The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-03

| hSuiCT III IL ObHtuhiVf
peared in the doorway, and the farmers
present rose instinctively to their feet.
Only the rector retained his presence of
mind
"Thomas, set chair, said he.
The young lady bowed with the utmost
self possession and took the seat which
was offered her. She was decidedly pref
ty. There was no doubt of that in spite
of her paleness and her thin lips. Her
fair hair was brought down smoothly over
brow as white as any woman could
desire; her features were all delicately
formed, her eyes being especially attrac-
tive. Her age it might have been difficult
to guess; man would have admitted that
she might be over twenty; woman would
have said she did not look thirty.
"Yom name is Miss-ah ? Miss
Grayling ?" asked the rector, referring to
the card which Thomas had handed to
him.
The young lady bowed. As she lifted
her head she saw that the rector was still
scrutinizing the card, and she compre-
hended the other members of the board in
one swift glance, finishing with the curate
Mr.. Cope dropped his eyes. Miss Gray
ling smiled inwardly.
"And you have come about the vacancy
in the parish school, | understand? p in
quired the rector.
Again Miss Grayling bowed without
speaking.
81 particularly requested that no per-
sonal applications were to be made" said
the rector in an injured tone.
Miss Grayling gave little sigh.
s'I was afraid | had done wrong" she
said with her eyes on the carpet; "but l
was so anxious that my application should
not be overlooked, If you would kindly
excuse my coming, think you would find
my testimonials satisfactory"
As she spoke, she lifted her eyes to those
of the reverend gentleman, dropping them
Immediately in a very modest and becom-
ing manner.
Mr.. Dowthwaite was Modified.
"Where have you been teaching?" he
asked.
She mentioned the name of a village in
Yorkshire, and Mr.. Cope busted himself in
hunting up her letter of application and
her testimonial from a large bundle of
similar documents. Having found them,
he laid them before the rector in silence
'Not very much experience; not so
much as we could have wished-only six
months" said the rector. ''Now, we par
ticularly wanted certifcated teacher"
81 have little doubt that could pass the
examinations if you think it desirable" !"
said Miss Grayling quietly; "but I think l
may say l am capable of teaching the vii,
lage children everything necessary"
1t was, indeed, absurd to imagine that
this elegant young lady was not capable of
acting as preceptor to Betsy Jane Pugh and
her companions; and the rector, feeling
this, tossed the rather scanty testimonial
aside
II ought to tell you, he said, ''that this
is very modest appointment. You know
the salary is not large, and depends partly
on the government grant earned by the
school. The position is not-ah mot an
exalted one. By the way" he exclaimed
suddenly, ''can you play the harmonium?"
"Oh, yes, sir," said Miss Grayling, with
bright and pleasant smile.
"Ah- ,well-we will consider your appli-
cation" said Mr.. Dowthwaite shufling
the papers before him rather nervously,
II beg your pardon, sir, said Miss
Grayling, in low, earnest tone, as she
slowly raised her graceful form from her
seat; "but would you allow me to wait in
the hall, or the kitchen, or anywhere, till
my case is decided on? | have long
journey before me and if you could -"
She did not finish her sentence; but she
glanced at the other members of the board
as she spoke. Mr.. Sowerbutts and his
friends had not, mean time, spoken word;
but now they uttered a half-articulate
murmur, and the rector bowed in a stiff
but courteous fashion. The modest request
was granted, and Miss Grayling withdrew.
Somehow, the young lady had made the
board feel that she was, in sense, await
ing their verdiot-that her fate hung in
their hands,
"Well, gentlemen said Mr.. Dowth-
waite, II don't know that we could do
better. This young-ah person is re-
commended, by the"-lifting his double
eyeglasses to his nose-"the vicar of Little
Shenstone. There can be little doubt as
to her capability to undertake the duties
And really, if we began hunting through
all these papers, we might go further and
fare worse"
Ear, ear, . murmured Mr. Sowerbutts
in hollow, bass voice, tapping the poinI
| of his stick gently on the floor, and ac