The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-12-16
CHAPTER ".
FIFTY AND FoRTY.FIYE.

churches, and the great ancient parish church
was the ecclesiastical center Of tho town.
Like many another such noble structure, it
was but poorly endowed, and the rewards
which it offered to its minister were chiefly
tho contemplation of venerable architecture,
and social position of considerable import
ance. The saying always was that none but
a man of fortune could be rector of Kettle
we'll Consequently, at each vacancy tho
bishop was in q difficulty. Rich men he could
find, able men he could find; but to find one
rich, and able, too, was not so easy, and at the
last appointment, being unable to meet with
O clergyman thus doubly qualified he had
chosen wealthy parson Of rather meager
abilities, who was now our spiritual
chief The Rev. Anthony Brcnt was q
cheerful man, undersized, with merry nose
of ruby, and countepnnce denoting neither
deep learning nor that isolation of character
which is natural in men VINO live above the
world. Indeed, Mr. Brent did not 1--we, nor
affect - i've, one inch above the level OF
commonplace cheerful life. He told us from
his pulpit that human things arc frail and
nothing worth, and that man is full Of misery;
but having folded up his sermon, he seemed
you met him on week days he was full OF
comfort and good cheer. Perhaps we are
fastidious people; perhaps we are Ignorant;
certain it is that we never could quite satisfy
ourselves that Mr.. Brent was altogether
gentleman His manners were no better than
n blithe lissom creature such as he might have
picked up in ten years between twenty-five
and thirty-fye. He had way Of alluding to
''my gardener" and my banker" which
seemed to show, so Sparkling said-Mr. Brent
employed tho rival practitioner-that some
time in his life ne had neither bank nor
garden 1t is very possible that had ne
not been SO good natured, bis Vul-
garity might have been obvious, which 1t
never was; for, indeed, we could not be quite
sure that he was vulgar at all. Another thing
puzzled us; where had his fortune come froml
He was very wealthy and widowcr, and our
idea was that Mrs. Brent had brought the
money. This, too, was guess, and nothing
but guess. Such, then, was our rector; a
man liked, but not greatly respected, and yet
q man whom none could condemn or fairly
despise; shallow man, equal to reading his
newspaper, and no more; on good terms with
the world, able without any strain OF con-
science to preach sanity sermons, copied out
from standard divines, and at tho same time
live an easy average life; a comfortable man,
With good intentions, sound digestion, tun
purse and cellar, and one who never let his
kitchen chimney freeze.
It was the reverend widower Brent whom
we upon consideration had assigned to our
lively Mrs. Barbara Temple as third husband;
and events went rapidly to show that our
forecast was not inexact. Mr.. Brent was
about fifty; Mrs. Barbara Temple was well
known to be about forty-fve; so that on the
score Of age there was nothing against the
match; and Us to inclination, tho rector soon
made it evident that there was no obstacle on
his side. Everybody remarked that he took
the Temples up with remarkable warmth.
Ho gave dainty little lunches and snug little
dinners for them; and he was forever calling
in his carriage to teke one or other OF the
girls drive, the little mother attending as
chaperon. At first we were in doubt as to
which he yDds pursuing-mothero or daughters;
andGvs even thought that grave Sophia, with
herlbsayeply face, had attracted him; but
we ti4ot that he WIS man OF some
common sense Mrs Temple was his choice;
her vivncity, her polish, her knowledge of the
world, her untring energy, We're all after his
owi heart. He soon began to drop hints, as
men do who have matrimony in their heads.
"Mrs. Temple was remarkably fine woman"
"Forty-fve was the exact age that the wife of
a man Of fifty should be-the exact age"
AIRS. Temple did not look forty-fve" Che ad-
mitted that, "but"-and he would drop his
voice-"ho knew she was every day Of it"
The intimation was that he had either seen
the register Of her baptism or she had told
him the fact direct, and he declared over and
over again, with amusing earnestness and pub
licity, that forty-five was the age he approved
of; that for q man Of his standing one year
younger would be one year too young, and
one year older one year too old. OF course,
so far no had not said that he hoped or wished
to marry Mrs. Temple, but the drift OF his
conversation and conduct was unmistakable
In the meantime it was evident that the
lively widow did not dislike attentions which
had now become so marked that even those
saw them who could SEQ nothing She e1-
changed compliments freely with the rector,
invited him to her house, praised his SER
mons, and she was actually found one even
ing at missionary meeting over which he
presided. She listened to his speech with the
utmost attention, sitting erect, and keeping
her eyes fixed upon him, although it would
have been hard to say whether sho knew or
cared less about the subject She could not
have told in which continent the district
spoken of lay, nor whether the people
were white, brown or black; but
she listened Us attentively as if sho
had been hearing of dear relations in
far-off land In short, with garden parties
and lunches and dinners and drives, things
went so far that we all considered tho matter
settled; ami when we heard that no proposals
had yet been made, we all agreed that there
must be a tacit engagement, which, for some
private reasons, was not just yet to bc avowed.
To all intents and purposes we regarded Mrs.
Temple and Mr.. Brent as affianced; and, OIL
the whole, we approved of our rectors choice.
Certainly we should have liked lady moro
interested i'll religious affairs; but then, wc
argued, it was much better than if he had
married a young woman. So, balancing
matters, we accepted the event with satisfac-
tioH.
The rector was in ecstasics He WIS in his