The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-04-09

WOolng, tue pale young cuTite was pun
match for the dashing soldier. When the
latter entered into the race for Emma 5
hand, Georges start counted for little.
As Captain Freelance's success became
the more obvious and pronounced George
Blair gradually withdrew from the con
test 1t was in vain that his father ve-
hemently urged him on, and demanded
from him, in his fierce way, if he intend
ed to give up so easily his greatest chance
of fortune. The young fellow was not to
be encouraged. His spirits fell; his quiet
manner became subdued until it was OPP
pressive; he grew solitary in his habits aud
melancholy. He seldom went near the
hail. and when he did, it was not in
Emmas but in Miss Ivyleaf s company
that he passed his visit.
At last the long expected announce
ment was made Captain Freelance and
Miss Emma Fairfax were engaged to be
married. 1t seemed to come upon George
not as a blow but rather as a relief. For
little time he appeared to regain his
spirits. He tried even to win back ms
fathers confidence-fo his want of eour-
ace had created marked coldness between
them-but the doctor, enraged at the
failure of his plans, rcpulsed him. The
young curate, then, after feeble struggle,
fell back into his previous depression.
He went about his duties melancholy and
miserable, and he avoided his stern father,
whom he seemed to regard with terror and
apprehension.
1t was a week or two after the engage
ment was announced that George Blair
went one Sunday evening into his father
nuIpit to preach. As he assembled the
stairs. even in the dim evening light, sew
eral of the congregation noticed that he
was ghastly pale, and that he seemed to
totter in his gait. He had just given out
the text. when he was seen to grasp the
cushion before him, as if to steady HIM
solf. He stood thus in silence for a mo-
ment: then, with gasp, he reeled back
AGAINST the stone column behind him and
sank down seEseless.
The widest confusion prevailed in the
church The men sprang eXcltedly to
their feet and stood staring, uncertain what
10 do: the women all screamed, and not
few tainted. Emma was one of the latter,
while Miss Ivyleaf, worst of all, went INTO
a fit. and had to be carried from the
church. DIR. Blair and Captain Freelance
were the only persons who preserved their
nrcsence of mind. Without n moments
hesitation they hurried to the pulpit, and,
lifting the unconscious man, bore him to
the yestry, where they endeavored to revive
him Finding their efforts useless, they
sent for the doctor. When he arrived, to
the general horror he pronounced life ex-
tinct.
At the inquest which followed, the
doctor assigned disease of the heart as the
cause of George Blair's death; but he did
not seem over-confident in his opinion.
He said that the heart was undoubtedly
unhealthy, but scarcely in so diseased
a condition as he should have expected.
His chief reason apparently for giving it as
the cause of death was his inability to dis
cover any other The jurors, however,
were satisfied, and returned a verdict in
accordance with the medical evidence.
The curate's decease wrought changes
both in the village and at the hall. DIR.
Blair's sorrow was for time overwhelm-
ing. He shut himself up, and, refusing
to see any one, abandoned himself to his
grief When at length he emerged from
his seclusion, he was bitterer and sterner
than ever, and less inclined to mix with
his fellow men. Nothing could induce
him to visit the hall. He openly stated
that the true cause of his sons death was
Emma's heartless desertion of him; and
that he believed this the hatred with which
heregarded her and her accepted lover was
proof. The whole place-village, hall and
country-had become abhorrent to him,
and he resolved at the first opportunity to
| leave it forever 1t was to London that
he hoped to go. Amid its crowds and
excitements he trusted to get rid of part
of his sOrT0E.
At the hall the chief change wrought
by Georges death was the departure Of
the young governess, who had become
Emmas companion-Miss Ivyleaf. The
fit his dramatic death had brought upon
her proved very serious affair. She
kept her bed for week, and when she
left it she was as pale and Aeshless as a
/ ghost. After time, as she showed no
signs of improvement, the doctor suggested
change of air Squire Fairfax, who had
come to regard her almost as a daughter,
offered to supply whatever money was
necessary for as long a stay as needful at
any place the doctor should select, and
insisted that on her recovery she must
return to Emma; but the young lady de-
clined his kind offer. She had, she said,
as much money as she required, and that
if she recovered she hoped that she should
see themall again, but that shecould never
again be happy at Ravenscroft. 1t was all
| Emma could do to extract from her pro-
mise to write to them, and this promise
was not long kept. A letter or to came to
them from Torquay, and then they ceased.
| And when, a week or so aftcfward, the
squire went there to find out the cause Of
their cessation, he discovered to his CUR
prise. that on the day her last letter was
posted, Miss Iyyleaf had started for Lon
don.
More than year had elapsed before
! DIR. BLAIR got the transfer ne so earnestly
desired. Then he was fortunate enough
to effect an exchange with city clergy
man. The duties of the new cure were
not heavy, nor was the income, but DIR,
Blair was satisfied with both. The energy
which he had once displayed in the man
agement of his great Raveuscroft parish
had, for the time being, disappeared and
the desire for wealth, strong enough while
his son lived, had died with him. He
wished only for rest and change, and his
transfer to London gave him both.
But DIR. Blair was not the man to re-
main idle long. When his sorrow began
to press less heavily upon him, his old
energy came back. Living as he was in
the center of the world, feeling the hearts
throb of every great hope and great move
| mont omono mon ha conld NOT long re-