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

It's very disagreeable duty" !"
thought the Rev. Mr.. Thornton, as he
entered Mrs. Mason's parlor, shut as
I've been thoughtless enough to make
the promise, there's no way of avoiding
It. Mr.. Thornton was n young and
rather handsome gentleman, whose
thorough earnestness and sincerity,
joined to fair share of mental ability
and n very large amount of kind-heart.
edne S, had made him extremely popu.
lar with the people of the country town
in which he was located, and with no
one more 80 than with the lady whose
house he had just entered. She con
sidered him almost perfect, and would
have been deeply insulted if she 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 IN inter-
/ view with her niece, Miss Hattie. Hal
lowell, who was spending a few weeks
at her house.
Miss HalIowell was one of the reign
ing ;lles OF n neighboring city, and
her manner toward gentlemen, though
not actually unlady-lil1e, was far too
tres and unconstraiued to suit her
nnnts old-fashioned and rather narrow
minded ideas of propriety, and the lat
ter had begged hor minister give the
young lady some wholesome ADVICE on
the subject. After promising to COM
ply, MIR. Thornton had become more
and more conscious that he had placed
himself in very awkward position, and
That the only result likely to ensre
from this undertaking to advise Miss
HalloWell was great deal of displeas-
ure on her part And though unwilling
to give way to what he feared might be
mere want Of moral courage, he was
good dcal embarrassed when the timc
came for the duty to be performed
Ills embarrassment was by no means
l.sscned when Miss Ha!loweli came
into the room, looking really lovely in
her handsome, dark blue morning -dr oss,
which enhanced, by contrast, The
brightness Of her blonde complexion
and beautiful Light hair. The truth
was, she had made up her mind some
days before tLat tho minister was The
only civilized man in the whole stupid
little town." and had taken scme pains
That morning to appear Mt hcr best be-
fore him.
She greeted him very cordially, and !,
as ho noticed how frank and pleasant
her manner really was, ho was troubled
by still greater uneasiness about lee
turing her on That point. But after
some preliminary convcrsation-durip
which she noticed that he was yerY
nervous and i'll at ease--be made de.
termined effort to get through with his
disaoleeable tnsk.
Miss Hallowell," he said. "I am
sure you know what high regard /
feel for you, and how very much intor-
ested have become in you since yo1,
have been here"
I'm very glad, indeed, that you like
me so much, Mr.. Thornton" she an.
swered, with charming smile.
he found it Impossible to say any.
thing more ut first. and there was M
awkward pause. Then, under a sepse
that something must be said, and not
knowing exactly what it was to be. he
went on in strain that was rather
stronger than the facts of the case
warranted. VIC o'so
~ feel as il 1 were more tbor .
Jriend to you," he eaid. "Indead T
haven't seen anybody for n long timo
VINO excited my interest as YOU have
mere there was another pause, duripo
which he became more emborreaooS 8
than ever, while his companion began
to entertain certain idea about b;s
meaning. f'i'
" want to ask You something" he
sald finally, in hesitating way, "I'm
AFRAID you'll think it very strange in me
TO say such thing 70 you when I've
only known you a few weeks but I
th19k you will mean, hope"
mere ne came to dead stop and was
entirely at loss how to go on.
Eut before he could put an end to his
hesitation the lady herself suddenly
brought matters to climax in q way
affair. '" Wv