The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-10-07
The ParSqn' $ Leap Year

IT'S very pleasant parish" said
n the Rev. Mr.. Racquet, land very
~ pleasant people. The elder la
80 dies are steady, consistent work.
ers; the younger, active and enthu
siastic. l don't think, if 1 had the
privilege of selecting for myself, 1
! could have found more delightful
position"
Mr.. Roderic Racquet was six and
twenty, with straight nose, pleas
ant blue eyes, and a general talent
for being satisfied with everything
and every body. He was located in
his first parish, a picturesque little
knot of houses, overhanging a
brisk cataract which made work
for mills and factories, and filled
all the adjacent woods with it's
noisy melody; and so far he was
one of those exceptions in life.
perfectly satisfied man.
"Ah," said his friend, Mr.. Alton,
who was a misanthrope. "The la
dies, eh?'
"Yes," said Mr.. Racquet, quietly;
''for of course you know that much
of the prosperity of country par
lsh depends upon it's female mem
ber."
eyes," observed Mr.. Alton, dry
ly. "You are a unmarried man, l
believer"
81 am an unmarried man-yes,
certainly"
"And this is.-leap year."
"Nonsensep cried the parson,
briskly.
81 hope you may find it non
sense" said Mr.. Alton, pursing up
his lips; but am told that there are
a good many single ladies this year
who are driven desperate by the
prospect of spinsterhood-"
"Nonsensew again exclaimed Mr..
Racquet. "My dear Alton, this is
little too much of bnrlesque.
You don't seriously believe in this
this absurdity?
Mr.. Alton only shook his head
as he reached for his hat.
"Pll get my book, Racquet" said
he, as he looked lugubriou sly
around the room, sand 60 out for
stroll in these delicious pine seen
ted woods. My doctor says the
pine sap is very healing for lungs |
that are consumptively inclin ed"
Every well,' said the Rev. Mr..
Racquet, with a glance at the scat
tered sheets of the half completed |
sermon that lay on his desk; ''and |
l will join you after a little period |
of time"
He took up his pen. dipped 1t de-
terminedly in the inkstand, and !
went Tesolutely to writing; but in !
spite of all his industry, the words
of his iconoclastic friends rang per-
sistently in his ears
''If there should be any founda-
tion for Atoms absurd idear he |
with his pen suspended |
above the partially written sheet.
"But, of course, there can't be; but
if such possibility did exist, and
q married man is really a better
member of society than a single.
one. never did adhere to the rig
id doctrines that clergymen should |
be celibatesr'
And all the while Rosa Apple
tons cherry cheeks and tangled |
yellow hair were dancing a human
will wisp before the horizon of |
his minds eye.
"She's young" he said to him
self, "and perhaps a trifle inclined
to be giddy, but she's certainly |
very charming. And, since the |
Appletons have failed, and the
mother has opened a boarding |
house. and Lucilla has gone to
teaching, do not think 1 could do
better than to marry"
"Rose Appleton, sir, if you
please"
1t was a timid little voice that
broke in upon the thread of his re-
Elections, and Rosa herself stood !
before him, coloring all over like a
pink carnation, with a basket of |
late peaches in her hand, and white,
huttering ribbons in her hat.
"Ive called on business, sir"
said Rosa.
The Rev. Roderic moved forward |
a chair.
pray, be seated, Miss Appleton"
said he, not without some hesita-
tion on his own part.
If they had been living in the
Palace of Truth now, and Rosa
could have seen into the depths of
his heart!
And Miss Appleton sat down,
pulling nervously at the fingers of
her browd threan gloves.
"It's about our Lucilla." she
said.
"IndeedY' said Mr.. Racquet.
ave want TO get well settled
in life," said Rose appealingly.
"fut thought she was teachingw
cried Mr.. Racquet.
"She doesn't like teaching" con-
fessed Rosa; cor rather, to be can
lid with you, the trustees don't
ike her She isn't very young,
you know, and has some odd, for
nal little ways, and only one eye,
md the children make fun of her,
md the trustees say she has no dig
,ity."
"Very unfortunate" said Mr..
Racquet, bending a transp aren't
,earl paper-cutter back and forth,
With the sublime indifference which
We are all apt to display toward the