The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-12-23
BEAUTY NDEUREI
By ALAN MUIR,
EA4.thor of "Vanitv Hard,care, Golden
Girls Etc.
CHAPTER VI.
THE RECTOR'S FALL.

drawing room He saw what might have
Gained his mind. The three girls were stand
ing in group admiring drawing which
Sibyl has just been buying, and their mother
was deep in a novel. The girls looked up,
and as the merry rector was favorite in the
house each fair face turned to smiles at sight
of him. Such rays ought to have melted the
angry man into kindness; but no influence,
kind Or stern, could have quieted him just
then
Z "Young ladies'" he said, abruptly, address
ing the graceful three, 'my business is with
your mother-alone."
This odd intination, considering the ex-
cited manner in Which he made 1t, meant,
they thought, one taing only. Lightly they
vanished from the room, but even in going
they glanced significantly at each other; for
the subject wss so interesting that they could
not delay an exchange of ideas even till they
got outside the door. The rector was going
to propose to mamma!
Mamma thought so, too She was not often
deceived, either by her eyes or her ears, but
for once she fancied that the tremor in the
rector's voice, his flushed cheek, his alcoholic
manner, were signs of lovers uneasineSs.
u,
hesitation explained it us arising from wine.
1t was still early in the afternoon, but Mrs.
Barbara Temple was not angry. Teetotalism
was not yet fashionable. and the little woman
remarked to herself: "They very often give
themselves flip in that way before coming
to the point. Pity when they overdo it-and
yet don't know"
The rector might be fustered, but Mrs.
Barbara Temple was calm and pleasant.
She nic;ionel him to seat-not upon her
own s.,ra. tut Close to it; and then, laying
down her novel, she turned upon him with
her most gracious air.
Automatically iso We say in this scientific
agel he .st down, and, still to continue the
scientific style, by the actions Of the law Of
gravitalion us hat, gloves and cane, which
he Let 20, went their different ways to the
floor. liu did not notice the fall and Mrs.
Temple began inly TO compute how many
glasses H.. must have taken.
II hops lie has not gone too far" tho pru-
dent wol,ian said to herself; and her hope
grew les and less as the rector regarded her
with his red. cc:lfused visage, saying nothing
for quite minute. Then he spoke:
p "AIS. Temple" he said, II this morning re-
ceiretl n tremendous lesson in the hollowness
of the work.
Mrs Barbara Temple WIS not greatly
skilled in mctaphorical language, especially
the p,.lpt sort: bu; as she knew thct her Wis
itor was not the sort Of person to make re-
searches into the interior of the physical
globe, she hid no great difficulty in under
standing tim5 H.. spoke of the human kind
under Hr; universal symbol.
"Wcl, we'll" she said, shaking her head,
athat Yer, rlten happens. The best thing IS
to be prepare FOR II. Don't expect too much
of mon and woneI;, and you will learn to be
od-huuio,e! over their selfishness and
hYpocriaS, After. al, are. we MUCK better
ortrScyt,. At any rate, let us keep our
temper.
She stroliei, her dress at these words, brush
ing Of some imaginary dust, and, looking up
at the clergyman, she smiled
"That," the clergyman said, solemnly, us
terribly frivolous view to take of so serious
subject" Then, seeing the woman Of the
world elevate her eyebrows and smile more
contemptuously than before, he added:
ESPECIALLY when the fault is our own"
He looked at he:' so directly, and with such
anger that she was quite puzzled. This
could not be the opening passage of an offer
of marriage; and what could it be? Mrs.
Temple, however, had faces and manners for
all complications.
'Mr. Brent" she said, with just the faint
est sign OF distance about her, such as could
either be cffaced or deepened according as
che occasion required, IT am afraid you are
talking Of something which don't under
stand"
@NIrs Temple" cried the over-excited little
man, lashed up by his feelings so that he fan
cied himself judge, and invested with a
Judges rights, chow old are you?"
For once in her cool, self-possessed life Mrs
Temple was really dumfounded. She looked
at her visitor, but found no word to utter,
and he, with an air of the most preposterous
indignation and triumph, faced her, shaking
his head, pursing his lips, ard putting at her
in the most extraordinary style. At last she
recovered herself. She was sorry to think
it; but the rector must be under the influence
of wine.
"Mr. Brent" she said, II think we had bet
ter take walk in the garden" She hoped
in this quiet way to lead him to his carriage.
"No!" cried the hot little fellow, 1--WE shall
not take walk i'll the garden" He snccrcd
horribly as he repeated her words "iou
have deceived me, Mrs. Temple, shocking
ly"
"Deceived you!" she cried, now with decid-
ed sternness in her voice. II am quite be-
wilderedw
Is-it-not-true," continued Mr. Brent,
beating time to each word, as if he were
counting in music lesson, "that-you-jilt
-ed-a-gen-tle-m -a-bout-thc-tlme
of the - -French-revolution:" The as
founding form Of this question, and possibly
some fact in her actual life which it brought
to sharp memory, caused Mrs. Temple to
change color But she was really too amazed
tomake any answer Mr.. Brent was now q
kind of drawing room red Indian, and i'll the
exact frame of mind in which these children
of nature begin to feel for their tomahawk.
"And-did-you-not- ot--lcad-Eic - to- be
lieve that at-vou--arr-for-ty -ty-tivc-ond-
no-morel" he demanded, sill hitting hisopcn
palm as he emitted each Inonosylnble.
Amidst all her alnazcmcnt Mrs Temple
could now see in what stylr she ought to treat
the man, and so, rising with admirable COM
IL, .Lo ,r,>,,ll M tbn