The midland journal., 1885-08-07

Portable loose-ftting garment, a relic
of his Oxford days; sad enough In its
decass, but not in its hue.
Wcll-earned as his rest was, he did not
Seem to enjoy it much. He gazed on
his smoke-clouds for long time, and
the dissatisfied expression on his face
deepened. Then he sighed, and releas-
ing his right hand, swept it round with
a sind Of hopeless gesture. His arm
was long one, and, in the circuit it
made, came In contact with the black
sermon-case which he had deposited on
the mantel-piece, and which contained
the discourse he so recently delivered to
the scanty congregation who had braved
the weather 1t fe,l at his feet; and
with q grim smile on his face, Cuthbert
let it lie.
1T is no use" lie said, looking at the
il treated sermon, and apparently adj
dressing his remarks to it its no use.
How can l expect to convince others, if
can't convince myself? wrote that
sermon for myself; Ipreaohed it Tor my
self, lot Tor my flock; yet lam, more full
OF doubt than before. The hard work,
the penury, 1 did not mind, until l be-
to this. Why did / take orders ?" he
sermon-case. IVY did take orders?
Now, to answer that question, man
must know himself better than do.
had to make my living in one profession
or another. was ambitious, and, l
believed, clever The Church was easy
TO enter, and may have fancied there
was career there for clever man. 1t
was no wrong to think this; for in those
days I believed / could do my duty as
clergyman. Then my frame of mind
at the time!"- his eyes grew sad
and his voice dropped. Margaret had
just died. She never knew loved her;
but i knew it. And then, Trayers ah
Trayers, Travers, my friend! with your
sweet cllildike trust in every old tradi-
ton your silvery tongue you are an
cradle for my mistake. Those walks
together, those arguments of yours the
fervid eloquence OF which SO moved me-
that for time could see all things by
your own light And you, hear. were
last month received into the bosom of
Rome. lou will scarcely blame me.
Certainly, in leaving the Church, l shall
not be accused of self-interested motives.
| have nothing III view. On the other
hand, l. don't make much sacrifice.
/ ifty shillings a week is not great IN
come for a man to earn. | will set
about making the change at once.
..Weu, Mrs. Roberts, what is it?" he
asked testify, as his landlady knocked,
entered and cut short his meditations i'll
o moment.
'.Some one from The Folly, sir, with
this note.
Mrs. Blatchford is worse, I suppose.
said the curate, opening the note. 1t
iix,
from the doctor '' l am afraid Mrs. B.
can not last out the night. She is anx-
ious to see you. Come at once
.'Poor oman!" calculated Cuthbert.
$50 much better she seemed yesterday,
and now dying.
SIS She indeed, poor thing?" said
Mrs Roberts, with a sympathetic face.
Eyes; must goat once. He took off
his lounging coat, preparatory to assum-
ing his clerical galb. g don't know
how I shall get there through this
weather.
"There is carriage waiting, sir.
"Then go down, and say | shan't be
o minute.
Cuthbert attired himself as quickly as
he could Then, with haH-sigh, he
took his pocket communion service, and
prepared himself FIR the solemn duty
before him. II WISH" he said gravely,
that this sacred rite was to be per-
formed by some one who does not reek
of tobacco like do" He felt it no griev-
ance to be called from his tireslde. Duty
was clear enough, and no doubts har-
assed him on that score. lie would
have gone as willingly to the poorest
member of his congregation, or OF any
| one else's congregation, who needed his
aid, as he went to the richest lady In
| Oversee, as Mrs. Bl tchford was repuJed
to be. He spoke apleasant word to the
coachman, who sat, shapeless bundle
| of wraps ON the box, and entered the
| brougham, which drove off as fast as
the horses could draw it. 1t was not at
Il great rate of speed for the road as
steep and the gale still at its height
blowing the reins into graceful curves,
beginning at the drivers hands and end
ing at the horses bits; even at times
! threatening to overturn the carriage en-
tirely.
Tie dying woman lived in large
house on top OF the hill overlooking
Oversee. In whatever part OF the town
YOU stood, you could see that house
When first built, it had been christened
some high sounding name; but that
name had long since vanished. Nick
names often cling to people and things
much longer then their proper names.
and for years this house had been known
as The Folly" or sometimes as
Barnes Folly The or ginal Barnes,
from whom it derived this distinction,
was sanglline man, who had lmblbed
the notion that, with proper treatment,
Oversee was destined to become one o1
most fashionable seaside resorts in Eng
land He was a tradesman who hac