The Dickinson press., 1884-10-11

of Joy and sorrow-the smile and tear
both coming from the heart.
After the ceremony, Mr.. Byron be-
took himself to a dressing-room to fold
his surplice and replace It in the satchel
chosen by Mrs. Minis. While SO en-
gagged a letter was handed to him with
the word Immediate" written con-
spicuously on the envelope. The con-
tents were as follows:
"MARLow HALL, Thursday, 18th.
"lf the Reverend Julius Byron could
find it convenient to o%ficiate ut q pri-
vate baptism this afternoon at NARROW
Hall, he would confer q great favor on
the undersigned. Mr.. Byron is re.
quested to pardon the apparent brus-
querie of this notice, as the case is
urgent. The two p. m. train stops al
Portland station, where q carriage will
be in waiting.
STANFIELD NARROW"
"You will go, I SUPPOSED" said Willis
Howard, to whom Mr.. Byron presently
showed his note.
OF course; one cannot refuse such q
summons. 1t is probably a question OF
life or DEATH"
81 am due ut Uxmore to-night-rath-
Ell a different errand from yours-a mas
querade party. I'm sorry we are not
travelling in the same direction"
81 am sorry also. Do you know any
thing of the people at NARROW Hall,
Howard?"
"Never heard of them before. Are
they strangers to you?"
ENTIRELY So"
CHOW goodbye, old fellow; my traps
are all slowed away on the train, and ]
had better follow them. Take care of
yourself among those mysterious stran-
gers"
In the hustle and confusion at the
station Mr.. Byron's satchel was mislaid;
but he presently caught sight of the
familiar object on a distant table, and
felt inwardly thankful for its ungainly
proportions and the huge brass dia-
mond which made it easily recognized.
At Portland q respectably-dressed
man in charge of q wagonette came for
ward to meet MI. Byron; and during
the drive to the Hall the former dis
coursed freely upon the existing state
of affairs there. A son and heir to the
fine estate had arrived, and there had
been great rejoicing; but within the
t%wenty-four hours their joy had been
turned to mourning by a dispatch sum-
moning the newly-made father to the
DEATH bed of his only sister in Ger
many. The young mother seemed to
feel q presentiment of misfortune, and
she had insisted upon baby's being bap.
TIED before the departure of its father.
The clergyman of the parish was tenn
porarily absent; hence Mr.. Byron's
hasty summons. The ceremony would
be performed in the chapel connected
with the Hall, and would be very quiet,
being witnessed only by the father and
grandfather Of the child, with possibly
n or two guests.
After lunching in a somber richly
decorated dining hall Mr.. Byron was
shown to abed-room, with the intimation
that his services in the chapel would be
required in an hour if convenient to
him.
There was something strange and in
teresting abour the fine old mansion, so
lately q scene of rejoicing, and now 81
lent as an empty church. No members
of the family were visible, and the great
house seemed deserted, ave for a few
silent-footed servants.
AS the time for the baptism drew near
MI. Byron asked to be conducted to the
vestry-room. To make sure that every
thing was in readiness he opened his
satchel, when, to his CONSERVATION,
instead of drawing forth aneatly-folded
surplice he held up before his astonish-
ed gaze a doublet and hose of scarlet
and gray satin, such as might be seen
on the stage in Gas You Like It."
Alas for the veracity of Messrs, Piper
and Tipson and the credulity of the
worthy Mrs. Minis! The so-called
unique Dag had so many duplicates, and
MIR. Willis Howard had bought one that
very morning in which to stow away his
fancy ball costume.
Here was a predicament indeed for
the Reverend Julius Byron! In des-
peration he flew to the wardrobe in the
vestry o Vain hope! Nota shred
ofthe other clergyman's vestments hung
there. What was to be done? Even
if in extreme cases the church rules per-
mitted the clergy to o%ficiate without
robes in the sacred edifice-and for the
moment Mr.. Byron was too bewildered
whether this would be permissible or
not-how could he explain the annoy
ing mistake to these strangers? They,
already so troubled, would think him
an untrustworthy, careless trlfer.
In his perpleXity he rang for the man
who had already waited on him.
"Is there q lady i'll the house with
whom 1 could speak a few moments? ?"
Mr.. Byron asked.
"My mistress cousin is here; but she
does not leave the invalid's rooms for
anything just at present"
"Then I'll write my message in a
note"
He stated the case as clearly as he
could on paper, and dispatched the SER
want with it. In answer the lady sent
her maid to inquire if search had been
made everywhere in the ~vestry-room
for o surplcie. He sent back that furth-
er search was useless.
After some moments of-to him
terrible suspension the time was al
most come for him to appear in the
chapelcthe maid returned, and with
deep bushes and o twitch1ng
of her apron-hem began
"My young lady told me to tell you,
sir, that if you would not think it any
harm, she wouldsend you her Oh,
no, I don't Q that, sir! She sand I
was not to say who it belonged to, but
she would cut the bands off the sleeves
and the lace from the neck, and it
would be long. and nobody would no
tice that it was q nightgown. sir; and, if
you don't mind, sir, I would go and