The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-05-27
CHAPTER vi.
THE REoroR's FALL

Tlih hhCfONh fALfL
Stick, gloves and hat all held In one hand,
the other hand already raised for the com,
mencement Of his speech, 30 the perturbed
clergyman broke into Mrs, Barbara Temples
drawing room, Ilo saw what might have
calmed his mind The three girls were stand
ing in a group admiring q drawing which
Sibyl has Just been buying, and their mother
was deep In novel, The girls looked up,
and M the merry rector was fayorlte 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 quleted him just
then,
"Young ladies' he said, abruptly, address
ing tho graceful three, "my business Is with
your mother-alone'
This odd ntlmatlon, considering the OK
cited manner IN which he made 10, meant,
they thought, one thing only Lightly they
vanished from the room but even In going
they glanced significantly at each othcri for
the subject was 10 interesting that they could
not delay mn exchange OF ideas even I'LL they
got outside the door The rector was going
10 propose 10 mammal
Mamma thought HO too, She was not often
deceived either by her eyes or her enrs, but
for once shc inncled that the tremor In the
rcctors voice, his flushed check, his alcoholic
manner, were signs Of o lovers measlncss
Indeed, as 10 the manner, she without any
hesitation explained II as arising from wine
II was NiIl early In the afternoon, but Mrs
Barbara Tcmple was not angry, Toetot0lim
was not yet fashionable, and the little woman
remarked 10 hcrcf "1'hey very often give
themselves illip In that way before coming
10 the point Pity when they oyerdo it-and
yet don't know
The rector might DO ilugtcred hut Mrs
Barbara Temple was calm and pleasant
She motIonod him 90 a scNt-not upon her
own sofa, but close 10 10; and then, laying
down her novel, she turned upon him with
hermost gracious air,
Automatically 90 we say IN this scientific
ago hc vat down. and, still 10 continue tho
scientific style, by the actions Of the law Of
gravtatlon his hat, gloves and cane, which
he lot go, went their different ways 20 the
iloor He did not notice the fall, and Mrs
Tomplo began inly 10 compute how many
glasses hc must have taken,
~ hope he has not gone too far" the pru'
dent woman Nid 10 herself, aud her hope
grow loss aud less ~ the rector regarded her
with his rcd confused ylsage, saying nothing
for quito n minute, Then he spokoj
"AIN Tcmplc' ho said, ~ this morning ro'
ociyod n tremendous lesson In the hollowncsa
Of the world"
Mira Barbara Temple was not greatly
skilled IN mot0phorlc0l language, especially
the pulpit sort, but ns she know that her WIS.,
itor was not the sort Of person 10 mako no
searches into the interior OF the physical
globe she had no groat difficulty In undor-
standing that ho spoke Of the human kind
undor this universal symbol
'Wcll, we'll" she said, shaking hcr head,
"th0t very often happens The best thing h
20 be prepared for H. Don't expect too much
Of mon aud womcn, aud you viii learn 10 bo
goodshumuVd over their sclshnoss and
hypocrisy, After all, are We much better
ouNclYcs AZ amy rate, let IA Keep our
temper"
She srolycd her dress at these words, brush.
ing of somo imaginary dust, and, looking up
NJ the clergyman, she smiled,
"That, the clergyman said, solcmnly, "ls q
terribly frivolous Wow 10 take Of 40 serious q
subject Then, seeing the woman of the
world elevate her eyebrows and smile moro
contcmpmously than before, hc addcdj
Especially when the fault n our own"
lie looked At her 10 directly and with such
anger, that she was quito puzzled, This
could not ho the opening passage Of an offer
Of marriages aud Whnt could u boi Mt
Tcmpc, however, had lOcCs aud manners for
an complications
oNlr. Brnt, pbo mil, with just tho faint
cst sign Of distance about her such a. could
JIthor be- cllacod or docponcd according ~
The occasion required, 81 am afraid you arc
talking OF aomothug which ! don't undct'
slaud'
'AIr Trmplo," cried the oycrcScItod little
man, h.bcl up hy hla feelings ao Chat hcim'
olod himself q Judge, aud invested with u
iudgoH u.Hla chow old arc you"
For once m hur cool, ultpoat,.ud llfo Mira
Tcmplo wHs really dumlomdpd, She looked
ut huyi.Ilur, hut found no word 20 utter
and ho, with n bIr of the most pvpoltcrous
indignation aud triumph, faced her, shaking
his head pursuing his lips, and putting NJ her
IN the most extraordinary style AZ last Fho
recovered herself She was sorry 70 think
a., but the rector must be under the influence
Of wine.
oNlr Brtnt," thc said, ~ think we had bet.
Ter take q walk III The garden She hoped
IN tbls quiet way 10 lend him 10 his carriage
"No" criod the hot little fellow, tive shall
not take walk In the gNrdcnn He moorod
horribly ~ hc repeated her words "Nou
have deceived me, Mrs Temple, shocking.
Tyr
Deceived youl" she crlcd, now with dccld.
cd stonncll Ia her voice ~ am quito bo.
wllduwd"
"le=it-not-twe," continued Mr. Brent
beating time 10 each word, ns II ho were
counting In q music lesson, othot-you--i iIlt
..-ed-n=go =tlc-mnn-h --hout.-t -tho-tlmo
- OF the = frcnch.-rcvoutionN The ~.
founding form Of this question, aud possibly
some fact In her actual life which II brought
10 sharp memory, caused Mrs, Temple 10
change color hut she was really too amazed
tomnl,e amy answer Mr., Brent was now n
kind Of drawing room red lndlnr, aud In tho
cxact frame Of mind In which these children
ofnhturo begin 10 feel for Their tomnhowk
"And- -dld-you- -not-lcad- me o. 10 bo -
llevo o.. that You forty --ilye-and--'
no-morcr he demanded, ptill hitting hiHopen
palm rs he omitted each mouosglhho,
TnNTfNrpn 10 nuu NuyT