The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Village by the River, by H. Louisa Bedford

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Title: The Village by the River

Author: H. Louisa Bedford

Release Date: January 16, 2007 [EBook #20381]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VILLAGE BY THE RIVER ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: Paul . . . was holding it closely
upon the burning skirt.]

THE VILLAGE BY THE RIVER.

by

H. LOUISA BEDFORD,

AUTHOR OF

"MRS. MERRIMAN'S GODCHILD," "RALPH RODNEY'S MOTHER,"

"MISS CHILCOTT'S LEGACY," ETC., ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY W. S. STACEY.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE

GENERAL LITERATURE COMMITTEE.

LONDON:

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,

NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.;

43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C.

BRIGHTON: 129, NORTH STREET.

NEW YORK: E. & J. B. YOUNG AND CO.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I. WHAT THE VILLAGERS SAID
II. AN UNLOOKED-FOR INHERITANCE
III. FIRST IMPRESSIONS
IV. OPPOSING VIEWS
V. A QUESTION OF EDUCATION
VI. A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
VII. A MOMENTOUS DECISION
VIII. AN OUTSTRETCHED HAND
IX. A CRISIS IN A LIFE
X. RIVAL SUITORS
XI. A FRIEND IN NEED
XII. KITTY'S CHRISTMAS TREE
XIII. THE CALL OF GOD
XIV. A CHANGE OF MIND

ILLUSTRATIONS

Paul . . . was holding it closely
upon the burning skirt. . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

"I've come after some roses."

Before he could regain his feet, a hand was on his collar.

THE VILLAGE BY THE RIVER.

CHAPTER I.

WHAT THE VILLAGERS SAID.

"Well, it were the grandest funeral as ever I set eyes on," said
Allison, the blacksmith, folding his brawny arms under his leather
apron, and leaning his shoulders against the open door of the smithy in
an attitude of leisurely ease.

The group, gathered round him on their way home from work, gave an
assenting nod and waited for more.

For convenience Allison shifted his pipe more to the corner of his
mouth, and proceeded--

"Not one of yer new-fangled ones, with a glass hearse for all the world
like a big window-box, and a sight of white flowers like