Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-11-24

world, her unClr1n8 energy, were I'LL dlUer uLS
own heart. He soon began to drop hints, as
men do who have matrimony in their heads.
"Mrs Temple was a remarkably fine woman. !"
"Forty-f1ve was the exact age that the wife OF
a man of fifty should be-the exact age. -"
"Mrs Temple did not look forty-ave" (he adj
mitted that, "but"-and lie would drop his
voice-'he 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-fve was the age he approved
Of: that for a man of his standing one year
younger would be one year too young, and
one year older one year too DID, Of course,
so far he 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 see nothing. She ex-
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 she 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 as attentively as if she
had been hearing of dear relations in a
far-off land. In short, with garden parties
and lunches and dinners and drives, things
went so far that we all considered the matter
settled; and when we heard that no proposals
had yet been made, we all agreed that there
must be tacit engagement, which, for some
private reasons, was not just yet to be avowed.
To all intents and purposes, we regarded Mrs.
Temple and Mr.. Brent as aff1anced; and, on
the whole, we approved of our rector's choice.
Certainly we should have liked a lady more
interested in religious affairs; but then, we
argued, it was much better than if he had
married young woman. So, balancing
matters, we accepted the event with satisfac-
tion.
The rector was in ecstasies. He was in his
element, dancing attendance on these four
brilliant women; and really a careless OBJ
se.ver might have been puzzled to tell which
Of the four he was pursuing In the most
polished Of hats, the newest Of suits, the most
faultless lavender gloves, and looking all
over comfortable ecclesiastic, he would fit
around them, glowing and beaming with
satisfaction The girls, for their part, &C.
cepted his civilities with charming freedom;
and their mother-shrewd woman-never
manifested the smallest jealousy. In this,
beside proving her own good sense, she paid
her admirer compliment which he fully de-
served; for he looked upon the three girls as
daughters already, and was fond of them in
the most parental fashion.
"Ah, Mrs Temple" he said one day, when
he was getting hot, as the children say in
their hide-and-seek game, II have but one
child-a son, dear good fellow, away in
Australia. always longed for daughters"
Whereupon Mrs. Barbara Temple turned
full upon him one Of her keen looks, which
said: ~ understand" but a good humored
look all the time; and then she broke into
little bland laugh and made herself more
comfortable in her seat, for they were driv-
ing. The rector was just going to propose
then and there; but it happened that the car
riage, speeding down the dusty road, met the
curate, who was footing it home from some
remote part of the parish, where he had been
visiting sick old woman. He signaled the
carriage to stop and addressed the rector:
"Old Spearman is dying" he said.
"Poor Hannah Spearmanp the rector re-
piled, shaking his head. II have known her
many years. Poor Hannah Spearman!"
"Polly," the curate remarked-"Polly
Spearman."
"Of course, it is Polly" the rector rejoined.
aIn visiting about parish like mine"-he
turned to Mrs. Temple -"ono's head gets so
full of Pollies and Sallies and Billies that one
is apt to take the name that comes first. I
am sorry for poor Han-Polly. But what
can you do in case Of natural decay!"
at is not natural decay" the curate
answered, with a waggish dryness in his
manner "She fell down stairs"
ITO be sure she fell down stairs" little MIR.
Brent cried, reproving his faulty memory by
a gesture of his gloved hand. "How came
to confound the two-complatnts?"
"Perhaps because you are suffering from
third" reto rted the curate. He loved joke
and had before this broken jest on his own
bishop. And our rector was a tempting OBJ
ject, being not apt to take offense, and not
one to inspire great respect or fear.
The carriage drove on; but for once little
Mr.. Brent was downright angry.
"Rather all impertinent speech" he said,
glancing diffidently at Mrs. Temple.
"Impertinent" cried easy-humored Mrs.
Temple. "Nothing of the sort"
"Milligan has no sense Of propriety."
She gave little laugh.
II like Mr.. Milligan."
At this Mr.. Brent took heart, changed his
view of the matter, Redeemed with pleasure,
and gave himself up to laughter, which lasted
until the tears were chasing each other down
his rosy cheeks. But somehow the proposal
was not made that day.