The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-24
The Curate's Sweetheart.

the smoke from the chimney over the
tops of the trees that skirted his lawn.
> The Rev. Charles Grosvenor had been
away from the scene of his labors az
Chumleigh for q month. Chumlelgh
was c%ountryfed enough and healthy
enough. but he had been ordered sea
air and had taken the trip, leaving his
by no means extensive flock to the care
Of a temporary shepherd.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor was q
young man, and Crumleigh was his first
living. He was quite new enough to
his work 70 take interest in it, and he
was on intimate terms with all his
parishioners.
Directly he heard of the new arrivals
in the village he, of course, determined
to call upon them, but he thought ne
would just inquire what sort OF people
they were.
- The result was the above description
"a. description vague enough in all
conscience, and yet sufficient at once to
invest the heroines of it with a slight
halo of romance.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor had not
so long left college life to busy himself
among the pumpkins but that he could
duly appreciate the piquancy which a
little mystery. leads to u ordinary
hum-drum existence. ,
Knowingthatthe young lady Stunned
observation, his curiosity was at once
aroused, and he looked forward to his
first meeting with her with more than
ordinary eagerness. AS to the old lady
well, he was o young bachelor, remem-
Der, and however deeplyol ladies may
veil themselves, or however mysterious
they may be, they cannot expect to
command much attention when there is
a younger lady in the case.
The curate called at Laburnam cot
tage the day after the return from the
seaside. He found the Smiths very
quiet and u~nassuming people. Mrs:
Smith said very little and sighed 3 good
deal, and Miss Smith, though a fluent
and agreeable speaker, as he could judge
from the little she said, spoke only in
answer to his questions, and kept her
eyes fixed on the ground the whole time
he was talking 10 her.
Something queer about these peo-
pie" said the Rev. Charles Grosvenor
to himself. 81 wonder what it is. /
must draw them out"
His notion of drawing them out was
to engage their services in his parish
work. Thesold lady sighed and con-
sented. The young n eolored, cast
down her eyes, and said that she was
not fit for such work. Not religious
enough, she meant.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor was
much distressed to hear that Miss Smith
wasnot religious. Here, at last. was a
task congenial TO his soul. lie was
quite wi.lingto convert farm laborers and
to reform mark . gardeners, but when
a demure looking young lady, with an
agreeable manner, offered herself, he
could not refrain from looking forward
to the prospect of higher and nj bier
work.
He talked seriously to Miss Smith,
and Miss Smith listened ser~iously-so
seriously that the curate was taken by
surprise He was almost alarmed at
heterrible ]earnestness with which the
girl spoke of religious questions, asked
or spiritual consolation, and arg ued
with him on the dread subject of the
sinners fate hereafter. The earnest
ess land the yehemence of his parish
iones However, only increased his in
I .eTeSt insher.R ; "a
{ Vow, when Miss Smith called herself
a miserable sinner, the Rev. Charles
Grosvenor thoroughly believed that she
was one. He accepted her confession
IN the anne sense that he would ha We
accepted it from the patron Of his living,
or his mother, or any OF his lady parish
isners.S We are all miserable sinners,
and being enjoined TO say so, a clergy
man cannot, for the sake of being COM
ELEMENTARY, refuse to believe a young
lady when she affirms that she is no ex-
ceplion TO the rule.
But rs TO attaching any really serious
IMPORT to- the confession of Miss
Smith, that never occurred TO him for
moment. He soothed her, offered her
such. consolation rs he could, thought
she was a NEST pious and interesting
girl and fellmadli in love with her.
From the moment he made the dis
covery his conduct to her altered. He
tempted her to talk less about herself
and to be cheerful. He didn't want the
girl he was in love with to be too per-
sistently n miserable sinner. She was
so charming and so nice that he felt she
might very welAkeep that in the back
ground q little. g. go.
A white tie and 81 clerical coat do not al
terra mans nature and when a man falls
madly in love with q woman. lie likes
to imagine. her as near perfection as
possible. u 5{4EH, ~.
Miss Smiths manner changed also.
She discovered the parsons secret be-
fore it was many days old. She was
still pleased to see him, but she avoided
all reference to her sins.
Once he questioned her about her past
life. For a moment she went deadly
pale, then the color rushed to her cheeks
and size stammered out q remark which
turned the conversation.
Miss Smith saw that the Rev. Charles
Grosvenor was at her mercy. It was
only a question Of time when he would
make the avowal. Should she encour
age him, or discourage bis secret. and
stop 1t while there was yet time?
In her difficulty she laid her case be-
fore her mother and asked her advice.
The old lady was frightened out OF her
WITS She dared not think about such
3 thing. she said. Ofcourse' It would be
the niakingo of her if she could marry a
clergyman; but how could it be done?
He would have to know the history of
her life first. and then
"And .l,en he wouldn't have me-"
answeredthe girl, ~passionately.
.s0fcourse not, my DEAR" said Mrs.
Smith. Sat least / should think not"
.Shail ] tell,himP Shall ! confess all
the next time he comes?"
Again Mrs. Smith is frightened. She
does notaike tothink what the result Of
that confession will be. They've man
aged at last to find a spot where they
can live sauietly and unknown. Why
must Ill tile miserable story be brought
up agaia? Il d,
his Smith failing Il getsny practical
advice from her mother, thinks the mat
oyer auietly by herself and by the
time she sees her admirer again she has
settiedonher course Of action.
gSHan1aets him III the fields that lead
kosthechnreh.
Its = bright summer morning and
shev pause by a stile to look at the yel-
and red Of the far stretching fields.
Tia Rev. Charles Grosyenor COM
nences by taking about nature. and.
comes down to talking abnut
3i,mseif-shis aims and prospects n HE.