Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-11-05
"Qu'te sure" said Miss arayling tran

quilIy.
"And the eattendances-they seem much
larger than they reed to be. Are you sure
yon have kept the register accurately9"
Perfectly sure" said Miss Crawling.
looking the clergyman full in the face.
. One or two members of the board moved
uneasily 10 their seats, and Mr.. Sowerbutts
seemed to be on the point of protesting au.
dibly against these aspersions on Miss Gray
liug's good faith. The rector felt very un
J comfortable.
"very good, Miss Grayling," he said: 81
, , am glad to hear you say co. And I think
we needn't detain You any longer"
The sckoomistress slowly rose, bowed in
her usual dignified manner and withdrew.
Before long it got abroad in Little Pud.
dington that Miss Grayling was in dis
grace, or at least in condition of suspend
ed favor. Varions reasons we're given for
this, the most popular theory being that
The rev mistress had been caught stealing
the school pence. The matter was discuss
ed in the ale hooses. at the doors of the cot
tages, in tbs church yard after fervice.
Through it all Mss Grayling went on her
wav, serene as usual, preserving exactly
the same manner to every one as if the
voice of scandal had never mentioned her
name.
A little before O'Clock one evening the
Rev. Augustine Cope Knocked at the door
of the pretty cottage in which Miss Gray
ling lived. For some months-ever since
he had first seen her, in fact-the suscepti-
ble curate had been under the spell Of the
young lady's sweet brown eyes. He had
struggled with himself long and manfnlly.
He was not in position to marry; and Miss
Crawling was not a suitable match for him.
He knew all that very well. He did not
like to think of what his auuts, Miss Cope
and Miss Georgina Cope, would say on be-
ing presented with a village schoolmistress
for niece. But, then. he had not looked
on the face of any other woman who could
be called lady-save Miss Jordan's-for
nearly eight months. He was in love; he
could not belp it; and now this unpleasant
matter added at once to his love and to his
Embarrassment. Even now he did not
know his own mind. His ostensible object
was to exchange one of the harmless novels,
with which he now kept Miss Grayling
we'll supplied, for another of the same
type
"Miss Grayling, began the curase, as be
seated himself in the little parlor, "this
cannot be truep'
"What is not trua, Mr.. Cope9"
These shameful accusations, these as
persions-"
| "Of course not, and did not think that
You, Mr.. Cope, would pay any attention to
them" said the schoolmistress, with quiet
dignity.
"Oh. no! not for worldsp' exclaimed the
curate: II believe in you as I would in a
saint! Dear Miss Grayling-Laura-I may
call you LaursP-I find it difficult to say
how feel for you-and how much I long
to shield you from the calumnies and trou.
bles of the world 10 the shelter of an honest
mau's love-"
As he spoke, the curate took Miss Gray
liDg'S white and we'll formed f1ugers be- |
tween his own.
II offer yon my heart and all have, " he |
continued, his eyes searching her downcast |
face. "Alas. that is go little! I know we'll |
we cannot marry on my present stipend. but
l have youth and strength on my side.
Sooner or later must got living, aud
then-aud thea Oh, Lsural say that
you love mer'
.'Mr. Cope, feel honored and flattered
more than I can say, and my heart tells me
it is not indifferent to you. but"
She paused. and the tones of-the church
clock striking fell on her ear.
"Mr. Cope" she exclaimed, withdraw
ing her fingers as she spoke. "you are
more than generous, but cannot trust my
self to give you an answer now I must
not be rash or unjust to you. Leave me
now-leave me, beg you. 1 will write to
you tomorrow"
Somewhat surprised at this sudden dis
missal, the agitated curate took his hat and
stick and departed.
Next day he received daintily scented
note from Miss Grayling, in which she said
that, much as abe honnred him, ard highly
as she valued his friendship, she could see
shat 1t was not for his interest to marry
dowerless girl, aud she therefore declined
his proposal. Her decision, she added, was
quite ''irrevocable." There was but one
'r' in "irrevocab e,o and somehow this
circumstance did something toward miti-
eating the grief with which Mr., Cope re-
ceived his letter of dismissal.
The testing examination. which was to I
confirm or overthrow Miss Graylings repu
tation, was fixed for a Friday afternoon.
The school-board meeting happened to fall
90 the following dav, Saturday.
At O'Clock on Friday Mr.. Wensby ar.
rived and Mr.. Dowthwsit and Miss Jor-
dan went with him to the school house.
The children were all there, with clean
pinatores and shining faces, bat Miss Gray
ing was absent. Miss Jordan's face wore
peculiar smile as one of the older girls
informed the rector that Miss GrayliDg had
not been at home for three days.
Miss Jordan soon set the children to
work, and in five minutes the Inspector
was convinced BY the clearest evidence that
not one of the school girls could make even
decent button hole, much l-ss one like
those contained in the specimens.
"Ycu had better get rid of your superior
young person as soon as you can," he said
to Mr.. Dowthwaite, as they went back to
the rectory,
Next morning, however, when the School
Board met they found a letter awaiting
them from Miss Graying. in which she
said that in consequence of the undeserved
aspersions which had been thrown upon
her management of the school she felt that
the course most consistent with her digni-
ty was to resign the post which she had
had the honor of holding. !
The rector was indignant, aud moved
that Miss Grayling's resignation be mot az
cepted, but that 10 consequence of the rev.
elatious that had been made she be sum-
marily dismissed. Mr.Sowerbutts was not
p' 9ssnt, but the other msmbers of the
board, who had but a very limited idea of
the heinousress of Miss Graylng's offence,
murmured at the severity of the sentence,
and at last the rector was persuaded to let
the resignation be accepted.
The following day was Sunday. It was
the curate's turn to preach, the rector's to
read prayers. The choir and the school.
children were in their places, aud Miss Jor-
tan scanned the congregation with an ap-
proving glance from the rectOry pew.
"Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture
n,Oveth us, began the rector
At that moment an unwonted lstle was
heard at the door, subdued murmur ran
through the assembled worshippers, and
the rector, lifting his eyes, beheld the ex-
schQolmistress moving up the aisle on the
arm of Mr.. Sowerbuttsl There couM be
no doubt of what had happened. The cur.
ate received shock such as he had newer
before experienced. Miss Jordan forgot |
herself in her amazament, and stared at the |
bride as if she had been a ghost. Mr. |