Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-07-10

II thought" said Horace, slowly-''ln fact
your manner at various times gave me to I'M
derstand-that 1t was right and just should
make this entry"
| Herbert's face grew red. He was as nearly
1 N a rage as he had ever been In his life. Yet
be answered not in words. He took quill
| pen and drew thick ink line through the
| entry, thereby giving Horace a mornings
work in re-copying his elaborate statement
and altering the totals
| Nothing more was said. Herberts manner
OF denial was more emphatic than words. His
brother knew that ne would never have dis
puted sixpence which he was justly liable to
pay. Horace did not apologize for his sus-
picion; he felt that having allowed Herbert to
blot and mutilate his fair balance sheet with
out a word Of protest was more than enough
compensation, and no doubt Herbert thought
! the same, for peace was restored, and the
| iuatter never again mentioned.
The consequence was that, after the June
audit, even Horace was unable to frame any
| theory to account for the way in which the
boy had appeared among them. He felt,
| moreover, ne had been rather taken ln-thaG
his consent to the child's remaining had been
won under false pretences, Or, rather, because
he had deceived himself. However, it was
now too late to alter the course of events, and,
| to tell the truth, Horace Talbert, in his own
grave, solemn way, petted the child almost as
much as Beatrice did.
| About this time the Rev. Sylvanus Mordle
made great resolve. Months ago he had
come to the conclusion that Miss Clausons
| gray eyes and classical face had wrought
havoc with his heart. The M. B. waistcoat,
! which covered it-Sylvanus was orthodox at
least in his attire-might have been of wet
tissue paper for the little protection it had af-
| forded him. He had not until now met the
woman he wished to make his wife, although
his single state was in no wise due to any
views as to the peculiar fitness of ceibacy for
| the priesthood. Such iniquitous doctrines he
secuted, as they deserve to be secuted, by all
| who owe anything to the fierce, brave, vulgar,
coarse and truly human reformer who boldly
| asserted that comforts of married life were
not superduous luxuries. After Miss Clauson
had been at Lakewood House for a month,
| the curate knew that o crisis in his fate was
approaching. He slapped himself heartily on
his broad chest, and told the Rev. Sylvanus
Mordle that here at last was the one maid for
him.
This, SO lar as 1t went, was emnently sat
isfactory. Unluek1ly, or luckily, there are
two parties to every bargain, Two sides to
every hedge, and the curate felt that the
hedge between himself and Miss Clauson was
high one.
Nevertheless, Like pold man, ne Went TO
work to climb IL or break through 1t. 1t
was, indeed, high time he took some action In
the matter. Under the present circum-
stances, he found bus enforced habit OF ap-
pearing cheerful to all, even himself, becom-
ing great strain upon his resources. There
were times when he felt tempted to seek some
secluded corner OF his parish and sigh dole
fully beneath its famous oaks. Times when,
in his own words, he felt inclined to go out
and bay the moon, or generally do what is
consoling to unsettled lovers.
ALI this and more, for the sake of Beatrice
Clauson's gray eyes, brown hair and straight
profilel The Rev. Sylvanus was, indeed, in
own man again until his love was crowned,
or kicked into the gutter.
So one Sunday evening he preached crisp,
celebrating, decorating sermon, in which he
showed his parishioners how right it was that
man should choose helpmeet He preached
it really to encourage himself, but its imme-
date effect upon his flock was that on the
next Sunday the banns of marriage between
no less than three couples were called; SO it
must have been most convincing discourse.
Or. the Monday he mounted his tricycle.,
II and, afteI soIiss parochial round, drove OF
propelled himself on tremulous whceIs
: Hazlewood House.
: Sylvanus on his tricycle. was a lovely sig
but one which, upon its first INTRODUCES
filed Oakbury with CONSERVATION. To Sc
}, clergyman, in a long black coat and bro
brimmed hat, working vigorously with m
cular legs, and sending himself along at
4 rate of ten miles an hour, was an uphea
of all traditions. Only his popularity say
h him. Indeed, old Mrs. Pierrepont, a pari
n Toner in a chronic state of aggrievedne
! wrote to the bishop on the subject.
. called it 'bicycle machine" not exagger
ing, but diminishing, so far as wheels we
y The bishop was startled. A curate careeri
about the country on couple of wheels
seem out of place. So his lordship wrote
the rector of Oakbury on the subject, and I
a rector handed the letter to Sylvanus So
= rs he, the rector, was concerned, his cura
= might have flown about on a broomstick
by so doing he kept the bother of the pari
- off his superior's hands
q Mr.. Mordle, who was unable to see that
" ordination VOWS debaTred him from usil
such convenient vehicle for getting from O.
end Of the parish to another, did bold thin
:, Knowing that the bishop was staying at
= country house some twenty five miles ava
q he threw himself early one morning into ii
= saddle or the seat, and used his neither lin
q to such purpose that just before lunch tin
n his card was sent in to his lordship, and in t,
: minutes the bishop was gravely inspector
:, what Mrs Pierrepont, when speaking to b
. friends, called diabolical machine
. For some minutes the bishop stood on Il
! doolsteps, weighing the innocence or guilt
+ the inanimate creature at his feet, Sylvan,
y the while pleading it's cause with his usu
o brisk vehemence and jerky dexterity E
) expatiated on the size of his parish, and on IL
= wonderful assistance he derived from til
= modern invention for getting quickly ov,
the ground. He showed his lordship the CO.
venient little bag attached to the back,
which he carried his books Of devotion, o