Hepsey Burke

down to the village to do some shopping. Don't you want to go with me and pay your respects to the Seni

sounds cheerful, but

en he's at home he always has a flag on a pole in the front yard. If he's out of town for the day, his man l

de, five in number. There was the Meeting House, in plain gray; "The First Church of Durford," with a Greek portico in front; "The Central Church," with a box-like tower and a slender steeple with a gilded rooster perched on top--an edifice which looked like a cross between a skating rink and a railroad station;

tory." The tall grass and the lowered shades indicated that it had been

the cellar gets full of water when it rains; but I guess we can fix it up when the time comes. That's your cathedral, on the corner. You see, we have five churches, when we really need only one; and so we have to scrap for each ot

mail was not yet distributed, he had to wait some time, conscious of the fact that he was the center of interest to the crowd assembled in the room. Finally, wh

a good many correspondents, and I presume you'll be wantin' a lock box. It's so convenient. You must feel lonesome in a strange place. Drop in and see mo

the way to the Senior Warden's o

Senior Warden, for some reason or other, had persistently quarreled with the clergy, or crossed them. What was the secret of his antagonism? Would he be predisposed in Maxwell's favor, or prejudiced against him? He would soon discover--

d loose. There was a suspicious look in his deep-set eyes, which made his hooked nose all the more aggressive. He was bald, except for a few stray locks of gray hair which were brushed up from his ears over the top of his head, and evidently fastened down by some gluey cosm

ways difficult for a city-bred man to adjust himself to the needs and m

miled as

s a fault which

eantime--in the meantime, lack of tact, self-assertiveness, indis

d slightly as he l

'mean time,' from the way you speak. Your i

conditions of men, as the Prayer Book says; and the result has not alwa

who was somewhat

ess of a parish must be somewhat divided between the parson

ever in expediency. Though I was not consulted in the present appointment, I may say that what we need is a man of moderate views who can adjust himself to circumstances. Tact, that is the great thing in life. I am a firm believer in tact. Our resources are

magine not," Ma

d by the Bishop to name his appointee; and that if he had bethought himself to spr

e between twenty-five and forty, dressed in rather youthful

w that you were busy wit

nt," she came forward, and extending her hand to

I am so glad to see you. I hope I am no

aced a chair for her. "I am very glad to hav

I hope to see you at our house before long. You know that we are in the habit of seeing a good deal of the rector, because--you

. Miss Bascom had adjusted her tortoise-shell lorg

he inquired, as one who wo

am not

one radiant sm

feel at home at Willow Bluff--so that he will not

e very

n and see our place for yourself. You ar

es

she impr

m any definite opinion of her, though

has no sense of humor--none whatever. Then of course she is not in society, you know. You will find, Mr. Maxwell, th

any people are t

ight or nin

of them are

ine not more than

t be very

are; q

ty all the time? I'm afraid I am sufficiently vulgar to lik

se and gazed at Donald curiously; then she sighed

you know. Many of the village people are well enough in their way, reall

ied Donald, n

l in his perceptions, rather gauche, but, deciding to take a chari

w Bluff one of your homes. We sh

eted, Maxwell rejoined Mrs. Burke, and they had s

a visit with th

om. She came into the of

he's one of

com one of my lambs?" as

you draw the line. Don't

ay. What do you

; but isn't it merciful that we none of us know how we really do look? If we

ne for Mis

he's a good sort accordin' to her lights; and then too, s

alculate that

a disconnection of Ginty Bascom, then I don't know what does. Virginia was born in Boston, though she was brought up here. It must be terrible to be born i

is tricky, and Boston and Durford are abo

me of day--and get me to protest against the tyranny of the male sex. I didn't see that the male sex was troublin' her much; but I signed a petition she got up

hat too, I expect

nt wanted, because people are poorer than you are, and leavin' little tracts that nobody reads, and currant jelly that nobody eats, and clothes that nobody can wear. But

r astral body out of the window into the back yard, and pulling it in again like a ba

le young woman; but she doesn't

the advantages of bein' a rolling stone. It must be awful to get mossy; and th

Burke was silent,

a man to tell her. She brought back an illuminated coat of arms with a lion rampantin' on top; but she was the same old Virginia still. What do I care about my ancestors! It doesn't make no difference to me. I'm just myself anyway, n

t married," remarke

'd married and had seven babies, they would have seen to it that she didn't make a fool of herself. However, it isn't her fault. She's volunteered to act as Deaconess to ever

you think a clergyman ou

s actual injury to the parties engaged,--well thinkin' 'aint much use. But there's Ginty for example. She's been worryin' herself thin for the last five years, doin' matrimonial equations for the clergy. She's a firm believer in the virtue of patience, and if the Lord on

etty much alike. I know a few of the latter, that no

t of 'em are mighty selfish critters, take 'em as they run; and a man t

ch warmth that Mrs. Burke glanced at him suspi

ides of the table, and under the table too. The Whittimores seemed to have their quiver full of 'em, as the psalmist says. Mrs. Whittimore used to say to me, 'The Lord will provide,'--just to keep her courage up, poor thing! Well, I suppose the Lord did provide; but I had to

ropose to Miss Virginia immediately, do you?

Thunder Cliff, I'll be much obliged to you. If I don't get my mind on something less romantic