The Argosy — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

go The House of Halliwell. for years. Hester’s heart beat, and her colour went and came. Wait ! if she waited till her hair was grey, what of that? ‘To see each other occasionally, to be secure in each other’s love, was not that sufficient bliss? She did not speak, but her colour deepened. ‘Of course, my first year’s curacy must be passed upon hope,” said Mr. Archer, ‘‘ but when that is over, why should luck not give me a living, as it does to other clergymen ?” “Tt does not always give one,” observed Mrs. Halliwell. ‘‘ You have no interest.” ‘Neither interest nor fortune,” returned Mr. Archer. ‘‘ My father is dead, and what came to me has been spent upon my education. Something like Alfred.” ‘ And Hester has nothing. She will have five hundred pounds at my death ; but, were that to happen to-morrow—” ‘Oh, mamma!” interrupted Hester, ‘‘do not talk of that.” “My dear child, talking of my death will not bring it on. I was about to say that were the money at your command to-morrow, you could not marry upon it.” ‘“ Certainly not,” said Mr. Archer. ‘‘I should be the last to take Hester from a good home unless I had one equally good to offer her. I trust it may be a better, whenever it shall come.” ‘“We have been accustomed to a better, until the last few years— if, by that, may be understood a more wealthy one,” said Mrs. Halliwell. ‘Then I am to have her ?” said George Archer. “Tn prospective,” answered Mrs. Halliwell with a smile. ‘‘ And when you can show me a certainty of bread and cheese, you shall have her in reality.” Mrs. Halliwell was called from the room, and he cast his arms around Hester. ‘‘ My darling, will you bear to wait for me ?” Bear to wait for him! MHer glowing cheek told how willingly, though her tongue was silent. It had been long talked of, and was now recently arranged, that the good old rector of Seaford, Mr. Coomes, should take Alfred Halliwell as curate. He was growing feeble now, and required one. The prospect of having Alfred close to them was delightful to his family, more especially to Mrs. Halliwell. It came to be hinted that this plan might be changed: who first thought or spoke of it, Hester never knew ; she ad not: but it was whispered that instead of Alfred Halliwell being curate of Seaford, it might be George Archer. Mrs. Halliwell was startled. ‘She did not lke it. She spoke to Alfred ; but he, lighted-hearted and good-natured, was ready to sacrifice any- thing and everything for his friend and his favourite sister. Mrs. Halliwell could not remonstrate openly against it: her old-fashioned notions of the extreme courtesy due to her son’s guest forbade it: but she spoke privately to Hester: she thought the latter might have stopped it with a word. Zhat word Lester could not bring her heart Comicbooks.com |