The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-06-27

SQOulO nave DSS.1 lCl. I-->N ~ e>" >-
q complication. The Rev. Reginald
had recently accepted the post ct cur
ate &: St. Matthew'S church, Tootham
under the Rev. Jeremy Priggleswade
vicar Of that parish. and typical spec
linen of conventional p:ety and sHus
social rectitude. 8.
The vicar Of ST. Matthew's expected
to get to heaven by this means. Incl
dcntally, he also expected more IN
mediate reward. The very oeslTapie
living of St. Peters. TcothaC2, 'he
mother parish CT TIE town, haa Jus:
fallen vacant by the resignation CT
the rector. TIE viccr OF St. Nat
thew's had. in fscj, long looked upon
himself as the future rector OF Ioc1A-
am, and he lost 10 time in forwarding
to the ratron an application for the
vacant living. accompanied by sheaf
of testimonials.
Mr.. jenkins, the patron of the i.v-
irg, although given Up to scc:-' h1e
in London, had always shown saad-
able disposition to fail in with the
wishes of the Earis!:ioners. At the
time when his new curate, Mr.. Bis
good, arrived Mr.. P1iggieswade was
still awaiting the answer to his apr!i-
o:tion.
The new curste was strolllng one
morning down one C the residential
streets in the town when he saw z
very small boy making heroic but vain
attempts to, reach the big brass ha2C!e
of a front door bell.
"aallo. my,lit.le fellow! Can't reaca
it. en-? Well, le, me ring the bell Tor
YOU" And he gave the handle mighty
tug. which set the bell changing ioua-
ly.
A smile of huge qualification expand
ed the chubby face OF the graceless
urchin.. Nov, we must cut and run,
he lisped. And he was off, leaving the
astonished cure alone upon the door,
step.
.T-I-ahem! Dces-does-Mrs.-
Mrs. Robinson I've he-e?" he STAN
mered, mentioning tie first name tnat
came into his head, as the best way
ont of the embarrassing situation.
But, to his amazement and dismay, the
maid answered:
+ 'Yes, sir. Will you please walk ln'
SIR
The curate stammered out his name;
some plausible explanation OF MS VS.
if If the house had been in St. Mat
thew's parish, he might have pre-
tended that he had called in the ordl-
nary course of his professional minis
trations. But the house WAS IN the
parish of st. Peters.
The lady was youngish, and decided-
" pretty and attractive, though some
what over-dressed.
Mrs. Robinson?" he nurmured'
awkwardly.
She smiled and nodded.
"Pm the-the-new curate," he be-
gan" and l thought that as was
passing"
"ouite so. Pray be seated" inter-
posed the lady. Very kind OF you to
can. I'm sure. Do you know, I've been
here three months, and you are the
first clergyman who has been to see
me?"
At this the Rev. Reginald expressed
much surprise. He felt it, too. A
rather susceptible young man himself,
he should certainly not have neglected
to call, with proper frequency, on so
fair a parishioner, and he wondered
why the other clergy had been so
backward.
81 don't know how X is contin-
ued Mrs. Robinson, candidly, "but I'm
afraid | can't be exactly persona grata
in Tootham. Everybody seems to fight
shy of me. I'm not aware of having
done anything to offend the worthy
denizens of this highly respectable
place. But such is the fact. seem
to be regarded as a sort OF scclai
leper. However, we wont talk about
that. Let's talk about something
pleasanter and more interesting"
And she at cnce led the conversa-
ton into impersonal channels. sne
was a good talker and very pretty
woman, and the Rev. Reginald found
her society so agreeable that he rrc-
longed his visit for more than an hour.
Now. as it happened, his visit to
Mrs Robinson had not escaped the
lynx-eyes of a highly respectable maid
en- lady who lived just owe: the way.
This was Miss Letitia Partlett, a veri-
table dragon of propriety and self-con-
stituted guardian of the morals OF
:Tootham. Before the day IVES out she
flew round to ST. Matthews vicarage
where she had lnog private inter
view. When the curate went next
morning for his days instructions, he
was greeted by his superior IN tie
sternest and most frigid Of tones.
Come in here, if you please, MI
Bisgood,'' said the vicar, leading the
way to his study. II have something
.,a,,, ,,,n1oocont To 6icc11cc Wit Won D