Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-27
Gales ano sIiettbcs.
CAyCELLIyG An OBLIGATION.

spectacles. He was clever, for he had been
afellow of his college, although his honor
was attained by hard reading rather than
by talent Two wears after he had obtained
his fellowship. a small living in the gift OF
the college became vacant. Several good
livings being expected to fall in at an early
date. the cure of karslake was contemptu-
ously refused by all the senior fellows, but
readily accepted by Richard Hallowes
As it was worth about three hundred a year,
witha house and very small glebe Hallowes
thought 1t better to take i'll than to wait I'M
I'll his turn came for richer gift.
karslake itself was quiet little town.
standing uponarising, but not high ground.
Its population was under thousand, but
it was scattered over large surface; for.
with the exception of the main street, II
was careless. struggling place, most Of
the houses having small garden plats at
tached. 1t was, in fact, a village rather
than a town.
The Reverend Richard IIallowes had not
been settled three months in the parsonage
house at Karslake before he came very seri-
ously to the conclusion that it was his duty
to marry. He had always been ofopinion.
very rightly, that clergyman in charge
of n parish, TO be of any real utility,
should be married, and he had also very
strong theory of the kind of woman who
ought to be a rector's wife--a kind hearted
motherly sort of woman, earnest in assist
ing her husband indefatigable among the
poor, and peacemaker to the whole
parish.
Now, Laura Hernshawe was unquestion-
ably the belle of Karslake. Her father
was the proprietor of the collieries, and
she had been sent TO a fashionable school
by the seaside to be educated, and had
come back, about a year before the advent
of the Reverend Richard lIallowes, fin
ished young lady. ta,ss e....5.t.s
Laura Hernshawe was undoubtedly very
pretty, and as undoubtedly she was rather
fast--the ladies of Karslake said dreadfully
fast; not that they used the word fast, but
what they did say meant pretty well the
same thing. Laura lIernshawc was fond
of riding, she was fond of dancing she
could pull an oar in their pleasure boat on
the canal almost as well as her brother;
she could swim, 1t was said like fish
and she was certainly flirt-altogether a
Young lady as far removed from the ideal
of the Reverend Richard Hallowes as 1t
was possible to be; and yet-alas for the
WtdknesS VI IluiudH TtSolNtS .-nt toH-
fessed even to himself that this girl, with
her bright eyes and her saucy laugh, sent
a strange thrill through him, which he
never felt when engaged in the most Sc
rious conversations upon parish matters
with the Misses Stuart, orr Miss Pemose, or
Miss Herslet; not that be for a moment
allowed that he had any intention ofdevia-
ting from his original resolve. lie only
admitted that, had he been differently
placed. he should certainly have admired
the girl very much.
With July came Reginald lIernshawe,
Laura's only brother, a year older than
herself who was being educated at Cam
bridge.
The brother and sister were very fond
of getting into a small boat. pulling some
miles up the canal Ia where it ran through
thick wood, and then they would get out
and eat the lunch they carried with them.
Sometimes they took friend or two with
them; more often they went alone.
Upon one occasion, a. they had just
started, they saw Mr.. IIallowes, who was
coming along the towing path. After the
first greeting, Reginald llernshawe asked
Where are you going. Mr. Hallowes?"
II was going back 10 karslake.
have just been down to read to an old
woman in one of your cottages
Then you have nothing particular to
dop.
.sNo; nothing whatever"
''Will you get in, then, and go with us?
We have got lunch with US, and are going
to the Hanger ...-.r -. -,.....
Mr.. Hailowes consented, although an
inward monitor whispered that he had bet
ter not
As the boat drew near to the shore, Miss
Hernshawe said w@t hs#
"Will you take my oar, Mr.. Hallowes?r
II should be very happy, Miss Hern-
Shave, but really know nothing of row.
ing; and never had an oar in my hand
in my life.'' W
Laura Hernshaw's face certainly ex-
pressed rather contemptuous pity; how
ever. she only said taaAFt
VERY well. Mr.. Hallowes you take
the rudder-strings; Reginald and viii
pull; like il above all things"
Mr.. Hallowes' steering was little, ii at
all. above his rowing. and the boat under
his guidance made such sudden and abrupt
rushes, first to one bank and then to an
other, that Reginald Hernshawe was
obliged to request the rector to leave the
rudder-strings alone, and only TO pub
them when told to do So and to let them
know If anything was in their course
Under this arrangement the boat again
glided quietly upon her way, and the
Reverend Richard Hallowcs gave himself
up to the pleasure Of the moment, and
chatting gayly with the brother and sister,
totally forgot the injunction to look ahead
From this pleasant forgetfulness he was
rudely reused by the tramp of horses upon
the tow-path beside him. by shout from
the driver of mind the rope - and the
simultaneous order from Reginald Hern-
Shave to Pull the right hand. string =
The Reverend Richard in his confusion
pulled the left, and in another moment the
rope had caught the boat, and she was
bottom upwards. Laura Hernshawe
struck out Instantly for the shore as did
her brother, knowing that Laura could
swim well. Laura. after the first stroke
or two, looked round and SAN the rector 5
face appear above water, with despair
ing expression uponit, and as quickly dis
appear. aAA = = = 'a - as@
With sharp cry TO her brother, who
was nearer 10 the bank than she was her
self, she turned ut once. and caught hold
go - 1. n