The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-22
TIE LITTLE CURATE.

walking down the main street of the
village engaged in conversation, which,
being that Of a recently afianced pair,
need not here be repeated.
Miss Edmiston carried herself with
an air of pretty dignity, made none the
less apparent by the fact that she was
fully two inches taller than her lover,
the Rev. John ST. John. He was a thin,
wiry little man, dark haired and pale
c~omplexioned. and was much troubled
in his daily walk with a certain uncon-
auerabla shyness. That he should have
won the heart of handsome Nancy Ed
mission wa a matter for surprise and
discussion among the residents in Brox-
bourne.
.'Such a very uninteresting young
MANI said the maiden ladies over their
afternoon tea.
$50 ridiculously retiringl How did
he ever come to pfopose?" remarked
the mothers whose daughters assisted in
giving women an overwhelming and
not altogether united majority in Brox-
bourne society.
The men, on the other hand. voted
st. John a good sort, and his parish
toner's, in their rough ways. owned to
his many qualities.
'sYou'r re a dear little girl, Nancy
the curate was stammering, looking up
at his beloved, when they were both
stopped short on the narrow pavement.
A burly workman was engaged in chas-
Using a small boy with a weapon in
the shape of a stout leather belt. The
child screamed, and the father pre-
sumably cursed.
sStopl" cried the curate.
The angry man merely scowled and
raised the strap for another blow. st.
John laid a OBTAINING hand on the fell
lows arm, the temerity of which caused
the latter such surprise that he loosened
his grip for a moment, and the young
ster fed bowling up an alley.
"What the spluttered the bully,
dancing round the curate, who seemed
to shrink nearer to his sweetheart.
..Let us go, DEAR" he said. He had
grown white and was trembling.
At this juncture two of the work
mans cronies appeared at the door of
the alehouse opposite and, seeing how
matters stood, crossed the road and,
with rough hands and soothing curses,
conducted their furious friend from the
scene.
ssHorriblei'' sighed the curate as the
lovers continued their walk.
Miss Edmiston's head was held a
trife higher. IF l were a man, she
said, 81 would have thrashed him. I
would indeed"
"You think ! should have punished
him then 7" said the curate mildly.
"He was a much larger man than /,
you know"
Nancy was silent. She was vaguely
but scre1y disappointed in her lover. He
was not exactly the hero she had dream
ed of. How white and shaky he 8
turmoil
"You surely did not expect me to
take part in a street row, Nancy" he
said presently, somehow suspecting her
thoughts. He knew her romantic izaas.
But she made no reply.
80 you think / acted in a cowardly
fashion ;" he questioned after a chill
pause.
81 don't think your cloth is an excuse
anyhow, she blurted out suddenly and
cruelty. The next instant she was filled
with shame and regret. Before she
could speak again, however. the curate
had lifted his hat and was crossing the
street. An icy "Goodbyi" was all he
~vouchsafed her.
Mr.. st. John was returning from
felt that his words of comfort had been
unreal; that, for all he had ~striven, he
had failed in his mission to the bereaved
mother. So he trudged across the moor
with slow step and bent head, giving
no heed to the summer beauties around
him.
He was about half way home when
his somber meditations were suddenly
interrupted. A man rose from the
heather, where he had been lying, and
stood in the path, barring the curate's
progress.
.sNo., Mister Parsoni' he said, with
menace in his thick voice and bloated