The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-07-10
THE CURATE'S SWEETHEART

"A young woman with pleasing tace.
who rarely smiles, and seems to shun
observation, and an old lady. who comes
out very little and always veiled."
That was the description given to the
Rev. Charles Grosvenor of the new oc-
cupants of the little cottage which lay go
close to his vicarage that he could see the
smoke from the chimney over the tops of
the trees that skirted his lawn.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor had been
away from the scene of his labors at
Chumleigh for month. Chumleigh
was countryfed enough and healthy
enough, but he had been ordered sea air
and had taken the trip, leaving his by no
means extensive flock to the care of a
temporary shepherd.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor was
young man, and Crumleigh was his frs,
living. He was quite new enough to his
work to take interest in it, and he was
on intimate terms with all his parishion.
ers.
Directly he heard of the new arrivals
in the village, he, of course, determined
to call upon them, but he thought he
would just inquire what sort of people
they were.
The result was the above description
a description vague enough in all con.
science, and yet sufficient at once to in
vest the heroines of it with slight halo
of romance.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor had not so
long left college life to bury himself
among the pumpkins but that he could
duly appreciate the piquancy which
little mystery lends to our ordinary hum.
drum existence.
Knowing that the young lady Stunned
observation his curiosity was at once
aroused, and he looked forward to his
first meeting with her with more than
ordinary eagerness. AS to the old lady
well. he was young bachelor, remem-
Der, and however deeply old ladies may
veil themselves, or however mysterious
they may be, they can not expect to com.
mand much attention when there is a
younger lady in the case.
The curate called at Laburnam cottage
the day after the return from the sea.
side. He found the Smiths very quiet
and unassuming people. Mrs. Smith said
very little and sighed good deal, and
Miss Smith, though fluent and agree.
able speaker, as he could judge from the
little she said, spoke only in answer to
his questions, and kept her eyes fixed on
the ground, the whole time he was talk.
ing to her.
Something queer about these people"
said the Rev. Charles Grosvenor to him.
self. II wonder what it is. l must
draw them out.
His notion of drawing them out was to
engage their services in his parish work.
The old lady sighed and consented The
young one colored, cast down her eyes,
and said that she was not fit for such
work. Not religious enough, she meant.
The Rev. Charles Grosvenor was much
distressed to hear that Miss Smith was
not religious. Here, at least was task
congenial to his soul. He was quite will.
lg to convert farm laborers and to re-
Jrm market gardeners, but when de.
lure looking young lady, with an agree.
able manner, offered herself, he could
not refrain from looking forward to the
prospect of higher and nobler work.
He talked seriously to Miss Smith, and
Miss Smith listened seriously-so seri-
ously that the curate was taken by sur
prise. He was almost alarmed at the
terrible earnestness with which the girl
spoke of religious questions, asked for
spiritual consolation, and argued with
him on the dread subject of the sinners
fate hereafter. The earnestness and the
vehemence of his parishioner, however,
only increased his interest in her.
Now, when Miss Smith called herself a
miserable sinner, the Rev. Charles Gros.
venor thoroughly believed that she was
enc. He accepted her confession in the
same sense that he would have accepted
it from the patron of his living, or his
mother, or any of his lady parishioners.
We are all miserable sinners, and beinr
enjoined to say so, a clergyman can not
for the sake of being complimentary, re-
fuse to believe a young lady when she
afiirms that she is no exception to the
rule.
But as to attaching any really serious
import to the confession of Miss Smith.
that never occurred to him for moment.
He soothed her, offered her such consola.
ton as he could, thought she was a most
pious and interesting girl, and fell madly
in love with her.
From the moment he made the dis.
covery his conduct to her altered. He
tempted her to talk less about herself and
to be cheerful. He didn't want the girl
he was in love with to be too persstently
miserable sinner. She was so charm.
ing and SO nice that he felt she might
very well keep that in the background a
little.
A white tie and a clerical coat do not
alter a mans nature; and when man
falls madly in love with woman, he
likes to imagine her as near perfection
as possible.
Miss Smiths manner changed also.
She discovered the parsons secret before
it was many days old. She was still
pleased to see him, but she avoided all
reference to her sins.
Once he questioned her about her past
life. For moment she went deadly