The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-08


1t had houndered across her tired brain
one hot day in Sunday school. as she sat
among the reek of young Christians. with
q lump in the cushion sticking into her
unhappy body.
She found herself the minute after as
suring a sharp-nosed boy, with lean
shanks. that Goliath possessed six fingers
and six toes-a statement he most siren
uously contradicted. She was forced to
give in to facts, and to award him top
marks. also card with violet roses, ana
@ text on it for behavior.
1t had always been a fag for Barbara
TO train down to necessity, but after this
misadveture, the position OF parsons
daughter seemed to her more barren and
unsatisfactory even than it had previously
done. 1t had now an added touch of rid
icuiousncss and sort of pgmy ucompe-
tence; and she found herself in her cruises
around the parish everlastingly dropping
upon the long-nosed boy who never failed
10 remind her of her apse, in one large,
benevolent glance.
The heavy pendulum of dun routine
seemed 90 her to rock to and fro in the
very brain of her, and with duh precis-
ion that drove her fairly frantic.
1t was the dearest little vicarage, and
the church dated from the First Edwards
time. Ii had an adorable old red-tiled roof,
and was full OF old stone Crusaders, carved
in the superb noble simplicity of the times,
when scuiptors worked under the tangible
shadow of Gods wings with a fine sono-
ious Latin prayer in their hearts, and in
their eyes sweet mysteries
We were all so sorry for Barbara. but we
were nearly always abroad, or in Lon
don and Barbara being the only one
could never be spared by the old people
They were really not old people at ALL
and Mr. Marable had been double first
man. and a scholar Of distinction, but
both he and his wife had so grown into
the life of the church and the village, that
they wanted nothing beyond, except an
odd antiquarian.
She managed it all right with the old
people but her grandmother billiard, who
lived in a cottage out of a picture book
in the village, and whose blue china was
an idyll. had to be propitiated.
Her mother had been an honorable"
and her grandmother the Lady Alicia, and
being herself thus hitched on, so to speak,
to the aristocracy. she had a hereditary
right to consider conventions.
The idea of the paying guest had, there
fore to be carefully dressed and put del
icately before her, or she would undoubt-
edly have put down her foot. The CORE
spondence, however, she had pronounced
eminenuy satisfactory. Miss Julia Denes
references were unexceptionable, altogeth-
er among the higher clergy. bishop,
dean and a canon mot minor took the
lead and there was a delicate, distant al
fusion to lord. but he was IN Turkey at
the time, and unavailable. Mrs. billiard.
however, dwelt with pleasure upon his eX-
istence, even though in bodily presence he
was far removed from her earthly vision.
Barbara made anxious. careful prepare
tons for importation, when she was not
driven by her duty hither and thither
amongst the villagers
No girl created of God ever chung to her
duty more patiently than did Barbara. 1t
was a fearful thing to watch in her the
ceaseless conflicts between her conscience
and her inordinage desires.
When she called on her grandmother on
her way to the station 10 fetch Miss Dene
II struck the old lady strongly that Bar-
bara did credit TO her honorable and de
ceased progenitor. Il recommend you,
my dear, to keep TO pink gingham during
the summer months" she said. surveying
her benevoently. Its a good wholesome
color Those faded blues and green's have,
to my mind an Apologize air, as though
one We're intreating grace for ones
complexion. A girl owes il to herself to
be Straightforward and assured even in
the choice OF her colors, TO avoid nden-
nteness and subterfuges; either white
lies, my dear, or confessions OF failure"
When Barbara got to the station she
made over the pony to boy with a wood
en- leg. who undertook such Offices per-
manently. and waited on the platform for
the down train in a little summer of ex-
element
Was she old and dry? Would she join
forces with the old people and leave her
TO her busy solitude? Had she like the
Others, forgotten the very meaning of
youth? Was she, on the contrary alive
sill, every bit Of her that is not only
those dun parts, that daily use still fore
ed life into? Was she by any chance
could she be creature on whom one
could pour out some of the overfiowines
OF the foolshness OF ones heart?
Barbara came back into the world to
find the train in the station, and not a
sign of a paying guest anywhere TO be
seen. She ran up and down peering into
the carriages, and was left at last on the
platform, gasping and alone. This was
tho train, certainly" she thought: "what
can have happened?" She turned to 20
20 the dog cart, when suddenly she caught
sight Of the back of a tall man in knickcr-
bockers, with a notable pair of salves
talking 70 the solitary porter at the other
end of the platform.
she had never seen anything the least
like him at that station before and n
struck her she had better begin to resign
hersei 10 surprise, so when he wheeled
round and asked her in the pleasantest
voice In the world If she were Miss Bar
bara Marrable she admitted her person
atty with admirable GOODNESS.
You don't expect me. / see." he said.
Didn't you get Miss Dene's letterq''
II got a letter on Monday saving ebe
would be here by this train to-day: moth
ing since.
He laughed. Just exactly like her" bo
said. ''The letter Is no doubt I'M ber noel
ct or she has sent it 20 the parsons in
stead OF her subscription to his latest so.
ciely Ia better tell YOU who. ] am first
and then throw myself on your charity
am Miss Dene's nephew ] came an from
oxford yesterday 90 my mothers house
20 hud II occupied with measles from
third story TO basement aud my aiinf
sitting on her trunks lu tho hon ,..,tt,.