The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-12-06

Having no reading with me to night, and
feeling fatigued, l went to bed straight.
| did not understand about the dinner, my
lord. That is actually how it was. | beg
Madam" turning to Mrs. Craik with the
old-fashioned 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 waiting"
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 con-
vulsed with laughter She launched at
him whitening dart from her usually mild
blue eyes, then pulled her satin skirts aside,
and beckoned to DIR. Ball to sit down be-
side her.
"You must not think you have kept us
waiting for even one moment" she said,
with extreme sweetness. "I don't believe
dinner is ready even yet; cook is so un-
punctual =
II was tired" said the little Doctor,
simply. 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,
! guileless face assuming even deeper tinge
of red, he turned to the Bishop again,
Even as these words passed her lips the
footman announced the meal in question,
in an aggrieved tone suggestive of many
abusive words addressed to him by an
irate cook. Nevertheless, feel sure Mrs
Craik's kindly fib was forgiven her in the
highest courts of ALL
CHAPTER III.
After dinner the Bishop led DIR. Ball
into the library, and with a CHEEKY, "Now
let me know how I 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 a mean, paltry
fashion they fed, leaving him utterly
Stranded. He had meant to be more than
ordinarily eloquent about Dulcinea's love
y (Iir, but now brought face to face with
efoe he found himself barren of words. |
let speak he must; and so, boldly, curtly,
ersely, he stated his mission, and expressed
! the hope of obtaining for Dulcinea permis-
sion to marry 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 in his chair and for some
minutes was incapable of an answer Then
he began diatribe about fortune hunters,
and his duty as guardian, and Dulcinea's !
wealth, and her general impracticability |
When he-had got so far he paused and
looked 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 presump-
ton to sit there and argue with his Bishop. /
What was he to say? Silence was impos-
sible with the Bishop sitting there staring
at him in expectant impatience speech
seemed equally so At last his lips un-
closed and some words unbidden rose to
them.
'She is such very good girl, he muir
INJURED in dull, heavy tone, hardly know
ing what heS@% Could. anything be
tanner, more meaningless? He felt his
cause was lost.
"Yes, yes, no doubt " sal @ arsijp
testify, somewhat pa o,,t, j.: htrlj knsv
why, but the curate's simple romar ~
havc-.,slly had q GOOD opportunity Of
Sitting her charaet7- so far, as she has Oh
stinately fused Of late every invitation
sent her by Mrs Craik But | am glad TO
hear yoa speak Of her so fayoraDly.'
Again he tr.used and looked expectantly |
at the Doctor, \who felt the blood mount
surging to his wow. Oh ! for the tongue
of DemosthenS to sing his dear girls |
praises 1t was Senied him His very
brain seemed dry asS his parched lips. Yet
speak he must.
"I never met SO go6l a girl" he STAN
mered again in the samG heavy, impressive
tone, his shamed eyes to the ground. Good
gracious, was he never to get beyond this !
lukewarm formula?
"No doubt, no doubt" said the Bishop,
with growing discomposure ''The fact
that she is so admirable a girl as you de-
scribe her, proves to me that there is all
the more reason why L should feel myself
bound, as her guardian, to look after her
interests, and shield her from all harm
from fortune hunters especially. And this
Mr.-ah-Wygram seems to me nothing
better than one Of that class"
Then he looked once more questioningly
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 lQngingly of the fate of
Korah
"He is such a good young man, he said
at last, not feebly as one might imagine,
but with more than ordinary loudness, born
of his distraction. Alas alas why did
Dulcinea choose broken reed like him to
be her lovers advocate Oh, where were the
chosen, honeyed words he had rehearsed in
secret for this fatal interview? He sat
covered with self-reproach, sight to be
pitied
"Eh ?" said the Bishop, with a start,
stirring uneasily in his chair. Something
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
in, 1s,s,:sr, yiqI A.Eith il. lie tha&
BishcP = W an
example to his hock-siteli- 2SS "