"I will myself sit up to-night: I will watch in my chamber: I will pray for his spirit to come; and if it should, I will speak to it, and fervently entreat it to remove that weight which now presses so heavily upon my heart. I feel assured that it will not harm me," she added, bursting again into tears. "In life he loved me too fondly, too tenderly—"
"Dear aunt," cried Sylvester, who at this moment entered the room, "Why—why are you thus distressed? What has happened? Tell me."
These mysterious proceedings," said the reverend gentleman, "are so annoying."
"They are annoying—very annoying," returned Sylvester. "But," he added, turning again to his aunt, "you were in excellent spirits when I left you."
"I am better now, my love," she observed, making an effort to compose herself, "much better now."
"And yet you are still in tears! I cannot bear to see you weep, dear aunt. Come dry your eyes. You will not let me fret, and I don't see why I should let you. I came to ask you to go for a drive this morning. It is beautiful out. It will raise your spirits. The air is so soft, so mild, and so clear."
Aunt Eleanor kissed him, and the subject was dropped, and as the reverend gentleman soon after left, Sylvester took his aunt out for a drive.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE EGGS AND EXOTICS.
During the whole of that day no work was done in the village. The tradesmen then did not mind losing a day, for the times were not hard. The prosperous never complain of the times: nor did they. As their wants were small, a large supply was not needed, and as they then possessed all they immediately required, they met at the Crumpet and Crown with the view of discussing the varied ramifications of the mystery.
But Jones was the great card in requisition. They wanted Jones. But as Jones was a steady man, who very seldom came to the Crumpet and Crown, they didn't know how to get him.
At length, however, Obadiah Drant—who possessed far more impudence than any of his friends—offered to bet half a gallon of beer that Jones would be there in a quarter of an hour. The bet was taken, and Obadiah—seeing an old rotten sugar-loaf turnip in the road—went out, picked it up, walked with it to Jones, and offered to bet half a gallon of beer that that turnip was superior to any one of his production. Jones
