The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-03
VOL. XXVI.-NO. 9.

spoke, "seem TO be very neat. very credit
able, but are you sure that the children
whose names are attached to them did
them themselves, unaided?"
"Quite sure" said Miss Grayling tran
GULLY.
"And the attendances-they seem much
larger than they used to be. Are you sure
you have kept the register accurately p
Perfectly sure" said Miss Grayling
looking the clergyman full in the face.
One or two members of the board moved
uncasily in their seats, and Mr.. Sower-
butts seemed to be on the point of protest
ing audibly against these aspersiOns of
Miss Graylng's. good faith. The rector
felt very uncomfortable.
every good, Miss Grayling," he said,
II am glad to hear you say so. And |
think We needn't detain you any longer
The schoomistress slowly rose, bowed in
her usual dignified manner, and withdrew.
Before long it got abroad in Little Pud-
dington that Miss Grayling was in disgrace
or at least in a condition of suspended
favor. Various reasons were given for
this, the most popular theory being that
the new mistress had been caught stealing
the school-pence. The matter was discussed
in the ale houses, at the doors of the cot
tages, in the church-yard after service.
Through it all Miss Grayling went on her
way, 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 6 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 suscept-
ible curate had been under the spell of
the young lady's sweet brown eyes. He
had struggled with himself long and man
fully. He was not in position to marry;
and Miss Grayling was not suitable match
for him. He knew all that very well. He
did not like to think of what his aunts,
Miss Cope and Miss Georgina Cope,
would say on being presented with vii
lage schoolmistress fer 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 help 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 well supplied. for an
other of the same type,
"Miss Grayling," began the curate, as
he seated himself in the little parlor, "this
cannot be true
"What is not true, Mr.. Cope p
"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 worlds" exclaimed
the curate; 81 believe in you as | would in
saint. Dear Miss Grayling-Laura-I
may call you Laura ?-I find it difficult to
say how ! feel for you-and how much l
long to shield you from the calumnies and
troubles of the world in the shelter of an
honest mans love-"
As he spoke the curate took Miss Gray
ling's white and well-formed fingers be-
tween his own.
II offer you my heart and all | have,
he continued, his eyes searching her down
cast face "Alas, that is so little know
well we cannot marry on my present sti-
pend, but | have youth and strength on
my side. Sooner or later I must get
living, and then-and then Oh, Laura, J
say that you love me.
"Mr. Cope, feel honored and hattered
more than L 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,
HMr. Cope, she exclaimed, Withdrawing
her fingers as she spoke, "you are more
than generous, but cannot trust myself to
give you an answer now. l must not be
rash or unjust to you. Leave me now
leave me, beg you will write to you
Tomorrow
Somewhat surprised at this sudden dis
missal, the asitated curate took his hat and
stick and departed.
Next day he received daintiy-scented
note from Miss Grayling, in which she said
that, much as she honored him, and highly
as she valued his friendship, she could see
IiaG ~ was noJ Ior MS lntertsb 10 marry
dowerless girl, and she therefore declined
his proposal Her decision, she added was
quite "irrevocable" There was but one ''r'
in "irrevocable," ," and somehow this circum-
stance did something toward mitigating
the grief with which Mr.. Cope received
his letter of dismissal
The testing examination, which was to
confirm or overthrow Miss Grayling's rep
utatiOn, was fixed for Friday afternoon.
The school board meeting happened to fall
on the following day, Saturday,
At 3 o'clock on Friday Mr., Wensby ar
rived, aud Mr.. Dowthwaite and Miss Jor-
dan went with him TO the sehoolbouse