The Portland daily press., 1890-03-15
the UNIVERSITY MATCH,
London TRUTH


of the muscular, energetic type, which,
fortunately for the church, is turned out
not unfrequently by our universities and
public schools. He was big, broad
shouldered young man, who, besides dis
tinguishing himself greatly both on the
river and in the cricket field, had taken
very respectable degree, for he was by
no means afraid of hard work of any de-
scription. Such men often make capital
parsons, and Tom was hardly less ener-
getic in his parish work than he had
been in very different spheres of action
at Eaton and Oxford. But there were
limits to Mr.. Bakers endurance; he
liked an occasional holiday, and this was
the only point upon which he and his
vicar, the Rev. Septimus Straightway,
were not entirely agreed.
The Rev. Septimus was an earnest
man, and took severe and gloomy
view of the pleasures of life. He worked
terribly hard in an East End parish;
knew nothing and cared less about out
door sports-or, in fact, about any form
of amusement; and fully expected his
curates to follow unhesitatingly in the
extremely narrow and steep path up
which he led them. Hence it came to
pass that Mr.. Straightway experienced
considerable difficulty in finding curates
after his own heart; the young men were
continually leaving him for less arduous
duties, and the wears opinion of human
nature in general, and of the younger
generation of eurates in particular, stead
lily grew worse. In Tom Baxter, how
ever, he really thought he possessed a
treasure, and the danger of working a
willing horse to death never SO much as
entered into his head.
Poor Tom did his very best to satisfy
Mr.. Straightway's requirements, for he
really respected the man and valued i'm
mensely his good opinion, but, as has al
ready been indicated, he could not help
longing that his superior would enter
little more into his own harmless liking
fcr occasional relief, and sympathize
with his passion for rowing and all that
was connected with athletics.
At the time / write of the cricket sea-
son was in full swing; but Toms duties
had not only prevented him from play
ing in a single match, but even from
looking on at one for few hours from
the roof of the pavilion at Lords. More
over the university cricket match, in
which he took an absorbing interest, was
fast approaching, and he was sorely
troubled by the dread that he might not
be able to see it. This fear haunted him
1au L..
his visiting and mission work, spoilt his
rest and occasionally obtruded itself
upon him in the pulpit. Even the absent
minded Mr.. Straightway at length no
ticed that his curate's mind was ill at
ease, and one day he went so far as to in
quire the cause. Tom stammered out
sodi5s.ahi1R ABOUT being ouI o. Sous, and
ventured to hint that he thought days
holiday would do him good.
"When was your age, Mr.. Baxter, I
never wanted a holiday" replied the
austere vicar; 'but you are certainly not
looking well. Let me see, today is the
24th of June. In about a fortnight I
think ! can arrange day for you. Say
the 18th of july"
Cant it be managed a week sooner?"
queried Tom, desperately, for the uni
versity match was fixed for the 4th.
''Quite impossible, fear," said the
vicar, decisively, for he was a terrible
martinez with his curates. So, with
wave of his hand, he dismissed the sub.
ject, and Tom knew that further appeal
was useless.
"It's rather too bad," grumbled Mr..
Baxter, as he walked home to his humble
lodgings. "But it is no use talking to
him about cricket; he doesn't know bat
from ball." And with a heavy heart
he tried TO resign himself to the inevi-
table.
But two days later circumstance oc-
CURED which entirely routed Toms vir-
tuous resolutions. A letter arrived at
the reverend gentleman's lodgings which
was couched in the following terms:
HEATHcoTE HALL, LoAMsHIRE.
DEAREST ToM-We are actually coming to town.
Only for two days, though; and we are going to
Lords to see the match. Uncle has got drag
there. block B. OF course shall never forgive
you If you don't come and seq me; on Wednesday
afternoon we go to Essex to stay with the Chill
vertons, so this is our only chance Of meeting. Do
come; In terrible haste. Yours lovingly,
ALICE
From the foregoing it may be gathered
that Miss Alice Heathcote and Mr.. Tom
Baxter were on tolerably intimate terms.
As matter of fact they had been en-
gagged for six months, during which time
they had very rarely met. Bakers peo-
pie were well off, and he had very rich
uncle, among whose possessions was an
excellent family living, destined in the
future for Tom and his bride. But the
uncle was a stern and conscientious gen.
tleman, and he was determined, before
he definitely agreed to give Tom the va
eancy-when 1t occurred-to see what
that young gentleman was made Of And
this was why Baxter had been sent to
help Mr.. Straightway in the East End,
why he worked so hard in the parish, and
why he was 30 desperately anxious to
stand high In his wears opinion.
When Tom read the letter his first inn
pulse, unclerical though it may appear,
was to use strong language. But he
himself and fell to thinking
over the~va-ous means of escaping from
his duties. A fresh appeal to Mr..
Straightway he knew to be hopeless.
That worthy ascetic did not only look
upon cricket as frivolous waste of time,
but he was strong advocate of the cell
bacy of the clergy. Moreover, by merely
asking the question Tom might offend
him, and this he certainly could not
afford to do under the circumstances.
There was nothing for it then but pious
fraud, and although Toms conscience
rebelled againt the idea of deceiving his
vicar, who trusted him implicitly, he
could not make up his mind to disap-
point Alice, or to deny himself the pleas
ure Of seeing her. He might, under more
favorable circumstances, have dined at
her uncle's house in Portman square, but
as luck would have it he had undertaken
to conduct an evening class on both
nights of her stay in town. So he wrote
a very affectionste answer, promising
that nothing short Of an earthquake
should prevent him from appearing at
Lords, and he at once set to work to ar
range plot for the deception of Mr..
Straightway.
On the day before that ON which he
had promised to meet his intended Tom
told his vicar that he was passing the
night with very old friend, who had
Just come home from India, in his rooms
near Jermyn street. This, it must be
said, was perfectly true, and of course
hr. Straightway could offer no valid OBJ
lection, as Baxter had done all his work
for the day. The next day, however.