The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-09-14
IN C0RPORE VIII.

When a man has enough money and
not enough to do, aud the gods have
not given him discretion, he sometimes
takes to playing parlOr providence. 1t
is pretty game, but not safe. My ex-
cellent friend Fenwick, of Fem Hall,
used to be very fond of it, and this is
why he has given itup.
Dobson wss a high church curate in
a slummy parish, very conscientious,
very hard working, not very strong,
and none the stronger for the early
morning services which he went
through fasting. He believed in celib-
acy for the clergy, and plenty of COM
munication and confession for the
laity; he was the customary victim of
every idle drunkard and every gossip
ing old woman in his parish; he had
little faith in Wears, and less in bish-
ops, and least of all, in the privy
council. In all this he was quite the
ordinary high church curate- Where
he was extraordinary was in being
most eloquent speaker, not only in the
pulpit, but even where there was a
chance of being answered.
One day last year l bethought me
suddenly that Dobson was a friend of
mine at college and since, aud that |
had not seen him for some time; also
that he was just the man to make
speech that | wanted made at a certain
coming meeting in which was inter-
ested. So girt up my loins and made
d pilgrimage to his parish, which is far
in the wilderness Of the Surrey side.
On the doorstep found Fenwick, who
greeted me with an unusual elusive
ness.
"My desr bear boy" he said, "you're
the very man was wishing for" andl
he shook me warmly by the hand.
"You have influence with ID bison; you
will persuade him to do what desire?"
Speaking from my own experience,
Mr.. Ferwick, f" replied, al should say
that your only chance is that what you
desire should be something he partieu-
larly dislikes; then he will probably do
it. But have you rung?"
Twice" said be. "They are not
out for L hear someone shouting inside;
perhaps that's why they don't hear"
At this moment the door was flung
wide open and Dobson's small but en-
ergetie maid servant appeared, pinion-
ing by the elbows a very large and very
drunk woman, whom she endeavored to
push out Of the door. The woman was
resisting to the best Of her ability, be-
cause she had not yet finished m king
some very emphatic remarks to Dob
son. He stood with his pipe in his
hand, and on his face an expression of
mingled anxiety for his servant and
grief for the verbal excesses of her OPP
ponent Perceiving Us, he forgot them
both, and ran to meet us.
"HtIlo, Jones, old man, you're a
stranger. Very glad to see you, Mr..
Fenwick. Come in, both of you. Very
regretable this, very. Really, Mrs.
Cookson, you know"
But at this point took advantage Of
favorable chance and pushed the wo-
man of the steps into the street, where
she fell into a rather confused heap,
but never stopped c1rsi0g for an in-
slant. That donkey. DJbson actually
ran down to pick her up, but was an
ticipated by policeman, who led her
off with some difficulty. Dobson took
US inside, apologizing.
s-Some Of these people are rather
troublesome, he said, land the only
way is 10 be very firm with them, but
patient. always patient Yol LET your
care for me carry you away, Jones,
Pm afraid"
In his room, which seemed TO be fur
nished chiefly with a eracifix and
biz table Uttered with papers, were
two or three other parishioners, appa-
rently sober, bat 10 an aggressive con-
diti0n Of boredom. DJ5son submitted
with the patience Of which he had
spoken TO be bDred about the parish
magazine, the young mems football
club, the mission hall harmonium, and
the eoning SIniay sehoJl exc1rslon-
fiatter myse made his martyrdom
appreciabiy shorter by glazing savage
Iy at the tortnrers. When the last had
dragged himself away, the victim
dropped into an easy chair $50 called;
it was 8 wretehed thing Of wicker
work. that heeoasidered weakness Of