, 1881-10-14
WHAT WAS 1T!

/ was engaged to Angelina Melville,
and l thought myself the luckiest man
living. Angelina was so handsome that
no stranger ever saw her without eX-
pressing admiration, and one did not
weary of the face litter years of
familiarity with it. She was well-bred,
accomplished, and a great heiress. l
had reason to believe that she was very
fond of me- No man could be more en-
tirely content than l was as L leaned
back in the first-class carriage which
took me from Glasgow into the country,
to the vale of CruiX, where l Was to
preach n few Sabbaths.
The pulpit was vacant and | was going
to try my wings. With my pecuniary
prospects I scarcely thought [ should
care to accept call to the vale of Cruix,
but had no objection to filling the pull
pit for few weeks, especially as An
gelina had gone to the west coast, and
Glasgow was warm and stutfy and stupid.
Casual remem brances of elegant par
sonages built in Queen Anne's style; OF
a study where the footballs were sOftened
by Persian rugs, and the doors draped
with pOrtieres of velvet; chairs and a
desk carved richly as some old con-
fessiOnal, fitted through my mind. And
l thought also of table, spread with
silver and rare china, with lady at its
head who resembled a queen. And l
breathed luxurious sigh as 1 awakened
from my day-dream to Il knowledge that
the words, ''Vale of Cruix, were being
shouted on the platform, AMI that the
train was coming to stand-still.
1 seized my travelling bag from the
rack overhead and hurried ont of the
carriage. The porters had just pulled
four or five trunks on the platform. Two
old wagons stood in the road, one driven
by an old woman IN sun-bonnet, the
other by a red-haired boy, with bare
feet; and o queer, knock-kneed horse,
attached to u queer old gig, was standing
at little distance. A young man in a
light summer suit, and u city o family
bent on rural happiness, were my COM
panions on the platform.
The former put his trunk into the first
wagon, kissed the old woman in the sun
bonnet, took the reins and drove away.
He was evidently the son of the family,
come home to spend his vacation. The
rest of the trunks and the city family,
mother, father, little boy, nurse-maid
and baby, were put into the wagon
driven by the boy.
When the train moved away 1 was left
alone on the platform-alone, but for
the station-master, who sat upon bench
smoking a clay pipe.
In a moment more the official, without
looking at me, made the remark: ''Dea-
con Stevenson has come for the new min
lister. He's over in the hotel, and he'll be
back in a minute"
"Thank you" said I.
The station master took no notice of
IN,,A Aax al l.aI 81 I
made some changes in time register on
the wall of the station, locked the door,
put the key in his pocket, and sauntered
away down the railroad.
took his place upon the bench and
waited. In few minutes a prim little
old gentleman appeared upon the top of
the hill. carrying in one hand a tin can,
in the other tin pail; and under either
arm a brown paper parcel. knew at a
glance that it was Stevenson.
''Are you Mr.. Mactaggert?" he in
quired mildly, AS he approached. Il
want to know! hadn't any expectation
of being kept so long, but you see, it
saves the women folks trouble to fetch
things over when drive down. Step in,
won't you? I'll Jest hang this can of par
affine lie on behind. Some dislike the
smell-maybe you do. The sugar-loaf
tea and coffee can go under the seat as
well as not. How's your health, sir, and
how do you like Vale of Cruix?"
1 answered that my health was good,
and that l had not, as yet, seen much of
Vale of Cruix.
''No, you haven't" ;" said the old gentle
man. "Well, you'll drive through it
now" And he shook the reins, and the
old horse began to stumble along. And
on we drove past certain rows of brick
houses very much like each other, and
with the same flowers in their front gar
dens. until. having passed the church,
we came to one happily set about by old
oak trees, before the gate of which we
drew up.
A girl stood at the gate-a fair girl in a
blue muslin dress and white apron.
''Take the sugar, Mary, before it gets
upset." said the deacon. ''This is Mr..
Mactaggert, that is to preach for us.
Mr.. Mactaggert, this is my daughter
Mary.
We bowed, and she vanished with the
parcels.
What a lovely little creature!" said l
to myself. Nothing like Angelina, but
so prettyr' And found myself think
ing of her as / washed my hands and
brushed my hair III the blue-walled bed
room on the second floor, with white
fringed counterpanes and curtains, and
two black silhouettes over the mantel-
piece, on either side of the china vases
of roses.
There were only four of us at the table
the deacon, his wife, a stout lady who
never said more than she could help, and
Mary. She had spent the last winter in