Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-22


The GOODNESS of the request took
away Mr.. Bamlett's breath. lie told his
friend he would not on any account COM
nit 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 hal sup
piled him with it. The Rev. Mr.. Bam-
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. 119 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 n
fool of himself. The Rev. Joshua was
neither proud nor envious, 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 a troubled mind.
The rules of the prison were meant for
the prisoners good, and il by breaking
them he had done prisoner good-but
he dare not follow this Jesnitical line
of reasoning any further.
Micklereed had promised that when
released he would come TO his friends
lodgings, but greatly to that good mans
disappointment he did not put in an
hn
him leave the prison, said that "a law
overlooking gentleman" had met him
and taken him off in hanson. Also
that No. 119, noticing him outside the
gate, had borrowed n sovereign from
the "lawyer-looking gentleman" and
given it to 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 rs
il he had friends, but the curate was
rather vexed at his silence. and muir
INJURED to 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:
1--WE understand that the valuable
living of Platton Magma, Southshire,
vacant by the death OF the Rev. Samuel
Sloman, has been offered by the patron,
G. NJ. Masterton. Esq, to the Rev.
Joshua Bamlett, curate of st. Swithin's.
w. G.. 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
inal value of 600 year is some indi-
cation OF its actual one. The popula-
tion of the parish is 260 and there is q
good vicarage. We congratulate Mr..
Bamlett on his good fortune"
Nonsense" was tho curate's mental
comment; "the Guardian must have
made q mistake. There must be 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 In the name OF
Joshua.
Surely, said he to himself, cit
can't be true. | know no one called
Masterton. Besides, l 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 mlslaid."
The letter proved TO be from Twibell
and Twiss. the solicitors of G. NJ Mas
terton. 1t contained formal offer of
the living Of Platton, 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 vicarage wishing his pa
tron would como back that he might
make his acquaintance and discover