The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-24

| the decorating OF the church. She had
known many curate who made him
ing OF churches for festival occasions:
but that was a work in which ladies'
| herself included generally ioIned
| There was nothing I'm her experience 10
| help her 10 associate the famous vicar
with the dirty. paint brush or the
| rusty saw. She concluded that as
birds of a feather naturally nock TO-
| gether. the new vicar had attracted 10
| himself "A congenially- minded Working
man. who, either through an Innate
| faculty. or as the result OF a talent for
Imitation. had acquired the tone ana
tastes that would naturally mark the
| vicar himself.
| ON the morrow, Miss Tomkins. before
she established herself in the church
| ward drove TO the vicarage an the hone
| OF getting an Interview with the vicar.
| She was more than ever anxious TO see
/ him. and IL vexed her a little Ia have
| Ia confess to herself that her special
| reason now for desiring 90 see him was
! to learn something about this phenom-
| email painter-carpenter. whose conver-
sation and ideas were those Of a man OF
| culture and breeding
| Rut the vicar was not at home He
1 was gone 10 the town the woman told
| her M Robinson's, the joiner. about
| some forms which had been promised
| for the vestry.
! "Shall find any one at the church,"
II think not. ma am. The vicar has
| taken with him the man who often
| works for him at the church"
| Miss Tomkins found the church silent
| and empty. The two hours Of sketch
| ing were long and tedious. her colors
! would not produce happy effects: and
the pjcture as a whole was dsappoint-
ing. The painter-carpenter was con-
| tinualIy i'm her mind every addition To
4 a..
| mental query: What would ne say
| about it?" The conversation of the
| previous day was ever ringing i'm her
| ears. she remembered only TOO distinct
| lv rhe tones and inheXi0ns of his voice
and the changing expression OF his
| countenance.
She remembered noticing his crisp
curly hair and how the shirt sleeves
and apron failed TO make him look like
an ordinary workman. but had a sug-
gestiyeness that set her thinking of the
cricket field or rhe tennis lawn whore
shirt sleeves would be In Character.
though an apron would be an absurd
ity. But he wore his apron with a
difference"
"It is perfectly absurd" cried Miss
Tomkins. rising from her camp stool
and pacing up and down the path. II
can think of nothing but that singular |
fellow, Any one who could read my
thoughts would say / was i'm love with
him. Who Is he? What is hep III he |
were gentleman I'm reality-well. he !
would beat most OF the men | know I |
wouldnit whisper IL to my cat. but he |
is everything a man should be His |
eyes--how they seemed to look through |
me! His voice--if il were a pentIe
mans IL would be called sympathetic |
and refined. / must find out something !
about him. But what's the |
use? Edithl You are silly little |
fool.'
And she sat down and finished her |
painting.
BY dint of strenuous sef-control.
Edith kept away from Crowsnest for
more than a fortnight. The effort she
had TO make TO keep away convinced
rer that IL would be very unwise 10 go.
The picture was finished and no longer
afforded an excuse for a drive in that
direction. She would remember the
paintercarpenter as an ideal OF what
a workingman might. in perfect sys-
tenn of society. become. and she pre-
ferred not to risk the loss OF her ideal
by learning more about him. She would
have kept away much longer had not
harvest festival attracted many per-
sons-including Sir George and Lady
Tomkins-to Crowsnest. Edith natur-
ally went with her parents
The church. which was ablush with
frult and fiowers. was crowded When
the time came for the service to begin.
there were heard from the village street
the approaching sounds Of the process
sional hymns sung by the choir The
singing drew nearer. The route OF the
singers could be followed by the chang
ing volume of sound. Now, II could be
told that the choir had entered the
church yard now the choir was Just
outside the belfry door: now III was un- |
der the belfry arch: then IL entered |
the church and paced slowly up the |
nave. Edith turned her head as the |
choir approached her pew-and there
she saw. leading the line Of surplced |
SINGERS and singing as heartily as any |
or them the painter-car his face |
beaming with devout interest i'm his
work,
Edtth knew not whether she was sur
prised or not. ThNmystery OF the ex-
traordinary workman WAS exnla ined.
put inc explanation introduced difficult
ties. Her relations TO the painter-car-
penter: now that he proved to be the
vicar himself. were not without some |
decree of awkwardness
Edith whispered her mother that |
rs the man who was painting the belfry
The Socialist fellow. you called
|
How very awkward" whispered
Lady Tomklns.
ne story may be left to finish itself |
n httle before Christmas the Times
contained notice OF the wedding or !
MISS Edith Tomkins only daughter of
Ssr George Tomkins. Bart. to the Vicar
of Crowsnest
And that Is how Crowsncst became
lanous For long time the whole dio
cese Falked ot the village where tho |
new vicar had wrought miracles Of re-
Iorm IN the church. and had won a ha-
ronet daughter as n door painter and
rough joiner. And people have since
discovered that Crowsnest is a heauti-
vi place, and IL has salubrious air.
NAT summer holiday can he pleas
'ntlv spent there. and that the new
,lcarage is charming place for a gar
len party. Tho Villagers love their VIII
age more than ever and think hat
England has no finer man than thrir
'lcar.--The Favoritc.
u HETN T'es