The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-02-23
But IN spite of this he still felt ire

ligious.
1t then occurred to him that as soon
as he got home, he might go through
the church service by himself. There
would be no organ, and no surplice
and ne offertory; and hymns that you
chose for yourself were not the same
as the hymns that were chosen for you.
Still it will be less irreligiOus than
nothing at all.
He had just reached the extremity of
the churchyard wall, when he encoun-
tered Mr.. Lacey's gardener, Henry
Wick; and Henry Wick was smoking a
short black pipe. All the church war
den in Mr.. Hardman arose at the sight
of this:
Come now, Wick" he said, in rather
severe remonstrance, couldn't you ave
left that pipe till afterwards. You don't
want to go into sacred place OF wor-
ship sinking Of that stuff. +"
Henry Wick looked distinctly sulky
you needn't trouble yourself, MI.
'Ardman. I'm all right I amt going
to no sacred place of worship"
"Eh? What?" said Hartman, stag
gered by the coincidence.
Wick took his pipe from his mouth
spat, replaced it. and became voluble
Its the principle of the thing object
to. wont be spoke to of a Sunday
afternoon, and you'd ave thought that
i'm bein' parson might ave known
better than to want to do it. e says
to me: 'I've told you five times to
mend that hedge SO that the pig can't
get out So it might be five times but
I'm gardener, not rememberer; still
I'm not a worm and l won't be spoke
to of Sunday afternoon by no man
Now l think of it, it was as much your
fault, Mr.. 'Ardman. if you'll excuse me
for sayin' so, as it was is. Ipointed
out to i'm that the 'ole in the edge was
in the right place. The pig didn't get
into our garden, only into the paddock.
Then e said that the pig went acrorst
the paddock and got into your garden
| and ED just turned it out. So he be-
gan abusin' of me and praisin' of you.
| Mr.. 'Ardman."
"Speak of me. did you? You don't
call to mind no details, suppose,
Wick"
'"E said you were good man, and
| the best church warden e ever ad, and
you'd got more real talent for gard'n'in
than any man in the parish. They
was nice words to use to me! ANYHOW,
we've got the new dahlia, and you can't
buy that in shops, nor get it at all ex-
cept by faveyure. Pll lay my life no
one else in Gavisham will get it for two
years to come. 1t amt in the CATER
logs, and e said that e wouldn't ave
you interfered with and annoyed. Then
e said, as ed have given me notice i
it 'ad been Monday; 'owever, I'll Civ,
| i'm notice.
Now, Wick. yon just listen to me,
interrupted Hardman.
| The cont ovcrsy which followed was
long and illogical, and the more obsti
| nate man prevailed. Hardman was the
| more obstinate man.
! The result Of the controversy was
that Wick knocked out his pipe and
entered the church with Hardmau,
tritle late. Mr.. Claxton noticed the;.
| entrance, and worked the pale yellow
| gloves off again under cover Of the
general thanksgiving. Mr.. Hardman,
for the first time in his life, handed the
plate around without wearing gloves q;
all.
| X X i
Rev. Mr.. Lacey and Mr.. Hardman
have both mended their hedges. Henry
| Wick is still in Mr. Lacey's service, and
desires to commence an Orchid-house
Mr.. Hardman possesses a specimen of
the new dahiia, and has just finished
L leg Of capital pork-a present from
| the vicar-which was eaten with onion
stuffing and associations. Barry Pain
in London Black and White.