The Argosy — page 287: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

268 The Village Blacksmith. had certainly done her part to bring him there, but though “ you may take a horse to the water you can’t make him drink,” as the proverb says. Mr. ‘Tempest stood with his feet on the brink of the stream, and yet showed no intention of drinking. He was thirsty, no doubt, but he would not drink. One morning at the end of March, Mr. Tempest received a letter from Mrs. Jamieson, which caused him no little excitement. It con- tained the welcome news that she had just received a promise from her cousin, the bishop, of the next archdeaconry which should fall vacant for her dear and trusted friend, who she hoped would forgive her for the part she had played in the matter, but her zeal for the welfare of the established church had carried her away. This delicate morsel of flattery was so sweet to Mr. Ryot Tempest’s palate that he swallowed it without any difficulty, and congratulated himself on his good fortune in having become intimate with a woman superior enough to appreciate his excellence. Such a letter necessitated a ride over to the Grange to thank its writer, who for her part fully expected a visit. ‘*T mean him to do it to-day,” she said to herself, just as the future archdeacon was trotting briskly up the drive, all unconscious of the work cut out for him that afternoon. ‘“‘T shall have to help him, I see. That I am prepared for ; but it is for his good. An archdeacon has social duties which only a woman accustomed to society can help him to perform.” The hall-door bell just then interrupted these reflections. “There he is. Nervousness is very infectious. I feel quite shaky. Oh, dear me! A shy man is a troublesome fish to land, but a nervous man is ten thousand times worse, for he is always expecting danger where it does not exist.” | * Mr. Ryot Tempest,” announced a servant; and Mr. Ryot Tempest hurried in. | ‘My dear friend, how can I thank you for your great kindness? Apart from all other considerations, I assure you it is very gratifying te me to find myself so appreciated.” _ As Mr. Tempest was thus delivering himself he was holding one of Mrs. Jamieson’s hands. — He shook it, he pressed it, he patted it, he squeezed it; but still the hand remained in his, and showed no in- clination to remove itself, and he wondered what more he could do te it, when, in sheer desperation, it occurred to him to kiss it. This he also did without rebuke ; and then, frightened at his own boldness, he dropped it as if it had burnt him. ‘Stupid man!” thought Mrs. Jamieson. ‘‘ Why won’t he see it is his for the asking? I must turn on the flattery tap again.” This she proceeded to do, and discoursed sweetly for the next ten minutes on the great gain to the Church if so accomplished a scholar were to succeed the present Archdeacon, an old and in no way a remarkable man. Mr. Ryot Tempest thoroughly appreciated this Gomicdooks.co