The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-12
THE PRESS.
The Martyr of st. Junket's.
PART l.


Cross, and some time ago the Rev. Thomas
Phewle, honorary NJ. A. of the University
of Ion, U. S., became its vicar. The next
presentation to the living had previously
been bought for him of the patron by his
uncle, prosperous but childless bootmak-
er in Tottenham Court Road; and this gen.
tleman, having shrewd eye to business,
had subsequently induced the vicar in pos
session Ia divine deeply in debit to resign,
by presenting him privately with gift of
$500. Such things are done every day, and
they are not called simony. In any case,
the object of Mr.. Leatherbridge, the boot
maker, had been to get his nephew, Tom
Phewle, into the living as quickly as
possible, and likewise to secure imme-
date and good interest for the money in
vested on behalf of that youth. The living
of St. Junkets was valued at 5000 year,
so Mr.. Leatherbridge said affectionately,
but shrewdly to Thomas, eff you pay me an
annuity of e200 to the end of my life, l shall
be getting proper interest on the So 800
advanced for you, and when die shall, as
it were, put $500 year into your pocket"
Then by way of making this transaction law
fully binding, the bootmaker drew forth
some sheets of stamped paper, and requested
Thomas to put his signature to them as ac-
knowledgements of money lent.
--I-1 wen, uut IL YOU WeTc W ulc, dllu bucSc
papers were found in your desk, your exec
utors might come down on me for the mon
ey,' remarked Thomas, but not until he had
affixed his signature.
1T would not matter if they did, for l
shall put you down in my will for legacy
of GO, 500 and that will square everything"
"You are very good" said Thomas.
"You're the son of my sister jane" re-
sponded the bootmaker, magnanimously.
''If she had taken my advice she wouldn't
have married your father-a curate with the
salary of butler; but that's neither here
nor there, and there was GOODNESS enough be-
tween us on that point while your father
lived. Now he's dead, want to do my best
for you, and if you have good business
head on your shoulders you'll soon make
the church pay"
81 will try, SIR" said Thomas meekly, for
he had construed the words in spiritual
sense, and taken them to mean that his par
ish ought to flourish under his ministra-
tons.
"That's right; you must make your SER
vices attractive" continued the benevolent
Mr.. Leatherbridge; "and, by the by, as you
have the appointment of one of the church
wardens, YOU had better nominate me. The
collection moneys pass through the hands oil
the church wardens, you know, and will
take care that you get your fair share as a
bonus on your income"
Thomas repeated that his uncle was very
kind, and the bootmaker waddled off to at
tend to some customers. That evening, as
he was balancing his last accounts, he re-
= Elected that he had done very satisfactory
piece of business with his nephew. He had
in the first place, put out his money at more
than per cent. interest, and in the next, by
stipulating for the office of churchwarden,
he had insured himself agreeable recreation
for his leisure hours in the management of
parochial affairs. Mr.. Leatherbridge was a
sound Churchman, and felt gratified at the
idea of holding post of honor and authori-
ty in connection with the establishment; he
had also the sincere wish to act kindly by
his sister James son, and to push him for
ward in his career. Therefore, he decided
from the first that, SO far as it lay with him,
he would make the church of st Junket's a
''paying thing'' for Thomas Phewle.
st. Junket's had not paid very well UP to
that time. The late vicar, as already said,
had been deeply in debt; and two-thirds of the
revenue of his living had been sequestered to
pay his creditors. By privately accepting
reverend gentleman had really been guilty
of dishonest trick; but to avoid any I'M
pleasant explanations on the matter. he
had betaken himself to the Continent. His
creditors had, of course, no hold on the
revenues which now appertained to the
Rev. Thomas Phewle, and that young man.
whose tastes were simple, found himself
exceedingly rich with an income of e4OO.
So well off, indeed, was he that he lost no
time in purchasing degree of M. A. from
the University of Ion for the sum of $40.
Having never been at an English University
The had been ordained from theological
college) he was not entitled to wear any
thing at the back of his surpice but shah
by black hood in cloth; but his American
degree put him in the enjoyment of Grim
son and black hood, so like that of Oxford
as to defy detection. This is free country
where man may dress as he pleases; and
it seems TO be no part of bishops duty to
restrain his clergy from officiating under
false colors.
The Rev. Thomas, however, while graft
flying his taste for millinery, was fain to
perceive that the spiritual affairs of his par
ish had gotin tangle. The late vicar. by
his remissness in paying bills, had driven
away many of his parishioners into chapels
OF ease and conventicles, where strange gods
were worfhipped; nor was the new wears
pulpit oratory of kind that could promptly
win these stray sheep back. Tom Phewl
sprinkled his his somewhat. He said honor.
an ''oly of 'olies." His doctrines were
likewise little tepid, and tasted like pap to
full-grown men and women. tThis won't
do at all, Tom," remarked Mr.. Leather
bridge when he had listened to his nephew
three Sundays in succession; ''congrega-
tions want stirring up nowadays with red
hot poker. You must put these people of
st. Junkets into blaze, or they will new
er believe that you understand your bust
ness"
Several ladies have told me that they de-.
rived great comfort from my sermons re.
marked the Rev. Thomas with as much
mild resentment as he dared show.
well, you're young chap, with broad
shoulders and pink face. SO the women
will cackle round you fast enough" OBJ
served the bootmaker.s "But mind, now,
don't you go making any foolish marriage.
Consult me before taking any step of that
kind. There's young woman now in No.
) pew-Mrs. de Mure-who can't be more
than thirty-five, take it, and whom 1 have
seen casting sleeps eyes at you. I'll be
bound now she wouldn't stick at buying
you several suits of new clothes, if asked
her."
''Suits of clothes-why? exclaimed the
Rev. Thomas, who remembered that he
could afford to buy two or three suits of
broadcloth year now out of his own pock-
et.''
"Ohl l mean church lclothes-crimson
and gold vestments and such like, which
are strictly biblical, as you can see if YOU
read how they used to rig out these gentle
men who danced before the Ark. Well, the
fashion for that kind of thing seems to have
come on again, and You should always be
in the fashion, boy, If you want to get
on"
Ri tualism," answered the Rev. Thomas
Phewle, pensively; and he thought for
moment of his old father who had preached
to the end of his life in black gown and
had'never wanted hearers, notwithstanding.
well, suppose, uncle, there is a fashion
in religion, as in other things, and one had
better keep pace with the times,''
That's the way to look at it, Tom," an
swered the bootmaker; "and now, if you'll
leave it to me, l, as church warden, will
promote movement among the parishion-
ers toget the services at st. Junket's brought
into keeping with the enlightenment of the
age
That phrase, ''the enlightenment of the
age" pleased the bootmaker we'll. The en-
llghtenment of the age was causing the la
dies to wear twelve button boots with high
heels, and Mr.. Leatherbridge derived much
profit thereby. Why, then, should he not
help to supply such modern wants as
The parish of st. Junket might evince in the
matter of ecclesiastical ornaments? Before
the week was over he put on his best Sum
day coat and called upon Mrs. de Mure. He
wished to consult her, he said, about some
Al