CHAPTER VI. AT THE RECTORY.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 268, 30 May 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER VI. AT THE RECTORY.

Tin; Ro\erend Or. Berwick, roelor o^ 1 ,is much loved in hi-, parish, where ho has ministered to the spiritual wants of his parishioners during thirty year-.. The poor love him, tho rich respect him. lie is a tuie English clergyman, a good Christian, a good hiibband and a good com panion. Ho is a man who recognises the fact that cheerfulness is ono ot the fiist duties of Christianity, who ne\er wears a longer face than (Jod gave him, and does not wear leligion us a ma.sk. Ho is as Cod created him and education made him- a thorough gentleman in the true scu.se ot the word. Jle and Mr.s Berwick have just, leturncd from London, bringing with them Mih A^hfoid and Floienee Whiteonihe, the two beautiful haters, who are to %> % > a long They aie now ad met together on the lawn and aio eu|oying the delightful calm ot a May evening, lie is telling (hem of Ast.le} V plans, who i* chords' to leave England and tr\ his untune- in a distant land. Mi Bioadley, he tills them, has been mo-t kind, and has given Astley a handsome bum of monoj as a slatt tor him, as he said. When Astlev donnmod, i-'iv injr he was tar too libetal, the old gentleman had told him that, it was only paid of what he might expect, foi though hi- pet pioject of admitting him into putuei-hip in tho firm had been upset, he should still arrange that he should ha\ea -haieinit, and he might make unangemeuN for him to natch the iirm's intete-t in New Zealand, towhicheolonyhccxpoited l.ugely. lie ie<{ue«.ted Astley to keep him always m formed of hi>> change of quaiters, and left him free to look lound and see what he would like to entei into. He ftitni-hed him with introduction.- to .some of the lead ing ueople, and adwsed him to make as many hiendb as he could, adding : 'You .should have no difficulty in this respect, for to know \ou iei c to lo\ c \ou 4No you .see, m\ old fncnd onteitaius <i \cr} high opinion of our dear bo> He hatreated him as kindh a-if he weie indeed his father, d'od ble-s him,' concluded the good old rector. 'Amen,' fervently 1 expended ihe ladies. The rector walking oil with Florence, left M'.s Ashfoul and his wife tn look at -ume 1 are lloral beauties for wluth he was famous. 'Now 1 have succeeded in ceding \on alone for a feu moment % 1 ha\e a little .serious eon\ei.-atio!i toi youv pttvate ear, Mis- Flotenee,' >aid he 'Well, Dr. Beiwiek, \ou know 1 am always a icady listener Jo am thing that may fall from }oui lips, 1 said Flome, |esi ingly, though, as if in anticipation ot what wa* coming, a slight' blush lone tohei lovely tace. ' I thank \ou, fair one," said tiieuelor, in the same tone. ' Hut Floretnv, -enou-ly, what 1 ha\e to tell jou is no jesting matter, and I have had gKne doul)J> uhethei 1 ought to tell \ou, though you are \ciy nc.uly concerned. It is of Astley 1 would speak.' The beautiful gill turned hei head ,iside, and a few peaily (hops fell tioin her e\,es. She gucs-ed the natuie of the lectoi'- com mumcation. Oh ' what would she not ha\e given to ha\o heard the winds tiom A-tlcv him.-elf. ' M\ gill, said the lector diawing l\ei aim through his own, 'as \ou ma> gue-s, mv p.utmq- uith my c\r>:ii boy w.is \«i \ haid, and ' ' De.v Dr. Heiwick, foigne me it i mtcr]H[)t }on l)ut know liow lnucli I -\ m[iatlu-e with >ou, s.iid Finn nee, tundeih. ' .Indeed, dear Floienee,' - »id the ici tor, pre--iiiii the hand that le-ted on in^ aim. ' 1 know how deep \oui s% ippathy is, and how (,i uel it iiuist scoin th.it he-hould be obliged to lea\e without bidding \ou good b\e peisonalh ; but, deal, m sa\in<_: i>ood bw he spoke of \on with ten-in hise\e-, ,uid he felt now he was scp.uated noin % \ou tci e\ci. ! di({ \n\ bf-t to ehec< him with a-suianres that \\ c -hould doaUwe could to clctii him and deai si-,t»M At tin- he bioke down iil!ei'\. e\claiming %oh ' m} love, my lo\c, what ha\e J done that I should 10-e >on '' Ion .\-tlc> ' How 1 pitied him T\s,is tin n, Floienee, seeing how dieadtulh he wa«|)aimd at the thoughi ol losmi> \ou, that 1 planted a lay ot hope m his lio^uni, w lueii. liov. e\u much lie may h-'ie.inei bt teniple<l, I it el w ill uphold him ; <iml which —though I honoui un bo\ too much to suppose he w ill ever di-giaee us—will keep liiMi fioin cle^p ai and it-attendant vicCan \oii gue—l sv hat 1 told him, Floietue ' *'N e--. lalteied poor Fioieiue; then, -uipmonini; tie-h coinage -he said. % \on told him i hat I loved him Did >outell him that I had -aid so to you '" • N es, deal, 1 thought" it be-t. When \ou told me a 1- a sceiet I sunpl\ saj-( uu might ti list me, determining (lieu, th.it if o< f\won demanded, 1 uould let him know w hat he might have doubts about.' • And did il make him happiei ' she asked. ' It did, Florence ; he said ' Thank (.'ofl.' Then, aftei .standing some (mie in (]^a\) thought, he added, 'Fathci, is it light that J should feel happier for her line, is it light — under the circumstances'' Am I not disgraced in the eyes of the world v Can I e\er hope to clear my numcoi t.lie -tain upon it ' Oh ' fathei, am I not selfish im leebng happier foi the knowl< dge that Floienee loves me.'' I eomfoited him by assuring him that in (Jod's meicy and love all would come light. I bade him tuist <;od and us. I told him you ti us-ted him. i'ooi boy !he docs love you, Flovi ie, and unselfishly.' 'Oh 1 Dr. Berwick, 1 know how good and true he is. Will it all come right, leally, do you think?" 'I can only say, my poor Floienee, that I hope and trust it will,' said the rector. 'And now, have L done right in tolling tho s'ecict, which indeed he must have been long since nearly sure of, or am I now to be scolded ?' ' Dr Berwick,' said Floienee in a tone of mock haughtiness, diawing herself up, ' you have done what at any other time anil under any other ciicumstances I should have been seriously, and 1 think, justly displeased at, but, as it is, your punishmenb shall be very light, 1 and she threw her arms round the old clergyman's neck and kissed him, calling him her clear, kind h iend. The rector submitted to his punishment with a good grace, as who would not have done ? Florence was a sweet, loving creature whom already he regarded as a daughter.