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Appearing now, indoors, by the light of the candle, his stalwart healthiness was a sight to see His beard was close and knotted as that of a chiselled Hercules; his shirt sleeves were partly rolled up, his waistcoat unbuttoned; the difference in hue between the snowy linen and the ruddy ar and its yolk Mrs S them enter, advanced from the pantry

Mrs Smith was a matron whose countenance addressed itself to the h not exclusively She retained her personal freshness even now, in the prosy afternoon-time of her life; but what her features were primarily indicative of was a sound co to carry with theeneral

The details of the accident were then rehearsed by Stephen's father, in the dramatic manner also cohbourhood, and the rural world generally Mrs Smith threw in her sentiedy, to make the description coest will, and Stephen directed the conversation into another channel

'Well,about me now,' he said quietly

'Well done!' replied his father; 'now iveman

Mrs Smith at this point abstracted her rieve about, Stephen,' she said 'People who accidentally get friends don't, as a first stroke, tell the history of their fa, certainly,' said his father

'No; but I should have spoken sooner There's ood dealcontemplatively at him Stephen blushed; and his father looked from one to the other in a state of utter incoh,' Mrs Sh she's very well fit for you as far as that is, why, mercy 'pon me, what ever do you want any woman at all for yet?'

Johnone, and wrinkled his forehead, 'That's the way the wind d'blow, is it?' he said

'Mother,' exclai whether she's fit for me or no, as if there were rooreat blessing of my life--socially and practically, as well as in other respects No such good fortune as that, I'm afraid; she's too far above me Her family doesn't want such country lads as I in it'