The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-12
PART I.

PART l.
"For tho poor" said Mr.. Blencowe.
who, with his fellow collector, Mr.. Vickers
had jusJ come from emptving the aims
boxes. 81 pound, IL shiiiings. 2 pence. =
and he laid down the money In little
heap on the sacristy table.
'Ihank you, [" said Father Urquhart. as
he entered in his book, Il pound, IL shil-
lings. pence.
Altar and candle offerings. o shil-
lings."
"Nine shillings," repeated the priest
gloomily.
Then came MASSES for the Departed. -
Peter Pence" etc, each with mere
tale of shillings and then Father Urqu-
hart closed the book, and said in "a tone
OF quiet despair, "Thank you. gentle
men, and the two gentlemen who acted
as collectors having rendered up tho
money. left the sacristy wondering, as Tor
some time they had wondered, aJ the
marked falling off In the offertory. once
week they emptiod the various compatt- &
ments of the aims box and carried the
offerings of the congregation to the priest
nut now there were only shiillnRs 10
carry. whore once there had been pounds
"What can have made such ulffer-
enoe?' exclaimed Mr.. Vickers II can
see that Father Urquhart is as much sur
prisod as We are. only lie blamos himself,
and is unhappy.
"Iknow-I KNOW" said Mr.. Blcncowe
"His face maks me miserable. 4 can
Tor the life OF me understand what can
have made every one SO Diggardly. IL
seems to me that here In Slagborough tne
very source OF benevoence is dried up.
"Yes, and things seem TO be going
from bad to worse. >"
"Ibey are worse even this week than
you are aware Of Vickers. 1 mean there
was one sovereign today in the poor box.
though there was no gold anywhere; but
am afraid that myslf put that soyer-
eign in because Father Urquhart locks so
wretched when week afer week we appear
with no money TO speak OF,
Mr.. Vickers could scarcely conceal his
amazement. "You put it imp he ex-
claimed.
Eyes, on Sunday. i was only going TO
give shillings, as usual, but / thought
l would make 1t pound to help cheer
him."
But, my dear Blenoowe, had exactly
the same thought, aud i put that sovcr-
eign into the box myself this afternoon
when we came into the church, y
my dear fellow. / assure you L put 1t
in on Sunday
II assure you / put it in this after
noon"
You thought you did, but you got
hold of a shilling by mistake"
"Or you didP'
Impossible Mine was given in broad
daylight"
Each was convinced that he had made
no mistake, but recognized that be had
no means of proving "; nor ala either
particularly care TO provoke It, each see
ing that his intention had in any case
been fulfilled.
"Well, I" observed MIR. Blencowe with a
smile. lone of us must have made a mis-
take. so we had tetter both give double
next time TO make the balance true. "
"But you forgot that next time we
shall have to give four or i've times as
much. Every one will give handsomely
after the Candlemas sermon-even IL they
do not want TO do it, the bishops elo-
luence will make them. Good evening.
Bencowe and SO saying, Mr.. Nickers
darted up the steps to his own door.
II am afraid the bishop will not set
poor dear Father Urquhart's mind at
rest" thought Mr.. Blenoowe sedly. for he
tsnderIy loved the man. Three years az o
he had come To Slagborongh as tho sue
cessor of dear friend of the Blencowes.
FOR mon this thsy had assured Themselves
that no ore could ever replace the priest
whom they had lost, and then they had
discovered that Father Urquhart had
more than done so. SlaRborough was q
rough aud not particularly prosperous
north county town, and his tlook was
principally composed of poor Irish people
with quick tenpers and quicker methods
beea able 20 prevent the poker Ilayl ing, an
important part in the family co, ncils of
some of these his parishioners but 10 had
done much toward keeping In Its proper
place and by his unfailing kindness
and sympathy and many generous acts ut
devotion he had won much love.
And yet there was something that the
Slagborough people did not at ali like
about therUrGuhart, and IL was this
he came from down SOUTH ana often
had to ask for an explanation OF some OF
their North-country words and phrases
nor was he himself always 'understandcd
of the people, anG the said people held
that it was "nobbut foolishness of any
priest, no matter who nor what he was
for TO como and settle down in among a
lot of folks who couldn't never max DC
sense out uf nought that he said TO them. =
Thinking OF these ana other things OF the
like kind, Mr.. Blencuwe walked on for
some time, but his heart ached at the re-
collection of tho priests patient ana pa
thetio face and no turned back TO see IL
he could not PERSUADE Father UTquhart
to go home ana dine with him. The
church looked strangely vast and desc
Int when Mr.. Blencowe re-entersd
IL. So far as he could see, no one was
there. but without close inspection 1t was
impossihl TO say how many biaok-Tobcd.
half crouching. balfkneelinR HguIcS
might not DC lurking In out-of .tLc.N ~
corners. Passing by long rows of pillars,
which seemed TO loom forth from tho oL-
scurity with whiteness that was scarcely
natural, he made bis way TO the chill
and desolatc sncristy. Father Urquharr
was still there, standing p0ring over a
paper with long columns of figures on 1t.
His profile stood out in sharp relief from
the dark panelling of the presses and
walls. What beautiful face it was
"Blench all the color ont # st." Mf
Blencowe had often said, 'anu IL would be