Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-22

NOs OG.
father was bent on it; he as good as said s,
to me just month before his death. This
J that you speak of it, is not thing to b.
lightly done. But you give me such higl
character OF Mr.. Wygram-you have be
slowed indeed such unqualified praise or
both him and Miss Vane-that you max,
me hesitate about refusing my CONSENT
Who am l, that l should take it upon me tt
make or mar two lives? You have no doub
in your mind about their suitability to eacl
other, have you? You, who know them
you think highly of both ?'
Again the Bishop leaned towards him.
Again that concentrated gaze fell upon the
luckless curate. Again he felt that he mus
speak when speech was denied him. The
Bishop was waiting. Oh! the agony OF
knowing he was waiting.
81 believe it would be hard to find two
such good young people," he said at last
and then he covered his face with his hand.
and felt that now, indeed, it was all over,
and that he was on the verge of tears
There was long silence. Then-''Well,
well, WE'LL" said the Bishop-sI promise
you to think it over. Worth, such as you
have asori5ed to this young man, should
count bcsore anything" It really did seem
to the Bishop that DR.. Ball had uttered un-
limited words of commendation about Ger.
aid Wygram. 'tAnd he is ofgood birth un-
doubtedly. That is always something, even
nowadays. eyes, I'll think it over When
you return home, DR.. Ball, which," cour-
teously, 81 hope will not be for some time
yet, tell Dulcinea for me that I shall come
and stay with her at the hall very soon for
a day or SO, to talk all this over, and that
shall ask Mr.. Wygram here to study him q
little, before giving my final decision. Tell
her too"-with kindly smile directed at
the astonished curate-'that it was your
hearty praise of Mr.. Wygram that led me
to look into matter that cannot still help
considering a little imprudent.'
ssThis will be good news for Dulcinea, my
lord, said the curate, ''6nding his voice at
last when it was too late. Bnt was it too
late?
81 hope it will continue to be good news
all her life, said the Bishop with sigh. He
knew he would be glad to get rid of his
guardian duties, and for that very reason
was afraid to get rid of them. 'But now
for another topic" he said, cheerfully, lay
ing his hand on the curate's shoulder
"You know the rector of Dreena is dead
and" In fact, he offered our little
friend rectory, with an income that quad
rupled his present salary. But the Doctor
shrank from him when he mentioned it.
"Nay, my lord" he said, "give it to some
better man."
81 couldn't" said the Bishop.
"Give it to some better man." repeated
the curate, earnestly. 81 could not leave
my present place, indeed. They could not
get on without me; they are for the most
part so old, and SO cross. beg you will
leave me there, with my old men and wo-
men. They all know me, and I know
them; and it is too late for me to begin the
world afresh, with new faces and new in
terests"
The Bishop said nothing further then, but
he took his arm, and led him into the draw
ing room, where presently he drew his wife
aside, and told her all about it. After which.
Mrs. Craik made great deal of the little
Doctor, and treated him delicately, as if he
was of extreme value; as indeed he was.
At the end of two days he went home,
and told Dulcinea all the news, and she, on
hearing it, took him around the neck and
kissed him tenderly.
81 knew it," she said 81 felt it. Some
thing told me you were the one person in
the world to win my case for me. Dearest,
sweetest, loveliest Doctor Ball, how shall
thank you?''
"My dear, if you only knew" faltered
the Doctor.
81 do know. Don't you think can ap-
preciate you after all these yearsp You are
so clear, so convincing. You can come so
directly to the point. You can say SO much
that is good.
81 can, indeed groaned the curate, des-
olated by dismal recollections. "The lit
tie did say was all good"
"Tm sure of it." gratefully. "Your
fuency, you know, is your great point
parry successfully every one of that horrid
old Bishops attacks upon my Gerald. But,
indeed, it seems to me that can hear you
running through all his good qualities
(and what number he has) in that nice,
eloquent, self-possessed manner that be-
longs to you"
'Dulcinea, hear me-" said the curate, in
desperation; and then and there he made his
confession. But he failed to convince Dull
cinea; she steadfastly adhered to her belief
that his eloquence alone had won the
Bishops consent
"And really he can't be such a very bad
man after ALL" she said, 'or he would not
be capable of appreciating real wd1th such
as yours-would he, Gerald?" For Mr..
Wygram had stolen up to them in the twi-
light, and secured the Doctors other arm.
Miss Vane looked upon his right one in the
light Of fee-simple property.
''It is the one redeeming point in his char
acter," said Mr. Wygram, promptly. "And
another thing, Dulcie: nobody shall marry
us but DR.. Ball. Eh?''
"Nobody, indeed" firmly.
SsnTx1 o;r 81
tor. 'You must have your rector, if not |
the Bishop himself And-of course, by
the-bye, being your guardian, it will be the
Bishop. I am mere nobody. It would |
not do at all; and you, the most influential
that is, at least, the largest proprietor in |
the country round p
"YOu may call yourselfa nobody or any |
other bad name you like, said Dulcinea. |
earnestly, "but can tell you this-no one |
but you shall ever make me Mrs. Gerald
s'Nothing shall alter that decision-not
even the archbishop" said Mr.. Wygram,
emphatically.
The Doctor protested, but in his soul I
think he was pleased, and went to bed that
night as happy as-I was going to say a
king; but indeed l believe he went there ten
times happier than that care laden mortal.
And the morning brought him news. The
old man, his rector, lay dead in an italian
town, and the Bishop had appointed DR..
Ball as his successor. $50 you need not
leave those happy old men and women who
call you pastor" wrote the Bishop kindly,
almost tenderly.
So it was as rector, not as curate, he made
his dear girl Dulcinea Wygram.
THE END.
VALUE OF SOOT.-It is stated that COM
mon SCOT is composed of carbon, ammonia,
and sulphur, hence it is a valuable and
very effective manure and there is perhaps
no plant on which it cannot be used to ad-
vantage. On garden vegetables, as we
have often tried, it has fine, quick, and |