Litchfield enquirer., 1875-10-28

make her home with HIS whether she would
 or no, during his absence in Europe.
 But, poor child, she was more than will ing to come. Y About week before her arrival, father,
 who was a sort of bishop in the region round about, was besought to spend the
 next Sunday with a church long without
 pastor about twenty miles away, and
 administer the sacrament. Chancing to
 meet on the street an Andover student of
 good repute and, receiving his promise to
 supply our pulpit, he departed. taking sister Fanny with him for a little visit
 with friends in the neighborhood of the
 destitute church, and I was left behind to entertain the minister, after the hospita-
 ble custom of clergymen's households.
 It had come to be nearly nine o'clock
 on Saturday night, and had long been turning over in my mind the name and fame of all the superannuated clergy in
 town of every orthodox persuasion, in despair of finding a substitute for the non-appearing substitute, when the bell rang vehemently. Dinah slowly came
 back from answering it, with her shoul- ders thrust back and @ quick toss of her yellow turban at every step, in obvious mimlcry of the stranger, ,-an ineradicable habit of hers, which sometimes did us good service when she had forgotten or mispronounced the name of caller.
 ''It's sure enough quality this time, Miss Bertha none of those common DOS. ties [Dinah had an inexpiicable prejudice against young divinesl; this yere's St. Mark, and he asked after Missile Ther un- changeable name for mamma, whose memory she worshippedl; l; sorry Miss Fan. ny can't have chance for him, too."
 w'Dinah, you grow absurder every day; why do you call the gentleman St. Mark |? His name is MT. Charles,"-f so it was inscribed in plain script on the card she had delivered with final disIocating toss of her head. It was idle at any time to attempt to trace Dinah's analogies. I hastened into the parlor, puzzling over the name "Mr Charles? Why, it was Mir. Drury who was to come. When entered. Dinah's ''St. Mark" was critical ly examining a crayon portrait of his host ess, who had therefore time to inventory the remarkably broad. square shoulders, the curly brown head, with it's already fa- miliar toss, and, to say the least, the not obtrusively clerical dress and air of her guest.
 ''Mr. Charles ?" At the sound of my voice the stranger turned suddenly, with as much surprise in his eyes as if I were the intruder {; but, after gazing in a be- wildered fashion for a moment or two, recovered himself sufficiently to say:
 Miss Draper, I presume. Mir. Drury, who was to supply Dr. Draper's pulpit to- morrow, was taken suddenly sick to-day as we were walking together in Boston, and will not te able to leave bis room for sometime. He sent me-that is-I came to fill his engagements as far as possible. I think 1t would be as well,-it would be better If I should go to the Merrimack House and spend Sunday. Isimply came here because Mr. Drury assured me that l was expected-that the clergyman was expected at Dr. Draper's."
 Now, here was g new type of young minister. was familiar with the shyness of the recluse, the insoluble dignity of the magnifier of his office, the more aw- ful sprightliness and condescension of the ''lady- killer" and, T am happy also to say, with not e few specimens of more agree ablo ordess but here was obviously q man,-''sure enough quality, !" as Dinah had affirmed, pain fnlly ill at ease by my simple entrance. This was more piquant than pleasing, as was not sufficiently in the habit of strik- lng terror to mems bosoms to find mate- rial for self-fattery in the sensation pro- duced. and, indeed, the expression of ''St. Marks face was rather that of an- noyance than admiration. However, I had been a mininter's daughter far longer than had been a woman, and was able to say coldly, but, am informed, with the irresistible authority of Q tragedy queen
 ''Of course not, MT. Charles Sit down, please. Clergymen always stay at our house under such circumstances. Is Mir. Drury seriously Ill ?"
 With an air of immense relief, MT, Charles launched upon the subject of MT. Drury's past, prest nt, and future.
 In spite of pique and perplexity, soon became thoroughly interested in the story of this homeless. friendless genius, and religious enthusiast, who, poor as poverty, but with the instincts and self-respect of the ''bluest" blood, had declined, not un- but positively, all charity and made his own way, slowly but honorably. through preparatory schools, and the university, and was now nearly ready for the foreign missionary service to which he had been self-deyoted Tor fifteen struggling years.
 'sHe has positively but one weakness" affirmed the enthusiastic racO,ateur at last, and that has to do with his sentiment toward women. He had no sister or cous- in, not even the memory of a mother, and has actually never spent half hour in a adys company, and yet no knight of chivalry ever approached the ardor of de- votion which burns in his breast for his ideal"
 ''Did understand you to say weak ness, Mir. Charles ?" asked I.
 ''Yes, weakness, with a disarming smile-''not the sentiment, if you please, but its investiture of hazy romance and impossible glory. He actually goes moon- ing about, Tn expectation that a divine maid will bid him hail from out some cloud or magic wood, and yet, at the same time, perfectly understands and acauies- ces in the fact that the entire Missionary Board are mousing among. the corridors of various female seminaries, and the sewing societies of every New England parish, in search of the inevitable com monplace Mrs. Drury, who will sail with him, sure as fate. next October. And he to this unrighteousness in the most simple, dutiful. matter-of-fact man. ner; offering oblation with one hand to his ideal. and actually writing letters with the other to some unknown female shigh- y recommended by Secretary - as he calmly assures me. Indeed, I think he was intending to meet her face to face next week, if this blessed sickness hadn't mercifully interposed."
 This proclamation of matrimony was one of my pet antiquities, and its discussion with the sympathetic est Mark" might have been too prolonged, if my official in- stinct hadn't recalled me.
 By the way, MT. Charles, our chorister has already called twice for your list of hymns, and I promised he should have them before breakfast tomorrow. Will you select them. please ?''
 It IS amazing how vacant an intelligent lace can instantly become under favorable Mfr. Charles exhibited this phenomenon beautifully, so that I really should not have been surprised had .'anon" issued from his parted lips. But knew my duty. and brought pencil and paper, and the old Church Psalmody- peace to its ashes land presented them ,uftla fhn n Al