The Argosy — page 294: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 275 Then there were certain arrangements for the approaching marriage, which was fixed for the third week in May, and these were call and wormwood to Vera, who nevertheless had to submit to them, and did so with as good a grace as she could summon. Indeed, throughout Mr. Ryot Tempest’s engagement she behaved in an exemplary manner, and he little guessed what a bitter trial his second marriage was to her. It was a possibility which had never occurred to Vera as likely to arise, so the surprise had been as great as the grief it caused her. If it had not been so soon after her mother’s death she could have borne it better; particularly as in that case she hoped to be married herself, and a step-mother would not affect her happiness. But now she had a year at least to live at home, and though it might pass quickly, it seemed a long time to look forward to spending with an uncongenial companion. Her twentieth birthday occurred in the beginning of the month, and to her delight she received a box of flowers from Captain Raleigh, which Mr. Tempest allowed her to accept, though he would not let her acknowledge them. The wedding was fixed for the sixteenth of May, and it was arranged that Vera should leave home on the fifteenth, as she was not to be present at the marriage; and for a few days before she left she was busy in the parish, visiting the poor people to bid them good-bye. On going to Reuben Foreman’s cottage, to her surprise she found him at home suffering from what seemed to be a feverish cold, but he was so unwell, that a day or two before she left home, Vera, without selling Reuben, wrote to Janet advising her to come home at once. The next day, the fourteenth, she received a letter from Rex, which eompletely upset her, for it announced his marriage with Janet foreman, and hinted that by the time Vera received it, he would in \Ul probability be a father. He implored his sister to keep his secret jor the present, and to do all she could for Janet; and in return for a javour he knew Vera would grant, he had written by the same mail jo his father, begging him to give his consent to her marriage with vaptain Raleigh. | | This news completely staggered Vera, for much as she admired ‘nd liked Janet, she could not think her a suitable wife for Rex, who, N‘her opinion, was second to only one man on earth; namely, /aptain Raleigh. | All that day, busy as she was, the news haunted her. Should he tell Reuben? It was impossible to keep it from him much pnger if Janet were really a mother, but it was not a pleasant piece f information for her to deliver, and she could not make up her jund to do so, at any rate until she had slept upon it. She was on ‘phter-hooks all day lest her father should ask to see his son’s letter, ‘hich she burnt in case this should happen; but, fortunately, Mr. jyot Tempest was too much occupied with his own affairs to think ') anything else. At night Vera went to bed over-tired and with a EGOMIGDOO SS (CO)