The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-06-12
THE RING AND THE LADY.

act. of the purNSt good nature ne
should have been led into so awkward
a complication. The Rev. Reginald
had recently accepted the post Of cur
ate at ST. Matthew's church, Tootham,
under the Rev. Jeremy Priggleswade,
vicar Of that parish, and typical spec
linen of conventional piety and SNUG
social rectitude.
The vicar of st. Matthew's expected
dentally, he also expected more i'm
mediate reward. The very desirable
living of st. Peters, Tootham, the
mother parish Of the town, had just
fallen vacant by the resignation of
the rector The vicar of st. Mat
thew's had, in fact, long looked upon
himself as the future rector of Tooth
am, and he lost no time in forwarding
to the patron an application for the
vacant living, accompanied by sheaf
of testimonials.
Mr.. jenkins, the patron Of the liv-
ing, although given up to social life
in London, had always shown O laud-
able disposition to fall in with the
wishes of the parishioners. At the
time when his new curate, Mr. Bis
good, arrived Mr.. Priggleswade was
still awaiting the answer to his appli-
cation.
The new curate was strolling one
morning down one of the residential
streets in the town when he saw a
very small boy making heroic but vain
attempts to reach the big brass handle
of front door bell.
"Hallo, my little fellow! Can't reach
1t, eh? Well, let me ring the bell for
you." And he gave the handle mighty
tug, which set the bell changing loud
ly.
A smile of huge qualification expand
ed the chubby face of the graceless
urchin. Nov, we must cut and rum"
he lisped. And he was off, leaving the
astonished cure alone upon the door
step.
"I-I-ahem Does-does-Mrs.-
Mrs. Robinson live here?' he STAN
mered, mentioning the first name that
came into his head, as the best way
out of the embarrassing situation.
But, to his amazement and dismay, the
maid answered:
"Yes, sir. Will you please walk in,
sir"
The curate stammered out his name;
some plausible explanation of his Wis
It, II the house had been in st. Mat
thew's parish, he might have pre-
tended that he had called in the ordi-
nary course of his professional minis
trations. But the house was in the
parish of st. Peters.
The lady was youngish, and decided
ly pretty and attractive, though some
what over-dressed.
"Mrs. Robinson?" he murmured,
awkwardly.
She smiled and nodded.
"I'm the-the-new curate," he be-
gam" and l thought that as | was
passing"
"Quite so. Pray be seated" inter-
posed the lady. VERY kind Of you to
call, 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.
'T don't know how it 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. l seem
to be regarded as a sort Of social
leper. However, we won't talk about
that. Let's talk about something
pleasanter and more interesting"
And she at once led the converse
tion into impersonal channels. She
was q good tallser and a very pretty
woman, and the Rev. Reginald found
her society so agreeable that he pro-
longed his visit for more than an hour.
Now, as it happened, his visit to
Mrs. Robinson had not escaped the
lynx-eyes Of highly respectable maid
I'm lady who lived just over the way.
This was Miss Letitia Partlett veri-
table dragon of propriety and self-con-
stituted guardian Of the morals of
Tootham. Before the day was 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 the
eternest and most frigid of tones.
Come in here, If you please, Mr..
Bisgood," said the vicar, leading the
way to his study. Il have something
very unpleasant to discuss with you"
The curate wondered.
BE good enough to explain TO me"
demanded the vicar. ''how It is that