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

The GOODNESS of the request took
away Mr. Bamlett's breath. lie told his
friend he would not on any account COM
init such breach Of the trust reposed
in him. For five minutes they argued
the point. The clergyman pleaded con-
science; the prisoner pleaded the duties
of friendship. The question was left
unsettled, but next night the prisoner.
with morsel OF tobacco in his mouth.
slept better than the man who had sup
piled him with it. The Rev. Mr.. BAN
let's conscience was tender, and though
he gave away to the opportunities of his
friend on two or three subsequent oc-
casions he was very glad when the day
came for No. 10 TO leave the prison.
One thing alone somewhat lessened
the bitterness of his self reproach.
Micklereed during the last week of his
time showed some faint signs of re-
pentance, or rather of consciousness
that he might. after all, have made "a
fool of himself. The Rev. Joshua was
neither proud nor cuvious, and did not
scruple TO acknowledge TO himself that
nicotine had perhaps succeeded where
he had failed. As smoker he knew
its soothing effect on Il troubled mind.
The rules of the prison were meant for
the prisoners good, and If by breaking
them he had done prisoner good-but
he dare not follow this Jesuitical line
of reasoning any further.
Micklereed had promised that when
released he would come TO his friend's
lodgings, but greatly TO that good man ;
disappointment he did not put in an
appearance. Warder Smith, who saw
him leave the prison, said that "a law
overlooking gentleman" had met him
and taken him off in hanson. Also
that No. 1l9. noticing him outside the
gate, had borrowed a sovereign from
the "lawyer-looking gentleman and
given it 10 him, saying: Tell Mr..
Bamlett he shall hear from me. and
thank you Warder, for your kind
ness
Three months passed away, but Mr..
Bamlett h card no more of his unfortu-
nate friend. He hoped his relations
might have come to his help. The
readiness of the ''lawyer-like gentle
man" TO lend the sovereign looked as
il he had friends. but the curate was
rather veXed at his silence. and muir
INJURED 10 himself hard sayings about
the ingratitude OF man.
One Friday night. however, Mr.,
Bamlett was reading the Guardian, and
he came TO paragraph which cOnsid-
. erably astonished him. 1t ran as fol-
lows:
I'VE understand that tho valuable
living of Patton Magma. Southshire,
vacant by the death Of the Rev. Samuel
Sloman. has been offered by the patron,
c. NJ Mgsterton. Esq. to the Rev.
Joshua Bamlett, curate of st. Swithins,
w {. This living enjoys an enviable
distinction at the present time. Most
of its income is derived from property
in the city OF London. so that its nom
insl value of goo "a year is some indi-
cation OF its actual one. The popula-
ton of the parish is 260 and there is a
good vicarage. We congratulate Mr.
Bamlett on HE good fortune
Nonsense" was the curate's mental
comment: "thc Guardian must have
made mistake. There must DE an
other man Of the same name. Those
papers are always wrong in details"
He took down the CLERGY List and
ran through the Bamletts, but there
were not many of them, and not one.
save himself, rejoiced ia the name of
Joshua.
surely. said he TO himself. cit
can't be true. know no one called
Masterton. Besides, | should have
heard of it direct"
just then his landlady entered the
room with letter
This came for you, sir, this morn
ing" said she, land I'm sorry it has
been mislaid."
The letter proved TO be from Twibell
and Twiss. the solicitors OF &. NJ. Mus
terton. It.contained formal offer OF
the living OF Platoon, and mentioned
the solicitors regret that their client
was at present abroad. They requested
Mr.. Bamlett TO call upon them as soon
as possible
He called, accepted the living. and
had read himself in and taken possess
ion before Mr.. Masterton returned.
One morning he was walking in the
garden OF his vicaragc. wishing his pa
iron would como back that he might
make bis acquaintance and discover