The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-22

/ turers. When the last had dragged
I himself away, the victim dropped into
an easy chair $50 called; 1t was a
/ wretched thing OF wicker work. and
that he considered a weakness OF the
fesh), lit a pipe, and turned with sigh
I of relief to rational conversation.
/ II soon appeared that Fenwicks OBJ
| ject in coming was to get Dobson to
stay at Fem Hall for a few weeks. !
I have several reasons for standing we'll
with Fenwick, and there appeared
nothing reasonable In his desire so
/ backed II up; and as Dobson could
not help feeling that he was really in
need of country air and rather less
work, he finally consented to a tenn
pOrary exchange of duty with the cur
ate at the little village church, who
was anxious TO see little Of Lon
don parish. When l had likewise
booked Dobson for my meeting, Fen
wick and | departed together.
AS we went out OF the door a sheep
ish half-grown boy and an acrid old
woman went in. Fenwick called my
attention to them
That's the kind OF foolishness that's
working him to DEATH" he said; that
anu Ldb Ld.akh anu tue Gdlil sci NlNto
and a dashed lazy vicar who takes
none Of the work. I'm fond OF the boy,
and | mean to put a stop to It,"
Indeed" said |. but how? Dobson,
you NV, DIS OBSTINATE as pig, esq
pecially about these things"
Il know. but my theory is that the
whole thing rests on this absurd cell
bacy idea. II he had wife she'd
make him go slow and not knock him
self to pieces; and she'd feed him prop
erly and keep him warm, and he'd be
another man in six months. Besides
he's not fit for London parish any
how. and he has great talents which
are wasted here. No, sir, | have my
plan"
Indeed, Mr.. Fenwick," said l, you
interest me extremely" And SO he did,
for | began to see what he was after.
Pray, what is your plan?"
Simply and sufficiently this You
know my niece. Amy"
l answered that | knew the lady
very well-as indeed did, though not
so we'll as | wished
Well if three or four weeks of
Amy's society in a country home
doesn't make him change his mind
about celiDacy, I'm a Dutchman. The
stupid fellow has hardly spoken to a
nice girl since he went to school, | be-
lieve. Half these young donkeys are
woman-haters out of mere ignorance.
"A most excellent idea, no doubt, for
Dobson. But how about your niece?
Is she disposed to assist"
Well you know" said Fenwick,
ITS not really necessary that she
should 1t will be quite enough to cure
Dobson II he falls passiyely in love
with her; then if she rejects him, or If
he never proposes. he will go and mar
ry someone else. They always do. But
why shouldn't she. you know? Girls
are generally ready enough to take
curate, and you know he's a very fine
fellow. Then | would make him rec
tor of Fenton, and he should write a
book and be made a canon, and his
preaching would soon bring him to the
front"
You have it all cut and dried, | see.
Well, l wish you every success, but
think it's rather ticklish."
Not bit You must come to the
hall and help me, though. Come on
Thursday week, won't you?"
To this consented and we parted
l knew DoUsUn ana 1 know no WAC
not the man to carry out Fenwick's
plan by falling pasSaby in love with
anyone, least OF all with Amy. | was
much more than passably in love with
her myself, though | had never found
opportunity to inform her or Fenwick.
either of that fact. Either Dobson
would stick to his principles and sue
coed In resisting her attractions. or Ae
would fall very much in love. indeed
in which case believed he would be
a dangerous wooer. | did not. there.
fore, look with any favor on Fenwick's
experiment, but if it was to be tried it
was in every way better that should
be present.
1t was half past IL and Fenwick
yawned, got up, stretched himself, and
intimated his intention of going to
bed. He said he was not accustomed
to London hours, and he went off, leav-
ing Dobson and me in sole possession
of the smoking room at Fem Hall.
Fenwick was a little disheartened.
When he formed a plan of any sort.
particularly a plan for arranging the
destinies of his fellow men. he used
to set his heart on it. and he was not
much pleased at the total apparent
failure Of his designs on Dobson Dob
son saw good deal of Amy; he even
talked TO her more than to anyone
else, but that was simply because she
was the only person in the house who
would listen to the kind of talk he
loved best. 1t is a solemn fact that he
used to discuss with that poor girl the
persistent unity of the Church of
England and the degree of authority
TO be attributed to an Ecumenical
Council. She used to listen to him
with the utmost gravity and with a
sort Of timid pleasure at hearing about
such big and wonderful things; but
how much she understood | never at
tempted to guess. Now. when | had a
chance of talking to Amy, which was
not seldom, it was not with that kind
OF conversation that | entertained her,
and | did not believe that Dobson
would have done 1t either If he had
been in love.
Nor did this style of talking vary
when they were alone together. as far
as could make out; and took several
/ opportunities TO come upon them sud
denly, quite by accident, in the midst
/ OF these interviews. Dobson never
/ showed any displeasure at being in
terrupted, and there was no sign of
any change of subject. | was, there
fore. fairly easy Of mind; and my dis
gust may be conceived when he turned
on me some forty puffs after Fenwick
had left the room. and begun to make
condolences.
He began, parsonwlse, on generals
ties. He said he had lately been con
sidering the subject Of the celibacy o.
the clergy, and had come to the con
clusion that the practice OF the Church
Of England was wiser than that Of thu