The day book. [volume], July 15, 1915, LAST EDITION, Image 18

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
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THE CURATE'S CONSCIENCE
(By Harold Carter
(Copyright by W. G. Chapman.)
Rev. AloysiusTJrown was very busy
as he stooped over his asters. They
Jiad come up splendidly from seed
and he was wondering whether it
was time to transplant them when he
heard girls' voices upon the porch of
his house.
"What a pity the new curate isn't
in!" said one of them, Miss Margery
'Bowen, daughter of the wealthiest
of his parishioners. "I did so want
to get him on the new committee this
morning."
"And I wanted to see him, too,"
said the other voice.
Rev. Aloysius was so struck by the
Quality of the tone that he peeped
around the edge of the house, which
was uncurately, but perhaps pardon
able in a young man of 25. And
when he had looked the curate did
not repent in the least, for he saw
the prettiest girl who had ever come
within the range of his vision?
"Why, I thought you just came with
me, Maud!" exclaimed Miss Bowen.
"Listen, dear," said the second girl,
in whom the curate now recognized
Miss Maud Anderson, the beauty of
the village. "Mr. Friend, the rector,
was telling mamma the other day that
Mr. Brown is a very impressionable
young man. And so I am determined
to impress him. I haven't had a pro
posal this year, Margery."
"Oh, Maud!" exclaimed the other
In awe. "You are never going to
practice on the new curate! Leave
the poor man alone!"
"It will do him good, Margery,"
answered Miss Anderson. "And I am
working On a pair of slippers for him
now, so you can see that my mind
is fully made up."
Rev, t Aloysius, overcome with
shame, 'retreated hastily to the safe
shelter of the tool house, fr" -hich
he watched the girls depart- -vn the
street.
To be forewarned is to be fore
armed, and the curate resolved to an
ticipate Miss Anderson's intentions.
Accordingly he set to work to coun
termine the enemy's approaches.
The popularity of the new curate
was soon assured. All the girls of
Freeport vied with each" other for his J?
company, but it was soon obvious "
that Miss Anderson and the curate
were devoted to one another. In fact,
had the curate not been so qbviously
simple-minded, the situation would
Watched the Girls Depart Down the
Street
have become scandalous. They1 were
seen walking together, and once the (
curate drove Miss Anderson 'to the
church committee meeting.
Rev. Aloysius, always on his
guard, felt, nevertheless, that if he
had not been warned so providential-
ly he would have fallen a victim. Miss
Anderson was a girl of Character and
mind, as well as of beauty. Finally,
he began to realize that he had almost
fallen into the trap that had been,
laid for him,