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though they are doing all the wrong and folly they In a word, the saint, though he was an ascetic, and can from one week's end to the other. And now certainly no man of science, was yet a poet, and our self-conceit has brought its own Nemesis ; the somewhat of a philosopher; and would have possimechanical philosophy is turning on us, and saying, bly, — so do extremes meet, — have hailed as or" The bird's nature' and your "human nature'thodox, while we hail as truly scientific, Wordsdiffer only in degree, but not in kind. If they are worth's great saying, machines, so are you. They have no souls, you

"Therefore am I still confess. You have none either.”

A lover of the meadows and the woods

And mountains; and of all that we behold But there are those who neither yield to the me

From this green earth; of all the mighty world chanical philosophy nor desire to stifle it. While it

Or eye and ear, - both what they half create, is honest and industrious (as it is now it can do

And what perceive ; well pleased to recognize

In Nature and the language of the sense, nought but good, because it can do nought but dis

The anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse, cover facts. It will only help to divide the light

The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul from the darkness, truth from dreams, health from

Or all my moral being." disease. Let it claim for itself all that it can prove to be of the flesh, fleshly. That which is spiritual

STONE EDGE. will stand out more clearly as of the spirit. Let it thrust scalpel and microscope into the most

CHAPTER V. — NATHAN THE WISE. sacred penetralia of brain and nerve. It will only

NATHAN's little square red tea-caddy of a house find everywhere, beneath brain and beneath nerve, had been built on — most inharmoniously — to an that substance and form which is not matter or phe-old stone cottage covered with ivy. In the smart nomena, but the Divine cause thereof; and while it new room in front was a smart green door, with a helps, with ruthless, but wholesome severity, to

brass knocker, only opened once or twice in the . purge our minds from idols of the cave and idols of year in times of great ceremony, and on these occathe fane, it will leave untouched, more clearly de- sions it stuck fast, and creaked and screeched and fined, and therefore more sacred and important than groaned as if it resented the indignity of so fine a ever,

piece of show being required to do any work. " Those first affections,

Alongside the door that never opened was the hos-
Those shadowy recollections,
Which, be they what they may,

pitable door which was never shut, except in the Are yet the fountain light of all our day,

coldest weather; and at it now stood the old couple. Are yet the master light of all our seeing ; Uphold us, cherish, and have power to make

Mrs. Broom's face was radiant with smiles, and Our noisy years seem moments in the being

though Nathan's welcome was quieter, it was not the Of the eternal silence ; truths that wake

least hearty.
To perish never ;
Which neither listlessness, nor mad endeavor,

“ Well for sure, yer have n't lost time, yer two Nor man nor boy,

childer," cried he, laughing. “If I iver see folk in Nor all that is at enmity with joy, Can utterly abolish or destroy.

such a hurry. And my missis here as thowt she

might bring yer togither, and mix and sweeten to Then sing, ye birds, sing out with joyous sound,"

her taste, like as if it were a pudden." as the poet philosopher bids you. Victorious analy- “ Dear heart o' me, Nathan,” said his wife, “as if sis will neither abolish you, nor the miraculous and I were niver content so I had n't a finger i' th' pie. unfathomable in you and in your song, which has It mak's me young again for to see yer two. God stirred the hearts of poets since first man was man. bless ye both," added the affectionate old woman, And if any one shall hint to us that we and the with tears in her eyes, as she dragged Cassie into birds may have sprung originally from the same the room up stairs by way of taking off her bonnet. type; that the difference between our intellect and She set her in a chair, and took the blushing face theirs is one of degree, and not of kind, we may between her hands and gave it a hearty kiss. believe or doubt: but in either case we shall not be “Yer cheeks is like a red rose, child,” she said. greatly moved. “ So much the better for the birds," "Now tell me all about it.” we will say, “and none the worse for us. You raise But all she could get out of her was, “ 0, auntie, the birds towards us, but you do not lower us to- I am so happy, and it's all along o' you; if ye wards them. What we are, we are by the grace of hadna got me here, I should niver ha' lighted upo' God. Our own powers and the burden of them we Roland. How could he think o' me?” know full well. It does not lessen their dignity or “Bless ye, child, ye munna spoil him wi' thinkin' their beauty in our eyes to hear that the birds of such a deal o' him! He's a pretty middlin' lad as the air partake, even a little, of the same gifts of God men goes ; but thee 'st worth three o' him, - a sight as we. Of old said St. Guthlac in Crowland, as the too good for such as he. I niver let on to Nathan swallows sat upon his knee, He who leads his life how much account I makes o' him ; 't ain't good for according to the will of God, to him the wild deer men.” and the wild birds draw more near'; and this new But in spite of this stoical view of his claims, she theory of yours may prove St. Guthlac right. St. petted Roland the rest of the evening with all her Francis, too, he called the birds his brothers. heart. The old people did most of the talking, Whether he was correct, either theologically or zoö however, themselves. Cassie sat in a corner of the logically, he was plainly free from that fear of being room, silent and quiet in her happiness. Roland mistaken for an ape, which haunts so many in these was a little more excited, but answered Nathan's modern times. Perfectly sure that he himself was a jokes a good deal at random. They both, however, spiritual being, he thought it at least possible that agreed in expecting that sudden illumination in the birds might be spiritual beings likewise, incarnate authorities which all lovers in such cases believe like bimself in mortal flesh; and saw no degradation must immediately take place: the change in the to the dignity of human nature in claiming kindred oldest and most cherished opinions, the vanishing of lovingly with creatures so beautiful, so wonderful, the most obstinate prejudices in their favor. A new who (as he fancied in his old-fashioned way) praised light has shone on their lives, and they cannot conGod in the forest, even as angels did in heaven. Iceive how it can fail to enlighten every one else

around them. Nathan shook his head at them band's wisdom. “My master says so and so," was, warningly.

in her eyes, a final appeal for other people; in ber “Well, ye'r bold and hopeful for to go dead agin own concerns, she preserved a liberal right of pri- ! two such as Joshuay and German Ashford, and think vate judgment. But against stupidity even the they ’re to dance to yer piping, and mak’ friends at gods themselves, says Schiller, fight in vain; even your bidding, and a' that, to be sure!”

the wisest man may be worsted without ignominy " Eh, but, Nathan,” said his wife, " they dunno in a struggle with the main force of brute obstinacy. want 'um to dance; ony to shake hands and giv''um In theory, it may be easy to reason with a bull as their own way, poor things.”

you shake a red rag in his face, but in practice the " I mun be going," said Roland, at last; “fey-bull has the best of it; and Ashford was a very per. ther 'll be home by now. He's out to-night at a fect specimen of the race. Therefore, though Naclub-feast. He 's none for taking too much as some than entered on the operation with the greatest does; but he's thowt very good company is feyther," circumspection, beguiled the old farmer from the added he, with a sort of pride.

market when his work was done, to have some ale, “Well, 't is wonderful to hear good and Joshuay and did not begin on the negotiation till the glass joined together in one word,” observed Mrs. Broom was fairly in his band, it was not of the smallest to herself in a loud whisper, not intended for soci- use. ety or necessary for Roland to remark on.

“I were thinking what a good job 't were," Na"I wish ye kindly good night,” said he, as he than began, clearing his throat, “if Cassie and Ro drew Cassie out on the little grass-plat shut in by a land Stracey was to come togither. They say high row of hollies, that there might be no more in- Joshuay 's saved a good bit o'money, and it stands convenient witnesses of their parting than the moon to reason Roland will hae it all." and stars, which, as the Irish song says, “ were shin- Ashford looked up slowly: it was some time being brightly, 'cause they'd nothing else to do." fore such an idea could at all enter his head. “The There were bright dots of light on the glistening son o'yon scoundrelly cheating rogue!he almost leaves of the hollies and ivy, almost as brilliant as screamed, when at last he took it in. “I'll hear the stars themselves, so that the sky above and the none 'o such spoke in my house: d’ye hear, Naearth beneath seemed to be sparkling with jewels : than?” And he rose instantly and turned hastily sweet scents seemed to rise on all sides from sweet towards the door, contriving, however, to finish his brier and jasmine and southernwood and thyme; glass of ale as if in a fit of absence. “I'll ha' Casthe murmur in the still air of a stream dashing sie to come back wi' me," he went on, angrily. among the stones far away at the foot of the hill' “I wunna leave the girl оwt o' my money and ye seemed to add to the quiet hush of the night; a serve her so," said Mrs. Broom, kindling, and unable magnificent “harvest-moon” was rising over the to resist striking in. “If ye 'll let her wed wi' Romountain in front of them, looking so large and land, she shall ha' the pounds an' welcome; but if near that it seemed to touch the hillside itself. In not, she shanna ha' a penny on't.” the extreme stillness of the outside world they “Ye may do yer best or yer worst wi' it," answered seemed first to realize the troubles and difficulties Ashford, in a rage. “'Tain't yourn at all by rights, of the path before them.

an' you knows it; an'anyhow, I'll do what I choose “I wunna speak to feyther to-night,” said Roland; wi' my own child.” “I'd mebbe best let it stan' over till to-morro'i'th'! “You used her mother shameful; and now yer afternoon. He's mostly riled at market-time; we 'll all one as bad to the girl," cried the old woman, let it be till arter his bargains is made.” And then, hotly. as a sudden qualm came over him as to the small “Cassie,” shouted her father fiercely up the stairs, foundation there might be for his “ Spanish castles," | where he seemed to know by instinct that she had

-“Come nigh to me, come nigh to me, Cassie," retreated, “ come down d'recly; ye shanna stay an said he, drawing her closer. “Whativer will I do hour longer to larn such ill things as here. Get without thee an' my feyther an' thine will na hear ready yer traps and come away, I say.” And till reason ?”

she came he stood outside the house, fretting and “ Well-a-day,” answered she, “we'd ha' to bide fuming in spite of all Nathan's endeavors to pour mebbe a long while ; but there's worse things nor oil on the troubled waters. waitin', Roland, for true hearts as trusts one an “ What are ye whimpering for, yer silly wench?" other.” And her face in the moonlight looked the said he, as they went off hurriedly. “Why, it's all very ideal of trust and hope.

for yer good. There's fifty better men, ay a hun"Ah! but thou wiltna want me as I shall thee,” | dred, nor that Roland Stracey in these parts." said he, a little jealously.

"I want no better," said poor Cassie, in a low "Dost thou think not?" answered she, with a voice, humbly, after the example of Miranda. smile. “Womenfolk bides at home and remembers, Nathan looked after them in silence as they went most times. Menfolk goes about and forgets !” away.

The next morning, as the excitement in Cassie's “Tell'ee what, he's like a mad bull when he's mind went off, the light of her joy grew dim, and crossed is Ashford," said Mrs. Broom, rather apolothe fear of her father became stronger.

getically, and not quite sure of the policy of her "Lyddy said as you'd a promised to speak up for interference, as she leant her arms on her knees... us to feyther an it were wanted, aunt Bessie," said “Yes, my missis; but 't were a pity to set up his she, anxiously. “Can't yer get him here?” back wi' by-gones when thee wanted un so sore to

* Surely, surely, child, your uncle Nathan will do right by the young uns for time to come. Thou tackle him; he's a vara powerful man i speech shouldst ba' smoothed un down wi' soft answers as is Nathan," said the old wife, with much pride. turns wrath, instead o' flouting and rilin' o' him, 20 * There's not a many like him: folks comes fro' all rubbin' a' his hairs backards." sides for to ask counsel o' him, and orders them- "Dear heart alive, and so I should! But thee selves accordingly."

seest the word allus slips out afore I've time to ou Mrs. Broom had a profound respect for her hus- | the door o' my lips upon 'um, as thee dost. And

Saturday

dunna believe as it mattered," she ended, consol- to promote their household bliss, as those which a ingly to herself. “Ye may wile the birds off the Belgravian young lady brings to the common bushes wi' talk sooner nor ye'd drive Ashford where stock. he wunna go. I've knowed him this five-and-twentyl “And we'd ha' loved one another wonderful too: year, and never heerd on him doing nowt to please dearly," he repeated to himself in an undertone, as nobody."

if this part of the business were an extra, not The other encounter with the authorities did not necessary for the opinion concerning the marriage pass off much more smoothly. Joshua was as much which Nathan was supposed to be adjusting. annoyed as Ashford himself, although not so vio- “Well," answered the old man, “ i whoso findeth lent.

a wife findeth a good thing, and an ye light on a vir" What, the daughter o' that auld fool German ? tuous woman, her price is far above rubies,' says the A man as hasna got brass enough in 's pouch, nor wise Solomon. Seems they was scanty in them days, sense in 's yead to keep bissen out of the work- and I dunna see as they's much commoner now. house," said he, when his son spoke to him.

A virtuous woman's a crown to her husband,' says “ But, feyther, won't ye just come down and see he, and he were mighty petticklar too about 'um her,” answered Roland, gently, not knowing that were Solomon; and he know'd a vast about 'um she was already gone." She will ha' some brass. too,” he added parenthetically to himself as it were. Old Mrs. Broom's agoin' to leave her her mother's “ Therefore I'm none for discouraging thee, but portion."

thee mun wait, lad, — thee mun wait, — thee 'st nowt "I tak' no account o' thattins at all; them 's ony but a lad yet.” words, and words is but wind. Old’ Bessie Broom, “I'm twenty-three,” said Roland, with some inas thee callest her, 's younger nor me, and she may jured dignity. live years and years; and more by token she may “Eh ! that's not much, my boy, I didna marry quarrel wi' Ashford again, and tak' up wi' a' those till I were nigh upon forty. There's time for a nieces a' Nathan's and leave them her money. I things, – There's Martha Savage allus about the place wi'

" For patience is a virtue great, her sharp eyes. And I wunna hae thee marry

Therefore we mun wi' patience wait.'

. wi'out money down, and there 's an end on it.”

“There thou 'st got to thy proverbs agin! I beMatters were beginning to look seriously with lieve my master thinks more o' King Solomon nor Joshua; he always trusted to his “ luck,” which had | a' the rest o' the Bible put together fro’ Genesis to hitherto brought him through, but this time his Revelations, Kings, Lords, and Prophets put toaffairs were turning queerly.

gether,” said Mrs. Broom, with some slight confusion “ Ye hanna suppered up thae five new heifers as between the constitution and the canon. She was I've bought,” said his father. And about an hour not literary herself, and credited Solomon with much after, before his son had nearly finished the work, that would greatly have astonished that sage, parhe looked in again to the cattle-shed and observed : | ticularly all the proverbs in prose and verse which “ Ashford have a carried off his daughter home ornamented her husband's discourse. “I dunna again frae her aunt's. And he were in a rare pas- think as Solomon knowed much about women sion they said ; so ye need n't be after her.”

either,” she went on, "for all he were so cliver. I Roland sauntered disconsolately down the hill the doubt he'd but a bad lot to deal wi', - that Egyptian next day, as soon as he could finish his work, to huzzie as had the temples and the high places and carry his woes to the old couple. He had hitherto things." had no idea of the strength of his father's enmi- “Well, I do think a deal on him,” said Nathan, ties.

| meditatively. "I nivir giv' it a thought," said he, dolefully, “You 're very throng to-night. I mun wish you " but my feyther's had a been fine and glad for her good evening,” said poor Roland in a depressed to come o'er our doorstane, once he'd a seen Cassie, tone, retiring less comforted by the prospect of posand what a one she were for to make us happy and sibly marrying Cassie by the time he was forty, than comfortable, and she so well-favored too, like Ruth, perhaps reason demanded, as the shrewd old woman - tain't such a fine thing for to marry wi' me."

perceived. “ Then thee wast but a fool, my lad, as to think “And dunna ye take to heart so much what thoe thee feyther 'ud be so took up wi' a farrantly wench wise men says about a' that waiting and sich like," as a' that; auld stomachs ain't like young uns," said she. “Nathan nor Solomon's not young men, said Nathan. “My word, I dunna deny as Cassie's see thee.” Mrs. Broom had the greatest possible a good and a pretty one, and steps as clean as e'er pride in the extent of her husband's learning and a fillie on 'um, but what 's that to a man like Joshuay, wisdom, but thought it seemly to depreciate them as is no dour as a stone ? Ill-will is a sweet mosselslightly in public, both for "manners" and wholeto them as likes it, as they'll turn o'er and o'er some discipline to her great man's pride. “ An yer again i’ their mouths; and for aught I see when ye true love and you's firm and faithful to each other, 't hae done wrong by a man, ye 'r a deal more set agin will move mountains. Many waters will not quench him nor when ye hae been wronged. I dunna know love.' There's a proverb an he wants one. And the rights o’all that coil atwixt him and old German, ve 'll come together, please God, afore long, an ye and I wouldna say ill o'thee feyther to thee; but to don't do ill that good may come. Afore you 're them as knows Joshuay it stanns to reason (an' it forty,” she added, with a smile. mun be one or t'other) as he's a more like to cheat The young man's face brightened; he turned sudnor to be eheaten, my lad."

... denly and gave her a great hug in his gratitude. " But Cassie hasna cheaten nobody. She'd a “Ñay, lad, fair and softly. I'm not Cassie,” she washed and mended him, and hae kep' the house said, laughing. and him cheerful and tidy too," said the lover, - 1 “ No, but yo'r Cassie's aunt, and her aunt's mine and he was an ardent one too. Indeed it may be too,” he added triumphantly and defiantly as he went questioned whether this list of qualities was not quite away. as agreeable and meritorious, and even as likely

[To be continued.]

FALSE FACES.

| tance, or put on something like it when she dresses.

If her attractiveness be from the first source she deWe find in Adam Bede what to us seems a serves no credit for it, and her character may utterly part explanation of a very difficult social problem. belie it; if she accomplishes it by the second plan, Speaking of Hetty, Miss Evans says that "her face her admirer may be assured that she will no more had a language that transcended her feelings.” And take the trouble of keeping it up to please him, once then she goes on to say that "there are faces which the necessity for pleasing him seems to depart with Nature charges with a meaning and a pathos not marriage, than she will take the trouble of being belonging to the single human soul that flutters be- sentimental about him two years after that event. neath them, but speaking the joys and sorrows of A plain or an ugly woman, if she cannot make herforegone generations; eyes that tell of deep love selt handsome, can always make herself desirable to which doubtless has been, and is somewhere, but not some one, and that one is the man whose ideal expaired with these eyes, perhaps paired with pale pression corresponds with the mask for society with eyes that can say nothing, - just as a national lan which nature has provided the sex. This is what is guage may be instinct with poetry unfelt by the lips meant by the saying, that a woman is seldom unthat use it." We often meet people with a plain married save through her own fault. Every woman story enough written in their faces, but when we gets many chances if she but knew them ; not every have studied their natures, we find our reckoning woman, however, will recognize the lover whose incompletely falsified by our acquaintance with them. fatuation is sufficiently profound and desperate to This, unfortunately for men, occurs most frequently bring him to the point. Unreasoning admirers, if with women. It is the greatest mistake to suppose ladies but knew it, - admirers who are caught with that, except in a very unsophisticated time of life eyes, or “tangled in Nærea's golden hair," make as indeed, a woman allows her countenance to tell any-good husbands as the most sensible and speculating thing upon her; but, apart from her power and in- of admirers. A man who has plunged hopelessly stinct of deception, there is again that, — if we may into a sentimental attachment, accepts the situation so term it, – physiological advantage which she de- after a while with a steady and enduring pertinacity, rives from her ancestors, and which enables her if only fairly encouraged ; and nothing will bring without effort to wear an expression which may be him more swiftly or more assuredly to this state than eminently more attractive than that which she could the sight of a type and manner of face on which claim in her own right. If a man is first brought to some subtle emotion is stirred within him whenever love a woman for her face, he is pretty certain to be sees it. continue to set the tune of his thoughts about her To turn for a moment from the more sentimental to that key-note. He expects certain qualities are aspect of false faces, it is curious to notice what dormant in her mind which he alone has been clever complete change in the character of a countenance enough to perceive. He wonders how her own fam- is effected by age, and above all how great is the ily circle do not appear to believe her capable of all change when death lays its hand upon it. Apart he is satisfied she can do and think. It would star- from the alteration due to physical reasons, there is tle him a little if he were to learn that the pensive unquestionably an unaccountable relapse into phanose and thoughtful forehead came to Louisa from ses of expression which we have seemingly dropped her great-grandmother, and that the mental attri- years ago. One of the most touching incidents of butes bestowed by him upon those features have the deathbed is the recognition by parents and relbeen completely eliminated during the transition. latives of a youth and freshness on the face of the

This is the danger of studying physiognomy, — departed, and of an expression associated with one danger at least of studying a lady's face. The school-time, boyhood, and the spring of life. Harsh odds are all against our being right. The fiftieth and hard-featured men and women when lying at part of an inch may put us out, and bring around rest, have little of the ruggedness and the ungracalamitous eventualities. And yet it is assuredly ciousness which they carried with them through the the case that there are men and women who believe world. Even old age-old age sinking out in dein faces long after the owners of the faces have given cay - takes a strange beauty at the close, and a the most distant lie and contradiction to their own score of years, with the furrows and the lines of countenances. Love, or whatever the feeling may years, disappear, to permit, as it were, a trace of be termed, does blind Titania to Nick Bottom's the beautiful child-time to return again. Or is it ears. Men will cling to their ideal of a woman's that all our other faces were " false faces " except face for years after the woman has utterly negatived this? Perhaps so. Death is very sincere and very every expectation to which it gave a prompting. truthful. It would be pleasant at least to think that They will watch as patiently and as perseveringly when passion was spent, the socket burned down, sometimes for the due sentiment to come to its sur- and thought and brain asleep, nature herself comes face, and play upon it as the angler watches his to vindicate whatever is good in us by a distinct and trout-fies on the surface of the stream. This very final manifestation. The brother of Death, as the anxiety and interest often renders matrimony more poet calls Slumber, does not treat us so. In dreams endurable. One reason why brothers and sisters so our faces often seem worn and weary, and even usually quarrel when living together is, that they are convulsive to those who look on us in that state. thoroughly up in every move and thought in their We do not cast away the false face at night. We own circle. Faces tell no untruths to them. They bear it as our thoughts have formed it, and our make no allowances on the score of expression, and working existences, but at the finish we are done sisters who would be amiable before strangers will with it. The face of a dead wife will seem far more not care to rehearse in private. They wear a look familiar to those who have known her in girlhood, for the guest, and a look for the family dinner. than to the man who has known her as husband for This is a danger to which a guest is exposed. He more years than they have seen her. has his ideal face, if he be romantic, from which he With all faces we should be tolerant. Men and expects all that can make him happy. The lady women hide themselves from each other by face as who sits opposite may either have this as an inheri- well as by words, and after a while the effort costs

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