Simon Holmes by Wray, James Jackson [Hardcover]
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www. million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. ROBERT ATHELING MAKES A SOLEMN PROMISE; AND SIMON HOLMES PAYS A VISIT TO ASPEN GARTH. " What is there like a father to a. son? A father quick in love, wakeful in care, Tenacious of his trust, proof in experience, Severe in honour, perfect in example, Stamped with authority." Sheridan Knowks. J5) EFORE we follow Simon Holmes on his errand to Aspen Towers, we must turn aside awhile and look in upon the shadowed household of Aspen Garth, upon the widow with the silver hair who sits in the 'night,' rocking herself in silence by the old-fashioned ingle-nook. Widow Atheling's weeds of widowhood have only been very lately donned, and the sorrow of that great loss still sat heavy on her soul. What manner of man her husband was will be discovered by the necessary mention of a solemn and important incident that occurred as he lay upon his death-bed. " My poor lad! My poor wandering lad! Robert, my son, promise me that you will never give up all hope of him, never give up joining with your mother in prayer forhim, never grow tired of seeking him, never rest content until Alfred, your brother Alfred, comes home again to Thorpe Aspen, and to his father's God." These words, earnest words, were spoken by Farmer Atheling, as he lay back upon the pillow from which his good grey head will never more be lifted, except for his removal to his final resting-place beneath the spreading yew-trees in Thorpe Aspen churchyard, the sacred spot in which many generations of Athelings were laid asleep. By the bedside of the dying man was seated his eldest son, a fine-featured, stalwart young yeoman, of some six or seven and twenty years of age, whose fingers were held lovingly in the hand of his beloved and dying parent. The young man's grief at his impending loss wa.