Democratic messenger., 1881-09-10

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mind-and a disposition to dislike any
interference with her own pursuits.
Flora was a wayward, high-spirited
creature, but with kindliness of heart
and charity of disposition much greater
than those possessed by the censors of
her own sex, whose strictness of ideas
and rigidity of views about parish work
and woman's mission she unwittingly
offended by the frank utterance which
derived additional point from her fresh,
musical voice, whose tones had that
rare melody often written of and seldom
heard.
Once or twice she had met Arthur
Leslie at her fathers table, though the
curate rarely accepted dinner invitations,
and the superb young beauty had dis
missed him from her mind after noting
that he seemed n shy, awkward man,
plain of features, but with strangely ex-
pressive black eyes and very silent. He,
on his part, had taken little notice of the
girl, except once to glance somewhat
critically at her as he heard her pro-
pounding some of her eccentric theories
to Gerald Werley, her cousin and fan
Gee, handsome, insouciant and slightly
superciIious man, who held sinecure
Government post, which gave him a
good income and unlimited time to en-
Joy London society and rural recrea-
tions, chief of which was hunting-a
point OF similarity between them which
had much to do in making Flora prom
Use to link her future with his, although
the two had loved each other from child
hood.
Flora was very fond of her cousin !;
he had many graceful and manly ac-
complishments, and good deal of fas
cination in his caressing manner and
he, on his part, loved his pretty cousin
next to himself. Their engagement,
of course, met with universal family
approval.
The curate, glancing at the pair on
the occasion mentioned. was struck by
the thought that, lowered as both were
with natures gifts, the woman was III
finitely the nobler of the two, with all
her imperfections.
Though" he murmured to himself,
walking homeward, ''she is by no means
what helpmate should be, as far rs |
can Judge; but what have to do with
such speculations q he continued, half
sadly.
Yet, nevertheless, it was no less sad
than true that the Reverend Arthur
Leslie began to find the vision of that
beautiful mobile face and its varying
grace continually coming before his
mind at odd seasons. He sternly repro.
bated himself, and immersed himself
more than ever with all his self-devotion
and gentle zeal in his daily work, and by
the strength of his trained will succeed
ed, III great measure, in banishing the
fancies in which Flora Meldon played
so great part but the truth was, the
poor curate was under the restless spell
which dominates humanity's strength.
He was in love.
He was shocked when this fact was
forced upon his mind
SIN love-" he groaned, at night, when,
sitting up into the small hours in his
humble lodgings at Mrs. Tibb's, the
widow, who adored him for his manifold
kindness, only known to the poor on
earth, he wrestled with his aching heart.
-" In love, and with another mans be-
trothed And, as if that were not bad
enough, with brilliant beauty who is
gilded princess in her own sphere, and
has no notion, suppose, that the ugly
shabby curate could venture TO think
twice about her. On, shame, shame
What can / say bad enough to my
self? Well, it must be hidden and
fought down forever. My work that
ought to fill my soul and heart ;" and
his stern face was set into marble calm.
So, never one of those round him
guessing his secret, Leslie went about
his duty tenderly and assiduously as of
yore, unconscious as ever of his self
abnegation and true humility. No diff
ference was seen in his manner save that,
on one pretext or another, he refused
all invitations to the Squire's, much to
the latter's discomfort, for the curate's
love and knowledge of botany and other
enthralling things were great as his own.
Flora hardly noticed his absence. If
there was any man whom she really adj
mired-and she was very difficult to
please-it was her handsome, travelled,
accomplished cousin, who said most
things cleverly, and did most things ad-
mirably. Content in his society, she
bestowed no thought on any one else.
1t chanced, one day, that the pair,
cantering up green lane-Flora, flushed
and radiant, and sitting her chestnut to
perfection Gerald, bropzed and bearded,
matching his bay hunter in thorough
bred aspect met the curate walking in
the midst of throng of happy boys,
with whom he had been playing cricket.
His eyes darkened with irrepressible
pain, and shadow swept over his face
as he raised his hat. Flora Meldon saw
the look, momentary as it was, and pitied
the curate as having some secret sorrow;
but not being so conscious of her own
charms as some of her compeers, who
hated her 'fast ways" as they called her
love for horses and dogs, she did not
attribute the look to the right cause.
But it haunted her memory.
Homeward went the curate, trying,
poor fellow, his hardest to answer the
random chatter of the happy boys
round him, as was his kindly cheerful
wont. But the old wound-so old, it
seemed, and yet in actual space of time
so new-was too painful. He went into
his little sitting-room, half filled by his
books, and, sitting down, took up an
unfinished paper in hand for class ex-
animation but it was no use. Signing,
he put down the paper, and began to
walk the room, wondering amazedly
how this sudden, terrible fascination had
woven its net round him.
Presently Mrs. Tibb entered with his