HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1889-5-24, Page 6TIIE RECTOR'S DA
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The r tint' of Clalrlbe-.1:.idey raised 1(1
oyes from the manuneript over will he had
been poring all the morning, and turned Itis
face to the door with a half -wearied air of
'looting attention, Thera wits it sound as
of light foot 111 111e hall below, tied he listen.
ing to hear if they would pass the peeler,
and come up the stair -ease, Yee'
they were
coming, for the next ;instant they were
springing up the old oaken stairs with a
gay, soft patter, amt in a minute altars
they stopped et the ludbopen door.
"May I come in, papa?" paid a fresh girl.
ish voice "01. aro you too busy ? 1 have
something to tell you."
His rugged face eoftened wonderfully at
the wawa 501111d, whiell was the sweetest
in all the world eolith] ; but his quiet natnrs
not lot his tone express more than would
simple words,
" Come in, Prue," he said, and then sits
entered.
Such a bright young face as she Mon ht
to lighten the dint old room, with ea piles of
dingy Papers, and shelves of dingy books ;
such a fresh, sweet, bonny young awe ! Once
Lir twice in a life -time, perhaps, one moots
with such 5 face as this ,male piaaaiy-dressed
Prue. The big, brown eyes had the into•
cent, untried look of a child's, the round,
white elan, with tato soft dimple in it, !night
have been ababv's; the sweet, 50rionsmouth
was as tenderly innocent as the veriest
child's on earth. After all, of course, she
was scarcely a w0111041 yet, being little more
than seventeen; but still there are few ghxle
who preserve that simple tenderness of ex.
pression even through seventeen years, It
to quite possible that her qquaint!y quiet of
had made the rector's daughter less of a
woman than she would otherwise have been,
Making pies and broth for sick pensioners,
and turning half -worn dresses, had been the
greatest of her responsibilities ; visiting tbo
poor of the parish, and occasionally calling
Sn timid state upon her father's patroness,
Lady Strathspey, the greatest of her dissi.
patios.
Accordingly, at seventeen, pretty Prue
Renfrew was as fresh and ignorant of world.
Mess as a child of seven, and as ready tobe
pleased, and as anxious to please, me few
children of seven are in this age of civilize.
tion.
There was a little touch of excited plea.
sure on her face as she came into the room,
and it made her look very pretty indeed as
she pulled off her well-worn little gloves,
and uubuttoned her little rough coat,
"Guess who I have seen ?" site said at last,
coming behind her father to lean over his
arm -chair. "Just goes, papa."
"Who?" he asked, looking up at her with
a touch of a smile on his reticent Scottish
mouth. Ho was a tteetelinatl, the Rev.
David Renfrew, and, like utast 44cotehmen,
grave almost to taciturnity ; but this ono
ewe lamb of his lonely, hardworking life,
was the light of his eyes, " Who was it,
Prue?" he asked.
She shook her brown heart with a little
laugh.
"Guess," site said. " Somebody very
important, to us at leash; somebody very
handsome,"
" 01d Donald Ross," with a dry humor in
his voice.
" now, papa ! Somebody vary grand. 1
8000121 you can guess now,"
He shook his head.
She broke into a swept little laugh of
triumph.
h.
"I knew you couldn't. Well, I have seen '
—sty lord." j
He started a thought nervously. In his
quiet, restrained way he had a nervous,
awkward dread of this long; absent patron i
of bis.
" Not Lord Strathspey?"
" Yes, L',rd Strathspey. He is 'cry
grand and handsome, papa"—stroking his'
grizzled hair with a timid little sigh. " The
grandest person lever saw, I think,"
"Where did you sea him ?" he tasked.
" On the Brae. I had just come out of
Donald's cottage, when be passed by. He
stopped a nwment to look at ate, I think,
for 11e was looking when I sew him first, and
he bowed to me. I wish 111ad had my best ,
dress on," naively. "This one is so shabby,
you see,"
Her father glanced down at the garment
in question, and echoed the faint sigh with
which site had ended her words.
It was rather shabby, if the truth was to
be told. Shabby dresses were 110 novelty to
this pretty young creature, with her luno. •
ei!ht vaniby. Even the sober browns and j
grays which usually made up her limited I
wardrobe, were always turned and furbish.
od,untl their fictitious newness became more
than questionable, and her quiet little brown '
walking -dress was as well worn %skit, was
precise in its neatness.
It had been a long -cherished hope of this I
business -like little Prue, that Lord Strath. '
spey's return would make matters better •f
and last now her:email brown head was fun
of it,
" I wonder if he will come here to see
you, papa," she said et last. "Ile ought to, 1
you know."
She bad taken a seat then, and having
produced a before invisible work -basket, was I
etntehing demurely on a new wristband.
" I think he ought to, you know," ale
went on sagely, " l don't think he would be
doing his duty if he did not show some in.
terest in the parish after neglecting it so
long. Why, he has not been here eines-
dear me I since I was quite young. For ten
ysars, I should think, Has he, papa?'
No," with a faint smile. "He was six.
teen when he left Scotland, and you were
aev811. I doubt if you have ever seen him
before, Primo,"
Yes, 1 have," nodding her brown bead.
"I saw him in church once. That was how
1 knew lim today. I remember hie face.
I think I remembered it because it is so
beautiful. 1t is beautiful—over so beauel.
fol," and a soft little blush rose to her
cheek,
To tell the truth, Lord Strathapoy was
something of a hero to his rector's daughter.
She had remembered tho handsome, boyish
face sho bad seen in the grand, velvet.hese
socked pew 0a something to be admired with
a tender sort of reverential awe, Sho bed
always beet afraid of Lady Strathspey, and
herstataly ways: but her distant, sweet
admiration of her young hero had something
half affectionate in it, in spite of what ape
peered, to her semppl10ity, his grandeur. d e
she had grown enter, her remembrance of
Mee had grown fainter ; but it had been e
remembrance atilt, end had helped her to
re0pgh12d him When they met, oven though
he had become a matured ,tan, in the prime 2
of life --•and the boyish dao was meat forayer.
TI1on,•aggin, she, a1 heard no numb 0l,0at
it. 'iso raw 011 its tenantry, ',ono nae seen 0111p, ;;ram ty ; "end 1 res 11Y ,1,21 2 permit Nei that 1 have neglected them a little aly
him in their short virats to London, hid y, •c t , feel atilt lumrcn-,vf 'ler, luaa'. natdher tab: me td at you 1(212,'
a la;ated
brought back wondrous ao0ount( of has alto i•e geed ma teethe little time; -as them A little, Aly mother tette me Omit yea
and learning, and debonair lveya w geed ,. ht. is featly eft ; , the peer proem, lave been 4'ery kind 1, tha peat' prnlde..._
• ;,1y son," in Lady Strathspey', coo, Watt say. quite a Lady lientnt un1 1u hecto and 1 nut
nine otademigod--a noble young demigoU ale l y It lin' oh fr'>uhie >''; ;memo to thank you iw• it, it my th,utica
to be hawed down to, and wmrell peed, aka with it emit, ' ;u• must be +:oed enough, nee worth any thine.'
respectful di0teinc0, by his inferiors. The then,'" he said, with a thrill in hie 'wive, She binthed slightly, iu her innocent, 022.
tenant% who had not ;tee hint, had Certainly "Those greet, bummed eyes of here are as prise at his patinas. She had lived her
Imam of tum enon;m, tor 'ley sous money, beautiful us an angel's, (Juliet llf, 4(u wholly for than penpla, that alio
e ,. ni-, 1,4;1e -hip's plans," ruled Coombe. 11, did not say much more on the subject; 11010' dreamed of Nein plenked for
A.hle v u, t implet,ely as any despot's iron but it wan not forgotten 11 to , ertoin hur lai>ors.
s !land, though, of course, iu a milder degree. 2h itgh he slid not caul at the uctery thst ' i9r---pupa and I ---try Ln Jake 1'010 id
It leas been n great trial to her stately lady- . week. 1'e'lmps his mother's evident Mole them,' she returned, simply 1 "lea 1 don't
ship, the people said, that Strathspey had prevented sonlotbiug to do with it, or per ; think I bttve dune auythit1F worth thanks.
cared so hale for Coombe -Ashler, and Mut (taps his time Was folly c>cull>1ed. Al any What, Ido Is 00 little among so many, you
been en Wig IL stranger tel it, nu(1 a sojourn- rate, .Prue's demure to(ch.es of toilet were know," with at depredating uprefsing of her
el' in foreign lends ; and it was a great beta lost 201112 tow days at least. 1011et• awe et
pines to her, every nue know, that lie had him, she had been staidly anxious to be fu y e' What yea have done, l eamtn1 suffiofont.
at last (meted tearer wishes, and decided readiness, and had watched the road almost ly thank you for," besaid, senlotbing like a
to
.peal at least the winter, on tris long- fearfully; but Saturday came, and Lord thrill of admiration rowel by her m1001
neglected estate. Strathspey had nob made his appearance, farm: "Lady rationspoy says yon ought t0
Just now innocent hewn -eyed Pelta was e a again,
on Sunday at charegh 4(h( saw biro be reproach to my soli-muUllem o, It is
wondeneareri vewfoftthis her0,atHert'thou thoughts the being raisinaimed g her head,en after 12112 !1111 to look after ‘2;10;f202
these people, sho tolls
She B B B Ince Reuling a littl11 ' x1 :,1: 11 , 21.•41.1%
Iver, a curious mixtgre of romance anJ. pew- the first prayer, she ought a sullen glimpse cut at a dltnculcy, a thaugnt a a•aulu rot,:r
1 irni'clity. Perhaps he would roue to the of the handsome Saxon face, with its clear t., you, If you will only protein, te' tell me
locate, and thee, of come, she would be eyes, and the big golden mustache. lie Want they want, Miss Renfrew, and call
obliged to meet him ; for, long before bread was looking et her, alio discovered to her alien 0vr for any ttsietlutce which is required,
and butte' Lied short demos Were things of great confusion, and in her momentary ant• you will relieve oto 'otlderfully. 1 am not
the past, she had best her father's helm- larrasSmettt, the sensitive color mounted what people call an energetic portion, I be.
meet, mud the childish nlistrees of the little even to her white temples. Strathspey lamer, amyl Wry rerp'12:.,ibilitiee are Inc much
brown gabled Imus,. Then, of course, if he smiled at the blush, it was so undisguised for. meet
Was as gu10rens sae penile said he was, be and innocent. This little Miss Renfrew " 1 will promise that papa trill," she said,
would see how wretchedly paid for his hard Was Something of a novelty, 11 struck him ; with grave naivete, " and I um stare the
labor hie rector had been, and them -Well, and the timid brown eyes, with the fluttered eeeptc will be. very thaulhfu1. 440400 of them
perhaps, it would be easier to buy the quiet look in them, were even prettier than. he e,),c' very boor indeed, and ---we aro not very
little dr000'0 and bate, and posaijdy a tatehad finagined. rich ours,lh es."
Wright come who her own „loves and papa's He stew more of the rector's daughter yip:: 111(1 oval•„1110 hr first awe of 111411 ly
' Would not have to be uncuffed so often. Hay- that morning, than ho heard of the rector's the, time. She wee too thoroughly simply
in gut to this torn of thought, looked she lo,ed up sir'm(211, The small figure, which seemed thee
to be com e:item for guy len0114 c f
et her fatherfie i t1(. Hcehad tarnedtn the almost lost in the big square pew, struck
manuscript. again, and was werlvutl its hard him with an odd sense of its childishness,
es ever. How grave his face was, and how and half unconsciously, he found himself
gray he was getting, and ilow many weary following the soft low voice us it sounded
hours lie was obliged to spend over those the reponse. He could not help fancying
dreadful books—for the poor pittance had with a sort of amusement, that sho felt some
to he worked out in more ways than one, tlualms of consoienco on the subject of her
••Papa,” she said, softly, " don't you sup. brat glance, she sat so quietly in one corner
of the big pow, her pretty church -service in
her hand and her brown eyes upraised to
her father.
When the service was conoladed, it
chanced they left the church ahnose together
and on hoe way down the aisle, Prue saw
the tall form before her ; and as she passed
out of the stone -porch •
Lady Strathspey
turned and bowed to her, and then, Strath-
spey himself, -turning also, raised his hat
with a fair shapely hand, and remained
standing for a momenb looking after her,
smiling faintly.
During the last week Prete had lived in a
constant state of overawed expectation ; but
by the middle of the next, as the visitor had
not made his appearance, the feeling wore
off, and she neglected to watch the road
altogether. He was not coming, she told
herself. Perhaps lie did not care to coni>,
and then she drew a Iittle sigh at the thought
of her castles in the air. She discussed trim
gravely with Marjory, who was her house-
hold general and constant adviser, and next
to her father, nearer to the innocent young
creeturo's heart than any ono in the world.
"Ho is very 11audsome, Marjory," she
would aay naively, "and very grand ; but I
think, if he had cared about us at all, or
about the pool' people either, be would have
called to see papa before now,"
But whether he cared for the poor people
or not, he came ablest, though it would Levo
been useless watching the road for his com-
ing, for his visit w(0 the oddest of sue.
prises.
It was late in the evening when he called,
and Prue was in the dining -room alone.
The lamps had not been brought in, for the
rector was absent, and there was no light
but the blazed the fire, wbioh revealed to
Strathspey, with the opening of the door,
tho life 11lose natural life pasture he had seen in
pose—" and then hesitated a little.
Ito raised hie Head, as am always did, at
the sound of her voice,
" What is it, my bairn ?" he asked, "My
balm" was the quiet pet name he had given
her from the first mournful hour when he
had reoeived her from her young another's
dying arms ; and there was something al-
most touching in the quaint sound, as it
came from his grave lips.
"Don't you suppose thee Lord St1'ath-
spey's coming home will realm a difler-
enc01"
a In what?"
"L1—well—stake a difference to you.
Perhaps he will give you some mo1'o money,"
she said wisely, "He ought to."
"Perhaps he will," returned the rector
half grave, half smiling. " What do you
want, Prue ?"
Sho laid her work down, and carne behind
Ids chair, olaeping her arms round his neck,
and laying her soft cheek on his grizzled
head, with an odd little caressing nestle, lilco
a baby's.
I want a hundred things," she said, half
laughing. "1 want a dressing -gown for you,
and something nice for Jamie Macdomnel,
and a grand new dress to wear on Sundays.
Lord Strathspey will be at church, yon
know, mud—Well, I believe that is all,"
And elle ended with a face a thought more
serums than it had been wben she began, for
elle was stricken with a sudden recollection
of the questionable appearance of her best
attire,
" Couldn't we manage to do something
about the new dress, Prue?" he asked, with
an odd anxiety in his face, or an anxiety
which was odd in a man of his kind ; but
they had held these economical consulta-
tions for years together, and to diplomatize
seriously over the purchase of the hardly -
earned girlish garments, WAS nothing 11ew.
She shook her head with a certain sweet
gravity.
"Oh, door mo 1" shenaid, seriously, "Wo oIArTEn r4(.
couldn't think of it. You see there ere all Pro was kneeling upon the hearth,
those people to be visited next week, 011d demure, in a little dusky home -dress; her
one cal t go without taking them something. neglected work -basket stood upon the table
Oh, dear me, no !" her soft, disordered hair fell loosely around
Ile torched her soft brown hair with a her ha1f-ehildieh figure, and with the ribbon
regretful sigh. " Poor little bairn 1" he which had tied it, she was teasing a sober
mad, "you hays a hard life," gray eat of Marjory's, at whose dignified
Sic drew her urns tighter round his nook disoomfiture she was laughing softly.
in 0 closer caress. It was rather a difficult matter to moat
"No I haven't," she salt lovingly, "It is seriously the horrified face she turned to
you who have had the hard life, poor busy her visitor, as she started up with Marjoly's
darling. I'm very happy, I don't care familiar in her arms, whom his name was
abort Leril Strathspey, I daresay he won't announced. It seemed so dreadful to her
look at ma ; and, besides, my dress is not staid sense of the proprieties, to bo discov
so ugly, after all," eyed in such a position. I have no doubt,
But for all that, when she ran upstairs that, if sho might have had her own way,
after dinner, to her pretty white bedroom, he would have found her ready to recsive
she took the questionable garment out of him in allthe strength of timid decorousness
tato wardrobe, and reviewed it with some with which she tried, poor child, to do honor
anxiety. It was not the dross so much, but to her father's calling, and so, no doubt,
she had a childish awe of these stately would have impressed him with an amused
Strathspeys, and a childish desire to appear feeling of awkwardness; but now, taken by
well in their eyes, surprise as she was, she only looked wonder -
All in the meantime, Lord Strathspey had fully like apretty child, and mot him with
gone back to the Coombe, with a curiously the humblest little air in the waled. In
pleased recollection of a tender girlish face, her reverence for his magnificence, she al -
mid a pair of big lnlloee111 brawn eyes, with , most felt as if she had done him some injury,
a curious childish sweetness in them. or annoyed him in some manner,
Ile was not a very good man, this Angus He advanced to meet het, holding his hat
Loral Strathspey, and certainly not will- in his fair ungloved hand—a faint smile
fnily a ball man ; but for all that, he was scarcely controllable even by his self -pose
just the sort of person to commit a wrong, ; session, touching his lips.
through the careless light-handednesewhIch i What a grave offence the little contra.
time ; and, bosidee, it pleased her so mush
to Meow that her pensioners were to be well
cared for at last. Though it had never oc-
curred to her, tee life she bud led, since she
had boon old enough to assume any respon-
sibility, had really been a hard one. The
work which had fallen into her young hands
had been Stever ending, and, in the eyes of
any one less simple and tender, would leave
.ear, the most thank! s of 1
appeared s as aloe. They
were not all pleasantness, those long rounds
of visits to poor, ailing, and sonettmes not
very grateful people; but poor little Prue
had a staid conscientious scrupulousness on
the subject of her duties, and would no
more have thought of shirking one of them,
than of doing anything ,lee widely foreign
to her affectionate nature. Strathspey
Imo; ihie cut in the course a the evening,
and the soft -voiced little creature's serious
sense of her responsibilities, almett amused
him, Her quaint afectionforher father was
ono of talose responsibilities, he discovered.
It was rob the connnon-plaee love of a con-
monplace girl ; it was something more novel
—something which was more the result of
long companionship and trial -sharing; and
it made her visitor feel that he had come
upon a new phase of life,
"You sect," she explained simply, "w0
are not like anybody else—we are more to
each other ; papa has nobody but me, and I
have nobody but papa."
It was difficult to believe his watch,
Strathspey thought, when he referred to 11
at last. Time had flown so fast, and so
pleasantly he acknowlecleel to himself,
looking down et the girlie!' face, with its
sweet 501110128 oyes, and frame of falling pair
like brown autumn leaves. It was a thought
odd, too, that an evening spent as this had
been, discussing broth and blankets, and
rheumatic old women, with a quiet little
girl, should hove pleased him so much ; but
rt had pleased lain, and his face showed his
enjoyment of it when ho shook hands with
her.
" You mob let es see you at the Coombe,"
he said. " Yott are a great favorite of my
n,othor's, alias Renfrew, and the oldplaco is
dull enough at present, Heaven knows.
Don't forget your charitable promise of as-
sistance either, anti thank youfor e
at1( plea-
santest evening� I va e
have spent for 'mus.
y
When hews one p o t
( Pru won back to
her favorite seat upon the hearth -rug, and
abandoned herself to her thoughts, in a flood
of admiring happiness, She lacl seen the
hero. Ho lad been and gone, and his visib
had probably boon the greatest excitement
in her life. She gave herself up to her ad-
miration entirely. She thought of every
word he had uttered, and of every gesture
ho had 010<10, going over his graceful
speeches again and agnate She thought of
leis handsome face, and his musical, indo-
lent voice; nay, oven of the crested seal
ring on his white hand, and the big blonde
mustache; and, when the rector returned,
he found her still upcu the hearth, resting
hoe rouud chin upon tl,c paint of her hand,
and gazing into the lire with softly -flushed
cheeks.
"Oh, papa l'' she said, turning as he en-
tered, "I ant so glad yon have coma Some-
body has been Loreto see you, and guess
who it was—Lord Strathspey,"
®IL U'TEIt III.
The Renfrows heard a great deal of Strath-
spey in the weeks that followed. To tell
the truth, when he had discovered that
things were not in such bad order after all,
and that ho was not to be troubled with any
particular abundance of business detail, he
was not averse to sauntering over his estate
on sunny mornings, and dropping into the
chief eh aractsristie. This very temps evidently was to her, poor little thing, cottages with a few pleasant words, or goo'd-
cardasaueos at was which had made him a and how pretty her fluttered embarrassment natured jute for the,mates : and he was
stranger to his mother's home so long. The made her, also not averse tse to on listened to, and fooled
foreign lands, in which he had spent so many "Miss Renfrew, I conclude?" he said, up to, withtthe honest od peopleles and re -
years, bed pleased him well enough to hold questioningly, and on receiving her timid hipm t which the good raid is,"
him rover ; and, as he had no very woolen- bow of acqquiescence, he extended the fair him, -1 brave young fellow, —alai rd was
tious scruples on the subject of his response hand with good-natured unceremonious- qui a natural
of 'them said—and be it was
bilities, and was in nowise inclined to re- nese, Dress eat . certain that they should be rte ad
gard life seriously, he naturally made a "I am Stratespey," ha said.' "I think wo peen boed. A ththcaroled to ether
had
point --of leasing himself, I was gene do know each othee a little already, Alias Ren- been born mage man, and o ether bo-
ssy ; but f think I can improve upon the frew, and I for one tun more pleased to inn his handsomenginhim,face, at won seo good intoities
hes
phrase by saying, allowing himself to be prove the aequaintance." for liertrantec 41 his 0x11 prion his had bored
leased. Tho quletlittlo flgtlre on the hill. His careless. raceftilness of manner set ' bee eu the slightest dogroo, it is gt ito pro.
pleased.
had pleased him, and the innocent face, her mono at ease It Was a peculiarity 01 bable that !tie visits would not Have been
and almost childish oyes, had struck him as his to be easy and unembarrassed on all , repeated 1 not from any real ill -nature, but
somotilirg'refreshing, Who did the inno. occasions, and Owns one of the peculiarities simplybecause his good impulses were of a
cent fare belong ,to? He had no distinct which made hal always popular. Just now negatlo order, and he had an easy knack of
recollection of having eon it before, and .1ltelped Pruo to recover her self-posession , avoiding enaoyanoes ; but it so chanced that
yet it seemed almost familiar to hem. He se11eoioutly to return his greeting with the , there wan a sort of noveltyabout it and
broached the subject to hie mother after little touch of sober dignity which was s then it pleased his mother, and—Well, shall
dinner, when he rose to light his eager; and natural to her. I
as less a
he hold a fuss to lois "weed," and puffed Sho was . very sorry that hor father was I j eroltltilane tanything ont of l elseis , and 1say, that he
away enjoyably, as he doseeibod the little not at home, she told him. He world be , had a faint amused idea that the little crea-
"12ppnrit'on, " disappointed. Probably, if Tris lordship ' titre with the brown tyos world hear of his
".� lithlo creature .-ase said between the would be seated, and allow her to ring for ' bounteousness, and exalt him in her innocent
pone, "like a ,brownie. A pretty child, lights, he w0nld not be long absent. my
with an innocent face, and a shabby dress "He hart only one or two calls to Snake, ' wTlioy had no groat wants, these poor bard.
en. 11'Im 10 she ?" I believe, she added, "and is never very , 11ving, simple people ; an1, to a Snap in
"My dear .Angus," expostulated her lady- late."
511ip, (your child is a young lady. I think. Strathspey, smiled. Tho touch of grave hero and dire, their it was sin simple 1 eup�p' 11
you mast moan little] Mims Renfrew, the dignity pleased him tie much as her lulaeonl ? came (lout thee Pruo heard 1115 ai 114(
rector's d;ur'htr—and. she Is nearly eigll• yoteng faa0 heel rlono. Lookinn doWt1 at icerere 4(n praises
foam yams ell." small [figure, he could not belt being im• ,e, ee 1hr 110frtleliglttiring thorn; listened
ahem111nr li rd.1,ip laughed. Ho had te musical pressed as WWI as if she hate boon some IIo mama again to the Rectory in the
4(y the way, with a clear refined ting ehlld playing the serious, o£t•repeatod game, ' course of a few clays; and, as before, his
1 1 its tone; bet „leis laugh Web only the of being a Woman. I visit was something of asnrprise. Prue was
least of 11ryuttraotions,""I shall bo glad to avail myself of your ! in the kitchen, 05 she often was, malting
"Is she:' ho said. c" She hos 111e fame of invitation," he said. "Indeed, I:don't know some little delicacy for ono of her pensioners
a ; ldirl of eight. I tbinit .I must go and see Whether upon the whole, myy vi01t wail not I —the Jeneie A'Laetloloel of whom she had
1 e.ofr"w," intended for you, Miss Renfrew.
"Aug, t," said fmdy Strathspey, The Urown lyes opened with a serious spelt n to her tether. The boy had been s
ie levelled again ; but Wood a little, ,rip 10 for yore t 1 n 1 and-
,
levet theles,
"What < tier nano?" lea asked,
"I'rndome, I believe," r2nl1011 lar Mill.
tamidit , whloh tvse 1110 distress, VVha ' y� ar , e 1( tt o0 her
very n
y, til leen; loon 1 > nt lied ro ar e 'as
was ho going tai say? g eG i gun ro Nor 1 11031
"I lava boon a tact 4(0 tang, you sac," caro,, She/was very deoplyintreste<d in her
bo ool)lainod, that 1 (ere sav my tt.."an4> emelt, for it was ono of her nrinaapnl charms-
taro,
. _xar ,,Bial r4;anes w eet1.u>us
te1102100 to no as comet 111 a anlall Ivey owe
t21rte and cl,otrr, no she wa" nye"' greater
things. Perhaps, in all her 111 4115 had
010100' j)Urfl15'IflO(1 5111)' simple not without
a certain degree of c11115e 'utiott. thought.
fulncsa- at was nntnrnl to h4,r to se1n.
11113,1
ly eolscieutiuusso told theu;;htfnh 44111>e,1 W'eO
so deeply engaged fn thin ease, that 4(125 al.
meet forgot everything clam ; and it wee not
very long before Marjory, twanging hoe
rniester's room, heard the sweet, quiet voice
from the 121101ten ep0ttlting to her.
" I think they aro done now, Marjory.
Which shelf is the 1'l4spberry jam on, if you
ploaao F"
Marjory laid down her '100102', and camp
into the kitchen at once; but, reneging the
door, shy stopped with en osprcesion of
scandalized astonishment,
" Miss fern, 1" elle exclaimed, "Foe elude.
110as palm 1"
Prue turned her Imago' young face from
the open oven, before whielt she Wae kneel.
ing in a sober sort of approval of her Nandi•
work, end, turning, blushed more deeply
thou over at the diecevety she made.
Strathsjltywet 0kunling at the open sido-
(10011r, aniline; alhltlo, rill' ho bnd dlasovered
som5thilag naw ; but atilt not without a cer-
tain appreciation of the novelty au hes eyes.
There was eoutobhing almost like apolo-
getic appeal in Prno's fuse as she rose.
' Oh, dear 1" she said, with nnoon:mieus
piteousness, "I am so sorry; ,ray (mouse
one. 1 was making pies, and I did not see
}91' „
h:xi'e, a me," he maid, laughing in spite
of 11i111.014, "It is 1 who ought to ask
Ppardon. 1 could not make you hear, Miss
'ru lette°, an1I really wee obliged to take
the Jibe rt;y of aiming routed herr. 1 .11011
herrn r. bettor appetite for pies iu future,
li.wever. The old nursery rhyme is true,
after tile1 000—
i 'Tho )uc011 of Hearts, 0110moo tarts,
.211 on a stunner day.'
May 1 conte in ?"
Into the parlor, you may," she answer-
ed, slyly glancing down at her bore, child-
ishly white arms, and big apron. "Not into
hero if you lea, r'
o. 11121 or will yrs show you
1 the wayPapa is se home, I believe." Y
He did not remain long enough to add to
her embarrassment, only long enough to say
if few graceful words, and then he followed
Marjory ; but he remained a sufficient length
of time—even though u it
waso nlfew-
conds—to intimate 10 her that his va visit wseas
not for her father alone, and that he should
be disappointed if she did not join them.
Of course, sho could do nothing else. She
had always assisted her father to receive his
visitors, and so, in a 511ort time, Stret1spcy
turned at the sound of the opening door, to
see the little figure in its trim, homely dress,
enter quietly.
Her father stretched out his hence to her,
read. drew her to his tide eorossinl,2y, with
tde fee etttening e£ his 2uggoi Scottish
faro.
You have seen my little girl before, my
lord 1" he said.
Strathspey bowel, bit eyes kindling at the
sight of the glow 0f quiet color which rose
on the girlish cheeks.
" Prue and I aro not like father and bairn,
are we, Prue 1" said the rector, .roiling a
thought sadly, as he touched her brown
hear. " We ere see nothing nearer to each
other ; but I tem afraid I mice it ;hill life
of it for her sometimes, poor child."
It wee a pleasant morning to Prue.
Months after she looked back, and wondered
if it was possible that she had over been the
girl who sat at her father's side, listening to
the clear, indolent voice, and glancing up
now and then at the handsome face to ad-
mire it. He had once come to disouss some
improvements that ho intended making in
the church, and there wns an eager 840801 -
nen in her eyes as sho took part in the con-
versation. It seemed that Strathspey ap-
peeled to her as often as to her father ; and,
as to the rector himself, if r
r Ito so he turned his
tis
ours helpmeet, n y of <
y t over her word, with
as serious; a confidence in her softly -spoken
suggestions, as if she had been the oldest in-
habitant of the parish. " Pine can tell us ;
Prue knows all abotait," Ito would aay every
moment, showing that she was an absolute
necessity to him, as indeed sloe was. Strath -
spay found himself smiling more than once
at her, with hor grave little ways, and the
hili-ahildisli, half -womanly air of protection
and advice, which seemed so natural to her
in her intercourse with her father. Every
man, woman, and child in the place seemed
to share her thoughtful interest and eareful-
noes.
" How did you learn to know all these
people so wets 2" Strathspey asked iter on
one occasion, when she had given thont a
much-deairedpiece of information.
visit them," site answered simply.
"I an obliged to go to see everybody, you
kno '
"Is it because you like to go?" he asked,
actually alinoat touched by his fanoy of this
gentle little creature, living her innocent
life, insueh constant loneliness end labor.
She blushed fainbly under his earnest eye;
and looked down.
" Sometimes it is because I like to do it,"
was her naive reply, "and sometimes it is
because I think I out to."
She was called out of the room by Marjory,.
shortly eater this, on the behalf of somo
poor woman, who was waiting for her in the
kitchen, so he only caught a glimpse of her
as sho pawed out; and elle looked up from
the basket she was filling, to bid him a sweet
good -morning; but he wont away with a
isalf-tendor smile on his lips, aid a ourioua
feeling of pity for her, and admiration. of
her kindly, gentle ways, filling his mind,
Prue went bank to the room, when ale had
finished her work, and, as she entered, , she
saw her father standing at the window, and
she fancied that his face had a look of relief
up00 it. She went to him, and clasped her
hands through his arm, in the quiet caressing
fashion, which never failed to show Rolf
when she was eeer him.
" Don't yon think the people will bo better
for his coming back, papa, dear?" she
said.
'"Yes," ha anewered. " And wo shall be
better, too, my bairn, atom he says."
She looked up with a little glow of grate-
ful relief,
" Oh, papa ! Did he really say so ?"
"Yes, said the rector. " toile mo
11201 lie had n800r thought of the !natter be-
fore, until ho accidentally happened to have
his notion called to it, and now he wishes to
repair the wrong ho considers has been done
me.
The big, 1113400en1 eyes glared like a little
child's as Prue needed o1 her 'alma arm,
" How ood ho is I" elle said, softly.
Hew good he le !"
A el then her sweet ggratefuln005 full into
soh 2.30, end lay in for !mart, the germ of a
fair flower, to burst, in After days, into pato
sianetobomit 1o g ,
WI1hI°l'= 2v..
The life n the brown.gabled rectory was
a veryquiet one, so quint, indeed, tint but
far hr responsibilities the l'ector's daughter
would have teen completely lost to the cater
word, as if Sho had boor and; up in 00me
..+wl,wi a.AA .e 110
(T0
DR 21011212(4'
MAY 24, 184.
c Lief etreew pn vtsm hese ".•
t
1
0
R
r
161