The evening times., 1899-07-01
THE COUNSEL AND THE NUN.

1t was the opinion of Henry Tonkin, of
Kings Bench Walk, that the increasing ro-
tundity of his figure clearly suggested a
Edy. the clerk when called to consultation
on the point. firmly supported counsel's S
opinion. Mr.. Tonkin felt, however, that SO
momentous step required more than COM
mon consideration, especially since he
could afford some delay without losing a
place among the most youthful of Her
Majesty's Counsel learned In the law. But
although no communication had yet been
made to the Lord Chancellor. ii had some
how got about in the Temple and Bed
ford Row that 'Tonkin was going to take
silk" and learned friends offered congrat-
ulations in the anteroom of Judges Cham
bers on his approaching emancipation from
summonses and pleadings Thomas Edy,
who had always cut figure in the pre-
cincts OF the courts, felt the dignity Of his
position. He was a man of culture, was
Thomas Edy. who grew hollyhocks at Bal
ham, read no morning paper but the
Times" and among his fellow -clerks-col
ieauges he called them--on circuit had his
| opinions on art and foreign policy. He
| too. was congratulated by friends and ask
ed when the thing was TO come off.
We'll. you see" he replied 1.-The mat
| ter can hardly yet be said to be a chose
jugee; il is. in fact, still sub judice.
And you and the guv'nor sitting as q
divisional court to determine 1t, eh?"
Just so. We have reserved judging
till next term
Next term came, and on a warm morn
ing in May Henry Tonkin stood by the
| open window in Kings Bench Walk He
had just tried on his silk gown and full
bottomed wig, and found them suit his
ample person 10 perfection. The inflow oi
junior briefs having ceased for some weeks
he had unwonted leisure, which he was em
ploying in dreaming of the Woolsack, wher
! his thoughts were diverted by his eye
falling on two Sisters of Mercy crossing
the gravel space between his chambers
and Paper Buildings. He had often be-
fore noticed gentle-looking creatures oi
the nun species gliding silently about the
Temple but had never had time TO give
them a thought 1t struck him now tha'
these quiet black figures with their con-
spicuous white headgear and crucitiXes sus-
pended from their girdles, made pictur-
esuue feature in the architectural picture
with the library in the background There
| was pquancy, too, in the contrast be-
tween these peaceful women of religion
I with their slow step and downcast eyes
and the busy barristers and bustling at
torneys' clerks hurrying TO and fro across
I the court. a sudden curiosity ana interes
in these women were aroused In the learn
ed counsel; he thought he would like tC
/ hear their voices to know where they came
! from. what they were collecting for, ant
| what sort of success they had in gather
/ ing money in the dusty purlieus OF the
! law.
If you please, sir. two Catholic womer
! with a collecting card; ! suppose ! may
say you do not support Romanist charl'
| ties?"
Show the ladies in
| Thomas Edy could not have been more
! astonished had he been told TO return {
! brief his master could not attend 10.
| Mr.. Tonkin felt considerably embarrassed
when his visitors stood before him, quietly
! declining with thanks the chairs brough
! forward by the clerk before leaving Inc
/ room The two nuns were OF very dl1er'
ent aspect One was well past middle age
her features were coarse and as lonkll
! thought rather masculine type; she wa:
| tall and thickly built, her voice strons
and deep. Her companion was apparently
/ quite a young girl. rather pretty with
! timid look in her grey eyes and tremol
/ on her lip: she seemed frightened. anC
never lifted her ewes from the carpet.
The elder woman handed a card TO Ton
! kin. I'VE collect for the hospital OF the
Stricken Heart" she said: perhaps sir
you Will kindly give us subscription.
Tonkin had been thinking that their su-
! neriors showed much worldly wisdom II
! sending this pretty girl as decoy foi
/ coin. and this old dragon as chaperon tC
/ the decoy The spirit of mischief seized
him. Running his eye down the list or
the card in which he saw a fair number
OF shiilings and sixpences and an occa-
I sional half crown, he said in tone of pro
found gravity, addressing himself to tbs
old nun:
Il do not belong TO your faith, and
feel no obligation to support its charities
At the same time | believe the object tC
be a good one, and see you have not ha(
| any great success as yet in your collect
| ing Now I'll tell you what I'll do'-ht
stuck his finger and thumb into his waist
coast pocket-'I'il give you couple o
sovereigns for your hospital on one condi
ton"
You are generous. sir. said the null
with perfect self-composure, though Ton
kin noticed flashing glance thrown a
her for an instant by the young girl be
side her. You are generous, sir; th
| Blessed Virgin will reward you.
Unfortunately replied the barrister
| diversion of the situation he was bringin!
| about. Il have no great faith in tn
| Blessed Virgins power to do anything 10
me- | am looking, therefore, for NOR
earthly and a more immediate reward. TIL
condition on which I'll give you these tw'
sovereigns''-he laid the gold coins with
clink on the tablets that this young la
dy. or sister | suppose | should call her
reward me with a kiss for each of them.
Henry Tonkin had the skilled cross-ex
aminer's pleasure in reading faces. Tn
idea of proposing to kiss the pretty nul
had occurred to him simply that he nigh
watch the effect produced on the holy wo
men by proposal which, though In realit
innocent enough, would, he took for grant
ed, be secuted by them as prompting O
the world, the flesh and the devil. He di
not for moment contemplate having t
part with his money. Not little aston
ished was he, therefore, when his keen ey
detected an almost imperceptible twinkl
in the old Sister of Mercy's eye and just
trace of curl at the corners of her mouth
instead of the quick revulsion of horro
he had expected. The girl remained i'm
passive as before; Tonkin could not fee
sure she so much as blushed.
After short pause, during which tn
old woman seemed to be meditating sh
said in her deep, hoarse voice: MY com
panion, sir, is Sister Evangeline of tn
Stricken Heart. She is, you see, young
she has just only completed her novitiate
no is an innocent and haa1tjfrl child r