Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-12


Would you believe it? Her ladyship
proposed to serve the omelette with the
cheese. Oysters, after sweets! I am
not las yeti married woman"
Father Benwell made last desperate
effort to pave the way for one more
question before he submitted to defeat.
"That must be your fault, my dear
! ladyl' he interposed, with his per-
suasive smile.
Miss hoffman simpered. "You con-
fuse me, Father" she said, softly.
at speak from inward conviction,
Miss hoffman. To looker-on, like my
self, it is sad to see how many sweet
women, who might be angels in the
households of worthy men, prefer to
lead single life. The church, I know
exalts the single life to the highest
place. But even the church allows ex-
reptions to its rule. Under this roof,
for example, think I see two excep-
lions. One Of them my unfeigned re-
spect (he bowed to Miss Notman) for
bids mo to indicate more particularly.
Lhe other seems, to my humble view, to
be tn young lady of whom we have
been speaking. Is it not strange that
Miss Eyrecourt has never been maried?"
The trap had been elaborately set
Father Benwell had every reason to
anticipate that Miss hoffman would
walk into it. The disconcerting house
keeper walked up to it-and then
proved unable to advance step further.
Il once made the same remark my
self to Lady Loring," she said.
Father Benwells pulse began to
quicken its beat. "Yes?" he muir
INJURED, in tones of the gentlest encour-
agement
"And her ladyship," Miss hoffman
proceeded, "did not encourage me to
go on. 'There are reasons for not
pursuing that subject, she said, reasons
into which 1 am sure you will not ex-
pect me to enter She spoke with q
fattering confidence in my prudence
which felt gratefully. Such con-
trast to her tone when the omelette pre-
sented itself in the order of the dishes
As I said just now, [ am not a married
woman. But if proposed to my hus-
band to give him an oyster omelette
after his puddings and his pies, | should
not be surprised if he said to me: Ny
dear. have you taken leave of your
senses =? ! reminded Lady Loring
most respectfully that cheese omelette
might be in its proper place il it fol-
lowed the sweets. An oyster omeleyte,'
I suggested, surely comes after the
birdsY l should be sorry to say that
her ladyship lost her temper viii
only mention that | kept mine. Let
me repeat what she said, and leave you,
Father, to draw your own conclusions.
She said (Which of us is mistress in
this house, Miss hoffman? 1 order the
oyster omelette to come in with the
cheese. There was not only irritability,
there was contempt-oh, yes contempt
in her tone. Out of respect for my
self, made no reply. AS Christian,
1 can forgive; as wounded gentle
woman, may not find it SO easy to
forget"
Miss Notman laid herself back in
her easy -chair-she looked rs If she had
suffered martyrdom, and only regretted
having been obliged to mention it.
Father Benwell surprised the wounded
gontlewoman by rising to his feet.
"You are not going away already,
Father"
"Time flies fast in your society, dear
Miss Notman. have an engagement
and am late for it already"
The housekeeper smiled sadly. "At
least let me hear that you don't disap-
prove of my conduct under trying Cir
cumstances," she said.
Father Bepwell took her hand.
ga true Christian only feels offenses
to pardon them," he remarked, in his
priestly and paternal character. " You
have shown me, Miss hoffman, that you
are true Christian. My evening has
indeed been well spent. God bless
you'll"
He pressed her hand he shed on her
the light of his fatherly smile; he
sighed and took his leave Miss Not
mans eyes followed him out with deyo-
tional admiration.
Father Benwell still preserved his
serenity of temper when he was out OF
the housekeeper's sight. One impor-
tant discovery he had made, in spite OF
the difficulties placed in his way. A COM
promising circumstance had inquest
ionably occurred in Stella's past life; /;
and man was, beyond all doubt, in
some way connected with it. "My
evening has not Leen entirely thrown
away" he thought, as he assembled the
stairs which led from the housekeeper's
room to the hall
CHAPTER vTI.-THE INFLUENCE OF STELLA.
Entering the hall, Father Benw, II
Il I.