The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-12-28
CHAPTER. III-(COntinUed.l

Miss Evelyn's l mean-nurse, who,
who dropped in to see my good woman.
and told us all was settled for her
missus had asked her young miss how
she, miss, should like you, the captain,
for her papa"
Amidst this confusion Of "missus's"
and miss's," one thing was apparent,
he had been talked Of by the lady, and
this made matters more puzZling. How
ever, he dismissed the man, assuring
him he did not require his services,
and the fellow went, but perfectly as
sured the captain was going to be mar
ried, and he Winked as he said bowing
himself out
"Ah, well! as you like, captain, l
knows you great folks likes to be quiet
about them things; but | hope when it
Is, you won't forget me, and | wish you
and the lady many happy days, and
han'some lady she is, too! and good
wife she made to Squire Evelyn. and
Of course she'll do the same by YOU"
Here he closed the door on the an
noyed Benedict of village creation. and
going out, met several other tradesmen,
dressed in their best going up the ave
nue. on the same errand He stopped,
spoke to them all, said the captain was
"all right" but shy and bidding them
go in and win,' passed on with a know
ing wink.
Capt. Oliver was nearly worried out
Of the place, for he was a man Of quiet,
rather shy habits, associating with few
Consequently this dead set at him
made him frantic, and he resolved to
cut the widow. But widows are not SO
easily got rid Of especially pious ones,
bent on converting in two senses; a
stranger into a husband, and sinner
into saint. She argued with herself
that, in sisterly love and charity, she
ought not to let this fine vessel be lost
for want Of pilot.
Mrs. Eveyln's sisterly love for man
kind in general was not Of that true
Christian kind which opens wide it's
bosom. out Of which sweet charitable
thoughts, river-like, flow over the sur
face OF the EARTH No; between the
rocks. over which it equally broke:
these We're Selfishness and illiberality.
She was resolved to save her own soul.
sort Of sauve qui peut business. and
as fixed idea arose in her mind that
the captain ought to be loved as a por-
ton OF herself. In sisterly love, for had |
he not saved her life? (She slightly
exaggerated the accident Of the cow. |
She felt it duty to do all In her |
power to convert him. Yet even while
thinking Of all this, she energetically
assured herself that 'poor EVELYN
should never have successor"
She was i'll prepared, consequently.
Tor the captains absence, for, to the |
0mGznmnnf nf fhn
days passed, and he did not appear
near the door Of his intended wife's |
abode, and probably he never would |
nave crossed the threshold again. but
Tor one OF those occurrences which, seiz-
Ing some weak point Of our characters,
urge us to do things we should not
otherwise have dreamed Of.
Capt. Oliver was obstinate; moreover.
ne mad great aversion to priestly in
terference with himself in any way.
lie liked the clergy in their own sphere
ana place, the church, but he denied
any right they had to interfere with
tnelr parisoners in private; conseauent-
~ ne was not little annoyed, and
scarcely received with due politeness
the visit OF the village rector, Il man
OF liberal mind, who had had more
than one discussion with Mrs EVELYN
on the violent measures she wished to
nave adopted about forcing the poor
into her ideas of devotion or else send
Ing them forth unemployed, to starve.
Ine rector came as the pastor to look
after one OF his sheep in great danger
OF going astray, as he said, after a
suitable preamble, Into the bye-paths
of illiberality"
Now, as Capt. Oliver had not the
least intention OF having any portion
OF his fleece caught in these brambles
he stood manfully up and defended his
opinions.
Mrs. Evelyn is very agreeable per-
son. continued the rector. II met her
several times during her late husbands
lifetime. and was forced to acknowl-
edge her charms of mind and person,
whilst deplOring that the former should
be SO exalted in some things, SO stern in
religious matters. My dear Capt. Oh
iver'-here the rector spoke rather
hesitatingly, not exactly feeling sure
how the other might accept his ex-
pOstulations-'let us not see you. one
of our most liberal-minded men. led
away into the by-paths OF narrow
prejudice"
1t Is not to be supposed that the good
man said all this in peace. To locker
on, the speech had been varied, and ac-
companied by charming little panto-
mime OF much energy. The captain
once broke in with
But my dear rector"
''The rest was lost in the raised voice.
but uninterrupted speech Of the other.
In vain Capt Oliver both mutely be-
sought a hearing and spoke, but the
words We're lost: pebbles cast in the
flowing stream Of the rector's speech,
Or like flowers on running waters; for
waved his hand majestically. II