Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 2

cultivated a small domain of one hundred and seventy acres with sterling profit, and in a style to make Sutton the model of a perfect farm throughout the country. Royal eyes had

eamed up the salt river, upon which the Sutton harvests were mirrored, and landed on a spot marked in honour of the event by a broad grey stone; and from that day Jonathan Eccles stood on a pinnacle of pride, enabling him to see horizons of despondency hitherto unknown to him. Fo

oomed. "We shall be beaten by those Yankees." He gave Old England twenty years of continued pre-eminence (due to the impetus of the present generation of Englishmen), and then, said he, the Yankees will flood the market. No more green pastures in Great Britain; no pretty clean-footed animals; no yellow harvests; but huge chimney pots everywhere; black earth under black vapour, and smoke-begrimed faces. In twenty years'

land had to thank young Robert

r bitterly supposed. He was looking at some immense seed-melons in his garden, lying about in morning sunshine-a new feed

Robert sang out

then," was

ldered, and muscular-a grey edition of the son, upon whose disorderly attire he cast a glance, while speaking, with settled disgust. Robert's necktie streamed loo

m this distance," said Robert, bol

athan asked, as Robe

your ha

nswer first.

e made a stupid show before that clear-headed, virtuously-living old, man of iro

e fatted calf, and take a lesson from Scripture, but give me your hand. I've done no man harm but myself- -damned

pt both hands firm

drunk?" h

ed himself to a

tell me when you

fatherly greeting!

hting shy of a simple q

ath

"I don't want to fight s

were you drunk las

t ni

hand from his pock

ave sw

in a minute, and he stood like a c

ll lies. I was drunk last

ould the l

ast night. Say

his voice sound as a defence to this vi

e in that state for a year and more. Last night I was mad. I can't give you any reasons. I thought I was cured but I

et the liquor?"

at 'The

Eccles' for a month to come- 'the unnatura

nd twent

ty hours. When

odging fo

t el

horse that'll

o

wenty

'd be a prime agriculturalist. Just what I thought! What's become

spen

u a Des

hite grew his face, and he swayed and struck his hand

ather in some concern, th

el like a woman when my father asks me if I've been guilty of villany. Desert? I wouldn't desert from the

nathan appended; and they stoo

rom the other side of the g

presently a neighbour, by name John Sedgett, came

here's a rumpus. Here's

s! Bob Eccles

scandal and tattle, whose sole humanity was what he called pitifully 'a peakin' at his chest, and who had retired from his business of grocer in the village upon the fortune brought to him in

ou got in you now?" Jo

laint and demanded commiseration,

off his horse-you on foot, and him mounted. I'd ha' given pounds to be there. And ladies present! Lord help us! I'm glad you're returned, though. These melons of the farmer's, they're a wonderful invention; people are speaking of 'em

dgett," said Robert, "an

of retiring, but Jonathan insisted upon his disburdening himself of his tale,

if he do- why, a man's no match for the law. No use bein' a hero to the law. The law masters every man alive; and there's law in everything, neighbour Eccles; eh, sir? Your friend, the Prince, owns to it

ndles don't amount t

y at 'The Pilot,'" said

committed this assault?

erwards," Ro

oor consolation," r

f the gate, but the presence of Sedgett advise

in the hunting-field-wha

ed that he ha

the hunting-field, or to comprehend the insolence of a pedestrian who should dare to attack a mounte

zzle. He laid out his f

and my land takes my money, and no drunken dog lives on the

, sir," s

ighbour," sai

olding the scraggy wretch forward, c

s, that were chiefly his being, at the gripe; "except that you got hold the horse by the bridle, and woul

it!" cri

d he swore, and you swore, and a lady rode up, and you pulled, and she sa

. "You don't know much, Mr. Sedgett; but it's enough to make me e

f want of brightness, than that he should miss a chance of hearing the rich history of the scand

er than Sedgett 'll tap this tale upon e

ake;" Robert was expressing his contr

the ways o' beasts, and if you did too, you wouldn't bring them in to bear your beastly sins. Who

t, I should have braine

, and you got t

t of it any way,

oaking's to your taste; but why, when you get the prize, we'll say, you go off headlong into a manure pond?-There! except that you're a damned i

at sea, and no rudder to steer me. I suppose that's it. So, I drank. I thought it best to take spirits on board. No; this was the reason-I remember: that lady, whoever she w

k at yourself in the

first,"-Robert put

all have while I'm alive, and a glass to look at yourself in; but my

e a damned deal more respect for you if you to

n so to swearing of la

you keep distant, I'm quiet enough i

want to make use of

s; "what else is a father good for? I let you know the limit, and that's a brick w

urite with his aunt Anne, wh

nd may God bless her

turned into a thundering l

g, that she was! She got me with that money of hers to the best footing I've been on yet-bless h

zed out under a pressur

kenness to be the main source of water in a man's eyes.

ty, by sheltering, feeding, and not publicly abusing his offspring, of whose spirit he would have had a higher opinion if Robert had preferred, since he must go to the deuce, to go without troubling any of his relatives; as it was, Jonathan submitted to the infliction gravely. Neither in speech nor in

said Robert, presenting his cheek to

nd she shuddered at sight of Robert, and said "Ow!" repeatedly, by way of an interjectory token of co

t for him," said Jonathan. "You're

"Dogs can afford it. I never saw one in

in his attitude. When his aunt Ann

ome way that they have. She's a religio

brandy," his f

d, I'm on the road!"

the road," sa

it for a year. You're the man I'd imitate, if I could. The devil came firs

hair distraught with an

world first. It's women who rais

as his aunt Anne was pre

ing her start fearfully back. "You take too many

e you abused me, Jonathan,

n him. That's all. And I'll about my busi

t loo

n next I go to church, I shall know what old Adam fel

athan?" begged the

d casting a glance at one of the framed letters, he strode through the doorway, and Aunt Anne was alone with the flushed fa

was mounted and riding