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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1885)
THE WEST SHORE. 311 INTERLOPERS AT I. THE KNAP. rPHE northwest road from Casterhridge i Minns and I lonely, especially in winter time. Along a part of its course it is oalled Holloway Lane, a monotonous track without a village or hamlet for many mil, and with vrry seldom a turuiug. Some few years ago a certain farmer was riding through this lano in the gloom of a winter evening. The farmor's friend, a dairyman, was riding beside him. A few paces in the rear rode the farmer's man. All three were well horsed on strong, round-barreled cobs; and to ho well horsed was to bo in better spirits than poor pedestrians could attain. But the farmer did not talk much to his friend as he rode along. Farmer Charles Darton's business to-night could hold its own with the business of kings. " D'ye feel ye oau meet your fato like a man, neigldior Darton?" asked his companion, Japheth Johns, breaking a Hilonce which had lasted whilo fivo-and-twenty hedgo row trees had glided by. Mr. Darton with a half laugh murmured, "Ay, call it my fate! Hanging and wiving go by destiny." And then they were silont again. "Why I have docidod to marry hor," resumod Darton (in a measured, musical voice of confidence which re vealed a good doal of his composition), as lie glanced round to see that the lad was not too near, " is not only that I like hor, but that I can do no Is'tter, even from a fairly practical point of view. That I might ha' looked higher is possibly true, though it is really all nonsense. I have had experience enough in looking nlxive mo. ' No more superior women for me,' said I you know when. Sally is a oomely, independent, simple character, with no make-up about her, who'll think me as much a siipo rior to hor as I used to think - you know who I moan was to me," "Ay," said Johns. "Howovor, I shouldn't call Sally Hall simple. Primary, because no Sally is; secondary, because if foiiio could Ik this olio wouldn't "f is a wrong denomination to apply to a woman, Charles, and affects mo, as your best man, like cold water. T is liko rceom mending a stage play by saying there's neither murder, villainy, nor harm of any sort in it, when that's what you've paid your half crown to see." "Well; may your opinion do you good. Mine's a different one." And turning tho conversation from the philosophical to tho practical, Darton expressed a lio that the said Sally had recoived what he'd sent on by the carrier that day. Johns wanted to know what that was. " It's a dress," said Darton. " Not exactly a wedding dress, though she may use it as one if she likes. It is rather serviceable than showy-suitable for tho winter weather." " Good," said Johns. " Serviceable is a wise word iu a brideuroom. I commend ye, Charles." "For," said Darton," " why should a woman dress up like a rope-dancer because she's going to do the iwt solemn deed of her life exoept dying?" "Faith, why? Hut she will because she will, I sup. pose," said Dairyman Johns. " ll'm," m.kI D.u U.u. Tho lane they followed had been nearly straight for several miles, but it now took a turn, and winding uncor. taiuly for some distance forked into two. ly night country mads are apt to reveal ungainly qualities which pass without observation during day; and though Darton had traveled this way 1 mi fore, he had not done so fre quently, Sally having been wooed at tho house of a rela tive near his own. He never remembered seeing at this spot a p:tir of alternative ways looking so equally prob able as these two did now. Johns rode on a few step. " Don't be out of heart, sonny," ho cried. " Here's a handpost llnoch, come ami climb this jmisI, and tell us the way." The lad dismounted and jumped into the hedge, where the Nst stood under a tree. " Unstrap the baskets, or you'll smash iqi that wine!" cried Darton, as the young man began spasmodically to climb the psd, baskets and all. " Was there ever less head iu a brainless world?" said Johns. " Here, simple Nocky, I'll do it." He leapt off, aud with much pulling climbed the jsist, striking a match when ho reached the top, and moving the light along the arm, the lad standing and getting at the spectacle. " I have faced tautilixetion these twenty years with a temper as mild as milk," said Japheth; "ltd such things as this don't come short of deviltry I" Aud Hinging the match awny he liped down to the ground. " What a the matter?" askid Darton. "Not a letter, sacred or heathen -not so much ns would tell us the way to tho great llreiilaco-evor I should sin to say it! hither tho moss anil mildew have eaten away the words, or wn have arrived iu a land where no traveler has planted the art of writing, and should have brought our compass, liko Christopher Columbus." " I et us take the straightoat road," said Darton pla cidly, " I shan't 1st sorry to get there -'tis a tiresome ride. I would have driven if 1 had known." "Nor 1 neither, sir," said Knocli. "These stratst plow my shoulder like a sell, if 'tis much further to your lady's homo, Maisler Darton, 1 shall ssk to be li t carry half of these good things in my iiinrds-hei, heel" "Don't you I hi such a reforming radical, Km oh," said Johns sternly. " Here, I'll take the turkey," This Isiing done, they went forward by the right hand lane, which ascended hill, the left winding awny under a plantation. The pit-a-tmt of their horses' hoofs lea scucd up the slope; and the ironical directing xmt sIinnI in solitude as Isdoro, holding out its blank arms to the raw hroexe, which brought a snore from tho wood as if Hkrymir the giant were sleeping there. II. Three miles to the left of the travelers, along the road they hail not followed, rose an old house with uiullioinxl windows of Hamhill stone and chimneys of lavish solid ity. It stood at the top of a os beside llintock village street, and immediately iu front of it grew a large syea more tree, wIiomo barel rt formed a convenient stair case from the road Isdow to the front door of the dwell ing. IU situation gave the homi what little distinctive name It is"! namely, "The Knap." Itesiiiu a Tudor tlrcpl.iuc, w hose molded foiir-cmitred arch was nearly hidden by a figured blue-cloth blower,