Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-01-12

band-stand in search of vacant
chair. He had long, thin face, wore
an Inverness coat Of ancient date and
carried a small, black leather bag.
Yet he was young, and should have
taken some interest in his personal
appearance.
HE has eyebrows like-like the
pause marks in music!" the girl muir
INJURED, in defense of her sweeping
criticism.
Somehow the younger Miss Lely
felt she had a right to a grievance
just at this time. Her family had
lately been bent on coercing her into
marriage with a clergyman who, ac-
cording to all accounts, seemed to
have the virtues of all the ages with
out any OF the vices.
Hilda had never seen him. 1t was
some family arrangement" which
the family, exclusive of Hilda, hoped
would come off, some day. The
Rev. Ronald Martyrs father and az
Mr.. Lely had always beeG friends
The Martyrs emigro-ssssd shortly offer
ware 70 A4tl1sssralia, while the Lelys
s'aS Gu - the old country. Ronald
was Vie in England on long visit
" ZONE distant relatives, and the
meeting fraught with so much i'm
portance was to take place soon.
Il shall not go out again." Miss
Lely said. when hey reached their
ln6 MI 70 Nd
hear more of the band this evening,
Hilda, l will ask Mrs. Hunt to let
her Mary take you"
Hilda's eyes sparkled.
81 am never tired of listening to
that band!" she said. And I'd love
to go, aunty!"
And she went. Alas, yet another
clergyman caught her eye. 1t was
an old and decrepit one this time,
who seemed to be enjoying the music
so much that he went to sleep with
a rapt expression on his face and not
a thought about falling off the end of
the seat. A tall, fair-haired man OPP
posite, with limbs like Hercules and
the face of an Adonis, strobe across
the grass and propped him up just in
time.
A day or two later the scene was
recalled to her. She and her aunt
were crossing Old Christchurch road
when a motor car whizzed round a
corner without warning The elder
Miss Lely gasped the younger
y,Y,ehnl nI1 forhf Of
the way of the advancing monster,
and was in turn thrust out of danger
by mighty hand. There was a
whizzing sensation in her ears; for
one awful moment the street ran
round, and the ground rose up be-
fore her and refused to stop-then
she found herself clutching a lamp
post, while some one muttered in her
ear:
by Jove! That was a close
shave!"
She looked up hastily. The hero
of few nights before was standing
over her with an anxious expression
on his clean-shaven face and in his
deep blue eyes.
Aunt Ellen! Where is Aunt
Elem" she asked, a little wildly.
Her rescuer nodded in a sympa-
thetic manner. "She is all right, If
you mean the old lady in the black
bonnet and spectacles." he said. Il
expect she is home by now. They
took her in a cab. "
"a cab! Was she hurt, them"
The tall man laughed Not hurt
at ALL" he answered. "Only very
much frightened And promised to
bring you on Immediately. But, of
course, as you know, you tainted and
/ couldn't. II you are sufficiently re-
vived l will call cab"
Hilda laid her hand on his gray
tweed coat sleeve. She had already
decided in her own mind that the
Rev. Ronald should wear dark gray
tweed, when she suddenly remem-
bered that he was clergyman.
Don't call a cab for me, please,
she said, imploringly. II can walk
quite well. 1t will do me much more
good than driving"
"All right. Then will walk with
you" he answered, cheerfully.
Didn't l see you at the band con
cert in the winter gardens the other
EVENING"" he asked.
Hilda nodded and smiled.
you saved an old clergyman
from tumbling off his chair" she
said, amusedly. Il saw you. VIII!
is it clergymen are such a stupid Sc
OF men all round?"
He gave a slight start.
-er-stupid-c h
repeated obviously, as If he had no
heard Alright.
Hilda thought him quite dense
yes" she explained, merrily. I'm
afraid / dislike clergymen. It's yer.
wrong of me, l know, because"
She paused and a brilliant fiusl
suffused her cheeks as she suddenl.
became interested In the sea.
"Because?" he repeated, patientl,
awaiting her answer.
"Because-oh! I'm supposed to b
going to--oh! | don't quite know
why" she said. incoherently. "YoI
see-well, daresay you will laugh a
me-but. I've always been brough
up to expect that some day / mus
marry clergyman! 1t is very stupid
Most probably if dad had wanted m
to marry an actor | should have fel
distinctly rebellious desire for tn
cloth But as it is"
Human nature rebels, eh?" h
suggested, with a laugh. And th
balance is in favor of the actor"
Il don't know any actor. really,
she responded. naively. So / al
afraid there is no balance."
And It's ali dead weight agains
the poor parson," he murmured, tab
ing a side glance at her.