The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-03-18

Little Jenny, matchless Jenny,
Sunshine kiss her, winds caress her;
Dark browed sorrow, do not touch her,
Or, If touching, touch to bless her.
A CLERICAL EPISODE.
"1T's q very disagreeable duty
thought the Rev. Mr.. Thornton, as he en-.
tered Mrs Mason's parlor, "but as I've
been thoughtless enough to make the
promise, there's no way of avoiding it. u
Mr.. Thornton was q young and rather
handsome gentleman, whose thorough
earnestness and sincerity, Joined to .
fair share of mental ability and a very
large amount Of kind-heartedness, had
made him extremely popular with the
people Of the country town in which he
was located, aud with no one more SO
than with the lady whose house he had
just entered. She considered HIM almost
perfect, and would have been deeply in
suited if she had heard anyone rashly
calling in question the soundness of his
judgment on any subject. On the present
occasion he had corae to fulfill promise
to her that he would call and have an in
terview with her niece, Miss Hattie Hal
lowell, who was spending few weeks at
her house.
Miss Hallowell was one of the reign.
ing bellies Of a neighboring city, and her
manner toward gentlemen, though not
actually unladylike, was far too free and
unconstrained to suit her aunt's old
fashioned and rather narrc w minded
ideas of propriety, and the latter had
begged her minister TO give the young
lady some wholesome advice on the sub.
ject. After promising to comply, Mr..
Thornton had become more and more con-
scious that he had placed himself in q
very awkward position, and that the only
result likely to ensue from his under
taking to advise Miss Hallowell was a
great deal of displeasure on her part
And though unwilling to give way to
what he feared might be a mere want of
moral courage, he was good deal EN-
barrassed when the time came for the
duty to be performed.
His embarrassment was by no means
lessened when Miss Hallowell came into
the room, looking really lovely in her
handsome, dark-blue morning dress,
which enhanced, by contrast, the bright
ness of her blonde complexion and beau.
tiful light hair. The truth was, she had
made up her mind some days before that
the minister was the only civilized man
in the whole stupid little town." and had
taken some pains that morning to appear
at her best before him.
She greeted him very cordially, and,
as he noticed how frank and pleasant
her manner really was, he was troubled
by still greater uneasiness about lect-
uring her on that point. But after some
preliminary conversation-during which
she noticed that he was very nervous
and i'll at ease-he made q determined
effort to get through with his disagreea-
Bile task
miss Hallowell," he said, ~ am sure
you know what high regard feel for
you, and how very much interested l
have become in you since you have been
here"
I'm very glad, indeed, that you like
me 80 much, Mr.. Thornton" she answered,
with charming smile.
He found it impossible to say anything
more at first, and there was an awkward
pause. Then, under sense that some
thing must be said, and not knowing ex-
actly what it was to be, he went on in a
strain that was rather stronger than the
facts of the case warranted.
Il feel as if ! were more than friend
to you," he said. Indeed, haven't
seen anybody for long time who excit
ed my interest as you have DONE"
Here there was another pause, during
which he became more embarrassed
than ever, while his companion began to
q certain idea about his mean
ing.
Il want to ask you something" he said
finally, in ahesitating way. "Im afraid
you'll think it very strange in me to say
such thing to you when I've only known
you few weeks; but think you will
l mean, hope"
Here he came to a dead stop and was
at loss how to 60 on.
But before he could put an end to his
hesitation the lady herself suddenly
oh ffor IN n1i IN
that put very different aspect ON the
affair.
"Mr. Thornton" she said, with man
ner in which kind feeling was combined
with decisive firmness, II think / know
what you want to say to me, and I'm
sure it will be better to stop you before
you say it. | believe you were going to
ask me to marry you. ] can always es-
TEEN and honor you very much; but it
would be impossible for me to be more
than your friend, even if l wished to,
for I'll tell frankly that I'm engaged to
some one else"
II Miss Hallowell had suddenly spoken
to him in pure Sanscrit or the choicest
Iroquois, Mr.. Thornton could not have
been more astounded. He sat for few
moments in silent amazement. But the
utter righteousness of the thing soon
came to him in its full force, and, with
out any premonitory symptoms, he fell
into . violent paroxysm Of laughter. His
efforts to control himself were quite
useless, and one or two faint attempts
which he made to speak were instantly
smothered in q fresh outburst.
Miss Hallowell's astonishment was, at
first, rs great as his had been. She, too,
soon recovered from that feeling; but,
instead of being succeeded by mirth, it
was followed, in her case, by passion
ate fit of anger. With look Of ineffable
scorn she got up, walked out Of the par
lor, and went straight to her own room.
Mr.. Thornton left the house feeling una
BILE to make any explanation at that time.
In the meanwhile Miss Hallowell in
dulged in numerous rather wild plans
for being revenged upon the man who,
she thought, had treated her 20 shame
fully in return for her confederation and
But at last she found relief in
q flood of tears, and soon afterward was
to laugh At the whole affair
herself.