The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-16

"prodigal inward JOY" such as she had
not experienced since the old rectory
days; JOY enhanced perhaps by its very
want of sure foundation Oh which to
rest.
not till she had been borne far beyond
familiar places that she was aware Of the
change of scene. When she was reused
from her reverie by the unaccustomed
sights, sounds and smells, she looked
around her with little start Of surprise
and horror.
Frank curate in Whitechapel II
seemed impossible, Frank, with his ultra
sensitiveness to external surroundings;
his shrinking from anything harsh, or
discor,lant, or unsightly; his keen de-
light in the soft, the harmonious, the
beautiful.
She saw the narrow, crowded streets,
the endless rows of houses, from whose
every window hard, worn faces of half
starved people were peering; women
were leaning far out over the stills, with
the disregard for danger characteristic to
this class, screaming harshly to over-the-
way or street acquaintances. Children
way. in the roadway, jostling the chatter
ing crowd round the "costers'" barrowe,
eliciting oaths from the men, WHO
lounged, smoking and swearing, about
the pavement.
Mrs. PierrepOint shuddered and closed
her eyes, and terrible fear struck her
like chill. What if Frank should he
ill, dying? he was always delicate, and
the life which he must have been lately
leading must have tried him sorely.
What long way off was her destina-
ton! how slowly the carriage was NOV
ing! She called to the coachman to
drive faster, but he answered that he
was going greater rate than usual; the
neighborhood was crowded, he dare not
increase his pace.
At last they emerged from the more
crowded thoroughfares into closely in
tcrlncing network of small streets: to the
right, round by the left, to the re 1T
again; then the carriage stopped befoi ; a
dmgy block of high, narrow Widowed
houses. Mrs. Pierrepoint felt her color
coming and going, her heart beating
faster and faster; she got out and told
the man 20 drive on; then she knocked
steadily at crazy door with n great chalk
= marked Oh it. A little pause. whic
seemed All age, the sound Of n scuffie
within, followed by the heavy tramp of
advancing footsteps, and III another
minute Minnie found herself face to face
with n WORKOUT, sullen-looking woman,
who stood i'll silent wonder before her.
"The Rev. Mr.. Quornham lives here,
| | believe 2" said Mrs. Pierrepoint in her
most conciliatory tones.
The womans naturally sullen express
sion gathered deiiniteness; there were
suspicion and hostile questioning in her
| glance us she said shortly, Eyes"
81 wish to see him, Minnie went on,
with continued effort ut extreme
suayity of manner.
The woman put her hands on her hips,
and looked mcompromisingly Mt the
dainty figure before her. "Dont know
if you can see i'm, I'm sure, 5 gently
busy bout this time"
"But | wish to see him very partic-
ularly-On very urgent business, i'll fact, u
said Minnie, controlling her irritation,
but speaking half note higher than be.
fore.
as not had is tea yet-'e never makes
much OF dinner, 80 l give i'm = tea
early" The woman spoke detiantly, yet
with certain undertone of protective
ness and grim tenderness which l.;
other distinctly felt.
"But will YOU please tell Mr.. Quorn
ham that am here. There was a deeper
flush on Mrs. Pierrepoints face. a softel
brightness il her eye-every one i
seemed loved Frank, even this hard
WORKOUT creature.
without word, led the way up the dark
n"rrow stairs, which creaked and shool
at every step. On the second story sh
stopped before door and knocked.
No answer, "'e's not in there. II
tell i'm you've come" painted the sullel
janitress, mt the same time showing tn
visitor into the room and slamming tn
door upon her.
Minnie was not sorry for the respite
, now that the moment had come for whic
consciously or unconsciously she Ina
shaped the latter part of her life, she feel
n vague fear, n terrible anxiety, thong
, deep down in her heaIt lay the certaint
of success, difiusing strange happines
:. through all her doubts. She glance
Il around her with her tender scrutiny, an
her eyes filled as she noted the patheti
little attemps ut refinement amid the nj
ter poverty of the surroundings. Til
room was rather large, but miserabl
) fitted and furnished, yet somehow it wa
t stamped with the unmistakable mark I
4 culture and refinement. The patche
+ window was open, and the scent Of migI
ii in hn
n the sill; two or three fine engraving
e hung on the wall, Zone, she remembers
with thrill, she had given him;) thel
II was set of book-shelves with their wei
n worn books, many of them those lit
Is brown-backed, red-leaved volumes,
r, which she had been rather jealous III Il
+ old days; on the table was n blue vas
" with creamy flowers i'll it, one of white
e had fallen on an open volume of eth
J. Earthly Paradise. "
n Footsteps sounded outside, then Il
N handle of the door turned; her heart be
l. faster and faster; only by NIGH
10 effort did she raise her eyes to the Il
figure advancing toward her.
8 Some people said, speaking of him IL
Y; wholly admiringly, that Frank Quor
a ham was like lily; and the simile W
not altogether ill-chOsen. Sometim
:" in the lines of the tall, slight figure,
the curve of the exquisitely gracef
% neck supporting the fine, fair head, wi
I'D its pale face and long, delicate feature
er might have suggested the most gracei
mt of all flowers; but there the resemblan
T.. ceased; there was no flower-like weaknt
r. or mere sweetness in the mans strOn
% | e. o., InI
al and deep-set eyes.
tn He came slowly toward Mrs. Pier
point, who rose and stood calm and p
lie before him. A faint, almost imperceI
d. BILE flush sprang for nm instant to
he cheek, but slight and fleeting rs it W
~, she saw it, and gave it her own interp
80 tatiOn.
We "Mrs. Pierrepoint, he said, grave
re "this is an unexpected pleasure"
al, Minnie's thought was, Glow DIRE
eli fully pale and thin he is looking"
he words We're:
of "You see it is case of Mohamm
he and the mountain. You did not co
If and see me, 30 have come to see yo
She spoke lightly, and with strict
re- personality, carefully steering clear
he the familiar Crank" and the fori
bis "Mr. Quornham."
[u Frank was puzzled. "Pray sit dow
he said, indicating chair, and speak
an with marked formality.
tn Minnie obeyed, feeling somehow
IL little chill and frightened; she had t
,he herself over and over again that 81
ps; would be her reception-her fear had
lg, solid foundation, was only the REQUIRE
his of a certain feeling of something