Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-12-24
AN "INCURABLE"
CHRISTMAS.
A PLEASANT STORY WITH THE
USUAL ENDING.
How the Parson Imposed an In
voluntary Test upon His True
Love and How the Ordeal End
ed Very HAPPILY.

Love ana How inc OruSil Eiiu'
ed Very Happily.
They were dressing dolls; the whole
l6, and they were talking-or chatter
ing-like magpies, when the door
opened and Rev. Edward Dayton
walked into the room. Now Rev
Edward was tall, he was young, he
had pair of well opened, honest blue
eyes, his fair hair showed decided
symptoms of curling, when it was al
lowed to grow beyond the orthodox
clerical length, his features were dis
tinctly Greek in their outline, and
his figures would have done credit to
any young athlete; his clerical garb
was we'll cut, and of the finest, and
when to these attractions were added
a particularly frank and charming
manner, and most fascinating
laugh, it can readily be understood
why the new rector of st. Boniface,
Chicago, was SO popular with his
congregation, and so adored by the
feminine portion thereof.
Consequently when he entered the
rectory drawing.room on the afternoon
in question, where 16 pretty girls were
employed in dressing dolls for the
Christmas bazar, and in an incidental
manner, enjoying the excellent tea
and cake dispensed by his maiden
aunt, it was not to be wondered at
that his appearance caused a little
thrill of excitement to pass through
the circle of fair workers.
The rector had only been at St.
Boniface nine months, but already he
was on fairly intimate terms with the
ladies of his congregation, especially
the young girls, SO without any, pre-
liminary he stated his errand.
81 am in q fearful fix" he an
nounced, in q very boyish and un-
clerical manner. "And want one of
you young ladies to help me out Of it."
The offers of assistance were many
and prompt, but the rector still
looked worried and anxious.
"You see it is just this way" he be-
gan, balancing his spoon across the
edge of his cup, and gazing at it in
tently, II have suddenly been called
away on some errand for the bishop
and it will be impossible for me to get
back to Chicago for Christmas day."
He paused here, and storm of
exclamation and regrets was poured
forth, in the midst of which a saucy
young voice was heard to exclaim:
"And you want us to write your
Christmas sermon for you? How
perfectly charming. have always
fancied it must be most delightful to
stand up in pulpit and deliver nice
ly pointed little moral axioms-always
Of course, carefully pointed at some
one else"
And the speaker, slight, graceful
little blonde, with piquant express
sion, and pair of mischievous blue
eyes, shot half-laughing, half-de-
fiant look at the handsome young
rector, who redeemed slightly as he re-
piled in rather constrained tones /:
MANY thanks, Miss Evelyn, but I
won't trouble you to that extent. 1
have arranged to have one of Mr..
Brooks curates take the services for
me, but he leaves directly after the
morning service, to 60 to one of the
mission churches, and you zee had
promised to devote Christmas after.
noon to the patients of the Home
for Incurables' and they have counted
on having some one read to them and
make the afternoon a little bright
and I can't find anyone to take my
place; everyone wants to be at home
on Christmas day, so I must tell the
poor things that 1 cannot keep my
promise-unless-"
He broke off hesitatingly, and
looked entreatingly at the bevy Of fair
damsels before him.
But they all begun with one accord
to make excuses.
One was SO sorry, but she had
promised months ago to 60 to matt.
nee ON Christmas afternoon, and
couldn't break the engagement"
another felt just awfully to refuse Mr..
Dayton anything" the last, with a
melting glance from pair of big
brown eyes, "but grandmamma was
coming to spend the day, and it would
seem so disrespectful to leave her."
A third was taking part in q con.
cert their guild was to give on New
Years eve, and she had promised Mr..
Trevor faithfully to practice his
accompaniment with him on Christ.
mas afternoon; he was so anxious to
be we'll up in his part of the trio"
A fourth girl wished dear Mr.
Dayton would ask her something else
for she would just love to help him
but really it made her so dismal, see
ing those poor souls suffer, that
mamma had positively forbidden hel