New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-25
A Pastoral Visitation.

It was dark and wet and late as two streaming
umbrellas came bobbing along down the "Vicarase
lane"
Beneath these two umbrellas two little figures
were padding contentedly through the mud keep
ing up q companion stream OF conversation as they
came. say conversation, but the little trickle Of
could perhaps scarcely aspire to such dignity IN
deed Il was almost monoiogue for rom oeneSt +
of sympathy and intelligence.
Josiah Slipper. incumbent of Fenchurch. and his
wife and constant helpmate: They had been out
and offering their flock their best Christmas wishes,
the parish was a large one and the living small
one ana f very much out Of the world Ihey nad
but they were happy in their prosaic. hundTuIn,
the village in a not uncommon. inconvenient situa-
ton, and the nearest dwelling place was a large
SnH quite aon ngaR k hrs gaSsF hs sRe
ing as they ncared the gate '.except-oh, dear.
What am saying.the year bought 9 my brown
I'm wrong again; 1t was the year old Doboin fell
Here Mrs. Slipper sighed and a sympathetic
grunt enanated from beneath the first umbrella.
had given them when they first came to FenchGrch;
II had died i've years afterward of extreme old age
any children and somehow they had got into the
had bee7 dearly loved BABY indeed they dated
nest nest Of their "reminiscences from the time before
Dobbln died you know, dear and after
4nf Mrs s9Per had been feq great many %
getting g. very thin on the top-and played havoc
carefully back from high and wide levelled fore
The school children were wont to gaze with awe
at the smooth shniness of their vicaress's forehead
it or the wears bald head.
They had both been quite young when they had
Lord A, under whom Mr. Slippers father had
been x I ILL.,, me !aIe icuIoent Hau
young son of an impoverished house. he had been
circumstances. as means to a livelihood There were
plenty OF sucn cases fifty sixty years ago) he
then there had been smash and scandal. and
twenty years. There had been an interregnum, and
then the bishop had picked our friend out OF a
him UP IN young Paget's place, an act for which
Mr.. and Mrs. slipper nightly thanked the Creator
them just now at the vicarage gate A few steps
round q neatly clipped laurel hedge brought them
in view of the house. Mrs Slipper uttered an ex-
Josiah. my love, light in the study! What
1T means that Susan is unusually late In shut
ting up. I should think my dear said the vicar
| in the rather superior tone which he generally
surprise or curiosity about anything,
But Josiah she is not s shutting 3 up p can 5do see
his arm with a little bony hand encased in well
believe there is a IRE in the CRATE Look how, the
| light flickers. Oh that girl! with wall OF
worry Of my Ife:''
| They had reached the door now, and the vicar
in nus sboW He OF raindr6ps down his wfes neck
Tor she wes busy ewerng her umbrella to lose no
and he rang second time in peremptory. lordly
way way he be rang thai bell made little Mrs Slipper
! Quake for She felt sure he must be extremely
! ANNOYED TO give way to such violence. Tor they
peaceable little pair and seldom raised men
voices in anger with each other or 70 anyoo0g g
! else. The second peal made no IMPRESSION, ana
/ Mrs Slipper tried the door handle, The door was
lions az tfis discovery. for the front door was
always locked before dark. and chain put across
| 1t in the winter but their one little rald WGuIu
always listen for the click Of the garden gate when
| thew were out and be smiling into the darknesS
| at the open door with pickering candle oen11o
| nair gro7ed their wav down the passage that red
| TO the library. and Josiah paused with MS hano
on tae door handle Foth their t5le ~ s ssa9
wing murdered on the hearthrug or. at any rate
! 70 find some evidence Of crime. rohnerEE Win
violence and Mrs Slipper inTTaroE no,r Ia. s15
! he ouaked he thought of the ofTerto@y money
looted m his rrre9u IN 4S frtle CsrCo 49, .,z
aY-ov And thus avhor+nd. he throw omen the door.
| THO flood OF Hrht that met their ewes nea0i !,
vvae orite an a7n~eciahe time before MrS SUpI,Hr
7o+ire5 that both the candles were lighted on tne
r7antelpiece that the '7r7n WIS or the bureau 80
+17a+ tail figure stood cornplace0tly on the heaFtn
80 Lyf+1 Ffe hands behind him and his back TO the
IRE The Heht from the lamp fell fuI on the race
| ~ the ooo1Iner Of tire 1t was fine. hand
,,ra With some whimsical lines and crows Feet
ro,,nd the eyes and mouth: tall ard snare. win an
fror7 +ba forms IF the little damp scared couple
| who fnvo1urtariv chung together IN the doorway
Mrs. Slipper was firm oeieyer IN ghost t 10
| gether sincere desire that she might one DAY oe
visited by denzen OF another vor's-opI Oily II
caIr-, the fea rs she felt would beset her. And
/ now here she in the posfton or the loonsh
woman who wished pudding wouid GENE ooWn
| Warbler grip her husbands arm was almost
! painful