The evening times., 1895-09-04
The She-Viear.

She worritted the vicar into a premat0or
abiding place." said Perkins, Mrs. Trevel-
yan's gardener to the cook; and now he's
had years rest, you mark the words OF an
old aud sinful gardening man If she don't
vicar, SO to speak, it's in her Datur' to wor-
rit aud no one can go agin natur' ithout get
tin the wust OF it,
You always did have an elegant flow Of
lang widge-a gift of words-Mr. Perkins.
Take some more ale?"
1T be natural-like to all great cultiva-
tooers, said P erkins, ,niodesty. as he drained
his Jug OF ale to the dregs. '.Hereshe comes.
1t amt for a man of my dignity to handy
words wi her, SO III go.''
Take this letter to the post Perkins, and
drink less ale in the future, "saida sharpvoice
hall.
Yes ma am, said P Perkins. obsequiously,
departing with the letter which was ad-
dressed to THE Rev. Arthur Sinister,
Plumptou, Sussex"
Perkins meditatively scratched his head as
he dropped the letter into the postoffice.
THE Lord deliver un if that She vicar s set
her mind on him. The Lord deliver un from
all widders, speshully managing ones as
looks after the ale
That meek little man, the Rev. Arthur
Sinister, flushed with pleasure the next
morning when lie received Mrs. Trevelyans
autocratic missive. Alas, they had been
friends in youth, but the Rev. Eliphalet
Tervelyau had broken up their friendship
by leading Miss Mildred VaDburg to the hy-
menealaltar. Miss Vanburg hadimperiously
biddenthe Rev. Arthur to the wedding You
may perhaps consider yourself badly dealt
by" she had written to him, but it has
been pointed out to me that a. vicaress OF
BrauDerton / shall have far more extended
field of usefulness than if 1 were TO share
the life of a curate in the potteries. Some
day perhaps, we may meet again. when you
have had a wider experience of men and
manners"
And now. after the lapse of fifteen years,
his old sweetheart was free to wed again.
But fifteen years had somewhat modified
the Rev. Arthur Simister's views regarding
matrimony as well as his nonconformist
boots. He wasa meek, good looking, dapper
little man, who stood somew hat in awe of all
women. And, though he still resented Miss
vanburg' s desertion of him, no other woman
had ever seemed to take her place in his
heart.
There was. a wild fascination in her un-
hesitating determination, whereas he could
never decide upon the most trivial subject
without undergoing agonies of irresolution.
But in the present instance he knew that If
he did not determine to visit Mrs Trevelyan
she would probably The blushed to the roots
OF his hair at the thoughtl insist upon COM
ing to see him. What would his pa rishion
ers ssay TO such an imperious descent upon his
modest, rose-embowered parsonagei He
knew that theyloved him too W ell to question
his actions, but!
At this juncture he found himself hastily
making arrangements for next day parish
work with his faithful friend Miss Dorothy
King. Miss King did not ask him any ques-
tions as to his destination. although she felt
a vague uneasness at the Rev Arthur's con
lutte than usual in his plans until she gently
countenanced, beautiful woman was his
providence; he was accustomed to consult
her about the most trivial subjects. He
could not consult her with reference to this
one, however Somehow he felt that she
would not care to hear about this W lid,
Byronic, corsair-like passion OF his early
youth. He shook hands with her at the
garden gate and fumbied irresolutely at the
garden latch.
You will be back soon?" inquired Miss
King.
Il hope So" said the Rev. Arthur Then
gaining courage. Il almost wish We're not
going 1t may-make a revolution in my
life and cause me to leave here"
Hiss King dropped her garden scissors on
the path and stopped to rescue them. When
she looked up the Rev. Arthur, the most I'M
observant of men as rule, noticed that she
was very pale.
Would you be sorry if left" he asked