The Argosy — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 9g failing to find it and suddenly awaking to the fact that it was five minutes past eleven, he went into the church without a stole. There is a point at which the very worm will turn; so the proverb assures us; and Mr. Ryot-Tempest had now reached the point where he felt rebellion against his wife’s rule must begin. He had meekly submitted to all the household changes she made, and they were many, without a murmur. He had allowed her to make Vera ill for a mere whim, for she refused to allow the coachman to ride behind her instead of Mark. He had agreed to turn out early every morning to conduct a service she never attended ; he had worn a cassock and an indecently short surplice to please her; he had winked at some flower-vases which she had placed on the Communion-table ; or rather he religiously turned his back on it so as not to see them; but to wear a coloured stole was too much to ask him; there he drew the line. ““T have been weak; I have let her get in the thin end of the wedge ; a short surplice is merely a caprice of fashion, but a coloured stole involves a principle. I must be true to my principles ; I must stick to my colours, and my colour is black. But I fear 1 shall have rather a mauvais quart d’heure when I return,” thought the Rector as he read the prayers. | After the service was over the clerk came to help him to unrobe. By the way, Mrs. Ryot-Tempest called this functionary “‘the sacristan,” and would have put him into a cassock; but he had a stronger will than his master, and had refused point blank to wear one. ‘*Simmons, see that my black stole is here this evening,” said the Rector in his most decided tone, as Simmons took off his surplice, ‘Certainly, sir; but Mrs. Tempest has taken it.” “I don’t ask where it is, all I desire is it shall be here this evening,” interrupted the Rector. And when the evening came the stole was there, and its owner took care not to inquire how it-was obtained. On his return home, signs of a brewing storm were evident. Not one word did his wife speak to him the whole of that day. To Vera, who wondered what the casus belli was, she was unusually sweet and talkative ; but not so much as a look did she vouchsafe her husband, but ignored his presence completely, till he felt himself effaced. She remained at home in the evening, and at dinner she was as silent as at luncheon ; all day the clouds were gathering ; but it was not till Mr. Ryot-Tempest, after dawdling in his dressing-room as tong as he dared, at length ventured into his bedroom that the storm broke. There in an easy-chair, with her hair down her back like a tragedy- queen, robed in a very grand dressing-gown, sat Mrs. Ryot-Tempest ; and if her husband hoped to be allowed to get into bed just yet he was doomed to disappointment. COMIC aoo® .S (S©@) mn