The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories

e British national song for the time being, to these instruments, but latterly she has been silent and even careful over her work. Time was when I prayed

even to hear Jane sing "Daisy," or, by the fracture of any plate but one of Eup

m this and William that; and when we thought William was worked out and exhausted altogether, then William all over again. The engagement lasted altogether three years; yet how she got introduced to William, and so became thus saturated with him, was always a secret. For my part, I believe it was at the street corner where the Rev. Barnabas Baux used to hold an open-air service after

d of him. "He is such a respectable young man, ma'am," said Jane, "you don't know." Ig

ill be head porter. His relatives are quite superior people, m'm. Not labouring people at all. His father was a greengrosher, m'm, and had a churnor, and

ngaged to him?"

t he is saving money to

presently the amethystine ring was being worn about the house, even with ostentation, and Jane developed a new way of bringing in the joint so that this gage was evident. The elder Miss Maitland was aggrieved by it, and tol

th ill-concealed complacency, as she counted out the beer bottles, "William, ma'am, is a teetotaller. Yes, m'm; and he don't smoke. Smoking, ma'am," said J

a complexion appropriate to the brother of one in a Home for the Dying. Euphemia did not fancy him very much, even at the be

l," said Jane. "H

what,

re too. Mr. Maynard comes and talks to him quite friendly when they ain't busy, about using up all the ends of stri

ally kind of over the man who drives the van," said Jane, "and him married, with three children." And she promised in the pride of her hear

at Mr. Maynard had given William a book. "'Smiles' 'Elp Yourself,' it's called," said Jane; "but it ai

w, dear," she said, "Jane said one thing I did not like. She had been quiet for a m

hat," I said, though later

-when a something went by the window. I heard a startled exclamation behind me, and saw Euphemia with her

e same moment, slowly and solemnly: "A

eeps him in ties. She told me a little while ago, in a way that implied volumes about the res

They were arm in arm. Jane looked exquisitely proud, happy, and uncomfortable,

ers, just like the young shop gentlemen, during the next sale. And if he gets on, he is to be made an assistant, ma'am, at the first opportunity. He ha

g on, Jane,"

Jane thoughtfully;

he si

at has happened? Have you altered the curtains, or re-arranged the furniture, or where is the indefinable difference of it? Are y

ge," she said, "that William has not come near the pl

as being a very sad sign indeed. The next Sunday, and the next, Jane asked to go out, "to walk with William," and my wife, who never attempts to extort confide

a catching of the breath, apropos of tablecloths. "Yes,

ife, "that you went ou

walked along by the side of them,

, did you? Wha

an if I was dirt. So I told h

e been a very agr

no partie

yhow, I don't mean to let her get him away from me. She's o

ly know the details of the fray, but only such fragments as poor Jane l

ght to what, in spite of the consensus of literature, she held to be her inalienable property. She did, I think, go so far as to lay hands on him. They dealt with her in a crushingly superior way. They "calle

she was mincing William. "It's a shame of them. I w

said Jane.

hat woman's" name or to admit her girlishness. "I can't think what minds some women must have-to t

manner of Jane's scrubbing the front doorstep or sweeping out the rooms,

and see a wedding tomor

ose wedding. "Do you think

see the last of

had started, "Jane has been to the boot-hole and taken all the left-off boots a

veloping character. Le

l in her bag, at which my wife heaved a premature sigh of relief. We h

le, sitting in our little kitchen, and scrubbing the potatoes; "and such a lovely day for

; but her father didn't wear a black coat, and lo

ho

was red carpet down, just like for gentlefolks. And they say he gave the clerk four shillings, ma'am. It was a real kerridge they had-not a fly. When t

a boot,

im a black eye, I should think. I only threw that one. I hadn't th

l-"I am sorry th

ubbed violently. "He always was a bit abov

. Jane rose sharply with a sigh, and

mistake yet. It serves me right. I was stuck up about him. I ought

throwing, she must have watched poor Jane fuming with a certain dismay in those brown eyes

een! Oh, ma'am, I could have been so happy! I ought to have known, but I didn't know...You'

pathetic shoulder. My Euphemia, thank Heaven, has never properly grasped the importance of "keeping up her positio

is story. However, Jane is young still, and time and change are at work with her. We all ha