The Baltimore County union., 1883-06-02

ter ALT" said Christina, laughing
"And really haven't time to come /;
but I'm Obliged to you, all the same,
Francetta."
And she went away, half amused,
half vexed, at the glimpse she had had
Of her Aunt Crackthorpe's tactics.
Mrs. Sessions was quiet little wild
ow, who let the upper bedroom in her
cottage when she could get respecta-
BILE boarder. She was washing at the
back door, when Miss Cars light,
elastic fooistep touched the narrow
path that wound between gay china
asters and rows Of purple and scarlet
dahlias.
But Christina saw a figure leaning
back in the stuffed chintz rocker in the
little sitting room--the figure ofa man
50 she tapped at the door, and walked
composedly in, without further cere-
mony.
"You are Tom Thompson ?" said
she.
The man started and rose. He was
ssll and rather pale, decently dressed
N black clothes, and looked, as Chris
sy declared to himself, "quite respect
able, and rather handsome into the
baigain."
"And l." she added, sam Miss
Carr. You called at my house. Here
| am. Now, Tom," seating herself
opposite him at the table, and resting
her elbows in a defiant fashion on the
red-and-b black worsted cloth, as she
fixed her bright black eyes upon him
severely, al intend to give you piece
OF my mind to-day Don't you think
you ought TO be ashamed of yourselfa"
"I-I am not sure that | quite COM
prehend-" began Mr.. Thompson,
turning scarlet.
"Oh, yes you dol" said Chrissy,
with slight motion of her hand, as if
she would put all prcvarication behind
her. "You are dcccn,-looking man,
and you've evidently had a good educa-
ton. I've heard all about you, you
see, and think il is shame that you
should be staggering about the streets,
abandoning your work, and foolishly
squandering your means :"
But Chrissy held up her finger.
"Tom," she said, "take care. Don't
tell me 4 falsehood. know you quite
as well as you know yourself. You're
a bad case. You're hardened sinner.
And il you don't stop short now, good.
ness knows what will become OF you.-
Mr.. Mon,agu has talked often Of you,
and
"But think there is some misap.
prehension here, said the young man,
resolutely breaking into the monologuc.
haven't the pleasure of Mr.. Montagu's
acquaintance.
Chrissy looked hard at her interlo.
cutor.
"Aren't you Tom Thompsonl" said
she.
al am Thomas Thompson,-yes,"
he admitted.
"a hand in Hopperley's calico
mill?"
MOT 4; ALL" he answered. T am
simply laborer in the great field of
the world-the clergyman sent here to
fill Mr.. Montagu's place until his re-
turn from the Azores Island. left my
card at your house this morning, as one
Of the parish young ladies who had
been especially mentioned to me as
diligent worker"
"Chrissy turned very pink.
"And l." she said, in a faltering
voice, "mistook your name and address
for that OF Tommy Thompson, the
English mill-hand, who is always get
ting intoxicated and leading his fellow
workmen away. l came hither to give
him good talking TO, and-and-Oh,
what must you think ofme, Mr.. Thomp-
son !"
And she covered her face with her
hands.
al think, Miss Carr" said the young
divine, growing calmer in proportion
as Christina lost her presence of mind,
"that you deserve great credit for the
zeal and energy with which you are
striving to do your duty. II I were
the wrong Tom Thompson-not that |
assume myself positively to be the right
one" with a roguish twinkle OF his
eyes-'I believe your eloquence would
have brought me to a sense Of the error
Of my ways. Please, please, Miss Carr,
do not be vcxed because Of this simple
mistake. assure you that it has made
me feel better acquainted with you
than score Of formal morning calls
would have DONE"
Chrissy laughed out, in spite of her.
self.
al don't think" said she, "that this
morning call partakcs in the least Of
the element OF formality. What a
shrew you must have thought met"
And then all the awkwardness was
gone, and they shook hands on an en-
tirely different platform.
"You pardon me 2" said Chrissy.
"Entirelyl" assented the young
clergyman. "And I promise you SOL
emily that won't stagger about the
streets, nor abandon my work in the
future"
Mr.. Thompson walked home with
Miss Carr, greatly to the amazement
Of Mrs. Crackthorpe, who met the pair
on Lily Avenue, and could hardly
believe her ears when her niece intro.
duced her to the new minister, Of
whose arrival in town the old lady had
not yet been made officially aware.
And the next day, Mr.. Thompson
himself went to see his refractory name.
sake, the mill hand, and found him in
a dcplorable condition Of lowspirited
provcrty. Nor did he leave him until
he had induced him to sign the pledge.
"I don't think l could have done
better than that myself" said Chris
tina, when Mr.. Thompson reported
nrnnrese 40 hnr