Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-09-25
KATE RICHARDS NIECE.

FafsOn Ollvcr vile was OustifnQ
up the hill. When she saw me she
pursed up the button-mouth In her
fat, comely face.
I've piece Of news, she said.
] think know Il. said l.
Bitter disappointment immediate
ly relaxed Mrs. divers mouth.
i don't see how you can, she
said. Il only heard It yesterday
myself, and il is the very last thing
| should have believed possible.
well, but believe do, never
theless," / replied. Kate Rich
ards niece has come home"
Mrs. Oliver Immediately fepursed
her mouth.
Kate Richards niecei 4" she eiac-
ulated with emphasis. Home
OF course II is right TO put il so.
But"
II was clear that did not know
all. She folded her hands with the
prim air OF one who could speak 10
some purpose, and she would.
mot that she is Kate's niece, of
course, added, incidentally, and
the cup was dashed once more from
Mrs. divers lips. There was a
gloomy pause.
Beauty is no use whatever to q
girl in that station OF life, she re-
marked bitterly. Very much to
the contrary. And so / shall tell
her,"
But where will be the good Of
that ?'' said / meditatively. ''She
can't be born again.
AS a clergyman's wife. / disap-
prove of the quoting of Scripture, !"
said Mrs. Oliver. Besides, we are
called upon to do our best, and leave
the rest. Consequences are not in
our hands,"
Is she so very pretty ?' Iasked.
Harry Petheriek is engaged to
my housemaid Janei'' replied Mrs.
Oliver with dignity.
And good worthy lump she is, I"
said /, approvingly.
And the whole thing is scan
dial which must stopped, continued
Mrs. Oliver. ''Of course, we all
know These thing unfortunate
ly- Evil does exist
She filed the sentences with sighs.
but the girl must leave the place
at once. Kate should have managed
more carefully. shall see her this
afternoon, and shallinsist. Ishall
say, Kate-I shall say. il is not only
as clergyman's wife, but because
of your having been so long a SER
want OF my husband s family. i in
sist. "
She departed, treading firmly.
Some way further down, close to
his own gates, / saw Parson Oliver
running up the hill. His leggins
and his old shooting coat were thick
with clay; his older wideawake was
thrust on the back of his curly head
his handsome. lean, lawless young
face was flushed with exercise. He
had been laboring in his fields. He
swung in at the gate before | reach
ed il.
These divers have squirrel and
shephered Deepleigh for genera
tions, and they are the only gentle
folk in the place.
Deepleigh has the charm not only
of irreglar roofs, but irregular foun-
dations. You go up five steps and
rising path to one cottage, and step
down three from the road to the
stone-fagged floor of another. On q
raised pathway, before two of the
higher cottages, was Harry Pether-
ick, leaning, with a rather vacuous
smile, over the fence that in winter
keeps people from being swept away
by the stream that in summer checks
at pebbles, and can hardly raise q
current ut the father end of pud-
die. His mother stood by him. Her
hands were also on the rail, and her
thin, curious face was bent on the
girl in the road below.
As / came down the opposite lane,
| saw a fourth person completing
the scene, unobserved by the 9TH
-ers. saw the craning white face
of Kate Richards gazing after her
niece from the garden of her cottage
above the cross roads.
The group broke up as drew near.
Harry's mother started, and, catch
ing at her water jar, hurried away
down the path. Harry lifted him.
self with changed countenance and
creeping flush, and, after a mo-
ment's hesitation, followed her slow
ly. Kate niece crossed the stream.
and pursued her way toward me.
As we passed, we glanced at each
other, and exchanged thecustomary
Good morning"
Two thoughts Immediately struck
me. The first was that such head
and such carriage were gifts that