The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-02-09

full and aggressive as colley driving stupid
fat ewes, and, little behind, group of pert
pretty girls. They surrounded him, eager, We
hement, all talking at once. The Rev. Nicho
las listened with an anxiety which he strove t.
subdue into benign attention. 1t hardly
suited the dignity Of his calling to be con
cerned about the ratified cake or grabbing, and
yet it was all important that the church should
have stained rose window.
Pierce has agreed to charge nothing for the
dishes, and what do you think, Mr.. Harbour
ice-cream should be plate. We don't want
to be exorbitant, you know But people
ought to be generous, considering the cause il
the Lords"
Certainly, certainly. Very good in Pierce
I'm sure calculated the bewildered pastor.
And Miss Sarah Clevedon has consented
to assist" The PASTORS wandering eyes grew
steady at this. mot" pursued Miss Hyde
that the girl will be of any real use. The
most eccentric, unreliable person! But it will
give tone to the affair to have her name. The
social status of the Clevedons will induce
many to take interest in our efforts who care
nothing Tor Well-cOoked supper, or even fol
our noble purpose" Miss Hyde was Core.
spending Secretary of the Female Missionary
| Society. Her language was noted in Kerr's
Ford for its scope and dignity of expression,
I'VE ought not to reckon on such things, y
said Mr. Harbour, gently, "The Master, you
| Know, is no respecter of persons"
And yet, as he walked on with them to the
hall where the fair was to be held, he knew
| that he did reckon on these things. "The
social status of the Cevedons" weighed not a
| little with him, even in his feeling for Sarah.
1t Illuminated all his thoughts of that beauti-
| 1ul young person as the gold background does
the pictures of medieval Madonnas. He was
angry at himself Could he not keep even his
| love pure and high-above the paltry level of
caste considerations! The young man knew
his own weakness He remembered that once
in London, when his cab was stopped at the
entrance to certain street belonging to the
| noble Duke, because none but liveried eQui-
pages were allowed to pass, how he stood for
an hour, looking at these privileged convey
ances and their occupants with homage
nearly akin to awe. 1t was absurd to pay the
same homage to this village aristOcracy-to
! Sarah's family, with their ancestry of Circuit
Judge, country Squire, and far-otf signer of
the Declaration. But, with the whole popula-
| ton of the county, he did it.
| Miss Hyde drew him aside when they were
within the hall. For twenty years Miss Hyde
had been manager of village etiquette, indis-
pensable at wedding, fair or funeral She had
claim to speak with authority in church mat
tiers, different from that of pastor or deacons,
but quite as distinctly recognized by the people.
1.-The Hollis and Burwells are talking of APP
plying for pews," she said, triumphantly
1.-The good cause moves"
Mr. Harbour bowed. The blood mounted to
With the Clevedons, we shall then have all
thu best people in Kerr's Ford, +" she continued
6 It's quite right! With such church and
such preaching we ought to fill our pews with
a certain clasp
Mr.. Harbour skillfully separated himself
from Miss Hyde. Her vulgarity and snobbish-
ness annoyed him. Yet he was just as pleased
as she that the influx to the church was to be
OF ' a certain Glass;
Mrs. Wilcox next seized his arm. "See the
Postoffce, Mr.. Harbour. An arch of ever
green, paper flowers, colOred lamps-you I'M
derstand the design; Lille Bassett inside in
white muslin and blue wreath-oh, it will be
charming You have done so much to elevate
our aesthetic tastes and love of the beautiful !
L sit i'll the church now on Sunday, and look
up at the carved arches and the stained glass
and crimson cushions, and remember the DAYS
OF poor, dear.Mr Stone, when we worshiped
over the market-house The old gentleman
was always so busy with those wretched miners
at Coalport that he had no time to think of
cushions or carvings. They used to crowd in
and fill up some of the best seats in church
Dear knows, beautiful church would have
been thrown away on them!'
Mr.. Harbour glanced at her sharply. Did
she intend covert sarcasm! But no; her fat,
good-natured face was smiling and placid as
ever. 1t was natural that she should wish to
see the best seats filled with people of position
rather than grimy coal-heavers. But he!
He told himself that they were all alike--souls
for whom Christ died
There was sudden movement near the door,
hush OF the clamor to decOrous silence; even
Miss Hyde lowered her strident tones to a
well-bred murmur; the Hollis and Burwells
were coming in and with them Sarah Cleve-
don. She was an erect young girl with brown,
earnest eyes, dressed more simply than any
woman in the room. But people rarely re-
membered Sarah's dress or ANYTHING about
mi n NVb al
strangely remained with you after she was
gone. Mr.. Harbour watched her as she passed
through the room, detained by one eager group
after another Was it possible that she did
not know that since she was child she had
been regarded as princess by these trades
mems wives and daughters, simply because
she was born an heiress! Could it be possible
that she did not see how vulgar and coarse
grained they were! She did not seem to see
it. They were her friends whom she had
known and loved since she was baby; it did
net occur to her to criticise their minds or
manners, any more than to quarrel with the
beeches on the village street because they
were not oaks. When she sat down beside
little Miss Maddox the tailoress, there was a
Difference, almost approaching humility, in her
manner. True, the poor little deformed
woman was almost saint, thought the clergy
man, but what fine instinct taught that rever-
ence to the girl! He never had felt it himself.
How delicate and rare she was, this lady of
his love! With all her cordial sweetness, no
one could be familiar with her. She would
have held prince as far apart from her as she
did poor little Sam the cobber.
| Presently he went up and joined her, going
from stall to stall. The effect upon him was
curious. Grab-bag and postoffice slowly sank
to their proper place in the universe; even the
rose-window, for which all this mighty pother
was made, no longer appeared to be the end of
| life and human action; it was in its place a
| useful thing. But its place was, after all, a
small one. Yet Sarah had not said word
| concerning grabbing or rose-window. Was it
because she was so simple and true that this
hurly-burly appeared to him paltry and foolish
| He left the hall, walking beside her down
| through the low-lying meadows of Clevedon
place. He remembered the furry and fever of
the last few days as man might who had
crown in his hands. If he could win this
woman he could leave all vulgar fever forever
below him and rise to the height on which she
| dwelt. To see Sarah Clevedon among these
other women was like hearing a noble song
sung in the chaffering market-place. They
| reached the gate and passed under the great
| elms to the house, which was old and not with
out certain stateliness of atfluence and com.
fort .,.... .-t..
at imports good deal in the character OF
a woman" said Mr.. Harbour, continuing his
thoughts aloud, Ito have been born to an in.
heritance like this, haunted by the legends OF
an honorable family"
Sarah looked at him in surprise. 81 am
| vary fond nf tho old hOusa - shn sold ein,plv