The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-11-27
THE SCENES BY FIRELIGHT.

manufacturing town in the west Of Eng
land--a queer little place, where tn,
small OF available society is split up init
still smaller cliques which are again di
vided into factions, the cause Of this lat
ter division being chiefly parish matters
and real or supposed difference in re
hgious opinion. say supposed. for thu
worthy inhabitants Of Narromyndhan
are more learned on the subject Of looms
and spindles than that OF doctrines, and
could advance better argument in favol
of their own views than 81 know what
like, or the well-worn, because do.
Our parish church is all that an anti
quarry could desire-a glorious old pro
cathedral. Its pewing arrangements
however, are, l regret to say, all that q
young woman who wishes to say hel
prayers in correct and devotional pos
ture, and who yet has certain amonni
| of tender regard for her back and knees
would not desire; and our staff of clergy
! consists OF vicar and two curates, one
! Of whom is furnished by that most evan
| gelical body, the Pastoral Aid Society.
and goes by the name of Pastoral Aid
Curate, or more often, on the principle
that breyity is.the soul of wit, the "P.
| A. c." so,.Yith this liberal supply OF
! diyines, our souls should be well weeded
and watered, if they were not.
! One day, in the end of October, was
sitting over the fire; chatting with Carey,
who had come to Narromyndham Carey
is my particular friend, and very nice
and very pretty, but she has one sad
| fault-she is a shocking firt. I often
| demonstrate with her on the subject; but
| it is quite useless, and she makes some
very uncivil and profane retorts about
"notes" and 'beams" and brothers,
which don't like.
AS ] was watching the light dancing on
her soft brown hair and lighting up her
| glorious hazel eyes-fascinated as l al
ways am by anything beautiful, and
thinking that when perhaps ought to
| say if turn into an angel should be
like her-she suddenly inquiries
Are there any curates here?"
So my angel isiplanning fresh works
of slaughter, thought 1; but answered ]:
Yes. two; one is old and married, and
| has St. Vitus's dance and the other is
young and unmarried and sound, like
wise is he pastoral old curate. VIII he
do?''
"Don'tl7 with laugh Il know the
| animal. It seems to have outgrown its
clothes; is weak about the legs, hair
] long" touching her collar) "and sleek,
complexion pallid and unwholesome;
expression meek, It makes contant use
of the word 'seemly;' has voraeious
appetite and little weakness for tea and
old ladies, There's an inventory Of its
charms; and don't believe the society
would have anything to do with a man
not possessed of all those qualifications.
Mother opened her mouth to remon-
strate against this fippant TRAD; but the
remonstrance was never destined to be
uttered, for at that moment servant
announced stMr, Lloyd" and the sub.
iect of Carey's long-winded speech enter
| ed the room.
A young man, in very correct clerical
costume, with o fierce, determined, good
looking face, and not trace of weakness
about him, legs or otherwise; in short, a
man, every inch of him, and not a curate,
for somehow one can never think of o
curate as quite man.
I glanced at Carey, and saw she liked
the look Of our visitor, for she had put
on that air of lovely childish innocence
at will, and always docs when there is q
while to faseinate, and never knew it to
| fail
Mother having gone through the cere-
| mony of introduction, the Pastoral Aid
Curate proceeded to inform us that there
was parochial row on.
There always is in Narromyndham y
| said l. i wonder you think it worth
mentioning.
II shouldn't, only that you and per-
haps your friend" there quick glance
of admiration at Carey, which I saw
| wasn't lost on her in spite of her down
cast eyes1 lean help us if you will"
/ opened my mouth to refuse, for / am
against all petitions, even from hand
some young curates, to make myself
useful in that line; but Carey was too
quick for me.
1t would be nice if we could, Kitty,
but there is so little girls can do This
with an humble look at our spiritual
pastor.
81 hope you won't think me very rude
if I agree with you" was the answer.
''As rule, think it the greatest pos.
sible mistake for young ladies to &c
pottering about parish, interfering in
matters they don t understand, or teach
ing poor little Sunday school children
shocking false doctrine. But this is
really something you can do; it's
music"
Now. you must give full, coherent
but, above all, short account of what has
gone wrong, and inform us what part We
are expected to bear in putting it right,
said /.
Its Miss Tfil,s-"
'.Stopln from Carey. 81 must know
who the spinstei in question is. Wha
an alarming n..ne in connection witt
| music?'
"Miss Trills does not belle her name
She is good lady, who had strong
voice in her youth, and in those far-of
| halcyon days volunteered to assist IL
training the choir, and having som,
knowledge OF the music, was really |
help. She and her sister-her exac
| counterpart. voice and all-used to 81
with the boys, who had not then arrived
at the dignity of surplices, and lead thu
choir
.sOut Of the straight path into flower,
ways, put in I; "but what do you wan
us to do?'
stThis. On Wednesday week there il
to be harvest thanksgiving service
Rather late certainly, but Narrromynd
ham, as you know, is always behind il
everything. Miss Trills wants to hav'
an extra ugly and fowery anthem; ant
this being objected to she declines t,
sing at all, or, what is far worse, to teacl
the boys q simple one. Will you ant
your friend come and practise with tn
boys? You won't be expected to 81
, among the surplices at the surface"
Carey professed herself delighted.
Mother said we ought; SO I, with
very sad grace, had to consent to be a
the practice, and the handsome youn,
! divine, having gained his point, mad
! his adieus tgiving Carey q little NOR
than the regulation handshake, it struc
mel and took his departure
Shall / ever forget those choir prac
tises? The we'll meant efforts of the OF
/ ganist to drown the very small voice 9
! tho boys; the hopeless ignorance an
/ stupidity OF the aforesaid little mortals
!. the cold, very often wet, walks to th
church for such was Carey's zeal in th
good cause that nothing would induc he
to miss q practice tthe p. a. @. Away
being our escort) and last but not leas'
! being considered to play the uncongenia
. part OF gooseberry.
How the Misses Tri1ls attend ever
practise not, indeed, opening thei
. mouths to sing or speak, but markin
: with male green guitefuI eres ever