The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-16
WALTER!BLOOMFIELD
copyrish. lse BY Rosxlr BoSxxas soss.

tween them might AFFORD my father
and me more embarrassment than en-.
terteinment.
The Rector Of Holdenhurst Major
was q thin, spare man. q little On the
wrong side Of fifty. short Of stature.
neat in appearance, formal and pre-.
else In manner and speech. The def
erence which for many years had been
paid TO this reverend gentleman by
the most tractable but ignorant peas
antry In England, had bred In him a
somewhat dogmatic style. Like most
of his class, he had married early in
life, choosing for his wife a portion
less lady about three times his own
size. who. in lieu Of dowry, had pre-.
sented her lord with seven daughters
and four sons in the most rapid sue
cession permitted by the laws Of Ma
ture. The living Of Holdenhurst Major
was worth f22O a year in money. with
q tolerable house. and Eve acres OF
land all told. Such were the means at
the disposal Of this clergyman OF the
Church Of England. and with them he
had to support himself. his wife. his
| eleven children. two servants. one
pony. one dog. and one cat. as well as
take a material interest in the well.
being Of the poor Of the parish-that
is to say. Of the entire population; for
my father and the Rector were BY
very much the richest persons In the
place. l remember also canary. said
to have been the pet Of the eldest
daughter, that was once q member OF
this clerical household; but 1t died
whether from the draught through the
window. Of inanition, or as prey to
the hungry cat could never correctly
ascertain.
/ felt that my worse fears were
shortly to be realized when-introduc-
tions over. seats taken, and grace said
my uncle opened the conversation
BY inquiring Of Mr.. Fuller how bust
ness was looking. hastily correcting
his sentence. and substituting church
matters" for "business."
II thank you, Mr.. Truman" replied
the Rector. with great elaboration. as
he slowly smoothed the Fuckers In his
waistcoat with his left hand. while
his right erasped the wine-glass which
he had been about to raise to his lips
when addressed; II thank you, Mr..
Truman. for your kind inquiry. 1t ID
very considerate Of you to ask such
q question. Too little interest is taken
In the Church by persons not imme-
diately connected with the Church
far too little interest. Born In the
Church. II / may 80 express myself
(for both my father and grandfather
held curacIes at Splashmire-on-o orweIl).
and myself. I trust. q conscientious.
hard-working minister Of the Church.
] fully appreciate the comprehensive
ness and importance Of the question
with which you have been SO good as
to favor me. 1t IL only on the occa.
sion Of my visits to the Hall that !
find myself in q situation to be 30 in
telligently interrogated. fear my an
swer must be somewhat different from
that which doubtless your position in
life and you. proper opinions induce
you to desire. The Church, alas! has
many enemies; and among her enc
mics are some who should be her
friends; though rejoice to inform you
that We of this district are rather ex-
ceptionally free from such adverse In
fiuences. The unprecedented depres-
sion In agriculture, however. and the
uncertain, though certainly unchris.
ton. procedure Of one whom ! think.
without the remotesG exhibition Of par.
tisanship. may stigmatize a. the evil
genius Of England, Mr.. Glad"
Mr.. Fuller had only proceeded thus
far with his answer-the bare prelim.
mary to q fifteen minutes discourse
when uncle Sans impatience. Of
which had been watching the growth
with alarm, reached IN unbearable
point, and be cried out:
Was that your pony ] saw coming
up the path about half-an-hour agar
1T was" replied the Rector. much
surprised at such an extraordinary in.
terruptiap.
"The 3pimal seems in q very bad
condisionr observed uncle Sam.
"Madcap is rather old" said the
Rev. Mr.. Fuller. looking very uncom.
Portable; I'VE have had him q good
many years"
] think 1t must have occurred to my
uncle that the subject Of conversation
which he had SO ,inwittingly started
could not be effectually dismissed In
this unceremonious way. for after q
brief pause, be himself re-opened II.
Il suppose there are not many prizes
in the Church Of England. and that
the few which exist are we'll pre-
served by the cllques with a present
grasp on them. For q professor Of
religion. II he has brains. think.
after aci.- Nonconformity offers the
best field: but for a slow man. with a
taste for large family and q dull
life. doubtless the Church Is best"
These words plunged my father and
noe into great confusion Of mind. II,
Is true they were spoken by one who
knew little or nothing OF the circuD.
stances Of the Rev. Mr.. Fuller-who
indeed had never SO much as heard OF
that gentleman until an hour before
! buf fheir afYnct VaS nnDo IN. locc die
astrous. My father coughed. i choked.
and uunt Gertrude asked me to obli.e
her nv nossinp the water