," remarked Miss
Butterworth. "If I can get married, anybody can. If anybody had told me
that--well isn't it too ridiculous for anything? Now, isn't it?" And the
little tailoress went off into another fit of laughter. Then she jumped
up and said she really must go.

The report that Jim Fenton was soon to lead to the hymeneal altar the
popular village tailoress, spread with great rapidity, and as it started
from the minister's family, it had a good send-off, and was accompanied
by information that very pleasantly modified its effect upon the public
mind. The men of the village who knew Jim a great deal better than the
women, and who, in various ways, had become familiar with his plans for
a hotel, and recognized the fact that his enterprise would make
Sevenoaks a kind of thoroughfare for his prospective city-boarders,
decided that she had "done well." Jim was enterprising, and, as they
termed it, "forehanded." His habits were good, his industry
indefatigable, his common sense and good nature unexampled. Everybody
liked Jim. To be sure, he was rough and uneducated, but he was honorable
and true. He would make a good "provider." Miss Butterworth might have
gone further and fared worse. On the whole, it was a good thing; and
they were glad for Jim's sake and for Miss Butterworth's that it had
happened.

The women took their cue from the men. They thought, however, that Miss
Butterworth would be very lonesome, and found various pegs on which to
hang out their pity for a public airing. Still, the little tailoress was
surprised at the heartiness of their congratulations, and often melted
to tears by the presents she received from the great number of families
for whom, every year, she had worked. No engagement had occurred in
Sevenoaks for a long time that created so much interest, and enlisted so
many sympathies. They hoped she would be very happy. They would be
exceedingly sorry to lose her. Nobody could ever take her place. She had
always been one whom they could have in their families "without making
any difference," and she never tattled.

So Miss Butterworth found herself quite a heroine, but whenever Jim
showed himself, the women all looked out of the windows, and made their
own comments. After all, they couldn't see exactly what Miss Butterworth
could find to like in him. They saw a tall, strong, rough,
good-natured-looking man, whom all the men and all the boys greeted with
genuine heartiness. They saw him pushing a