ferdinand. "I promised to go and li

with a sudden frostiness of manner

d Ferdinand stood looking after him for a second or two with a smile, but presen

but walked on with an injured air which was almost feminine. "Are you angry at my proposing to go to see old Fuller? I understood you t

o your proposal," replied his lo

rather more dryness than was needed. His lordship

with it. It was impossible in the course of nature that he should be long kept out of these desirable possessions, for the present baronet was his grandfather, and had long passed the ordinary limits of old age. The old man had outlived his own immediate natural heir, Ferdinand's father, and now, in spite of an extraordinary toughness of constitution, was showing signs of frailty which increased almost day by day. And apart from his own personal advantages, and the future baronetcy and the estates thereto appertaining, the young man felt that, as the chosen candidate of the constitutional party for that division o

ung woman, if only just to show her that she could be charmed, and that he could be charming. He had been a little slighted, and it would be nice to be a little revenged. He was not a puppy, in spite of the fact that his he

if the flirtation should take place it should be kept secret from his noble patron of all men in the world. It would certainly be great fun to take the little hussy from her pedestal. She was evidently disposed to think of herself a good deal more highly than she ought to think, an

ill a little open when he reached it, bu

dy there to receive him. He lit a new cigar to pass away the time, and re-enacted his first and only interview with the girl he had made up his mind to subjugate. In the course of this mental exercise he experienced anew the sense of slight he had felt at her hands, but in a more piercing manner. He had spoken to

art figure of Reuben Gold, who was striding at a great pace towards him

Gold," he said, a

ng gentleman could propose to join him he was so far in advance that it was necessary either to shout or run to bring him to a more moderate pace. Ferdinand raised his eye-

ord," he murmured. "Bo

y occurred to him, and he decided to go, after all. He followed, therefore, in Reuben's hasty footsteps, but at a milder pace, and, regaining the green door, looked into t

ed to see you. If you'd care to tek a hand i'stead of settin

his salute with a smile of welcome, and brought him a chair. "Good-evening, Miss Fuller," he said, standing cap in hand before her. "What unusually beautifu

ey are an idea of father's. He wants to have them painted, but I a

ttle lifting of the hands and shrinking of the body as if the

in favor o' grime an' slime! It's three to three now. Rut

e them as they are. As they are they are charming. It would be quite

manner. Perhaps she disliked to hear a stranger accuse her father-however truly-of horribly bad taste, but this did not occur to Ferdi

be right. Anny ways theer's no danger of a brush coming anigh 'em while the young missis says

front door?" asked Sennac

e, wench,"

med over the smooth turf as if she moved by volition and her feet had had nothing to do wi

e, too. Good-evenin', Mr. Gold. Beest g

"-he touched the green baize bag he carried beneath his arm-"is in a bit o' danger o' losin' her voice throu

at with sparkling eyes

dy I've heard so mu

nt on, looking mildly about him, "as theer's another amateur player a

he green baize bag, and all eyes watched Ezra's lean fingers. At the instant when the kno

me this way, Aunt Rachel. We're