The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-08-06
FROST BITTEN.

The hrDwn-cyed orgsnlst asked the qucs.
ton with such-wiih o, such charming
smile.
Mr.. liscombc was very bashful. lie was
not accustomed Ia SMILES from pretty young
/ wpmrn; he had felt dimly that they were
usually Inclined 10 laugh Ut him. lie ncrv-
/ uusly carcssCd the ilaNcn whiskcron his mink
/ cheek, and, after opening and closing his
mouth once ~ twice In nm Intellectual effort
| Ia reply. Sicc rlcd In -lammcting: Tenor.
| usually that Is. sometimes. DO you have
| ba hiss, Miss Frostg''
Miss Frost had ,tnnnrd 10 regain the HYMN.
| book fallen ON the floor, and one Ut the half
! Dozen girls who constituted the choir an
| swrr,d for her: Mr.. Harris used tn sing
bass
Tho inst hymn Is the 2J9th." announced
! the urgAnist, and leading the singing herself
with light, pretty soprano, which the new
tenor presently joined. showing himself pos
sr~~ed Of an excellent voice, the rehearsal
! proceeded.
At H. cl'.' the girls drew on the numerous
wraps made necessary by the keen, biting
air ut a Northern winter, and saying Good
night" left Miss Frost locking tl'"organ and
Mr. Liscombc standing irrcsolutely In the
aisle
do you think you will like Blun city,"
! she asked
"Well-rcally Yes hope So" lie was
So painfully embarrassed that the girl quite
! piticd him
! "Nou have beautiful voice" she said
gently: II am 50 glad you are going To sing
with uS' raising her eyes with a radiant
smile to his face. and then modcstly looking
Ia the floor. The warmth of her glance
seemed Ia pcrvadc his entire being. lie did
| not think Of moving, nor OF a word to say,
| but gazed stcadtasty ut the creator Of this
ncw-iound delight until She said: won't
! you stand by the door please, while put
| ont the lights? | know II is wicked, hut
am always afraid Ia be alone IN the church
| In the dark"
He moved mechanically to the door as she
| eXtlngulshcd the kerosene lamps. Itdid not
occur to him to assist her; he was occupied
with more momcntuus thought Should he
dare he ask to see her home? Would She
not think him too bold on 81 short an ac-
| quaintancc? lie had never In his life escort
| cd a lady, except his mother anywhere.
"lsn't 1t cold?' said Miss Frost, closing
the door; the church was never locked. GLOW
bright the northern lights are tonight"
Bashful Mr.. Liscombe could scarcely believe
his happiness She had placed her little nit
ten In his arm quite rs matter Of COURSE,
and he was actually walking up the street
with that pretty head nearly touching his
| shoulder.
81 am 50 much Obliged to you for taking
the trouble To see me home" she said at her
fathers gate. "llasnt this been pleasant
choir-mcetng! You must come and see us
some time. Goodnight" and she had van-
| ished
The little Wisconsin town lay In n curve
of the range OF bluffs that guard the eastern
| bank of the Mississippi. Twenty years ago
| no railroad passed through the village, and
the river steamers In summer, the stage lines
/ In winter, gave 1t communication with the
rest Of the world.
Mr.. LiscOmbc, assistant rector and teacher
of the parish school, had been In the place
but one week. lie was engaged TO take the
| place Oi Mr.. Harris, lately discovered TO be- a
| particularly fierce young wolf In the sleeps
clothing of divinity student, who, until the
disclosures 50 derogatory To his good rcputc
were made, had very successfully conducted
the school lie had at first made most IA
vOrablc impression both on DIR. Webster the
rector and the townspcople generally. But
when his landady discovered on his book
shelves books Of such character that she
was really ashamed to read page, and in
the citizens scethcd with indignation that
| their children had been exposed to the per
| nicinus influence Of such disSOlute decriycr.
| They were narrOw-minded people, and in
| town where the Mcthodists and Baptists eX-
| PEELED from their churches such gddy young
| members rs would Join In a quadrillc u man
| preparing himself for the sacred Office Of a
clergyman must stand without shadow Of re-
prOaCh before them.
On the day following his landladys dis
coveries only fifteen Of his forty pupils took
their seats. lie dismissed them, went to the
rcctory and resigned his situation. DR..
| Webster thought that that apparent ncccss-
| ity might be avoided.
III you would give up smoking, and give
me your cards and TRANSACTIONS of George
Sand, he urged, $50 that | could explain to
these people that you care nothing for them
and had handed them over to me, think
they would become rccOnclCd to you In
short time
mo, sir said the young man; II do not
care 10 be dictated to in my personal habits
by the people OF Blum city"
"lf you become u clergyman, JOHN, you
will find much more trying sacrifices before
| you than relinqUlshing french novels and
| cigars" the rector said rather YEARLY.
II have decided not To enter the ministry"
| said John. you know how IL happened
that ever thought of doing So"
YES, the doctor knew 1t had been his dying
mothers request, reluctantly complied with
| from loving sense Of duty 10 her wishes.
The next morning saw Mr.. Harris embark
| ed on the sOuthern-bOund stage. DR.. Webster,
| when interviewed believed he had gone To
| Dubuque, and soon after announced that the
school would reopen under the direction OF
the Rev. Theodore I.iscnmbc, whose coming,
the rector hoped, "wnuld prove a blessing to
the school and the parish"
The Sunday following his evcntful attend
ance at cholrmceting Mr.. Liscombe's mind
and eyes rebelliously turned themselves from
the service and prayCr-bOOk; his glances con-
stantly wandered To the little organ standing
| below the chnncel. And his thoughts. Would
he have courage to asS Ia walk home with
| her after evening church? And II he did, In
what language should he cllthe the request?
But when, In OvercOat and muller, hat In
hand, he emerged from the yestry there was
pretty Matte smiling almost as II she ex-
pected him, and saying, won't you lock
the organ for me, please, Mr. Liscombep The
key turns so hard, guess something must
be broken" lie did not have to ask he
walked out by her side as II he belonged
there, drinklngin every word of her delicious
conversation about how difficult II was To
keep the girls In the choir and what a lovely
boOk-mark Kate ST. John had made for the
Bible on the reading-desk. As they APP
preached her home his heart sank, for he
thought that he must leave her, but she said,
won't you come In n little while? Father
will be so glad TO see you"