Show A BL LUNDER PAULINE CARRINGTON TON BOUVE DOUVE Written for the Evening Poet Poat It was a a. clear September night and two young men dressed in clerical garb were walking n across ross the Common There was a a. g general similarity in their ap ap- ap Both were tall both were blonde both wore WOle Vandyke beards and each had his hair cut and combed after after after af af- af- af ter the English fashion But here the likeness ended Upon close scrutiny the two were as unlike in features and expression expression ex ex- as they were in temperament I 1 and habit habit Amos mos the elder of the two men nien had shrewd clear gray eyes thin lips and somewhat the air of a man of fashion fashJon He was as musical had an avowed taste for aestheticism and had long since decried that the easiest road to the gratification of his refined tastes lay up the church aisle and ended at atthe atthe the matrimonial altar u It wont won't do 10 tram he said sage sagely sage sage- ly h with hn an air of superior wisdom that was trying to his companion Here you are re being discussed on all sides I say If the girl does not know better surely ought to be more discreet Old Mrs Appleton and the were speaking of your our violent attentions to tn the strange goddess only last night and I really could not say a n word in defense In d defense of what 1 inquired the new curate nervously as he ho pulled his mustache See here Betram Miss Norval Is agreeable agreeable- and all that but but but- But what I have only anly shown her herthe herthe the courtesies ur ure e a any man n may pay any ISa is ry ryn who I is passably good looking and has wit enough to be amusing Th There's Theres res re's ho no no one In town yet an and Im I'm a stranger here What's the harm You have havo been walking with her every d da day since you ou met her and ami I am very sorry that I I. I ever introduced you to her She Is absolutely penniless and andIs andIs andIs Is earning her own living Well whose business Is It if she is poor That makes it perfectly o safe Everybody knows I could not afford to marry In that way You talk as If I Iw w were re ent entangled slY and nd about bout to o take the matrimonial leap Dont Don't be uneasy about me Of Or course I know nothing of your Intentions in intentions intentions In- In replied the older man nor have I the right to as you anything concerning your personal affairs I 1 only thought I ought to give you a word of advice Thanks you are very good And Anti as asfor asfor asfor for my intentions they are arc simple enough I I am bored and I want to be amused My Mr Intentions are to cultivate all the agreeable people I meet and to togo togo togo go out with Miss Norval as much as I please By all means said sald the Rev ev Amos Clarkson but you wont won't remain at St.'s St.'s St. St s 's s 's long if you do Miss Peck and Miss Elliott I o f are shocked o ti i Lee says no curate ever behaved so lightly before I know what the road Is I tell you you you-I've Ive I've traveled it and Father Barrand's Barrand's Barrand's Bar- Bar rands rand's first assistant sighed Its the same thing with them all ail Mullen Mull n nas was as seen to wipe wille his glasses eye-glasses on his cassock cassock cassock cas cas- sock and poor Perkins you Perkins you remember Perkins rode rode about on a bicycle by his physicians physician's advice and they both ha hail had to resign Father Barrand never makes any complaint but hut the curates go The dignity of the ecclesiastical profession is a n ghastly burden to carry some sometimes I 1 dont don't eee see the necessity of ot flaunting apostolic raiment in the face of every everyone everyone everyone one I pass said Mr 1 Bertram Terrence decisively I 1 haven't taken the three vows and I nm am not going Into that sort Bort of nonsense A man in orders has a n aright aright right to some innocent amusement and relaxation In fact ft t Is a a. necessity If you want the relaX relaxation r of of i a flirtation dir flir tattoo tation my dear fellow g go h he di 1 1 say but dont don't blame me when th the tea- tea party puny is is over una party puny is over una Look here Clarkson Miss Norval Noval is the type of women who is absolutely elY above that sort of thing She Is sin sin- care cere re It Is none of my affair now that Ive I've warned you I I am glad to hear you say so I am amnot amnot not the kind of fellow to ruin my prospects prospects prospects pros pros- by a foolish marriage I have not gone and shall not go too far If It the young lady has allowed herself to Imagine my attentions meant anything further than pastime for both of us Ul I certainly have be not myself to blama blam Every woman ought to be sensible e iP iri ip such matters matter If It I ever have reason to suppose that she cares cares- It will vili be too late However I have finished my part in the play Ive I've Ive got gotan gotan an errand to do on the Hill Hi so Ill I'll Il leave you here Have a cigar to lighten your journ journey jour jour- n ney y replied his companion as he hO hE held helda helda a a lighted match in the hollow of his remember Cavallo Cavallo Cavalo Ca- Ca hand Cavallo you Cavallo you Cavalo you vallo valo at dt t Harvard sent Harvard sent sent me a box of these from Cuba try one No Well Wel good As S the younger man walked toward his lodgings an amazed expression sat upon his usually placid brow Wh Why could not people Jet let him attend to his his' own affairs He had been officiating as assistant curate at nt St St. St's s 5 s 's ritualistic ritualistic ritual ritual- Episcopal church for the past three tree months and he had discovered discovered- that a curates curate's lot Is not without its Is difficulties To earn the approbation of good Father Barrand and the elderly elderly elder eWer ly female element clement cement which was the dominant dominant dominant dom dom- one In the church polity of this Catholic branch of the Anglican faith raith was no easy matter Strait and narrow was the path in which St. St St.'s s 5 s 's curates curate must walk and he who walked therein must watch his steps To kiss the stole with wih graceful meekness to bow with proper devoutness before each of the three altars to intone cl clearly arly to genuflect In good form and hold ones one's thumbs with wih due solemnity were strictly Itemized In St. St 5 s 's 8 supplementary supplementary supplementary supple supple- I decalogue but there were Various various va va- vaI I rious other points to be observed The curates were on no account to enjoy the charms of ot feminine society The ritualistic movement Inherently tended tended tended tend tend- ed toward the celibacy of the clergy and encouragement of or social relations between womankind and the Uie incumbents incumbents mourn mourn- bents of apostolic authority must be discountenanced The Rev nev Bertram Terrence pondered upon the situation of affairs as he wended his way homeward homeward homeward home home- ward and arrived at a definite sion slon It I would not do to lose his present present pres pres- ent ant curacy He could not afford to marry a poor girl He must must must-as as delicately delicately deli deli- del del- cately as possible of course but bot firmly put put on end to any false Impression his evident admiration of the young lady might have made He- He would He-would would be candid but gentle gente and the outside world should not know what an effort this self control control sel-control this abnegation had cost him Miss Norval was busy with wih some drawings for one of the magazines Her auburn hair was pushed back from her low broad forehead and her violet violet violet vio vio- let eyes were full ful of grave contentment contentment contentment content content- ment as her long white fingers moved over the drawing How good everybody has been to tome tome tome me she thought as she glanced at a vase of at fresh rOSes on the little table beside her How kind Mr 11 Terrence Is He is just as polite pole as if i I 1 lived on street Instead of In a stuffy house log on street treet I 1 suppose its it's be because ause Im I'm Im so utterly alone here and have no sort of protection Whatever is the reason or motive he Is doing what Is very like the thing St. St James advocated Well Wel I 1 am nm not very plain and I 1 dare say I dont don't bore him or he would not come to see me so ofen often It ItIs Itis I Is not Christian Christan duty to take a a. girl out walking every day The brows were drawn In a straight line lne as the young ladys lady's reflections continued and the illustration progressed slowly If I he were wee not a priest I 1 might thinkA think think- V VA A loud ring of the doorbell interrupted lifter inter Miss Norval's train of thought and md a a. moment later the young clergyman clergyman clergy clergy- man mar of ot of whom she had been thinking thinking- entered the room room He was yas pale and somewhat agitated and she noticed that his hand was trembling I am so glad you came In Just at this moment she said pointing to a a. a chair char I was thinking of you How soft and bright her eyes looked as she he spoke It I tas was as a awkward awkward awk awk- ward Vard ordeal ordeal How was he going to tobe tobe tobe be l less ss attentive in the future What ver werft you OU thinking ng about me i he inquired as he sank ank down In a chair near the girl girl I was thinking how good god you were we're to me she answered softly softy The Rev Mr r Terrence felt an uncomfortable uncomfortable un un- comfortable comfortable sensation You know kow I 1 in all haven't any anyone one to belong to me this great gret city nobody whose duty It ItIs Itis itis is to think of me flie mE so I 1 am a very grateful to those who have been kind Yes of course h he mui murmured abstractly abstractly ab ab- ab- ab twirling s Ms his mustache violently vio yb- between his thumb and ger The young Woman looked a up Into Int sur sur- her companions companion's taco in some prise He lie was not fao quite quie natural this morning she th thought Miss I abruptly I Norval NOr he said ald wish to say something to you that may my surprise you A flush face as her spread over her a visitor paused Ive Ive had something I Ive I've been bee wanting to tell you you ou she In in- in I Ah Ab groaned grone Bertram Bertran Terrance In Inan Inan inan an agonized mental outburst goIng going go go- Ing t to tell tel me that that she has ha I learned arned to care cal for me JI 1 I. I must let Jet her understand that its it's impossible utterly impossible impossible ble Who shall have first go asked the girl with a soft little smile smie on herred her herred herred red lips Shall I begin No no I 1 am not such sucha a cad excuse cad excuse me you me-you you must not sp speak ak W Wait lt until Ive I've Ive said what I came to say pay The entreaty In his tone was wa unmistakable unmistakable unmistakable and G Gertrude Norval watched his face curiously Miss Norval I 1 am afraid that that that-that that hat that you that you that Is that my attentions have see seemed seemed seemed-seemed seemed seemed a little pronounced I feel that that my position ton as a a. clergyman you know renders reders it unwise to to-to-to to to to tomake reders make myself remarked he continued In a vague vaguE uncertain sort of way glancing hopelessly at the pale face before before him If I only she would say something he thought he he- he could go on more coherently but there was wa not the slightest movement from the figure leaning back in the red plush chair Every detail of or the tho room seemed photographed photographed pho pho- pho upon his brain brin as he sat st stammering ou out his explanation of his attitude You see he said sald desperately It I Isn't quite quie the thing I 1 was afraid you might might might-might might think I think I thought perhaps If if either one of us us had any money it i would be d different The young man I. I paused and wiped his face ce with his handkerchief 1 Money would not make any difference differ differ- ence to ence-to to me said the girl a pretty littie little lit lit- lt- lt tie tle te smile smie hovering hoering over her mouth How low utterly unconscious she seemed of the situation Had she no perception perception tion ton Was Vas it I possible that she did not comprehend his meaning The difficulty Is he went on that In m my position as assistant at St. St S1 St.'S S1's s 's SI s 's sI sI I have to be very vey careful of my con- con duet duct I thought perhaps it was best to tobe tobe tobe be candid Miss You were quite right said Norval softly softy And so you will not ot misunderstand me and fancy me frie me less your our friend because because because be be- cause I 1 am forced to enjoy less of ot your society In the future The last l t words were spoken rapidly and the voice of the speaker was hoarse from excite excite- ment He was not altogether without manly and t the e ordeal had been painful Certainly there could be beno beno beno no room for doubt now in the young ladys lady's mind He le had thoroughly exonerated exonerated ex ex- himself himsel from all al blam blame t. t and no one would ever dream how hard It had had been to give up this sweet comp com corn i p Yes he Bertram Terrence Terrence Ter Ter- er rence renee had displayed a power of of self self- e control not possessed by most men The he girl looked at him steadily for bra a minute before she replied Yes Mr Terrence I quite appreciate date clate the difficulty of your position What a pity you you did not think of this during the last three months she con con- Yes he replied sadly For your sake I should have been clear I 1 trust that you have not not not-do do not suf sut- fer far fer- There was a knock at the doo door Excuse me said the young lady as she went forward to welcome the unexpected unexpected unexpected un un- un- un expected guest There rere was vas a glad little litte cry of joyful surprise an exclamation of delight Oh Jack My darling And the Rev Bertram Terrence be beheld beheld be- be held Miss Non Norval l clasped in the arm arms of a stalwart stranger whose air of ownership wa disagreeably apparent He got Up tip p out of the chair and ml mechanically me- me walked out of the waked room unnoticed un un- noticed by the two people whose world was bounded by arm encircling arms Blindly he staggered down don th stairs and out into the street a sharp pain at his heart a strange sense of sudden loss Three ox or four days later when his friend Cl Clarkson called upon him caled he found the assistant curate seated beside be- be side a half half ed valise alse an and holding be n a note In his hand He le held out the sheet of tinted notepaper notepaper note note- paper toward his 1 friend 33 1 and adviser Read Reach it he I said p r Amos Clarkson took It from his hand and read My Dear Mr Terrence Terrence-I am o o sorry YOU would not wait the other morning to hear my confidence wat but I suppose you can guess what I 1 had to tell tel you It I was just the old fashioned secret I T am goIng to be faff married on the 24 h ot of December and nd I 1 Wanted to tell tel yo you about It Jack I mean Mr John Reignold came In so suddenly the other day daf that I fear I was very ver rude I had not heard that he J hat had d stated from New York ork and I was so happy and W surprised surprised sur- sur that I forgot everything but J Just ourselves You'll forgive Youl won wont you you I thank you forg for for U your kindness to me last summer so does Jack Very truly yours yoUra yours t GERTRUDE NORV September 28 1901 1901 I Well VeI said the older roan man i Nothing only Ive I've been a f |