The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-20
THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL.

to ask favor, and I won't sit till I
know whether [ get it or not; for If /
don't get it, 1 shall say goodbye as
quickly as l can. Our John Thomas
came home this morning and his friend
with him, and I want. invitations, for
the young men, both of them. My great
pleasure lies that way-if you III give 1T
to me-
"Most gladly" answered the squire, !.
and Ethel immediately went for the
necessary passports. When she. re-
turned she found Mrs. Nicholas helping
Ruth and the, squire to arrange the
large silver and cut crystal on the side
board, and talking at the same time
with unabated vivacity.
Yes,' she was saying, the lads
would have been here two days ago, but
they stayed in London to see some
American lady married. John Thorn
as friend knew her, She was married
affair enough, but it bewilders me this
taking up marriage without priest or
book. It's new commission. The
church's warrant, it seems, is out Of
date. It may be right, it may be legal,
but | told John Thomas # ne ever got
he wouldn It have father or me for wit
nesses. -
81 am glad,' said the squire, "that
the young men are home in time for our
dance. The young like such things
To be sure they do. John Thomas
wouldn It give me moment s rest till
I came here. I didn't want to come.
I thought John Thomas should come
himself. and told him plainly that |
was ready to do anyone a favor if 1
could, but if he wanted me to come be-
cause he was afraid to come himself, l
was just as ready to shirk the journey.
And he laughed and said he was not
*. h,,f RI
want to make his first appearance in his
best clothes-and that was natural,
WASH It it? So / came for the. two
lads. y Then she looked: at the girls
with smile, and said in comfortable
kline Of as ynaaaa find s shen very cry
John Thomas, have taken his measure
long since; and as far as I can judge
his friend, nature went about some full
work when she made man of him. He IS
got sweet temper, and a strong mind,
and straight Judgment, if / know any
thing about men--which Nicholas some
times makes me think I don It. But
what you. call an exception:
Then shaking her head at Ethel,
she continued reprovingly: "You were
neither of you in church Sunday. l
know some young women who went to
the parish church Methodists they are
There's some talk about them, I can
pestered to copy. them. She keeps her
]: eyes open for you. You disappointed; a
lot of people. You ought to go to
church in the. country. It's the most
respectable thing you can do.'
We were both very tired, - said
Ruth, "and the sun was hot, and we
had a good Sabbath at home. Ethel
read the Psalms, Epistle and Gospel
for the day, and the squire gave us
some Of the grandest organ music I
ever heard. - z,-5--~, ~
Well, well! Everyone knows the
squire is grand player. I don't sup
pose there is another to match him in
the whole world, and the old feeling
about church-g going is getting slack
among the young people. They serve
God now very much at their ease
els not that better than serving him
on compulsionqo asked Ruth.
dare say. I'm no bigot. I was
brought up an independent, and went
to their chapel until / married Nicholas
Rawdon. My father was q broad.
thinking man. He never taught me to
locate God in any building; liza and din Tn
is his dwelling place. IL it is, they
ought to mend the roof and put new
carpet down and make things cleaner
and more respectable. Well, squire,
you have silver enough to tempt all the
rogues in Yorkshire, and there's a lot
of them But now I've seen it, I'll go
home with these bits of paper. I shall
he. a very important woman tonight.
Them two lads won't know how to
heech and fatter me enough. I'll be
waited on hand and foot. And Nicholas
will get bit of setdown. He was
Dragging about Miss Ethel bringing his
invitation to his hand and Promising
to dance with him. / wOuldn It do it if
were Miss Ethel She I'll find out, if
she does, what it means to dance with a
man that weighs twenty stone, and who
has never turned hand nor foot to any
thing but money making for thirty
years.
She went away with a sweep and a
rustic Of her shimmering silk skirt, and
left behind her such an atmosphere Of
hearty good-nature as made the last