sent the children into the garden. Bertha and I talked a long while, and agreed that the children should be allowed some weeks to grow accustomed to their new mode of life— In the meanwhile they should amuse themselves, much in their own way, without the intervention of books. I told Bertha I was quite sure Willy's ancestors, from the third to the fourth generation, had lived upon parsnips interspersed with turnips, garnished with cabbage, and seasoned with pork. I was certain the boy would be the death of me. "I will write your epitaph," she replied gaily, and soon after took her leave. She certainly is growing disagreeable. I hate to see a woman always calm; your wise woman is such an abomination. It seems very strange that Bertha did not kiss Kate; and yet now I recollect it, Bertha does not kiss her friends in meeting. I am glad of it; for I dislike this hackneyed kind of tenderness women affect towards each other. There is something unreal about it, something indelicate, too. I do not believe women are drawn spontaneously to each other in this way. If they are, it is not pleasant to witness. If it is affectation, it is of a very poor kind. I will ask Bertha concerning this matter. It is now Thursday night, and I have no sermon written, and feel very much as if I never should be able to write another. Everything has been said worth saying upon the doctrines I preach, and as for daily life, why, my people are savagely virtuous. I do not know where to catch them tripping. I can't preach at them for the life of me. As I look down from the pulpit, the array of respectable, moral, dull faces is appalling to me. Every well-ironed cravat looks like a barricade; the stiff waistcoats, and long, tight silk boddices are so many shields and cuirasses to ward off the sharp arrows of conviction. The people say good morning to me, piously, and speak of the weather with a sort of religious unction, and declare "things are better than we deserve." My predecessor in Beech Glen has left nothing for me to do. He has so swathed, balsamed and glued them into orthodoxy, that they are perfectly mummified therein, and now they need somebody to poke them, as I have seen, when a boy, the keepers in a menagerie stir up the lions with a long pole, whereat the beasts would fetch a great yawn and lie down again. I must get the deacon waked up for the sake of an example. Friday. At breakfast, this morning, Willy pinched Kate under the table-cloth, and then giggled violently. He asked Jane, the good woman who does our small work, how long the "old 'un," meaning me, "would give them such good feed." Truly my heart is greatly closed against the child. Kate merely reddened at the pinch, and did not come out at all. I observed her in very earnest talk with Willy, who listened as one might be supposed to listen to a strange tongue-as the audience does to our Latin speeches at Commencement. Kate has grey eyes, and not dark when at rest. I had thought them black. Beech Glen is like to be quite gay for a parsonage. My cousin Julia-cousin by two removes-is coming to stay with me awhile. It is a long promised visit. I do not know how she will like my little protégés-upon my word I had liked to have written bastards. This new state of things is quite intensifying my vocabulary. I do not know what will come of it. Mercy! Julia has come; and that too before I am at all settled in my mind what to do, or what I ought to do. CHAPTER IX. A perfect woman, nobly planned, With something of an angel light. WORDSWORTH. As the carriage stopped at the door, I ensconced myself behind the curtain and marked her appearance, for I had given out word that I should keep my room all day. Indeed, it is my custom always to employ Friday as a fast. God be merciful to me-my people think I am on my knees all day; and our good Jane has more than once placed tempting tit-bits at my door, thinking I will eat. But I never do. In fact I do not feel in the least hungry, for I am ashamed to say, this Friday is my one lazy period. I give way on it to reveries the most delicious. Lounge-sleep-and, in truth, do anything but pray. I drop the curtains-bolt the door— and then defy intrusion. I feel, it is true, some twingesit seems a touch—of hypocrisy, but that is justified by the habits of the profession. A reputation for sanctity goes very far with a clergyman. I do not aim at this, but such has become the result. I heard Jane quite loudly and solemnly making apology for me in the entry. My cheek tingled with shame at hearing the good soul describe me as a perfect St. Paul—a grown up Samuel-a second Daniel, whose seven times a day prayers, on ordinary occasions, were aggravated tenfold of a Friday. I felt as if I must rush out and deny the charge, for all this ostentation of worship,-holding one's family posted up as to the number of petitions--all at once came over me with a sense of Phariseeism, as wicked as it was ludicrous. I am growing more and more perplexed as to a true life. As the carriage stopped at the door, cousin Julia put one foot upon the step with the intent of alighting, and then, leaving the foot out, turned for the purpose of taking something from the seat. The movement was a very careless one, and to me, a timid clergyman, quite startling. There was the white strip of stocking, the delicate frill, the pretty gaiter, fully exposed. I like to judge of character by the foot. Julia's did not strike me as especially small, but it had a limberness, spirit, and grace, which made me think of a wood or water-nymph. It has the Arab arch, too, beneath which a stream might flow. Have a care, Mistress Julia, thou art high in the instep, by which the unlettered designate a proud heart. An arched foot goes with a short upper lip, another indication of pride; a short upper lip attends a large development of self-esteem. I have thee now, Julia, with all thy uncurbed likings and dislikings, thy arrogance and self-assertion, thy cold indifferences and bridling disdains. Alack! a simple clergyman, with two nameless kind of children about him, will be quite out of thy track. |