Part 37 (1/2)

Sam groaned again; but endeavoring to conquer his malady, he sat up, and raised his swimming eyes. Mr. Royden took him by the shoulder, and helped him to his feet.

”What is the matter?” he demanded.

”Nothing, sir,” said Sam. ”I'm a little sick, that's all. I shall have to set down again.”

He sank upon the turf, and groaned, with his face in the gra.s.s.

Father Brighthopes was expressing a great deal of sympathy for him, when Chester came and explained the mystery.

”He has been chewing tobacco,” said he, with a cruel laugh. ”I told him it would make him sick.”

”You foolish fellow!” exclaimed Mr. Royden; ”what did you do that for?”

”I only jest wanted to learn how,” moaned Sam.

”Learn how!”

”'Cos all the men chew,” added the boy, sitting up again, and burying his face in his hands, as the deathly feeling came over him once more.

”Well, well,” said the old man, in an encouraging tone, ”let this experience be a lesson to you. Let alone the weed. You can be a man without it, if you try. Good-by, good-by, my son!”

He got into the wagon, leaving the unhappy lad still moaning and writhing with anguish on the green-sward.

Mark Wheeler arrived at the gate, having come to take leave of Father Brighthopes, just as Chester and his father were driving away with their aged friend.

The jockey rode the one-eyed colt, which he still retained in his possession,--a perpetual remembrancer of a memorable day in his rugged and uneven life.

He dismounted, and shook hands with the old man. Mark was much affected by his kind wishes and gentle admonitions; but the presence of Mr.

Royden and Chester embarra.s.sed him, and he could not express his feelings.

”Come,” said Mr. Royden, observing the state of affairs, ”I suppose we have not much time to lose.”

”I will ride along with you,” replied Mark, throwing himself upon the back of the one-eyed colt.

Mrs. Royden, Hepsy and the children, watched the little party as they rode away, Chester driving, while his father sat with the gray-haired clergyman on the seat behind him, and Mark trotted his colt along on the road-side, at their right hand; and they who were left at home felt strange emotions of loneliness steal over their hearts, at the thought that the venerable and beloved form then vanis.h.i.+ng from sight might never more repose beneath that roof.

There was no quarreling nor loud words among the children, that morning, as they set out for school; but their faces were expressive of unusual soberness, and their young hearts quite sad; until the bright birds singing by the way-side, the breezes playing in their hair, and the suns.h.i.+ne flooding all the earth, dispelled their gloom, and led them to forget that the gentle old man they loved was riding on his journey, to his field of labor far away.

x.x.xII.

REUNION.

A little more than two years had pa.s.sed away. It was in ”peach-time.”

There was a merry group of young people in Mr. Royden's orchard, one mild September afternoon.

There was Chester, proud, happy, overflowing with wit. He was just married, and had come home, to pa.s.s a few days, with his fair bride.