The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-04-07
Gbe Ginres, Netp BlOunrrelO, 1Da.


awe are close TO my little place now, sir.
] think can offer you what you will hard
ly find at the inn--a clean room and well
aired bed and it seems mere act of
common civility to beg you to accept it."
With many thanks, but with the natural
politeness and ease with which u gentle
man receives from another the courtesy
which he is always ready to offer himself,
the hospitable invitation was at once freely
accepted; and in five minutes they had
passed the little gate, and were awaiting
the opening of the door.
This service was performed by the whole
available force of Harry's establishment.
One active little elderly woman, who was
there on resident and permanent duty, in all
capacities, assisted on this occasion by
Samuel Shears, parish clerk, sexton, bar
ber, bird-fancier, flshing-tackle maker, ETC.,
ETC., and acting gardener valet, butler
and footman, when required, to the rev.
erend the curate. Loud was the welcome
be received from both. "Had he walked
through all the rain, surely The coach
was very late then they'd most given him
up no, Sam hadn't, cause of service to-
morrow" when their volubility was some
what checked by the sight of his compan-
ion and the old lady's face underwent no
very favorable change when informed she
must prepare second bed,
Walk in, pray, and warm yourself
that room-Sam, take these bags" And
Harry stepped aside into the kitchen, to
negotiate with his housekeeper for the
strangers accommodation; a matter not to
be effected but by some little tact; for
Molly, like servants of higher pretensions,
did not like being put out of her way, by
people looming trampin'," as she said, at
all hours of the night and If Bolton had
replied to her close inquiries as to who and
whence the new guest was, with the
statement that he was stray Methodist
preacher, it is probable that Molly, who
had lived with clergymen since she was
child, and would sooner have missed her
dinner than "her church," would have re-
signed her keys of Office at once i'll high
disgust.
"The gentleman will sleep in my room,
of course, Molly, and l shall have my
things put into the other anything will
do for supper-bread and cheese, Molly,
quite well--toast little, will you? Poor
man, he seems to have a cough"
"Toasted cheese amt good for cough"
fk,h ha oil n ffua
little bacon and few eggs, you know"
"There amt no eggs. / don't know
what's come to the ens they behaves or
rid, they does"
swell, anything, anything, Molly. am
very tired, and don't care what it is we
shall both be very glad to get to bed"
Lor, dare say you be tired, sir," said
Molly, somewhat pacified "You've had a
very wet ride, to be sure; lawk-a-me, why
this coat might be a-wringed out. And
she hastened to relieve her master of his
outer wrappings, and supply him with
warm dressing gown and slippers, in which
he soon Joined his guest in the little parlor;
and having introduced him to the room he
was to occupy for the night left him also
to make himself comfortable.
If Harry Bolton did not repent of his
hospitality, which would have been very
unlike him, yet, upon consideration, he
certainly felt he was acting the good Sa-
maritan somewhat more literally than he
ever expected to do.
"What on earth shall do with him to
morrow, / should like to kuow2' was the
first question that suggested itself-much
more readily than did the answer. He
could not be expected to go to church, per-
haps but would he stay quietly at home
or walk off to assist the very reverend ia
bez at Mount PisgahP AS to his keeping
his appointment at s., that at least was
out of the question; and, after all, there
seemed to be SO much good sense and feel
ing of propriety about the traveller, that It
was most probable--at least Harry thought
so-that he would not in any way offend
against the rules of the household which
he had entered under such circumstances.
So the curate brushed the clinging rain
from his hair, and the cloud from his brow,
with one and the same motion, and re-
lapsed into his usual state of good-humor.
Supper came in, and he and his guest sat
down opposite to each other, and prepared
to discuss old Molly's simple cookery.
Really, now that one could look at him
well, the man was very presentable in per
son as well as in manner. Harry said