Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-16

what manner of man il was who, having
good thing 10 give away, sought out
an obscure curate. as the recipient OF il,
when he saw Charley MicSlcreed open
the gate.
Could il be, thought he. that Charley
had not deemed him worth visiting be-
fore his promotion? Did he mean to
levy blackmail upon himP 1t would be
nice 10 have the story of the tobacco
spread abroad. No! he would not be-
lieve his friend could bc so base; espec-
tally as his friend, to judge by his
clothes and the aroma of his cigar, had
also prospered in worldly affairs since
he left the prison.
'Well, Josh, my boy began Mr..
Mickelreed. chow do you like it? | told
them to put everything square for you
before | went away"
You told Them" said Mr. Bamlett;
"but what on earth had you TO do with
itPn
"Everything,' replied his friend !;
I'm not Charley Mictelreed now, you
know but Charles Mickelreed Master
ton, lord OF this manor and patron of
this living. Possibly j. i, some day.
Wouldn't that be joke, ell Josh ?''
II don't understand, said the vicar
feebly.
"Ah! I suppose you never heard Of
my great-uncie Masterton. Well, |
hardly ever did-before | came out Of
you know what. ltseems he quarreled
with his mothers mother for marrying
my grandfather. She was his only
near relation, and until the newspapers
brought me to his notice he was actual
ly without any one to leave his money
to. He was pleased TO say was a man
OF spirit, and he made me de fucto what
! already was dc jHrc-his heir. Poor
old chap. We were only together a
month before he died. The only thing
he asked me to do was TO take his
name"
Then you were the patron of this
living when Mr.. Sloman died. said
Mr.. Bamlett in a disappointed tone. 1t
is not pleasant TO find that favor and
not merit, after all, has led to our ad :
vancement.
Certainly | was, old fellow. aud
knew no one who deserved it better
than you. Shouldn't have cared If
had either. | owe you more than this
for that tobacco" replied his friend
Don't, pray don't, put it on that
ground. Charley" demonstrated the
other; you can not imagine the trouble
my conscience has given me over that
matter, If had known the offer came
from you | should not have accepted
the living"
just what was afraid Of" retorted
his friend; that's why | sent it through
my solicitor
Then Mr.. Bamlett talked of resign
ing, but his friend, though with some
difficulty, persuaded him to abandon
the idea.
well, you know the way up to the
hall, said Charles at parting. by
the bye, you'll find some more old
friends OF yours at the lodge. I've
made that warder chap gatekeeper
He and his family came down yester-
day. Wonder if he ever smelt that to-
bacco. Sometimes | fancied he did
The clergyman sincerely hoped Mr..
Smiths olfactory nerves We're not keen.
Whether they were or were not that
judicious individual never breathed u
word ON the subject. No one in the
parish ever knew that the man who,
with a military salute, threw Omen the
park gate as the vicar went up to see
his friend, the Squire, had done the
same sort Of thing before when the
clergyman visited the layman under
very different circumstances.
The Squire was popular and made a
good landlord, but the wear could new
or persuade him TO take life as serious
ly as he would have liked. Occasion
ally the pair talked over the lamp
breaking exploit. The vicar proved
conclusivcly that it was wrong and fool
ish and his friend admitted it, main
tanning nevertheless that il was no use
showing a man that a winning outsider
really had no chance, and that the re-
suit of the race was n fluke after he's
backed the animal and got his money.