The Argosy — page 329: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

310 Caroline Heath. husband with an iron will; and he dared not say nay. In fact it was time that Caroline did come home, for she was in her eighteenth year, and would have come before but for the new wife. So Caroline took the management of things; 1t was so decreed by her stepmother, and she soon found that she had to take a great deal of the work also. She had been doing it for three years, and was now twenty-one. Lines of care had gradually settled around her sweet, tender mouth ; but she kept her own secrets and never complained, never spoke of her césappointed feelings, her crushed hopes ; what she suffered, she suffered in silence. Six months ago, at the beginning of the year, her father had spoken to her. She remembered it well ; it was the day that Tom had gone back to school, and Mrs. Heath was off to Norton, and she and her father were alone at the tea-table. / “Carry,” he suddenly said, helping himself to some thin bread- and-butter, “ how do you like John Arkright ?” ‘Oh, I like him very well, papa,” she answered, carelessly. “That’s all right, then; he wants to pay his addresses to you,” said Mr. Heath. Caroline gazed at the speaker in surprise. ‘‘To pay his addresses tome!” she repeated. ‘‘ Why, papa, he is ever so old.” “ Old /” cried Mr. Heath. ‘“ He is only thirty-two this year. A fine young man, Caroline, with a good farm at his back, and plenty of substance. Don’t take up wrong fancies, my dear.” Caroline was fishing a tiny lump of sugar out of the basin to add to the sweetness of her second cup of tea. She did not answer. A thought had come flashing into her mind. ‘“ By marrying him I should get away from here, and escape drudgery.” “You should remember, child, that a proposal of marriage from a man like Arkright is not to be met with every day,” said her father. ** Many a girl in the neighbourhood would jump at him,” ‘Ves, I suppose so. Well, papa, I will think of it.” And that was how she became engaged to John Arkright after thinking of it for a day. She respected him, but did not love him. Moreover, she had gradually awakened to the conviction that when she did marry her life of work would not be changed, but only the scene of it. His mother, who at present lived with him, worked as hard as she did; his sister, Bessy, had done so till she married; it was the custom with most of the farmers’ households down there. John Arkright was well off; could have kept a managing house- keeper, and allowed his wife ease and rest; but such a revolution in the state of affairs had never entered into his calculation. Thus matters stood at the present time. Caroline was engaged to be John Arkright’s wife, and he had no notion that the prospect, to her, did not look as bright as if adorned with June roses. “How smart you have made yourself!” cried Mr. Arkright, as they drew close to the front gate. CORNICLOOKS (E) im