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

kOAA AAS
, minutes left him, and springing from hi
bed he plunged into his clothes again.
With all the haste he made, however, h,
did not succeed in being less than ten min
utes late as he entered the drawing room
: All the other guests were there, but wert
: fortunately arguing busily over huge port
folio of Italian views. Mrs. Craik wa.
standing on the hearth-rug somewhat apart
With deep blush and very distressed
countenance the curate advanced towards
her.
"Ah, DR.. Ball As I said before, it was
long drive" said the Bishop, graciously,
leaving the group near the portfolio to come
up to him. "Confess the truth, now; say
you fell asleep before your fire. l often dc
it myself-often."
'It was hardly that, my lord." said the
Doctor, to whom even prevarication was
hateful.
"Ah, ah !'said the Bishop, laughing
"Did any one ever, l wonder, confess to
those forty winks? You were tired, though,
eh ?''
II was tired" said the little Doctor, sim
ply. He might have let it so rest, but his
conscience pricked him. In leaving the
matter thus, was he not leading his host
and Bishop astray? His little, round, guile
less face assuming even deeper tinge of
red, he turned to the Bishop again.
'The fact isl he said, earnestly, "that
when at home, dine early, and take my
tea, when-you take yours. Then after a
couple Of hours reading, go to bed. Hav-
ing no reading with me tonight, and feel
ing fatigued, went to bed straight 1 did
not understand about the dinner, my lord.
That isactually how twas. beg, Madam, {"
turning to Mrs. Craik with the old fashion
ed courtesy, that all his years of poverty
and seclusion had not been able to steal
from him, you will try to forgive me for
having had the misfortune to keep you wait
ing"
The Bishop had suddenly found some
fault, or some remarkable virtue in his shoe
buckle. He bent obstinately over it. Only
his wife, however, could see by the shaking
OF his shoulders, that he was convulsed with
| laughter. She launched at him whitening
dart from her usually mild blue eyes, then
| pulled hersatin skirts aside, and beckoned
to DIR. Ball to sit down beside her.
"You must not think you have kept us
waiting for even one moment" she said,
with extreme sweetness. 81 don't believe
dinner is ready even yet; cook is SO unpunc-
tual.
Even as these words passed her lips the
| footman announced the meal in question, in
an aggrieved tone suggestive of many abu-
sive words addressed to him by an irate
cook. Nevertheless, feel sure Mrs. Craik's
kindly fb was forgiven her in the highest
courts of all.
After dinner the Bishop led DIR. Ball into
the library, and with CHEEKY, "Now let me
know how l can help you," threw himself
into lounging chair, and prepared to listen
to some small parish trouble.
Thus addressed, all the curate's wits at
once deserted him. In mean, paltry fash
ion they fled, leaving him utterly stranded.
He had meant to be more than ordinarily
eloquent about Dulcinea's love affair, but
now brought face to face with the foe lie
found himself barren of words. Yet speak
he must; and so boldly, curtly, tersely, he
stated his mission, and expressed the hope
| of obtaining for Duleinea permission to mar
ry the man Of her heart
TO say the Bishop was astounded would
be to say but little. He was SO amazed that
he leant back i'll his chair and for some min
utes was incapable of an answer Then he
began diatribe about fortune-hunters, and
his duty as guardian, and Dulcinea's
wealth, and her general mpracticability.-
When be had got SO far ne paused and look
ed at the curate, as if for a further Lead
But DR.. Ball was sorely in want of a lead
himself. He was in fact frightened out of
his life. 1t seemed such presumption to sit
there and argue with his Bishop. What
was he to say ? Silence was impossible with
the Bishop sitting there staring at him in
expectant impatience; speech seemed equal
ly SO At last his lips unclosed and some
words unbidden rose to them.
"She is such very good GIRL" he mur-
INJURED in a dull, heavy tone, hardly know
ing what he said. Could anything by tanner,
more meaningless He felt his cause was
lost.
Eyes, yes, no doubt" said his lordship
testify. somewhat put out, he hardly knew
why, by the curate's simple remark. 81
have hardly had good opportunity of sift-
ing her character SO far, as she has obsti-
nately refused of late.every invitation sent
her by Mrs. Craik. But l am glad to hear
you speak of her SO favorably."
Again he paused and looked expectantly
at the Doctor, who felt the blood mount
surging to his brow. Oh for the tongue of
Demosthenes to sing his dear girls
praises 1t was denied him His very
brain seemed dry as his parched lips. Yet
speak he must.
81 never met so good girl,' he stam-
mered again in the same heavy, impressive
tone, his shamed eyes to the ground. Good
gracious, was he never to get beyond this
lukewarm formula?
mo doubt, no doubt" said the Bishop.
with glowing discomposure. 'sThe fact
that she is SO admirable girl as you de-
scribe her, proves to me that there is all the
more reason why Ishould feel myself bound,
as her guardian, to look after her interests,
a 70 hnr. Ill l.
hunters especially. And this Mr.-ah-
one of that Glass;
Then he looked once more uuestionipgly
at DR.. Ball, as though defying him to take
up the cudgels here. 1t was a piercing look
this time, and utterly wrecked the small
remaining wits the poor little curate still
possessed. He sank deeper into his chair,
and thought longingly of the fate of Korah.
HE is such good young man, he said
at last, not feebly as one might imagine, but
with more than or 1inary loudness, born of
his distraction. Alas! alas! why did Dulcinea
choose broken reed like him to be her
lovers advocate! Oil where were the
chosen, honeyed words he had rehearsed in
secret for this fatal interview? He sat COW
cred with selfreproach, a sight TO be pitied
"Eh?" said the Bishop, with start, STIR
Ing uh0oSily III LIS cnalr. OOmetllng IN
his companions mild but persistent praise
seemed to rebuke him. Here was a man
who thought Of nothing but the grandeur of
moral worth; who looked upon position,
wealth, social standing, as dross in compar-
lson with it. He, the Bishop of the diocese
who should be an example to his flock
sitting here, dealing altogether in worldly
topics, such as the worth of money, was
brought to bay by a poor curate who was
mildly but righteously insisting on the
worth of goodness.
''You know him intimately of course"
said the Bishop after short pause, allud
ing to Gerald Wygram. "You can give me
an honest sketch of him as he appears to
you. l have faith in your Judgment; you
have seen much Of him, no doubt AS
guardian to Miss Vane I am desirous of
looking well into both sides of the question.
Her happiness should be first considera-
ton. Now" leaning one elbow ON the ia.