The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-05-07
THE S0MERSCOURT. SPECTR

remarkable characters" Among the
more pronounced of her eccentricities
were an infatuation for patrouizing new
md out Of the way charitable schemes
md projects, and the demonstration of
keen interest in the welfare of the Rev.
Amos Hartley, the curste of the parish.
1t was moot point as to which peculi-
arity was the most marked, and certain
ly. while the one laid her open to num-
berless aud perpetual impostures, the
other excited in local circles an amount
Of ia X" and tea-table scandal that her
age and charity scarcely availed to
avert.
The gossippers declared their utter in
ability to discover the bond of sympathy
apparently existing between the curate
and his patroness. He was, as they
eighty observed, about the most COM
monplace curate of forty-ive that ever
pressed through sermon, and but for q
sertain spirituelle dreaminess OCCASION
ally apparent in his plain face, he would
have been an exceedingly embarrassing
person.
But despite these obvious drawbacks
MIR. Hartley had succeeded in securing
the friendship of Somerscourt, and was
apparently firmly established alike in
her good graces and her household. His
position there was somewhat anoma-
lous. He acted as Miss Annersleigh's
amanuensis in all matters pertaining to
the lavish distribution eff her charity,
and IT report spoke truly, was her con-
tident1al adviser in mundane and spir-
itual matters alike.
In spite of occasional outbursts of
scandal Mr.. Hartley continued to enjoy
the sweets Of his Office; Judging ny
frequent remarks of regard and conf
dence conferred upon him Dy his
Patroness, the mutual understanding
and sympathy increased with time. The
curate spent the greater portion of his
days at Somerscourt, where a suite of
apartments was always ut his disposal.
For upward of five years had this state
OF things continued, when, to the con-
sternation of the parish, and to the
ines6mable grief of Miss Annersleigh,
Mr.. Hartley was suddenly attacked by
. severe illness, to which he succumbed
within week, breathing his last in the
room he was won't to occupy in the
house of his friend.
The demonstrations of grief INDUCED
in by Miss Annersleigh, gave rise to
further, though somewhat qualified,
talk, until the sorrow of the old lady
began to manifest in the shape of o
handsome "In memoriam" donations
to local institutions. Then the tongues
of the "talkers" ceased to wag and the
critics were prepared to see in the
friendship of the old lady for the de-
ceased curate proof of her characteris-
tic goodness of heart.
Nearly year had elapsed since the
death of Mr.. Hartley, when one cheer
less October afternoon q card was
brought in to Miss Annersleigh, who
was finding surcease of sorrow in audit
ing the local blanket fund accounts.
The visitor proved to be the bearer of a
letter of introduction to the mistress of
Somerscourt. He was we'll dressed
man of thirty. Eve or thereabouts, and
decidedly gentlemanlike, though an ex-
perienced eve might have detected
some of those INDISPENSABLE outward
and visible signs that are indellbly i'm
pressed upon the countenance of the
man who has been much occupied in
living by his wits. The letter was ap-
parently in the handwriting, and bore
the signature of an ecclesiastica al digni-
tary attached to the diocese, who had
had twice honored Miss Annersleigh by
dining with her on the occasion of his
preaching o sermon on behalf of one of
her pet charities. He introduced the
bearer, Mr.. Edmund Barstead, as the
pious protector of scheme for training
the daughters of the INDECENT to quail
~ as wives to missionaries of the NADIA
gascar Eucharistic society. The letter
concluded with ford compliment to
the religious zeal of the old lady and
to the earnestness and ability of Mr..
Barstead, whom the writer warmly
commended to her friendship and hos
pita]ity.
She read the letter through twice
very deliberately and then proceeded to
elicit information as to the aims, OBJ
jects and past achievements of Mr.. Bar
stead, all of which he seemed very able
to provide; in fact he proved himself an
exceedingly well-informed and enter
tanning man. He recounted modestly
and inferentially sundry romantic and
startling adventures incurred by him in
the prosecution of his good work in be-
nighted Madagascar. and he seemed so
pious and enthusiastic, and possessed so
extensive an acquaintance with people
and places sacred to Miss Annerslei gh
by their association with all that was
good and interesting, that she began to
feel deep liking and admiration for
this intrepid, good looking missionary
propaganda. When he recognized
with joyful surprise a little pamphlet
written by herself on '"The Missionary
Duties and privileges Of Married
Women" the bond Of sympathy was
complete. He was the first person who
owned to having read her little book
without being pressed so to do by the au-
thoress, and she felt grateful to him and
happy happy, in fact, that she failed
. 20 detect the slight acquaintance with the
book which his comments and criticisms
uApAAeus untlA uo naO raplO1y glanced
over few pages of it.
Miss Annersleigh would not hear of
aer visitor returning to the post town
that night as he proposed, especially as
he wished to see the vicar of the parish
sarly next morning. Besides, the re-
turn involved walk of several miles,
and it was now dark and threatening
rain. So Mr.. Barstead reluctantly al
lowed himself to be persuaded to occupy
the spare bedroom, which Brewer, the
man Of all work, was directed to rec pre-
pared.
Brewer, who had caught the last Of
tho protests Of the guest, thought It