The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-05

| including glimpse OF the carved stalls
on the right, was finally chosen; and as
the best place for the artist proved tc
be the organ-loft, a small square space,
raised about five feet above the aisle, DR.,
Bracev installed Aimee th ere, showing
her how conveniently she could set her,
self. and how she could regulate the
| light at will by closing or opening the
curtains with which the loft was in
closed.
"And here is shelf for your things,
he added, exhibiting led &c at the back
of the organ. "You might leave them
there. if YOU like, and save the trouble
of fcarrying sthem to and fro. Nobody
will meddle with them. The organist
sits round here, you see, and the oelloWs
boy is blind. poor fellow" With this
he departed, leaving Aimee to her task,
She worked ON through that quiet
afternoon and the next, and so success
fully that her work became absorbing
and full of interest. On Monday the
students returned. Frank Chasuble
walked home with them after even.
song, was asked to tea by Mrs. Bracey,
and spent long evening with Aimee
over the piano. Never had he been SC
charming. so devoted. Her thoughts
were fuller of him than of her drawing
as, early on Tuesday afternoon, she be.
took herself to her perch in the organ
loft, secure, as she supposed, Of three
hours solitude before the tinkle of the
service bell al six should warn her to
flee.
She had just got well to work when
the opening door and the sound of foot
steps and voices startled her attention.
Peeping from between the closely drawn
curtains, she beheld, to her surprise. the
greater part of the senior class entering
the chapel. There were Arthur Burns,
Vedderbake, Bensen, Frank, of course,
That quiet Mr.. Challoner, who always
looked at her so much and said so little,
Gregory, Tom Esher and dozen others,
all Of whom she knew by name at least,
and most of them personally. What
could they be doing here at this hourP
She had never happened to hear of what
the students called "practicing Tues
day," on which monthly occasion the
senior class met to rehearse and criticize
each others sermons: But the mystery
soon explained itself, for presently
Arthur Burns mounted into the pulpit
and began to read from a manuscript,
while his classmates, grouped in various
unconventional attitudes, listened atten-
lively. The discourse lasted about
fifteen minutes. When he finished, the
others proceeded to comment.
1.-THE ending was decidedly poor"
put in Frank Chasuble. "You just
stopped, that was all. There was no
finish"
"Well, what better can fellow do
than stop when he's through" asked
the speaker. ,
"He can perorate. He can round and
embellish," retorted Frank. "Any one
can stop. 1t takes q cultivated man to
stop eloquently." =.
"We'fl have your kind of stop now."
said his friend. Forward. march,
Chasublc; it's your turn"
So Frank swept up the aisle and as
sumed the desk. His sermon was very
fine, thought Aimee-very fine indeed.
She pceped from between the curtains,
her eyes shining with amusement at the
thought of how little they suspected who
was listening. Then naughty thought
popped into her head, and she began
penciling sentences down on her draw
ing-paper. She would learn a few by
heart. she decided, and quote them as il
accidentally in the course of conversa-
ton. How amazed they would look,
and what fun it would be!
"Well, how was it?" asked Frank,
rather vaingloriously, as he returned.
Very well written" said that quiet
Young Challoner, "but nothing to it.
Frank. Words, just words" That de-
sirable quality, frankness, was certainly
prevalent at the Bracey.
"What do you mean?" demanded
! Frank, flushing angrily. "How is 6
discourse to be expressed except ir
words, should like to knowp"
1T is well to have something behind
them" began Challoner, but his voice
twas drowned in acclamations from {
chorus of Franks special cronies.
lit was first-rate. 1t was capital
No one could take exception to sylla
BILE in it "-and Aimee. unseen in heI
gallery. clinched small fist and shool
it vindictively at Challoner. It was out
rageous that her hero should be thus at
tackled. How did he darep"
The two hours sped by. the last ser
mon was preached, and the class dis
persed. A few fingered on their wa,
out to discuss the events of the vacation
, Aimee, who had been glad to see tn
move, shrank back into her shelte
again. She felt more than ever hov
awkward her position would be were
( discovered that she had been there al
. the time.
eve had a most gorgeous service o.
7 Sunday at St. Aliens" said frank Chas
e uble, who had perched himself on tn
l back of a bench directly below the OF
| gan-loft. " went with the Dixons
4 Miss Dixon is a raving beauty, ca
e tell you"
y "Was that the reason you didn't com
r back Saturday, Ell? I heard you tel
e Miss Trenchard you would"
e 81 dare say l may have said so in
e weak moment; but there was meta
n more attractive where I was, my boy.
Y AL l can say is that Miss Dixon, O
t Miss Anybody else, has got to get u
early in the morning if she wants to bea
y Miss Trenchard," declared Tcm Eshel
IS "She's the prettiest girl I ever saw
a my life. l declare, in that blue dres
o she wore to mathis to-day, she's stur
n ming"
le "That's just all you know about it,
le responded Frank, indolently, She
l, well enough as country girls go has g
g pretty hair and eyes, and all that; b,
ar she can no more hold candle to Nett
Of Dixon than she can fly. No Englis
ID girl ever born ever did compare, or ev
lie will, with a tip-top New Yorke
There's a total lack Of style, you Sc
~ They don't know how to put on the
I'd clothes, or to show'em off after they e
m 'em on. That blue thingumy Aim
to wears on her head would be laughed
I'd on Fifth avenue; I assure you
is would" On. B.-Frank had no mo
I'd than once praised said ''thingumy.
is "She's a nice, soft little girl enoug
IS Aimee Trenchard is, but she does1
IS stand anywhere beside dozen girls
a. could name. As for Netty Dixon, sh,
er a real ripper"
h Poor Aimee! The blood tiugled
IN her cheeks as if she had received shar
to sudden blow, as these words fell up,
Il. her ears. She was too stunned to moy
,h and sat perfectly motionless in her Sc
Ls- as the conversation went on.
IT. "Well, if that's your opinion of Nj
Of Trenchard, I think you'd better leave
n hanging about her Q, you do. Y,
ct might give another follow the chance