The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-07-26
THE NEW CURATE.

a chance as the the rest of them, and
twenty-four is not old, by any
MEANS"
She leaned over the garden gate as
she spoke, this veritable village
gossip. can see her now, with her
great poke bonnet, from which the
clustering gray ringlets peeped, the
keen blue eyes that seemed to read
your very thoughts, the trim little
figure, clad always in ample skirts of
Quaker gray or sombre brown.
Never was there a wedding, funeral
or christening in the village without
this estimable lady's presence. What
harmless little body she appeared
and how incapable of carrying about
that wonderful budget of informa-
ton! How nicely she impaired her
knowledge to her listeners, begin
ming with, "Well, | don't mind telling
you," or They do say, but of course
you can't believe anything" and
ending with, ''That's between you
and me; it will go no farther"
was in the garden that morning
training some early June roses; my
thoughts were not the brightest,
scarcely in harmony with nature,
which was decked in one of her
brightest mantles. 1t was quite un-
necessary for Mrs. Briggs to remind
me of my age. Twas thinking seri-
ously of it. Twenty-six. Not very
old, to be sure, and yet not very
young to an unmarried woman. l
must be content with fewer laurels,
less conquests. l must step out OF
the field, as it were, and leave the
romance and day dreams to younger
and fnirer girls
1t mattered little to me whether
the new curate was young and un-
married, or portly old fellow with
Il wife and grown daughters. At
heart l disliked this interfering old
woman who had broken in on my
reverie.
l thanked her kindly for her advice,
telling her that at present | had no
intention of setting my cap for any
one, not even for the new curate, so
saying | went back to my work and
the roses.
There, Matte, don't get riled. Of
course it s snobody's business if you're
going to leave yourself an old maid;
but take my advice and don't spend
your time frettingand worrying over
Bob Preston, for he amt worth it,
nohOw.'
She shook her head wisely and was
Off before had time to recover from
the cruel thrust that had opened the
old wound-Robert Preston and the
past.
| had tried to guard my heart, to
trample under foot the old love. l
could have laughed at my girlish fol-
ly as if it were a dream until
thoughtless word had brought back
the past, like the dead risen to life
again, or smouldering fire that
needed but gentle breeze to make
it a burning flame. One by one the
roses dropped from my hands. One
by one the binding tears fell. l was
only weak woman after all, as COW
ering my face with my hands, 1
sobbed.
Robert, oh, Robert! Why were
you false?'
1t all came back to me-that visit
to Aunt Martha, where l first met
Robert Preston, ayoung studentjust
returned from college. l cannot tell
you all those bright, happy day
dreams; how l loved him and waited
for the happy day when he would ask
me for that love. He read my an
swer in my tell tale face before my
lips uttered it.
So engrossed with Robert s society
l took little heed of other matters,
scarcely giving thought to the fact
that a young lady, the daughter of
deceased friend of my aunt's, was 60
ing to make her home with us. She
came. From the moment | looked
upon her lovely face my happiness
was gone. was a pretty girl, fair
and fragile, yet one might as well
compare a simple little daisy to a full
blown poppy or a rich red rose as my
frail beauty to this girls exquisite
loveliness.
For time his love unchanged. I
laughed in my foolish heart at my
doubts and fears. At times I would
find his serious eyes wandering from
me and resting admiringly on the
beautiful face of Kathleen Lee. No
man could resist that wondrous fas-
cinating face. She never encouraged
him, but the dropping lids, the faint
flush, the trembling of the little
hands, all told plainly that she, too,
loved him.
How I suffered! In mad jealousy l
grew almost to hate the child. He
loved me before she came, and her
beautiful flower like face, to rob me
of that love- Was she blind that she
did not see we were betrothed?
prayed that she might go away and
leave us to ourselves once more, and
Robert would go back to his old fond
ways. His caresses were growing cold
er, his kisses lighter Ispoke ofhis SEEM
ing neglect. He answered lightly, TAX
ing both my hands in his and looking
fondly at me.
Nonsense, Mattel Do you know,
my little girl, that you are growing
nearer and dearer to me every day."
For a time l was satisfied, trying
to be content with but q share of his
love.
We were seated in the garden, one
afternoon in the early autumn, Rob-
ert, Kathleen and l. She was look
ing unusually handsome in dress
of soft India null. My lover had
just paid her a well-merited compli-
ment, for which she was about to
make q gracious reply, when Aunt