The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-26
CHAPTER v.


a few months. The reason of this return the
letter went on to furnish The son said he
feared his father would think him very
foolish; but love was bringing him home, and
here was the worst of the matter-lOve under
very peculiar circumstances. He had fallen
in love with-a pictured He had seen the
portrait of a girl whose face had impressed
him as never the living face of any woman
had, and having ascertained that the original
of the picture really lived, and was English,
and not duchess or a princess, which well
she might be, but girl of his own rank in
life, young Brent was determined to find her
out and try to secure her for himself The
letter wound up in very ingenious language,
admitting the apparent absurdity of the
whole proceeding; but protesting that the pas
sion was true and deep, and that nothing
could end it except realization or absolute
and ascertained hopeIessnesS
Rector Brent was a good natured man and
kind father; SO he shook his head and
self. But he wrote a kind reply, saying
that his son would be always welcome home
under any conceivable circumstances, and
that though he must confess the expedition
seemed rather wild, yet he well knew that in
be ruled by his own good sense and his
fathers counsel.
"And now," the rector said, as he sealed
this praiseworthy epistle, 81 think before Per-
cival comes home had better have my af-
fairs settled" This he said, and as he spoke
he looked at his own likeness in the chimney
glass Something struck him. Dear me, "
he exclaimed, Il must get some new teeth!'
For fifty years of good living had told upon
this portion of his mechanism; and now re-
iecting that he was about to marry, he
reasoned thus: "At such times we refurniSh
our houses. Think of man refurnishing his
house, and not refurnishing his mouth! If
am to have new dining table, / ought to
have a new set of teeth to use at it. Besides"
He grinned in the glass. "Yes," he said,
shaking his head, mot at all prepossessing.
He grinned again, and this time by the power
of fancy set new white teeth in the vacant
spaces. "NOt doubt of it," he murmured
the greatest Improvement
So that morning, instead of making pro-
posal of marriage to the lively widow, he
went to an adjacent town. where a notable
dentist practiced, and here he had his jaws
overhauled and a plan of the projected i'm
provements drawn out. The dentist was a
ran of chat, and when he ascertained whence
the parson came he had all sorts of questions
TO ask about various people in the neighbor-
hood, and curious stories to tell, and gossip to
exchange; so that our little rector, perched in
he operating chair, laughed and chirruped
md looked the image of enjoyment. Short
lighted man!
"By the way" said the dentist, pausing a
moment with one of his tools in his hand
has not Mrs. Temple settled in Kettlewell
turing the past year!"
Rector Brent knew that faint blush shot
out of his cheek as he answered Eyes"
"a remarkable woman" the dentist con-
tinued, forgetting his task, while with a med
itative face he seemed to contemplate bygOne
lays. "a very remarkable woman"
"a very, Gerry remarkable woman" the
rector replied, determined to add an adverb
in this very peculiar case.
"Wonderful energy" said the dentist
MOST wonderful the rector rejoined, still
III the augmentation principle
And such face and figurev' the operator
said again.
'Ah, surh face and fgure!" repeated the
rector, unable to refrain from rubbing his
hands together.
"For her years." the dentist remarked, in
an explanatory voice.
90, come, comet" cried the rector, in tones
Of remonstrance II don't see that She is
youthful, certainly, and sprightly; but still
women are not old at forty-five"
'At ,ohat five!" asked the dentist, not hav-
ing caught the first word
Forty five" repeated the rector, boldly
and emphatically.
I;l~oJxy tlo I,l,,,+ Jo,,
fist said, now intent on his tool, which was
out Of repair
90, see, see!" cried Rector Brent ''you
are talking of her mother We don't know
the mother. The mother does not live with
them now"
UNLESS Mrs. Barbara Temple is hersel.
and her mother at the same time am nc.
talking of her mother" the dentist an
swered. "That lady is seventy years of age,
if she is seven"
Saying this with great unconcern, he adj
vanced to take some further measurement O.
the clergyman's mouth, and observing his
face of horror, he said, reassuringly:
Don't be uneasy; am not going to take
anything out"
The rector, gasping, waved him away. Sc
convulsive were his movements that for a
moment the dentist fe AIRED that he might have
left one of his minor implements in the
patients mouth, which implement, having
been inadvertently swallowed, was, from
its unaccommOdating material and unusua
shape, doing violence to nature in one o.
other of the canals which traverse the human
continent
do you mean to say" said the astounde
clergyman at last that Mrs Barbara Tenn
ple-the lady who has three fine daughters
is more than forty-fve!'
Before one of those young ladies wa
orn," the dentist replied, little thinking how
.readful were his words, Il made a front
sooth for Mrs. Temple-not Mrs. Temple
then. She was a remarkably handsome
woman, something over forty-just a tint of
gray in her hair was not surprised when
heard, few months after, that Young Can
lain Temple was going to marry her. But
zoos a little surprised when heard subse-
quently that his wife was going to present
Linn with child; and when 1 heard that this
child was followed by second, and that by
third, was, confess, surprised not q
littlen
but Mrs. Temple was only about two and
twenty when she married the second time. y
the rector said, stin unable to credit what he
heard
My dear sir" the dentist said, laughing.
L have known Mrs. Barbara Temple as q
woman for five-and-forty years at the least.
Let me seen-he went through some half-audi-
ole calculation-"I remember her lifting .
man in 1885
Then, the rector cried, leaping from the
chair and shifting hand against hand till the
room rang, Il shall never believe anything IN