e had been extended to them. But, alas! God
had not so decreed. When the day arrived on which they would see their
Master in glory, they could then assure Him, and He would believe them,
how willingly they would have borne His cross--aye, and even have hung
with Him on the fatal tree.

Some weeks before Didymus Farrow was born, Mrs. Farrow remembered the
bishop and part of his discourse, but what she remembered most
distinctly was, "Thomas, which is called Didymus." These words were
borne in upon her, she said, and accordingly the son was baptized
Didymus. When he grew up, he entered upon his father's trade, which
was that of making the willow hampers for fruit-growers, of whom there
were a good many round Cowfold, and who sent their fruit to London,
stacked high on huge broad-wheeled waggons. Didymus also manufactured
hand-baskets, all kinds of willow ware and white wood goods. He had a
peculiar aptitude for the lathe, and some of his bread-plates were
really as neatly executed as any that could be seen in London. He had
even turned in poplar some vases, which found their way to a
drawing-master, and were used as models. He was now about thirty, had
yellow hair, blue eyes, a smiling face, widish mouth, always a little
open, nose a little turned up, whistled a good deal, and walked with a
peculiar dance-like lilt. He was a gay, innocent creature, honest in
all his dealings, and fairly prosperous. He had been married early,
but had lost his wife when he was about twenty-six, and had been left
with one daughter, whom his sister had in charge. The sister was about
to be married, and when her brother knew that the day for her departure
was fixed, it came into his head that he ought to be married again.
Otherwise, who could manage his house and his family?

He was not a man to seek any recondite reasons for doing or not doing
anything. He was not in the habit of pausing before he acted, and
demanding the production of every conceivable argument, yea or nay, and
then with toil adjusting the balance between them. If a lot of withies
looked cheap, he bought them straightway, and did not defer the bargain
for weeks till he could ascertain if he could get them cheaper
elsewhere.

Going home one evening, he passed his friend Giacomo's shop, and
through the window saw Miriam talking to her father. Instantly it
struck him that Miriam was the girl for him, and he began to whistle
the air to "Hark the Lark," for he wa