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Durham Chronicle (1867), 11 Feb 1897, p. 8

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Henchard was more affected by this than he cared to let them perceive, and he turned aside to the window again! 5A. general murmur of agreement fol-i lowed the Oamxnissioner’s words; and the meet' . ; dispersed. “'hen the? .were gone Henchard regarded the .watch they had returned to him. n’t mine by rights," he said to himself., “\Vhy thedevil didn’t they take it?: -â€"â€"I don’t want what don’t belong to: me." Moved by a recollection, he took the watch to the maker’s just opposite. sold it there and then for what the tradesanan offered, and went with the proceeds to one among the smaller of his creditors, a cottager of Dummer- ford, in straitened circumstances, to whom he handed the money. \Vhen evefithing was ticketed that. Benchard had owned, and the auction were in progress, there was quite a sympathetic reaction in the town, which till then for some time past had done nothing ‘but condemn him. Now that Henchard’s whole career was pictured distinctly to his neighbors, and they Could see how admirably he had used his H H. U) I journeyman haytrusser, with his wim- ble and knife in his basketâ€"they won- dered, and regretted his fall. Try as she might, Elizabeth could nevkr meet with him. She believed in him still, though nobody else did; and she wanted to be allowed to forgive him for his roughness to her, and to help him in his trouble. » She wrote to him; he did not reply. She then went to his houseâ€"the great house she had lived in so happily for a timeâ€"with its front of dun brick, verti- fied here and there, and its heavy sashâ€" barsâ€"but Henchard was to be found there no more. The ex-Mayer had left the home of his prosperity, and gone into Jopp's cottage by the Priory Mill -â€"the sad purlieu to which he had wan- dered on the night of his discovery that she was not his daughter. Thither she won t'. Elizabeth thought it odd that he had fixed on this spot to retire to, but as- sumed that necessity had no choice. Trees which seemed old enough to have been planted by the friars still stood around, and the back hatch of the oriâ€" ginal mill yet formed a cascade which had raised its terrific roar for cen- turies. The cottage itself was built of old stones from the long-dismantled Priory, scraps of tracery, moulded win- dow-jam’bs, and arch-labels, being mix- ed in with the rubble of the walls. In this cottage be occupied a. couple of rooms, Jopp, whom Henchard had employed, abused, cajoled, and_,dismissâ€" ed by turns. being the householder. But, even‘here her stepfather could not be beth. ess. She knew ihat he ruled there no -longer; but it was with amazement. “that. she regarded the familiar gateâ€" way. A amear of decisive lead-colored paint had been laid on Io obliterate Henchard’s name, though its letters dimly loomed through like ships in a fog. Over these. in- fresh white. spread the_name of Farfrae: _ “B3; nobodyâ€"at. :present: that’s his order.” she was Informed. - Afterwards she was passing by the yarn-stores and hay-barns which had {been t_h_e _headq1_1art9rs 01:? l‘ns‘ busm- ‘Abel 'Whittle was edging his skele- ton in at the wicket. and she said, “Mr. Farfrae is master here 2” “Yaas, Miss Henchet, ” he said, “Mr. Earfrae have bought the concern and a‘l of “e work- folk with it: and ’tis better for us than ’twasâ€"though I shouldn’ t sav that to you as a. daugh- “(er-law. ”We “ork harder, but me ‘hain’t made afeard now.- It was fear made my few poor hairs so thin. \o busting out, no slamming of doors, no meddling with yer eternal soul and all that; and thong yh ’tis a shilling a v. eek less, I'm the richer man; for what’ 8 all the world if yer mind is alu ays in a _larry,_ Miss Henchet?” . The intelligence was in a general sense true; and Henchard’s store, which had remained in a paralysed condition during the aettflement of his bank- ruptcy, were stirred into activity again when the new tenant had possession. Thence-forward the fudl sacks, looped with the shining chain, went, scurrying up and down under the cat'head, hairy \I-‘ arms were thrust out from the differ- ent door“ ays, and the grain was haul- ed in: trusses of ha} were tossed anew in and out of the. barns, and the wim- bles creaked; while the scales and steel- yards began to be busy where guess- work had g‘ai'formerly been the rule. The first. of weather-stained brick, was immediately at the end of High Street. where a diverging branch of that thoroughfare ran round to the low- lying Dummerford lanes; so that the precmcts of .the bridge formed the merging point of respectability and in- digence. The second bridge, of stone, was farther out on the highwayâ€"in fact. fairly in the meadows, though still within the town boundary. Two -bridg es stood near the lower part of Casterbridge town: For to this pair of bridges gravitated all the failures of the t0}1;;n those who had failed in business in love, in so- briety, in crime. \Vhy the unhappy hereabout usually chose the bridges for their meditations in preference to a railing, a gate, or a stile, “as not so clear. There was a marked difference of quality between the personages who haunted the near brldge of brick, and the personages who haunted the far one of stone. Those of lowest character preferred the former: adjoinin the town; they dld not mmd the g' are of the public eye. They had been of com- ‘_‘_N0t by his daughter 3” pleaded Eliza.- AS GOOD AS GOLD. CHAPTER XXXII. paratively no account during their suc- cesses; and, though they might feel d18- pirited, they had no particuflar sense of shame in their ruin. Their hands were mostly kept in their pockets ; they: wore a leather strap round their waists.- and boots that required a great deal of lacing, but seemed never to get any. Instead of sighing at their adversities they spat, and instead of saying the iron had entered into their souls they said .they were down on their luck. J opp in 1315 times of distress had often stood here; so had Mother Cuxsom, Christo- pher Coney, and poor Abel \Vhittle. ; gut-1 LUHLJ, uuu yvu; 4;uva --------- - The miserables who stood on the re- mo-ter bridge were of a politer stamp. They included *‘oankrupts, hypochon- driacs, persons who were what is call- ed "out of a situation,” from fault or lucklessness, the inefficient of the pro- fessi onal classâ€"shabby-genteel men. who did not know how to get rid of the weary time bet“ een breakfast and din- ner, and the yet more weary time be- tween dinner and dark. The eyes of this group were mostly directed over the parapet upon the running water he- IOW. A man seen there looking thus fixedly into the river was pretty sure to It was quite’true; he felt that it was doing him no harm. Farfrae. W110 had already taken the yards and stores. had acquired possession of the house for the obvious convenience of its conti- guity. And yet this act of his tak- ing up residence within those roomy chambers while be, their former ’tenant, lived in a cottage, galled him indes- [ criibably. “ Jopp continued: "And you heard 03 Hhat fellow who bought all the best sinrnimre at. your sale? He was hld- * ding for no other than Farfrae all the while. It has never been moved out ‘of. the house, as he’d already got the lease.” he one whom the would ‘aid not treat. kindly for some reasomor other. \Vhile those in straits on the townward bridge dld not mind who saw them so, and kept their ‘backs to the parapet to sur- vey the passers-by, those in straits on this never faced the road, never turned their heads at coming footsteps, but. sensitive to their condition, watched the current whenever a stranger approach- ed, as if some strange fish interested them, though every finned thing had heen poached out of the river years heâ€" fore. To this bridge came Henc-hard as the other unfortunates had come before him, his way thither being by the river- Slde path on the chilly edge of the town. Here he was standing one windy afterâ€" noon when Dummerford church clock stx:uck five. While the gusts were bringing the notes to his ears across thefiamp intervening flat a man passed behmd him, and greeted H‘enehard by name. Henchard turned slightly, and saw the comer was Japp, his old fore- man, now employed elsewhere, to whom. though he hated him, he had gone for lodgmgs, because Jopp was the one man in Castefbridge whose obser- vation and opinion the. fallen corn-mer- chant despised to the point of indif- ference. flfiéfiéhard returned him a; scarcely peyggptib’lg god, and Jdpp stopped. .4 “0h, ” said Henchard ausently. “\Vhlch house is that 2” "Your Old one.” -' a “Gone into my house?” And, start- ing’ 11,H‘e_nchard added, “My house of all 01: ers in the towi’n A_ ‘ “HE and she? his; gozné ‘into iheir new: hopge to~d.ay,_"’ 'sa;d Jppp. .-. ..11'1 0 1 “VV ell, as somebody was sure to live there, and you com ’1, 11: can do ye no harm that he’s the man.” “My furniture tom! Surely he’ll buy my__b_od;v and soul likewme.” “There’s no saying he won’t, if you be willing to sell.” And having plant.- ed these wounds in the heart of his once imperious master, Jopp went on his way; while Hencnard stared and stared into the racing river till the Bijidge seemed moving backward with 1111. , ' -' The low land grew blacker, and the sky a. deeper gray. “Then the 13.1191- scape looked like a. picture blotted in with ink, another traveller approached ihe great stone bridge. He was driv- mg a gig, his direction being also town- wards. On the round of the middle of the arch the gig stopped. “Mr. Hen- chard i?” came Irom it in the voice of Farfrae. Henchard turned his face. Finding that he had guessed rightly. Farfrae told the man who accompanied him to drive home“ while he alighted, and went, up to his former friend. “Lhave heard that you think. of emiâ€" gratmg, Mr. Henchard ” he said. "Is gt. true ‘3 l have a real mason for ask- 111g.” Henchard withheld his answer -for several instants, and then send, “fies; it is true. I am going Where you were going to a few gears ago, when I pre- vented you and got you to bide here. ’Tis turn and turn about, isn’t it? Do you mind how we stood like this on the bridge when I persuaded ye to stay? You then stood without a chattel to your name, and i was the master of the house in Corn Street. But now I stand Without. a. stick or a rag, and the mas- ter of that house is you.” “1"es,yes , it Is 50. Such is the course of _t_hings,” said Farlrae. “Ha, ha, true 1" cried Henchard, throwing ‘himseif Into a. mood of jocu- larity. “Up and down! I’m used to it. \Vhat’s the odds after all!” “Now listen to me, if it’s no taking up your time,” saidi‘urfrea, “just as I listened to you. Don’t go. Stay at home.” :‘But I can do nothing else, man,” sald Hencnggrx1_ scopnfully. :‘The mane): I have will just keep body and soul together {or a. few weeks, and no more. I have not felt inclined to go back to journey-work yet' hut I can’t stay doâ€" ing nothing, and my best chance is else- Where.” “No; but what I propose is this-â€"if ye will listen. Came and live in your old house. W’e can spare some rooms very wellâ€"I am sure my wife would not. mind it at allâ€"until there’s an__opening for yet” Henchard started. Probably the pic- ture drawn by the unsuspecting Don- ald of himself under the same roof with Lucetta was too striking to be re- ceived with equanimity. “No, no,” he saigvgruffly; “we should quarrel.”_w “You should has: a part to yourself,” said Farfrae; “and nobody would in- terrupt y.ou It “"1511 be healtheir than down there by the river where you live now.’ . Still Henchard refused. “You don’t know What you ask,” he said. “How- evgg. I car_1_ dq 1_10_le:3§ than thank ye.” They walked into the town togefher side by side, as they had done when Henchard persuaded the young Scotch- TEE DURHAM CHRONICLE, Feb. 11, 139*. man to remain. “\Vill. you come in and have some supper?” sald Farfrae, when they reached the middle of the town where their paths diverged right; and left. “No, no.” _ “By th'p by, I‘ had nearly forgot, I boughit a good deal of your furniture.” “So I have heard.” "\Velnl, it “as no that I wanted it so very. much for myself; but I wish ya to p19]; out all that you core to ”have â€"such things as may be endeared to'ye by associations, or particularly suited to your use. And take them to your own houseâ€"i1; {will not be deprivmg me; we can do with: less very well, and I will have plenty of opportunities of getting more.” \ A . § 0 AI. U j‘WfiAtâ€"give it to me for nothing?” said Henchard. "But. you paid the cred- itors for it. ” “ Ah yes; but maybe it 5 worth more to vou than it is to_ mg.’ Henchard was a little .moved. “Iâ€" sometimes think I’ve wronged ye!” he said, in tones which showed the dis- quietude that the night shades hid in his face. He shook Farfrae abruytly by his hand, and hastened away as if un- willing to betray himself farther. Far- frae saw {him turn through the thor- oughfare into Bull Stake and vanish down towards tLhePriory Mill. I Meanwhile Elizabeth-Jane, in an up- per room, no larger than the Prophet’s chamber, and with the silk attire of her palmy days packed away in a box, was netting with great industry between the hours which she devoted to study- ing such books as she could get hold of. Her lodgings being nearly opposite her stepfather’s former residence, now Farfrae’s, she could see Donald and Lucetta Speeding in and out of their door with all the bounding enthusiasm: of their situation. She avoided look- ing that way as much as possible, but it was hardly in human nature to keep thedeyes averted when the door slam- me. . x . lWhile living on thus quietly she heard the news that Henchard had caught cold and was confined 'to his roomâ€"possibly a result of standing about themeads in damp weather. She went off to his house at once. This time she was determined not to be denied admittance, and made her way upstairs. He was sitting up in bed with a great-coat round him; and at first resented herointrusion. “Go away -â€"-go away,” he said. “I don’t like to see ye! _ “But, fatlhlerâ€"-â€"” “I don’t like to see ye,” he repeated. However, the ice was broken, and she remained. She made the room more comfortable, gave directions to the peo- ple below. and by the time she went away had reconciled her stepfather to her visiting himt The effect, either of her ministrations or of her mere presence, was a rapid recovery He soon was well enough to go out; and now thmgs seemed to wear a new color in his eyes. ‘He no long- er thought of emigration, and thought more of Elizabeth The having nothing to do made him more dreary than any other circumstance; and one day, with better views of Farirae than he had held for some time, and a sense that honest work was not a thing to he aslhamed of, he stoically went down to Farfrae’s yard and asked to be taken on as a journeyman hay-trusser. He was pngaged at once. _ '\ This hiring of Henchard was done through a foreman, Farfrae feeling that it was undesirable to come per- sonally in contact with the ex-corn-fac- tor more than Was absolutely necessary. \thle anxious to help him he was well aware by this time of his uncertain PSmPBIl and_thought reserved relations best. For the safne reason, his orders to Henchard to proceed to this and that country farm trussing in the usual way were always given through a thlrd person. 1 k-‘or a time these arrangements work- ed well, it being the custom to truss 1n. the respective stack-yards, before bringing it away, the hay bought at the different: farms about the neighbor- hood; so that Henchard was often ab- sent at such places the whole week long. “hen this was all done, and Henchard had become in a measure broken in, he came. to work daily on the home premises like the rest. And thus the. once flourishing merchant and MaYor and What not Stood as a day- laborer in the barns and granaries he formerly {had owned.- “l ha§e workédas a journeyman bf" fore now, ha’n’i I?” he would say 111 ° ° 5 9 1,115 dgham‘. w_ay;“an‘d why s_houid_nu I‘do it again?” But he looked a far different journeyman from the one he had been in his earlier days. Then he had worn clean, suitable clothes, light and cheerful in hue; leggings yel- low as marigolds, corduroys immacu- late as new flax, and a neckerchief like a flower-g rden. N ow he wore the remains of an old blue cloth suit. of. {his gentlemanly times, a rusty silk hat, and a once black satin stock, soiled and shabby. Clad thus, he went to and fro, still comparatively an active manâ€"for he was not much over fortyâ€"and saw Wl'th the other men in the yard Don- ald Farfrae going in and out the green door that led to the garden, and the blg house, and Lucetta. \ At the beginning of the winter it was rumored about Casterbridge that Mr. Farfrae, already in the Town Council, was to be proposed for Mayor in a year: or two. " ‘ “Yes; She was Wise, she was Wise in her generation!” said Henchard to him- self when he heard of this one day on his way to Farfrae’s hay -barn. He thought: it over as he Wimbled his bonds and “aha, piece of news acted as a reviviscent breath to that old View of hisâ€"of Donald Farfrae as his tri- umphant rival who rode rough-shod over him. “A fellow of his age going to be Mayor. indeed!” he murmured with a corner-drawn smile on his mouth. “But ’tis her money that floats en upward. Ha-ha how oust odd it is! Here he 1, his former master, working for him as man, and he the man standing as master, with my house and my furni- ture and my intended Wife all his own." He. accordingly lapsed into moodiness, and at every allusion to the possilibity of_ Farfrae’s near election to the mu- nicipal chair his former hatred of the Scotchman refiurned. Concurrently with this he underwenta moral change. It resulted in his significantly saying every now and then. in tones of reck- lessness, "Only a fortnight more!”â€" “Only‘ a -dozen days!” and so forth, 188-- sening his figures day by- day. '- -"- C n.- . “ Why d’ye say only a. dozen (13.35?" asked Solomon Long'ways as he work- ed beside Henohard in the granary wgghhg oats. _ _ - -‘ A “Eecaiise in twelve days I shall be released from my oath.” . 1 "What Oath?” l s z i “The oath to drink no spirituous liquid. In twelve days it will be twen- ty years since I swore it, and then I mean to enjoy myself, please God.” Elizabeth-Jane sat at her Window one Sunday, and while there she heard in the street below a conversation which introduced Henchard’s name. She was wondering what was the matter, when a third person who was passing by ask- drinking after taking nothing for twen- ty years.” ' . Elizabeth-Jane jumped up, put on her things, and went; out. (To be continued.) Just. as the Shark “’us About to (uh-ab Him a Swordfish Got the Shark. “Speaking of wonderful adventures,” said the retired sea Captain," I doubt if anything ever was more wonderful than the one I’m going to tell you. It happened a good many years ago, but that doesn’t alter its excellence nor in- terfere with its truth. I was first mate on the Lovely Lou of Bangor, and we had “been on our way to South Ameri- ca for about four weeks. The wind had left the ship during the last day of this period, and we were dipping our peak to a lolling swell that seemed to come from nowhere and return to the same place without making a ripple on the blue surface of the ocean. The sails were all set and their shadows fell clear upon the glassy surface, but where the sun fell the water was as clear as crystal. \Ve were well with-I in the tropics then, and several big sharks had been seen playing about the vessel. Suddenly there came a splash and the cook ran to where I was stand- ing on the poop deck, crying that one of the saiiors had tumbled overboard. The Lou had no way, and I laughed at the idea of him drowning, telling the cook to throlw. him a rope, walking to the rail as I did so. The sailor was swimming about the quarter enjoying his bath when I suddenly saw an om- inous black fin make its appearance a hundred yards or so from the ship. I yelled for the rope, and as I yelled I saw the fin move toward the sailor, cutting the water like a knife. I knew that unless the man was taken out. quickly he would be devoured, and rushed to the cabin grating to get a line. Seizing a piece of rOpe Ihastâ€" ened to the raiL just in time to see the form of an immense shark turn on its side to seize the saiflor. As he did so there was an instant's glimpse of a long brown body, and then the water wag slashed intd a sea of yqasty foam. the shark seemingly_1_)eing 1n trouble. I threw the line, and in a moment the sailor was aboard, scared out of his wits, but safe and sound; The threshing in the water still continuing, we proceeded to investigate, and directly .we were able to see that the shark had been pinned by a large swordfish. the sword running through the jaws of the shark in such a manner as to prevent the fish from opening them. \Vhether the shark’s antagonist had deiiberately at- tacked the. shark we know not, but its timely and unexpected appearance saved the sailor’s life beyond a doubt; as anâ€" other instant would have sent the teeth of the shark into the body of the man. \Ve managed to release the sword from the shark and killed the latter, letting the other go free. It was a narrow squeak, I tell you.” It. Bursts “’ith a Loud Eepor: “1101: it Touches “'ater. A very curious fruit has recently been discovered growing wild in Batavia. and a sample has been sent to a French professor of botany at Paris to whom we are indebted for a descrip'ion. It is entirely devoid of flavor, and. is hardly likely ever to find a welcome at the dining table. It. appears to be 3. species of bean, resembling a cigar both in form and color, though only about an inch in length. But it; has a peculiar characteristic which renders it a very unique and in- teresting object, and this is the exceed- ingly energetic manner in which it; scatters its see-d. It is hardly necessary to say that this phenomenon is caused by the pressure the elastic substance of its interior over- coming the resistance of its hard out- er shell. The fruit usually splits open lengthwise. If plucked before maturity and allowed to ripen in a warm spot, it opens gradually from apex to base, making as it were a pair of idiverging horns starting from the same point. If it be left to ripen on the plant,since the process is qmcker and the internal moisture greater, the opening is sud- den and accompanied with a slight noise, though this Is much less than that which takes place when it has been placed in water. If one of these little fruits be. thrown into a basin of water it Will rest quietly on the surface for from two to five minutes, then it will explode with vio- lence, hurling moet of its contents into the air with a nmse and splash for all the world like a small torpedo. In this case the dry but porous tissue of the surface of the fruit. quickly ab- sorbs the liquid, espec1ally at the grooves caused by the junction of the two valves or outer shells of the fruit. The internal tissue being very elastic exerts upon the latter a tension which soon results in the Violent bursting 3,1- ready described. - This curious property of explosion is given the little plant. for the dissem- ination of its seeds, W'thh. otherwise would stand. a poor chance of propagat- ing its specxes. QUEER DANIEH- LAW“ In Denmark it is the law that all drunken persons shall be taken -to their homes in carriages at the expense oil? the publican who sold them the last g ass. i I I '_ . . a. ; , , CLOSE CALL FOR JACK TAR. AN EXPLOSIVE BEAN. Asplri‘tuolls Farmers, Thrashers and Millmen Furnace Kettles, Power Stww Cut- beI's, Hot Air Furnaces, Shingle Machinery, Band Saws, Emery Machines, hand or power Coasting. Farmers’ Kettles, Columns, Church Seat Ends, Bed Fasteners, Fencing, Punap-Maivrs’ Supplies, School Desks. 1arming Mill Castings Light Castings and Builders’ S .- plies, Sole Plates and Points '0:' the different ploughs in use. (hating repairs for Flour and Saw Mills. 00d shingles. Steam Engines, Horse Powers, Semmtgrs, M oyers,_ Rangers. THE LUXURY 0F SECURIW _ _ IBFOUNDIN Circular and Crossâ€"Cut Saws Gummed, Filed and Set. I am prepared to fill orders for The Chronicle is the most wide ly rent! newspaper published in the County of Grey. â€" ounus LU patent: Protect our ideas- the may bring you wealth. Write J HN WEDISERB RN 00.. Patent Attor- neys, Washington. D. 0.. for their 81,8“) prize alter and list at two hundred inventions wanted. Wantedâ€"An idea LeRoy Pm Co. ' Victoria. 3 RHEUMATISM BRISFHL’S. SMSAPAHHU. Basia? , SEBMWARELU DURHAM FOUNDRYMAN Ask your Druggist or Dealer for it AT THE BRICK FOUNDRY YOK? WEI-Ia BHARTER SMITH, -- WE REPAIR -- -- WE MAKE-- IT WILL LADIES E IT IS PROMPT RELIABLE AND NEVER FAiLS. T119 only ne'uam. md tmstworth pro. pmtgon known. Safest, surest and ymost efl‘ecnye remedy ever discovered {or all irreg- glffltles of the female sygtgm. gealed circular n..3...~ A. â€"--‘ _. 30. Victoria. St. Toronto. Can. 05. [eBay’s retails PiHs. Cure Who can think of some simple thing to patent? \xifc ill mot: lier int! his '3 13 Fire 01 wwhich ( last. } ted.iu t been ru 5 um u’un l 0f W as M c} V18) 15 Via?‘ cessim t0 SB‘.’ Mr. With 11 for a. f« ill 1' for 2111) again time “'3th \\'cl' Wank. :‘ and the 13 SO. Blrs. heme on pri‘fiz,‘i or £011 hope 31‘0”“ her lfittie gr returned to mother. 01 a of MT. James W t M r at M 1‘ latter WI]! rem ,Ve are 8 death of M 1-8. ‘ Thomas, Nor Wednesday, Hamilton is a Mrs. Thomas B \V ( Mr. Daniei , was visiting S- law’s, Mr. Jan Mr. \Villiax Miss Pirly we McMeeken’s 0 latter will re: Then in Henv 11(‘l' XV lu're no fa U 11 ll HITS" W O 1' (J M ii ,) m H \V ( M Ii \l 1' I) 0 )1‘ Hz h m \V I h Ash z m-h U) m ”NBS H atta wiil \\' ( ii )1’ II 21 ml 1W “I De r01

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