The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-07-01

Rev. Wetherfy Smiles was rector ut
st. James and occupied rose-embow-
cred cottage not far from the church.
The cottage. with It's attendant garden,
was dainty. pretty spot. which looked
as though woman's hand had planted
and cared for it.
But no woman had anything to 90
with the rectory. Rev. Smiles only
servant was doddering old man; the
rector prepared his own meals. except
when he was invited to tea by some old
lady who pitied his lonely, Indigestion
breeding existence.
Not that Rev. Wetherby Smiles was
4 woman-hater, but Mr.. Smiles was
very high church indeed. Unfortunate
ly. st James and the parish people
were extremely low.
Tho rector felt that the clergy. to be
able to give their whole time and
thought to their work, should live lives
of cclibucy. lie had felt at times a
strong drawing towards some ecclesl-
astical order in which such VOWS would
be necessary. Then he would wear
some outward sign of his VOWS, and the
SOulip "OilicIl VI Ills psAA iSh "SNAN Nos
fall In love with him.
The rector was young and good-look-
ing; he had been in his present pastor
ate less than year, and he had already
had an experience.
Rev Wethefby Smiles, from study
window. could look across his garden
plo, and see the brown earth warming
IN the spring sunshine and the trees
and bushes slowly bursting into life.
He looked across his garden, say,
and across the garden, beyond the low
hedge. was another garden which in
summer was full Of color. He had no.
ticed the briliiant-hued beds the year
before. but now the only bit of color
was q pale blue morning robe that fit
ted about the Enclosure.
TO tell the truth. the rector had sell
dom noticed that morning gown or the
little woman inside it before. But it
pleased his fancy now to look across
the hedge and watch his neighbor.
He recalled that his old major domo
had told him the cottage next the par
sonage was occupied by widowed
lady-a lonely creature who had taken
up her abode there but shortly before
Rev. Smiles was settled over st. James.
He remembered the little figure In
black in one of the side pews. pointed
out to him by the clerk as "Mrs. Scor-
ritch," and probably had not given her
q thought or glance afterward
However, he saw so much of the pale
blue gown that first warm week In
spring that he looked for the little
widow In her pew the next Sabbath.
She had laid aside her weeds and was
dressed In some clinging. fawn-col-
cred material that made her look like
q very demure little moth. And she had
the sweetest face in the world-at least
the sweetest face in Rev. Wetherby
Smiles world.
On Monday morning the clerical
black appeared in the rectory garden
about as soon as the pretty morning
robe appeared over the hedge. The de-
mure little face dimpled and smiled un-
Ger its garden hat at the .rector's ap-
proach. and the widow nodded brightly.
You ere carly at your gardening this
morning. Mrs Scorritch," he said.
"Yes. but It's so warm" she replied
In defense. Il an expecting my Gro
cuses to appear any day now."
I'm afraid We'll see some frost yet.
Mrs. Scorritch." said the rector.
"Now. don't talk that way, beg!'
cried the little woman, clasping her
hands. inclosed In long wristed and par
ticularly wcll-ftting gauntlets- Just
SUPPOSE my crocuSeS should come I'D
and be frost-bitten? Oh. the thought
is too awful"
81 sincerely hope you Will not be dis
appointed. but the climate is uncer-
TAIN"
Many were the conferences held
across the hedge regarding the proper
pruning Of rose trees, the planting Of
hardy seeds. and the preparation of the
beds of earth. The rector had never
suspected there was SO much detail in
the business of gardening.
One morning. just after warm night