Australian Tales - Setis

suspicion that it was at his expense; like a greedy miser listening to the
drawing of corks in his kitchen.
Jonathan felt in a similarly comfortless condition, as he sat, solemnly
looking at his plate, or picking up the stray crumbs on the table cloth,
like a half-tamed robin; and scarcely daring once to lift his eyes to
Phoebe's face, lest he should see a scowl, or a contemptuous smile. He
was not sorry when the meal was ended; and when Mr. Skimmer asked
him to smoke a pipe in the chimney corner, it was a relief as welcome to
him, as the lowering of the prop-stick is to a jaded horse in a dray. His
embarrassment, however, wore off after his pipe was fairly alight, and he
was soon eloquently discoursing upon the comparative merits of English
and Colonial systems of farming, and in so doing he displayed so much
common sense and practical knowledge of the subject, that long before
he left, Phoebe's misgivings had all vanished before the direct evidence
of her senses, and Jonathan stood higher than ever in her estimation,
while Mr. Skimmer had encouraged serious thoughts of proposing a
partnership with him, and taking the adjoining farm to his own; which
was to be had on easy terms, because no tenant had yet been able to
make a living off it. About ten o'clock Jonathan said good night and
departed, after receiving a pressing invitation from his host to come and
see them as often as he could, and after observing at the same time an
unmistakable love token in Phoebe's eyes, which plainly meant “I shall
be very happy to see you too.”
Love lords it over all, and has done so from time immemorial. From
the prince to the peasant, from the lofty duchess to the tinker's pretty
daughter Polly; few hearts are untouched by the torch of the ambrosial
though inexorable little ruler: few are so crabbed and crusty in their
nature as utterly to scare him from their breasts, lest their icy hearts
should extinguish his torch and spoil his trade. An old song says: “ 'Tis
love that makes the world go round.” Whether or not the little urchin has
that mighty influence, it is certain there would soon be numberless empty
houses in the world, if love were less active. But without stopping to
analyse that sentiment or any other sentiment contained in the thousand
of songs, old and new, on the same touching subject, I may record that
love held full sway in Jonathan's heart, and influenced all his thoughts
and deeds, whether he was bundling up greens, radishes, and rhubarb, for
market, or digging, dunging, raking, or hoeing in the garden; whether he
was greasing his cart wheels, grooming his horse, or oiling his harness,
driving to town with a load, or driving home again without a load in his
cart, he had always a load of love in his breast, heavier than a bushel of
broad beans. Phoebe Skimmer's image was in his eye and in his heart
too; and it would take a waggon load of artists' material and brushes, to
paint all the bright pictures which his fancy conjured up, of home and
happiness, with groups of little darling appurtenances in the back ground.