The Portland daily press., 1868-07-03

been handed round, when, in a kind of stage
Whisper, the butler announced to Lord Clay
don, The policeman has come, my lord"
His lordship bit his lips and looked sheepish,
but said nothing.
Alter dinner note was handed to him.
He hastily skinned it, and at once rose and
said: Ladies and gentlemen, at an ordinary
dinner party speecnes are detestable, ana the
drinking OF heaths thing OF sygone days;
and yet must make the one and propose
the other. Lady Claydon and / had asked
our new nelghbors, Mr.. and Mrs. Templeton,
10 diue mere to day. We had not met on the
occasion OF our calling but l had had Mr.
aempleton pointed out to me in the street
When Mr. and Mrs. Temple were introduced,
Concluded they were Mr.. and Mrs. Temple
ton, especially as my butler mumbled the
name, though | confess Mr.. Templeton hard
ly appeared 70 be the same PEI son who had
been pointed out to me in the street as Mr.
Iempleton. Ho ever, persons look different
by candleli9ht and daylight. When Mr.. and
Mrs. Templeton were afterwards usheIed in
| TO the drawing-room. was astonished. | at
| once recognized Mr.. Templeton as the gen.
| tleman who had been pointed out to me un-
| der that name. The question ,ot course, arose,
| who can Mr.. Temple be? He must be an
impoStor. We adjourned to my library, and
| discussion took place between us, which, on
my part, was certainly more animated than
| polite. 1t ended in my being quite satisfied
| that Mr. Temple was gentleman, though
| how he came to my house l cannot exactly
understand. wrote hurried line to Mr..
| Chilmark just before dinner, and have now
| got an answer to the effect that Mr.. Temple
was to have dined with him to-day, but that
he IS glad to learn that by accident he is en-
| Joylng what MIR. Chilmark is pleased to call
| the superior hospitalitIes OF Clayton castle.
| AS to superior hospitalities, all can say Is,
that most sincerely hope that Nh. Temple viii
| kindly forgive my inhospitable treatment OF
him before dinner. will make him the most
ample apology he likes Tor my uncourteous
suspicion ana let me add for his information
-ior the rest OF you have heard the story
that my uncourteous suspicious arose from
the lact tha+ well got-up, gentlemanly cler-
syman called here a few days ago with his
Wlle at luncheon time. He represented him
sel' as being the Secretary for the Society tor
-, showed me his receipt book, and talked
slloly OF matters and persons connected with
the society. The end OF the affair was that
he and his wife lunched here. paid him
check for five hundred pounds, being a lega-
| cy lett by my friend, Mr.. -, to the society.
Unfortunately for me, happened to be Mr..
IS executor. l also paid him my annual
subscription to the society. He and his wife
made good lunch, pocketed my silverspoons
and forks, and their coachman stole some
things from the stable and the servants hall.
So you see, Mr. Temple, l am just now more
than usually suspicious of gentlemanly par
sons"
A good-natmed laugh at the expense of
Lord Clayton and myself ran round the ia
ble 1t appeared on inquiry that Mr.. Am
brose, who was dining with Lord Clayton,
drove pair OF greys and close carriage, as
likewise did Mr. Sinolaton tha rura; 6oan
who was dining with Mr.. Chilmark. The
turnpike woman bad mistaken one carriage
tor the other, and owing to the mis-direction,
had followed the wrong carriage. Hence
my fix, at the bottom OF which, you will OBJ
serve was woman. However, alPs well that
ends well. Lord Clayton took very kindly
to me. | was a constant visitor to Clayton
Castle; and when the living now hold be-
came vacant, Lord Clayton used his influence
successfully with the late Lord Chancellor to
get me appointed as the new Vicar.