, he left but moderate provision for
his widow and two children.
    Only when he had reached middle age did John marry; the experiment could not
be called successful, and Mrs Yule died three years later, childless.
    At fifty-four John Yule retired from active business; he came back to the
scenes of his early life, and began to take an important part in the municipal
affairs of Wattleborough. He was then a remarkably robust man, fond of
out-of-door exercise; he made it one of his chief efforts to encourage the local
Volunteer movement, the cricket and football clubs, public sports of every kind,
showing no sympathy whatever with those persons who wished to establish free
libraries, lectures, and the like. At his own expense he built for the
Volunteers a handsome drill-shed; he founded a public gymnasium; and finally he
allowed it to be rumoured that he was going to present the town with a park. But
by presuming too far upon the bodily vigour which prompted these activities, he
passed of a sudden into the state of a confirmed invalid. On an autumn
expedition in the Hebrides, he slept one night under the open sky, with the
result that he had an all but fatal attack of rheumatic fever. After that,
though the direction of his interests was unchanged, he could no longer set the
example to Wattleborough youth of muscular manliness. The infliction did not
improve his temper; for the next year or two he was constantly at warfare with
one or other of his colleagues and friends, ill brooking that the familiar
control of various local interests should fall out of his hands. But before long
he appeared to resign himself to his fate, and at present Wattleborough saw
little of him. It seemed likely that he might still found the park which was to
bear his name; but perhaps it would only be done in consequence of directions in
his will. It was believed that he could not live much longer.
    With his kinsfolk he held very little communication. Alfred Yule, a battered
man of letters, had visited Wattleborough only twice (including the present
occasion) since John's return hither. Mrs Edmund Yule, with her daughter - now
Mrs Reardon - had been only once, three years ago. These two families, as you
have heard, were not on terms of amity with each other, owing to difficulties
between Mrs Alfred and Mrs Edmund; but John seemed to regard both impartially.
Perhaps the only real warmth of feeling he had ever known was bestowed upon
Edmund, and Miss Harrow had remarked that he spoke with somewhat more interest
