Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-06-04
THURA1ONT FREDERICK THURSDAY JUNE 1908

JI Ills own uOuSthoiu diAS.'tN"S' -
who, without bitterness, even with
kindly sympathy, could look on at the
loves ard hopes Of others; friend (anu
though I place them last. these wrre'
Ct course, his primary virtues to Iane'
"a friend who had been kind to poor
Miss Lynch through all the long years
since she first wearied him with hci
attentions down to the last hour when
he had knelt by her deathbcd-a friend
had held her own, Jane Grand's. hand
more closely and warmly than ever
since the dark history of her parentage
had become publicly known.
But respect, admiration, esteem. g"at"
itude, do not constitute love-however
firm foundation thes may lay for
love. Jane entertained every one OF
these excellent sentiments toward the
Vicar of Chesterford; and in secret hor
tears were still shed, her heart still
cried out for the prodigal son who was
wasting his substance in riotous living
the gambler who was wasting his sub
stance in riotous living - the gambler
whose life was spent without one
higher aim than the qualification OF his
own immediate despicabl. dcsires-the
heartless man of the world who had so
utterly forgotten her, and her love too!
1t would have been simply a revelation
to her to have been told that she was
playing fast and loose with Mr.. Fol
lett's heart all this time-leading him
on to tcnderest hope by familiar tone or
gesture at one moment. sinking him
to despair by sigh, look. distant
reference to Mohun ana her buried
love for him at the next.
She was single-hearted and generous
to degree quite beyond the average
of her sex-an exceptional feminine
nature that would have felt real pain.
not fattered, delicious triumph. at
knowing that good mans love was
being lavished upon her in vain. And
this very lack of vanity. Joined to the
preOccupation of her own thoughts in
all things pertaining to love, made her
guilelessly play out part which Mon
SltNI ue pdlhot INV 80 ''''''''
could not have rlvnled.
The conclusion to one conversation.
the last of many like TO 1t, will show
upon what terms this man and woman
fast approa ching middle age now stood
with regard To each other. Scene-the
little garden of James cottage; season
early summer; principal flgures-Jane
Grand, dressed in black. pale and list
less as usual, training the roses in the
the way they should go above the par
lor window: exactly opposite her. at the
distance of about three feet, the Vicar
of Chesterford.
And here stop to say-what l ought
to have said long agO-that Mr.. FOL
let's appearance was not an uncomeiy
one. He did not look his age Indeed.
at this moment there appeared very
slight difference between Jane and IN.
self, his spare, broad chcsted. loose
knit frame being of that order which
retains all the lightness and elasticity
of youth years after compact but
fieshy contemporaries have spread into
the rotundity of middle life.
AS he stood now, with his arms fold
ed behind him--hs accustomed attitude
and looking intently at Miss Grands
unconscious face-a stranger seeing
only his figure and dark. thick, close
cut hair. would have hestated to call
him man still on what is convention
ally termed the best side Of thirty.
Nor was his face old. Youth was. or
'ourse, gone from it. il by youth YOU
mean freshness and rounded outline
and vivid coloring; but these qualifica-
tions. the first points in womans
beauty, are by no means essential in
mans; and Mr.. FollettS dark face,
with clear-cut salient features. and
deep-set iron-grey eyes was. | fancy,
handsomer now than 1t was dozen
years before. His dress was always
old-fashoned and the same; not very
priestly, and seldom in first-rate condi-
tion, but suiting him in that indesrrib-
able manner which Messrs. StuZ or
Buckmaster. do not always tind 1t easy
to make their well-uts clothes assume
upon the wealthiest clients shoulders.
On the morning in question he had on
his head widc-awakc hat. which adj
mirably became his somewhat foreign
face, but which had already caused
great deal of mental disQuietude in the
parish.
"Mcrcly to shelter his eyes from the
sun. My dear Miss Brown. all the
world knows wide-awakes are the sign,
the watchword, of the Broad Church
principles"
And as that dreadful heresy was
new to the minds Of Chesterford ST.
Mary. its insignia or standard WAS
naturally regarded with the terror men
have for new and fell diseases by the
eyes of parochlal orthodoxy.
"Do you think the yellow roses trail
rs we'll rs they did last year. Mr.. FOL
lett? fancy all the flowers lave som'-
thing wan and sickly about them this
summer. Look. this cloth gold will
never be brought to hang rs 1t used
to do around the window"
Exceeding grace is the sole personal
charm that years cannot take from a
woman. AS Jane. with one white bare
wrist aloft, turned to glance across her
shoulder at the vicar, her attitude
might almost have We'd with that i'm
mortal one of her who stood" a sight
to make an old man young"
The Vicar of Chesterford felt very
young and very foolish. indeed. as he
looked at her; the more foolish, per-
haps, as. for certain crafty reasons. he
pnrposcd within himself to speak def
nitely of his own passion upon this par
ticular morning. Young fellows of
five-and-twcnty, without the slightest
grain of difiidence in their nature, and