Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-04-02

NlillBANLN MANI Mo ilA1Aisl hAAhDs
morning as he led the responses, and gen
erous were his bows at the end of the serv-
ice when clergyman and people went home
in their new garments to the family din
ners Of the season,
Near the church, and standing in its
grounds, was the rectory. As / looked on
the grand old church the voices of the
chimes came floating out from the tower,
and were borne down the valley to gently
echo among the rocks and he lost in the
signing of the surf. Exquisite was their
melody as it called up cherished thoughts
and touched with subtle thrill sweet mem
cries Of yore At the plaintive summons
Of the bells a retrospect of life was before
me, almost weird in its pathos and its
power.
As the last notes died away there was a
movement behind me, and looking through
the branches which hung about the seat
saw the figure Of man with folded arms
leaning against tree. He was young and
tall, and was gazing on the scene below
Presently be turned his face toward me;
it seemed possessed by deep emotion, and
it was the face of Mr. Chichester Lee. |
have never forgotten its expression. Seen
in that place, at that time, it spoke, as
plainly as if the words were written in the
history Of the mans life, Of sweet remem-
brance and of cruel despair. 1t challenged
my sympathy, and by manuvering little
made my presence known; then approach
ing the young fellow referred to my having
seen him at IIoniton. He replied politely,
and in "A few minutes Mr.. Chichester Lee
and | were sitting together on the old seat
on the brow Of Briarcombe hill.
Slowly at first, then faster as his conf
deuce was aroused, aud faster still as free
dom came to imprisoned feeling, he told
his tale. His father, a generous, hospita-
BILE clergyman, had been rector of Briar-
combe. His mother, a French lady, who
had been governess in one of the county
families, had been much respected for the
amiability and womanly grace which
shone in the duties Of the rector's wife.
Educated at home and INDUCED as child
and boy, matters had gone on smoothly
enough until his nineteenth year, when
Capt. Jackleigh, a dashing, glib tongued
stranger, but who had never thought it
necessary to define the branch Of the serv-
fee he had honored, took apartments at
Briarcombe.
inexperienced and impulsive he had
fallen under the spell of SIckleigh's in
hueuce, had made appointments with him
unknown to his parents, had been initiated
as distinguished favor into the mysteries
OF limited club in a neighboring city,
where there were three or four other Capt.
Jackleighs and three or four other Chi
chester Lees, and where the Jackleighs
won the money Of the Lees. Then there
was debt. the borrowing of some money
and more entanglements, with its result
ing remorse. keeniy present was the love
Of home and affection for his parents
and horror Of exposure Then there was
an excuse to leave home for little while
only little while-weeks elapsed, letters
were written, then other explanatory
letters which he thought would have been
answered in pity and forgiveness, and no
answers came to any Of them.
Instead Of investigating the silence he
construed it as meaning hopeless resent
ment. lie was alone in London-London
in November-in a little coffee house in
Drummond street, Euston square. few
cabmen and two or three railway porters
were eating hurried dinners, which were
brought them by a jaded maid Of all work
in those intervals IN which she was not
fetching their porter from a neighboring
tavern. Hastily finishing a wretched meal
and counting the little money he had, he
took his sachel, and in a few minutes was
in Euston station and on his way to Liver
pool. From Liverpool he worked his way
to New Zealand. Two years after, on a
starry night, at a sheep station, the yearn-
ing for home overcame him. He had saved
a little money, aud took the first ship for
England. Before reaching Briarcombe he
learned all there was to know of his fami-
Iy. His letters had never been received.
The friend to whom he had inclosed them,
and whose Intervention ne desired, had
SAILED for India shortly after his depart
ure. His mother had died of consumption
a year before his return, still believing in
him and praying for his home coming.
Shortly after paralysis, followed by dis
tressing mental failure, took his fathers
life.
The rector bad no means beyond those
arising from the living, and the failure
Of his mind had caused the household man
agement to devolve on needless servants.
Bills accumulated and every yestige of
personal property had fallen under the
hammer. Without resources he had Joined
the strolling players. The young man,
avoiding recognition, had now come to
look upon his old home, to kneel in the
at the graves of his parents. to
sit screened in the church gallery and start
at the new voice i'm one desk, and melt at
the sonorous amens ofpoor old Abel Brown
in the other. Watching an opportunity,
he had entered the rectory grounds. The
name of his pony was still over it's stall in
the stable, aud the head of a fox, which
had been killed in the gorse behind us.
was where we had nailed it on the door.
Then back by the cricket field and the
trout stream, under the rookery, and up
over Briarcombe hill; then last look
at the dear old village before trying Elk
eter or Plymouth, or any other place
Boosting Theatre Royal"
As he paused, the Ginning of the bells
once more fell on the stiffness Of the val
ley, and their spell was again upon him
and upon me. The early days came back
to me-my poverty, the devotion Of my poor
old aunt, the drear little room in Philadel-
phia, the attenuated tutor and his cotton
enshrined bones. l saw the three portions
Of the temporal and the wings of the
sphenoid that were TO have borne me to the
exacting labor and patient self denial
which constitute the chief distinctions of a