Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-06-30


bago does give rise to some very r.cic-
/ ulous situations. In fact, the patients
movements when trying, If you under
stand me, to sidle round that particu-
lar posture, In which he knows that he
will be gripped, and to gain the desired
perpendicular by dOdging, SO to speak,
the muscles Of his own back. are often
extremely grOtesque. Take it, also,
that the patient Is one who prides him.
self ON the dignity Of his department =
as our vicar did-and this grOtesque-
ness Is appreciably enhanced. Indeed.
what could be a funnier sight to see
than dignity struggling with lumbasO!
], myself, though hardened by profess
siOnal experience, have often derived
the hugest amusement from it. And
certainly did 80 in this case.
Our excellent vicar was extremely
sorry for himself. He gave me a
graphic account Of the tOrturiny agOn-
les which he had endured, in trying to
rise from a kneeling posture In church
where he had been suddenly seized
and how 1t had taken him good five
minutes to regain his feet. prescribed
some Of the usual remedies. aud prom
ised to call again in day or two. When
/ reached home the first question my
wife asked me was:
"'Well, what Il the matter with the
vicarT
Only q touch Of lumbago,' l an
swered.
Then he will be unable to attend
the parish conJersazivue this evening.
l supposer
"'Oh, no. l have told him that he
may keep all his social engagements.
Church Is the only thing taboOed, be-
cause the poor man cannot kneeI, or
rather when he kneels cannot get up
again
oh! am glad that he will be there
this evening. The parish conversaziOne
without the vicar would be quite the
play without Hamlet. would it not?
".Yes-for Margaretta,' replied,
Jestingly.
II said that on purpose to draw my
wife. But the shaft missed. She seem
ed, indeed, not to even have heard my
remark. and l saw that she had sud
denly fallen into one of her absent dts.
Soon afterward she left the room aud
went upstairs, humming a tuhe, a
thing which she always did WHEN she
was enveloped in brown study.
I'VE both went to the parish convcr.
sazione that evening. 1t was one Of a
series Of functions held quarterly by
/ the vicar and the church wardens to
/ promote social intercourse and friendli-
ness between the members of the con-
| gregatiOn. These gatherings took
| place at the town hall. and consisted
/ of tea and coffee, twaddle and fiirta-
/ tons, for which laSt-named amusement
various alcoves In the lObbies and pass
/ ages We're not inconvenient; the more
| so, as the said lObbies and passages
were but indifferently lighted.
AT this particular function every.
body, of course, was present, including
/ Margaretta. her parents and other
adolescent members of her family. My
wife bore down upon Msrgaretta the
moment she appeared, and l saw them
/ soon engaged in a whispered conversa-
| ton in a corner of the tearoom. l did
not observe them again for some little
time, being just then tackled by a
wealthy and hypochOndriacal old lady
! one Of my best patients who insist
ed on recOunting TO me a long history
/ of all that she had suffered since our
| last meeting. was ineXpressibly
bored by this tiresome old person. But
l could not offend her, SO was obliged
/ to listen. And when at last I was free
from her-which was not for twenty
minutes-I noted, with grin of amuse-
ment, that M:rgaretta (aided, no doubt,
by my wife), had made her pOunce. and
24s III the et of s.tis.,s e 0t OF the tea
room upon the arm Of our stately vicar
who did not, indeed, seem at all 10th tC
lead forth this beauteous damsel into
the greater seclusion Of the dimly light
ed passages.
Il looked round for my wife. All
There she was hobbing and nobbinl
with old Joshua Barker, not three yard,
from where stood! Presently heard
her say to him:
Don't you think this room rather
hot, Mr. Barker? Shall We go out into
the lobby for few minutes?
|
the brewer, offering her his arm.
And off they went-my wife throw
Ing me q meaning but mystifyinl
glance over her shoulder as she passed
That she was up TO some mischief
could see plainly. That this mischief
was in connection with the vicar ant
Margaretta l could conjecture witt
tolerable certainty. But beyond thS
general impression, l was quite in th'
dark and. being detached just then an,
seeing nobody about with whom la,
the least desire to converse. 1 strollet
out myself into the lobby with the ide:
Of seeing II possible what my wife
little game was.
AS l sauntered slowly along one o
the side passages, l heard the sound o
murmured conversation on my right
Glancing in that direction, I descriet
the vicar and Margaretta seated In con
tiguous chairs, screened by a big palm
They were too much taken up to hav
observed me. And, am half ashame,
to confess it, but did a low thing.
slipped behind a brawny plaster Her
cules, which stood adjacent and playet
the eavesdropper.
The vicar was bending close to Mar
garetta, utter1ng many pretty speeche
but nowise committing himself-an,
she was listening with heightening col
or and downcast eyes. ever and anon
however. raising those features ant
darting at him glsnces Of radiant ten
derness, meant, doubtless, to evok
something from his lips more practtca
than these empty compliments. Ono
or twice half thought that q declaru
ton was coming; but ON each occa