The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-04-17
A Clerical Episode.

A Clerical Episode.
Its very disaereeable duty, "
thought the Rev. Mr.. Thornton us he
entered Mrs. Mason's parlor, "but as
I've been thouehtless enough to make
the promise, there's no way OF avoiding
it, Mr.. Thornton was young and
rather handsome gentleman, whose
thorough eHrnestness and sincerity,
Joined to n fair share of mental ability
and very large amount of kind-heart.
edne s, had made him extremely popu.
lar with the people Of the country town
i'll which he was located, and with no
one more SO than with the lady whose
house he had just entered. She con.
sidered him almost perfect, and would
have been deeply insulied if .hc had
heard anyone rashly calling in question
the soundness Of his judgment on any
subject. On the present OCCASION he
had come to fulfill promise to her
that he would call and have ian inter
view with her niece, Miss Hattie, Hal-
lowell, who was spending n few weeks
at her house.
Miss HalIowell was one Of the reign
ing D. Hes Of neighboring city, and
her manner toward gentlemen, though
not actually unladylil1e, WAS far too
ire, and unconstraiued to suit her
nnnts old-fashioncd and rather narrow
minded ideas of propriety, and The lat
ter had begged her minister to give the
young lady some wholesome ADVICE on
the subject. After promising to com
ply, Mr.. Thornton had become more
and more conscious that he had placed
hsnl9nlf p, ~ o,.sly, 81
that tho only result likely to cnsue
from: this undertaking to advise Miss
llnllowell WAS great deal OF displeas-
nre on her part. dthourh unwilling
to give way to what he feared might be
Il mere want Of moral courage, he was
good deal embarrassed when the time
came for the duty to he performed.
His embarrassment wns by no means
ltsscned When Miss Hallowcll came,
int" the room, looking really lovely in
her handsome, dark. blue morning ii, csa,
which enhanced, by contrast, the
brightness OF he: blonde compicxion
and beautiful light hnr. Tie truth
w"s, she had made up her mind some
days before that the minister wna I" The
only civilized man in the whole stupid
little town, aud had taken sCinp pains
that morning to appear at her best be-
fore him.
She greeted him very cordially, and.
ne ho noticed how frank and pjcnsont
her manner really was, he W 8 troubled
by still creator nneasness about lee
turing her on that point. But after
some preliminary convcrsati on during
which She noticed that he was very
nervous and ill at ease he made n de-
tcrminod effort to get through with his
dsaplceablc task.
" Miss Hnllowell," he said, 81 am
sure you know what high regard |
feel Tor you, and how very much inter
cStcd have become in y0u since YOU
have been here"
m very glad, indeed that you like
me SO much, Mr.. Thornton" sho an
swered. with charming smile.
lie found it Impossible to saw nny.
thing more ut tirs'. and there was an
awkward pause. Then, under scuse
that something must be said, and not
knowing exactly what it was to be. he
went on iii II strain that was rather
stronger than the facts of tho cosc
warranted
)" feel rs il l were more thon .
trend to yon," he said Indeed. I
haven't seen anybody jor n long timc
who excited my interest as YOU have
done. "'o
Here there was another pause, during
which he became moro embarrassed
than ever, while his companion began
to entertain certain idea about his
meaning.
want to ask You something" he
sad finally, in q hesitating way, "I'm
afraid you'll think it very strange in n, a
to cay such thing to you when I've
cn!y known you few weeks but 7
think you will mean, Ihors-"
here he came to dead stop and was
entirely at loss how to 30 on.
But before hn could put an end to his
hesitation the lady herself suddenly
nrou"ht matters to climax in way
Unit put very aill"rent aspect on tho
affair.
"Mr. Thornton" she said, with a