The Argosy — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

14 The Village Blacksmith. nowadays ; they know too much, or think they do, at any rate. The tree of knowledge don’t grow any better fruit now than it did in the Garden of Eden. Knowledge won’t teach people to keep their clothes clean, nor their bodies and souls neither.” ‘Vou think not, Mrs. Canter?” ‘“T am sure of it, sir; people know everything nowadays and believe nothing, and the world grows wickeder every day. Seems to me, people worship nothing ; but they all have a different name for tw ‘Tam afraid the tendency nowadays is to worship poor sinful humanity, instead of God,” said Captain Raleigh. ‘Worship humanity, sir! You might as well worship my mangle ;_ better; for that does good, and the generality of human beings do evil. I have no faith in humanity.” “You don’t believe in positivism then, Mrs. Canter ?” ‘¢T don’t know what that is, sir, unless it is being positive you are right when you are wrong ; if so, there are plenty of Positivists in the world; but I know I would just as soon believe in my tom-cat as in the things some of these clever people believe in, if half our parson says of them is true. ‘Talking of him reminds me of Mr. Tempest. He has caught a Tartar this time, or I am mistaken; I give him five years, sir, and if he isn’t lying in his grave by then, my name won’t be Norah Canter.” ‘* Perhaps it won’t be, Mrs. Canter ?” ‘Trust me, sir. I hate second-hand things, and if I was a man, I’d rather never put on clean clothes than marry a second-hand wife ; and that’s what I calla widow who marries again. They may be cheap, but they are seldom good for much. I suppose that is why men are so fond of widows, for they never know what is good for them, saving your presence. But I will say this: if ever a man chose wisely you did when you chose my young lady, bless her.” And then Mrs, Canter regaled her visitor with anecdotes of Vera’s childhood and youth, which so interested him that he very nearly missed his train, and had only time to make a few hurried arrange- ments about the mastiff, the ostensible object of his visit. A few days later he sailed for India, and the mastiff arrived at Marling ; where it remained until Mrs. Canter heard that Vera was not well, and not likely to be so long as her riding was forbidden, And then the idea occurred to her that the mastiff would be a great protection to Vera in her rides. She no sooner conceived this idea than she hastened to put it into execution. Hence her arrival that Monday morning. She was very careful that no one should suspect where the mastiff came from, and her account of his antecedents furnished the recording angel with matter to report, though Mrs. Canter trusted he would add an extenuating clause in her favour. She had not much difficulty in inducing Mr. Tempest to let Vera keep the dog, since she said she would have no objection to ride with Mark if Lion went CORNICE OOOKS EO)