The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-08-14

privilege TO be allowed to recommend
a girl to you as lady's maid to whom
the voyage would be an unmistakable
BOOM
Lady NJ readily agreed, and it
was arranged that Miss Milne should
call upon h0r the following morning.
The interview ended by her being
engaged and in a few weeks they
started for Mentone, and together
they wandered through the south of
France and Italy. In the early sum-
mer months they returned to England,
Miss Milne at Lady Ms request
still holding her position as lady's
maid The position was an easy one
and exactly suited to her require
ments, the only to her, Objectionable
condition being that every member OF
the household was expected to attend
mathis each morning at the little
church in the park and confession
once a week.
The clergyman of this little church
was paid entirely by Lady NJ. and
his whole time was taken up in full
filling the requirements Of a High
Church ritual
"One morning." said Miss Milne
and here her voice lowered and be
came if possible. sadder-'T finished
my work, and as it was the morning
for confession, set out for the church
to fulfill this, at first. to me a terrible
task, but now a comforting duty. AS
| entered, the clergyman, the Rev.
John Carlosso. who, though of English
education. was an Italian nobleman,
poor but of extremely ancient lineage.
about thirty years of age and excep-
tiOnally gentlemanly and clerical in
his manner, was pacing up and down
the aisle
Upon seeing me he hurried into the
confessional, while I fastened to di-
vest myself of my load of little sins.
His voice carried more than usual
comfort to me, and | left the little
recess, hallowed by many memories,
with a light step and my heart so
lemnly glad. When I reached the
church door, to my establishment l
found my cOnfessor had gone round
the other way. and was awaiting me
in the porch. On his face he carried
the evidence of great excitement. and
his manner was altogether unlike any.
thing l had noticed in him before. but
Notwithstanding his emotion. he ask
ed me, with perfect self command, II
would mind stepping into the vestry a
moment, as he had something of i'm
portance he was anxious to communi-
cate to me.
Mechanically I walked in and he.
closing the door. took a chair, and
placing it exactly and closely in front
Of mine. sat down. He paused as
though to collect himself. and then
taking a deep breath, he blurted out
Miss Milne, love you then clasping
one Of my hands between both of his
again, 4 love you
''He then bounded from his chair,
and apparently regretting his express
sion of his passion, folded his arms
across his breast. and for second or
two paced the room in silence; then
suddenly stopping in front of me, and
| felt. looking at my bent head. in a
voice far more self-contained. he said:
"The church of my fathers, the church
Of my own boyhood, nay, the articles
of my present faith, as I read them,
invoke, insist upon celibacy in a priest. |
But, Miss Milne he continued, 4 am
human. | have fought hard and long |
against this weakness until / am no
longer able to continue the battle
Then sinking on his knees before me |
and taking both of my hands in his. |
and wringing them in the depth and
strength of his passion. he poured |
forth. with favor begotten of his ma
the story of his love and his |
fight against it. When he had finished |
his terrible story. asked him in a
voice far less audible to me than the
of my own heart: What do |
you wish me to do? He asked me
under some pretext to go to Brixton,
and he would follow and meet me
there. "The day following we will be
and then-and then"
here Miss Milne folded her face in her |
hands and continued: "He drew such !
a picture of our after life, its Sweets.
its love, it's happy contentment. that |
too, being human, consented. The fol-
lowing day we were married at Brix-
ton, and that day saw the last of all |
happiness and all hope in my life
I'VE took two rooms in quiet |
street in Brixton. and had not been |
twenty-four hours before
found that in my husband there were |
two men distinct and utterly dis
clergyman that had |
known, and the husband that I had |
yet to learn. The one had all the capa |
city for making men and women. es
pecially women. love and revere him:
in the other was combined every at |
tribute that goes to the making of bad
men.
II lived with him for two months. |
The greater part of his time was, of
necessity expended in clerical duty;
he would return once or twice a week,