The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-03
THE PARSONS PREDICAn1ENT

painfully idisagreeable predicament
in which Iwas once placed-a cleri-
cal one, to boot-and yet it ended SO
advantage eously as to start me well in
life. LIP az; -, o>..'.
Just4 after, / was married, took
the crracy of B in Warwick
shire. resided in the rectory,
the rector himself being obliged to
Evei the South of France. Callers
of course came, but, owing to one
circumstance and another, we missed
seeing most of them. Before we had
started on our round of returning
visits, / received o friendly note
from Mr.. Chilmark, O vicar in the
neighborhood, stating that, in for
mer times, he had known my father
at college; that he had the rural
dean and O few friends coming to
dine with him on such day, and
that If my wife and I would waive
ceremony, 1--WE had not then returned
his CALI Mrs. Chilmark and he
would be much pleased if we would
Join their dinner-party. I should
remark that my wife and I had never
seen Mr.. and Mrs. Chilmark; we
were out in the parish when they
called on us. They lived about
three miles on the other side of the
town of W -, from which we were
two miles distant. In those days,
I did not keep close carriage, but
drove my wife in an open wag-
gonette. I did not know the coun-
try at all; but having studied the
map, and got directions from an
acquaintance, I had little doubt but
that, with the help of young moon,
I should find my way.
It so happened that the night of
November 18. 1858, was very foggy;
the moon was hardly of any use to
us. We could find our way to the
town of W all right, because it
was a turnpike road, and I was ac-
quainted with it; but with regard to
the other side Of the town and the
crossroads, I hardly knew what to
do. I made up my mind to see if I
could get on at all; and if I found
myself in the least degree puzzled, I
determined to go back, and get an
hostler from the town to act as
guide. AS we were leaving W,
and about to drive through a turn
pike, well-appointed carriage over
took us, and passed through the
gate just before us. I asked the
woman at the gate whose carriage it
was. ''Mr. Singleton's," she replied.
How Fortunate" exclaimed my
wife; "that is the rural dean. We
know he is going to dine with the
Chilmarks; 30 you have only to fol-
low close upon him, and we shall be
all right" Acting on my wife's
bright suggestion, I did follow the
carriage, and that closely. Luckily,
my horse was good one. Occa-
sionally, when near water, we seem
ed to be plunging through darkness,
so thick was the fog. However, all
went well; and at last I was glad to
follow the carriage before me through
an avenue up to large house, whose
hall was blazing with light, and
resplendent with the liveries of the
servants. We did not take much
notice then of these things; but, as
divested myself of my wraps, and nv
wife putting herself straight in some
back room, I could not help enyyine
Mr.. Chilmark, and thinking that his
living must be an exceedingly good
one, as he was able to have things in
such style.
In few minutes, we were ushered
into the drawing-room, the butler
making, as usual, some blunder
about our names when announcing
US. Mr.. and Mrs. Chilmark came
forward and kindly accosted us. My
wife was installed on sofa near the
fire, and I formed one of q knot of
gentlemen lounging in the back
ground. We were large party,
about twenty in number; and as the
butler left the room, I thought
heard Mrs. Chilmark give the order
Dinner" A few dull moments, as
usual, before that meal, when sud.
denly en- electrical shock of a curious
nature was communicated to the
majority assembled in the drawing
room. The door was opened. and
instead of dinner being announced.
the butler ushered in Mr.. and Mira
Templeton. There did not appear
to me to be anything unusual in
this, but evidently e great commo.
ton was created. Persons looked