, advancing slowly up the
road, for Hanz walked with a staff, created a pleasant diversion.
Several of the young people ran to meet them, and greeted them with such
expressions of welcome as must have filled their hearts with joy.

When they had nearly reached the church, Critchel proceeded to meet them
with his hand extended. "Verily, good neighbor Hanz," said he, after
greeting the old people with a hearty shake of the hand, "the people
have had strange news to talk about for a week past." Critchel shook his
head, looked serious, and taking Hanz by the arm, drew him aside. "This
Chapman has fallen to the ground, they say."

"Mine friend Critchel," returned Hanz, leaning on his staff, and casting
a look upward. "I tolds you tar pees un shust Got; and now you shees how
dat shust Got he pees mine friend."

"Aye, verily," rejoined Critchel, "and he lets them what builds castles
and lives like lords suffer their disappointments. Poor people like us,
who work with their hands, stick to their lands, and pay their debts,
have their castles in peace and contentment."

"Tar pees shust so much wisdom in vat you shays, mine friend Critchel.
In dis world tar pees nothin' sartin. Dis Chapman, he puts his money in
his pocket, and ven he gets his money in his pocket he gets rich and
prout. Zen he goes to t' city so pig and prout as he can pe. Now he
comes pack from t' city, mit his pig vrow, and tar pees nobody as makes
one pow to his pig vrow. Above tar pees one shust Got, Critchel."

The misfortunes of the Chapman family, my reader must know, had been
furnishing Nyack something to talk about for several months. But it was
only with their return to town, which important event took place one
morning during the last week, that the quiet of Nyack was disturbed and
the gossips sent into a state of excitement. The family, indeed,
returned as quietly as a family in misfortune could be expected to do,
and put up at Bright's Inn, where, it was given out, they would live on
the wreck of their fortune until Chapman could see his way clear for a
new start in the world. But little was seen of Mrs. Chapman, of whom it
was reported that she desired to live in retirement, and did not see
visitors.

The lady, however, had resolved that Nyack should not turn up its nose
without being kept in mind of the high social position the family had
held in the city. And as a means of making the desired impression, and
also of finding relief for her inju