Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-01-25
The Minister'S Wife
CHAPTER V.-(Continued.) J
By MRS. HENRY WOOD

They had always been good friends,
these two, from the time when the boy,
Henry Carmel-for it was before his faith
er came to the title-would fall into no
end of outdoor random scrapes, and the
little doctor, as far as he could, shielded
him and brought him out of them. The
earl then reigning was a valetudinarian,
Henry's uncle, and the boy spent three
parts of his time with him at Avon
House.
when did you come DOWN." asked
Mr.. Brice.
only this morning. My mother seems
pretty well, 1 think?"
"Y-es," assented the surgeon, with
slight hesitation. "She would be much
better, though, if she'd let the world wag
its own way and not trouble herself try
ing to set it to rights"
Meaning the new parson and his new
waysW laughed Lord Avon, who talked
more freely with the surgeon than he
would have done with any one else. "She
has been treating me to history of the
nonsense"
well, and it Is nonsense; just that"
said Mr.. Brice. ~ ventured to say few
words of remonstrance to Mr.. Elliotsen
one day. Oh answered he, good-natur-
edly, but these new ways are all the rage
in the fashionable world now.' Maybe
so, sir said L; but what suits a lash
ionable congregation does not suit a rus
tic parish Not all at once he readily
answered, but they'll get used to it, Brice
they'll get used to it. Perhaps they
may"
81 am sure my mother never WILL"
spoke Lord Avon.
ITO begin with, she dislikes Elliotsen.
At least, she disliked his coming to Great
Whitton. She wanted Mr.. Baumgarten
to have it."
Lord Avon looked surprised. did you
know of that, Brice?"
Most of us knew of it down here.
For several days, l think, it was under
stood that you had actually given him the
living"
"What-understoo publicly?"
Publicly and privately too. Baum
garten began to make preparations for
moving into the rectory; he arranged
with old Mrs. Chester to take over some
of her furniture. 1t was the certainty
he had shown which made it so mortify-
ing for him when the upshot came"
To Judge by Lord Avon's face just now,
some of the modification had Travelled to
himself.
"I was sorry myself" said Mr.. Brice.
Lady Avon talked to me and Mrs. Dane
talked to me, lamenting your caprice
IL may presume to say it, my lord,
he added, with a twinkle. 1T tried Mrs.
Dane much"
1T was not caprice, Brice. 1 did give
Mr. Baumgarten the living; that is,
gave my mother a promise it should be
his, which is the same thing; and l af-
terward retracted the promise and gave
it to Elliotsen. OF course it looked like
caprice, and very shameful caprice; but
but" Lord Avon hesitated, you will be-
lieve me, dare say, when l tell you
was not to blame"
"In my own mind l could not at the
time think you were. 1t was not like
you. How was it?"
'It is a thing which cannot explain
Brice, even to you. A mistake was made
in-well, let us say in more quarters than
one 1t has been put down to my score
hitherto / find, and it can continue to be
so. l am very, very sorry if it tried Mrs
Dane"
Mr.. Brice recounted the past circum,
stances in few words. Lord Avon list.
ened.
$50 Baumgarten and Edith married or
the strength of possessing Great Whit
ton ~ he remarked. II wish-I wish
"No; they got engaged on the strength
of possessing it, and were married all the
same when they knew they should not
have it," interrupted the surgeon. "Theil
prospects are not grand; the living is
small, as dare say you know, and there's
no habitable house."
Lord Avon nodded. Little Whittor
was in his gift, but he did not personally
know Mr.. Baumgarten.
Naturally Mrs. Dane feels anxious
about their future. When she dies, hel
income dies with her. And two or thre,
months will about bring the end. l have
Just left her sitting under the pear tree
in the garden; she is out-of-doors mos
fine days. And upon my word, l must b.
going on," concluded the doctor.
CHAPTER VI.
Lord Avon strolled onward with 6
clouded face. When staying at Avo1