Clergy -- Fiction; England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
upon, to the wakening of a fatherly conscience in the honest bargeman.
Lucy Wodehouse, without her grey cloak, stood at the font, holding that
last tiny applicant for saving grace, while all the other little
heathens were signed with the sacred cross. And strangely enough, when
the young priest and the young woman stood so near each other, solemnly
pledging, one after another, each little sun-browned, round-eyed pagan
to be Christ's faithful servant and soldier, the cloud passed away
from the firmament of both. Neither of them, perhaps, was of a very
enlightened character of soul. They believed they were doing a great
work for Tom Burrows's six children, calling God to His promise on their
behalf, and setting the little feet straight for the gates of the
eternal city; and in their young love and faith their hearts rose.
Perhaps it was foolish of Mr Wentworth to suffer himself to walk home
again thereafter, as of old, with the Miss Wodehouses--but it was so
usual, and, after all, they were going the same way. But it was a very
silent walk, to the wonder of the elder sister, who could not understand
what it meant. "The Wharfside service always does me good," said Mr
Wentworth, with a sigh. "And me, too," said Lucy; and then they talked a
little about the poor woman in No. 10. But that Easter Sunday was not
like other Sundays, though Miss Wodehouse could not tell why.
CHAPTER V.
Next day the Miss Wentworths made a solemn call at the Rectory, having
known an aunt of Mrs Morgan at some period of their history, and being
much disposed, besides, with natural curiosity, to ascertain all about
their nephew's circumstances. Their entrance interrupted a consultation
between the Rector and his wife. Mr Morgan was slightly heated, and had
evidently been talking about something that excited him; while she, poor
lady, looked just sufficiently sympathetic and indignant to withdraw
her mind from that first idea which usually suggested itself on the
entrance of visitors--which was, what could they possibly think of her
if they supposed the carpet, &c., to be her own choice? Mrs Morgan cast
her eye with a troubled look upon the big card which had been brought to
her--Miss Wentworth, Miss Leonora Wentworth, Miss Dora Wentworth.
"Sisters of his, I suppose, William," she said in an undertone; "now
_do_ be civil, dear." There was no time for anything more before the
three ladies sailed in. Miss Leonora took the initiative, as was
natural.
"You don't remember us, I daresay," she said, taking Mrs Morgan's
hand; "we used to know your aunt Sidney, when she lived at the
Hermitage. Don't you recollect the Miss Wentworths of Skelmersdale?
Charley Sidney spent part of his furlough with us last summer, and Ada
writes about you often. We could not be in Carlingford without coming
to see the relation of such a dear friend."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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