The Squire of Sandal-Side

the very sp

it all it

ppiness, tho

hat has survi

but his will, and no pleasures but in his smile and companionship. His son Harry had never been to him what Sophia and Charlotte were. Harry had spent his boyhood in public schools, and, when his education was completed, had defied all the Sandal traditions, and gone into the army. At this time he was with his regiment,-the old Cameronian,-in Edinburgh.

t the days of my prosperity continue!" But he had the self-sufficiency and impatience of a man who is without peer in his own small arena. He believe

On the contrary, Stephen had been guilty of no intentional wrong. He had simply grown into an affection too sweet to be spoken of, too uncertain and immature to be subjected to the prudential rules of daily life; yet, had the question been plainly put to him, he would have gone at once to the squire, and said, "I love Charlotte

d it made him full of restless anxieties. Of course he expected Sophia and Charlotte to marry, but not just yet. He had so far persistently postp

"Does he think that being 'top-shearer' gives

he wrote the fo

aintance of your nearest relatives. They will be glad to see you at Seat-Sandal during the vacatio

NDAL, of S

urish, and handed the paper to his wife. "

he table. "I don't think over much of it, William. Good-fortune

my plans put o

at your plans ar

r than any Charlotte and

But if you think so, send Charlotte to her aunt Lockerby for a f

one of the girls. If he doesn't like Sophia he may like Charlotte. I have two chances then, and I'm

off your letter. I would let 'well' alone. When change comes to the door, it is time enough to ask it

y of talking. A man l

, William Sandal. You will take your own way, be it good or b

my own nephew,

ing you know not who or what. But,"-and she pushed the letter towards him, wi

scay," and gave the letter to a groom, with orders to take it at once to the post-office. Then he called Cha

to do. Sophia was sitting in the coolest and prettiest of gowns, working out with elaborate care a pencil drawing of Rydal Mount. She listened to her mother with the utmost respect and atten

ed to begin the preserving and the raspberry vinegar next week, but your father is as thoughtless as ever was; and I am sure if

Tom was grandmo

fine ways, and his quarrels wit

id they qua

ty girl at Up-Hill then, and the young men all knew it. Tom and his mother were alway

elot, did she no

ldest, and very set in his own wa

not have been squire of Sanda

ied, he didn't like to be called 'squire' until every hope was long gone. But I would as soon have thought of poor Launcie coming back from the dead as of Tom's son vi

ius may not be very much trouble. He'll be wit

ain that every change must be a gain. Old people know that changes mean loss of some

n't care much for change, even at

off to Dalton. Father said he was going this

not gone very far before they met Stephen Latrigg. He was well mounted and handsomely dressed; and, as he bowed to the squire and Charlotte, his happy face expressed a delight which Sandal in his present mood felt to be offensive. Evidently Steve intended to accompany them as far as their roads were identical; but the squire pointedly drew rein, and by the cool civility of h

hy did you

Charlotte?

o not know what to make of you

for it. Did you see the way

. Did you send Steve away for a lo

ook at kings the way Steve looked at you. Now, then,

sn't said a word of love

n-senses, Charlotte. Bethink you

e of the sweetbrier and holl

on-table: one kind of words was just as good as another. Any thing

lett

sure. L

to like

e-making between the Sandals and the Latriggs. My brothers Launcie and Tom quarrelled about one of Barf Latrigg's daughters, and mother lost them both through her. There is

m, but very often repented of speaking too much. So he dropped Stephen, and dropped Julius; and began to talk about the fish in the becks and tarns, and the new breed of sheep he was trying in the lower

t Furness Abbey knew how to choose a

. What did th

it

ant to come here seve

ere always running over the Border for cattle and sheep, and any thing else they could lay their hands on. And the monks had great flocks, so they rented th

e cloud passed from her face; and to the clatter of her hors

in sheep we

ley sheep w

ore deeme

off the

an exp

orce, and

a strong

the men w

mood of forced gayety until the simulated feeling became a real one; an

a mood most favorable to its success. He had been down the river on a picnic, had found his company very tedious; and early in the day the climate had shown him what it was capable of, even at mid-summer. As he sat cowering before the smoky fire, the rain plashed in the muddy stree

ore in the light of a duty to be performed than as the realization of a pleasure. Still, on that dreary night, in the solitary dulness of his very respectable inn, the Sandals, Lockerbys, and Piersons became thre

mured; "the new leaf in the book of life.

as he was sitting with his wife and daughters. "Your nephew Julius Sandal, from Calcutta, is coming to pay us a visit, Alice," he said; and his air was that of a man who thinks he i

thusiasm; and Sophia supplemented the question by

such things, Sop

England some m

is any blame between us, it is my fault. I sent him a word of welcome last Wednesday morning, and it is

n exceedingly correct estimate of her father's invitation. Her blue eyes scintillated beneath her dropped lids; and, though she went calmly on tying the feat

cool hours of the day. The squire was walking about the garden, and he saw the carriage enter the park gates. He said nothing to any one, but laid down his pip

lf upon the squire's attention. He was unable to resist the impulse which made him lead his nephew up to it. "Let me introduce you, first of all, to your father's mother. I greet you in her name as well

at the threshold, was only the last of a long, shadowy line, whose hands were stretched out to him, even from the dark, forgotten days in which L?gberg Sandal laid the foundations of it. Julius was sensi

hall be ready for church in a quarter of an hour

like to go

lk through the park: the chu

been to some men a rather trying ordeal to descend the long flight of stairs, with three pairs of ladies' eyes watching him; but Julius knew that he had a striking personal appearance, and that every appointment of his

vered with white drooping feathers, and a glimmer of gold at her throat and wrists, was at least picturesque. Of Charlotte, he saw nothing in the first moments of their meeting but a pair of bright blue eyes, and a face as sweet and fresh as i

lightly antagonistic. They soon reached the church, a very ancient one, built in the bloody days of the Plantagenets by the two knights whose grim effigies kept guard within the porch. It was dim and still when they entered: the congregation all kneeling at the solemn confession; the clergyman's voice, low and pathetic, intensifying silence to which it only added mortal minors of lament and

ord: let us heartily rejoice i

with thanksgiving: and shew ours

dal; and he did not wonder at the hearty way in which the squire joined in the melodious invocation, nor at his happy face, n

ought that the old sylvan goddesses must have been as she was; must have had just the same fresh faces, and bright bro

lt something of a personal pride in all that was excellent in the young man. He watched impatiently for his w

t handsom

ink so, William. I li

elf to yourself. Say what you will, I am sure h

e, a great d

You never were one to be unfair, and I d

I live; and I'll take up for Julius Sandal

be to me if he fancied one of our girls. I

hat, it is something more than a wish, it is a kind of

it is a good thing; and the girl Julius

riches of her child that is a good mother's

lection was, "women are that short sighted, they ca

he "Counsellor" thought one day's joys and