The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-10
2he Chaplain ! S Story,

jim Bourn and | were boys together
at Westminster; we went to Oxford
tOgether-wC took our degrees tOgCth-
er in the Classical school, and were
ordained together by the Bishop OF
L. us curutcs for his diocese. Hcre
our paths separated for some years, |
and when next wo renewed our old |
friendship | was the vicar OF the tuwD,
still single at thirty-fOur, and Jim was
the chaplain Of the famous jail in the
same town, and married.
We were talking in my study, rs in
oldcn times. Somehow the cUnversa-
tiOn driftcd t. the subject Of Il recent
newspaper article "Ought Married
People TO Have Any Secrets from Each
Other?" | said, No." aud Jim said
"Ics.' We both smilingly stuck to
our text 1t WAS not often That we diff
fcrcd in opinion, but this WIS one case,
anyhow. II
"Why, Jim,' said |, "you would
have been the last person | shou d |
have expected to take that line, for |
am sure, from what | have seen, that
if ever two folks were happy and low
ing, they arc Eila and Yourself. |
can't conceive Of your having any
secret which You would not wish Ella
to know"
"Ah," rctortcd he, with peculiar
smile, "tnats just it. We'll, Howson,
IN tell you one, if YOU like, thouIh,"
he added, "it must remain IL secret
between IL two. ! have never spoken
OF it to any one in the world and never
shall, except TO YOURSELF"
Thanks, Jim you nCcd not fear
me, as you know. | am only curious
To krow the case" And | ussnm Il an
atditutc Of eager attention to Jins
story.
WAS Tie chaplain at Lowmarkct,
as you arc well aware, before came
here. It. is pretty place, and one
wonders Whatever made the govern
mcnt build Il Jail there. However,
there it Is, and there was |. The
amount OF society that one got in Low
market was perfectly astonishing.
Had tho time and inclination for it,
! might have turned out " regular
society Clergyman. AS it was, had
full amount Of lectures, soirees,
parties and entertainments. Among
tho people ! got in with nOno wore
nicer than the Norks. Miss York; a
maiden lady OF fifty, lived in large
and beautifully furnished house cullCtl
Ihe Ccdars, in the best part Of the
town. She was known all over the
district for ncr charity. kindness Of
heart and pure life. Every body had
Il good word for her. Nor WAS her
niece, Miss York. any less popular.
People in Lowmarkct fairly wOrshipcd
both of them.
| was twenty eight when first saw
rl!a York, and at once succumbui to
her charms. For weeks her Praises
had been in my ears, and now, on uc-
Quaintancc, | found her beauty, her
manners, her kindness Of heart, not
one whit less than report stated. |
loved her. or course, | could not say
SO al once; and whether, after two or
three meetings in the course OF my
w0rk-fOr Miss York the cider took
great interest IN our sphere Of la bOr-
she guessed my love, and rccipro.atcd
IL, | could not then say. | f0und. uuon
Judlclous Inquiries, that Miss York
Elin-had lived with her aunt from
childhood that she was now twenty
ionr that her mother WAS dead, and |
hcr 1athcr lived on the Continent for
ms health also that she was her aunt's
sole heircss. These facts were OF
course only learned by degrees, as ono
cannot 90 to the fOuntain in head for such |
information. |
After much hcart-soarching and |
oepaIlng within myself | thought | |
sa@ saw mat ELLA York was not wholly in
uinerent TO me, and | resolved to ask |
her 10 be my wife. | need not 90 into
detall as to how did it. bcyOrd saving
that 1T was one Summer mornjnp ratb.
er more than five years ago, when.
having gone to see her aunt who was
ou'' met Ella in the grounds; and
"'1cr taking as we walked along on
various subjects, somehow it came ont
unexpectedly, and almost before
IHn,o nv comprehend what it all meant.
sMh a',la 4 ork had promised to be nv wife
''D'EHs .tn 70 her aunts consent
ooiv',S a' her aunt didn't consent. I re-
u tendan,s a. 4alnty note that night-.how
Eila, saying that she had oHn snoITan rom ~
vlslt 10 her amt, and had toia y, hy ,ny
was coming tomorrow for her 'er l
Proval; Miss York ha, h.nr of ap'
kina, put acted rather stranoolv WY
SAID she would see mo, but an % "ha
@ n0t consent, us she did not wish ~ oIuu iuu
lila NY dear girl went on to saw thst iOse
sue hao IN vain tried to get from h"r
any more than this. n nor
was IN curious frame of mind "a
went next morning to see Miss Y"rl1
What could her objection really pah; bn3
surely not to me My position, nv
family, my life hero we're, I bonnd
beyond reproach. Even if il were -
question OF money, had enough pri.
yate means, as you know. AS for Misc
1ork, well, of course it wonld be lonely
without Ella at first, after so MANI
years mpanionship, but surely shss
aldnt expect her never to get married
1t was preposterous. '''' lou
" AS | approached the lodge the
,s,YOh, Nj. Bourn, this is shocking |,
~ was more puzzled than ever !