The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

2:70 The House of Halliwell. Mr. Halliwell said no more, and they went to church, he of course in the plain bands. The church was very full: in the late Vicar’s time the pews had used to be empty: but (to go to no less legitr- mate considerations) Alfred Halliwell was a superior reader, and preached practical, excellent sermons. Hester was surprised to see so many young ladies remain for the Sacrament. Nearly every one in the church stayed, and it struck her that she had never before seen so many juvenile communicants. But when she drew near the table and saw what was on it, her heart stood still and a film gathered before her eyes. There were a couple of lace handkerchiefs, one over the chalice, the other over the plate that contained the bread, or the alms just collected, she was not sure which. MHer brother might ca// them napkins of fair white linen, but they were neither more nor less than worked handker- chiefs: the middle of silky, transparent cambric, and the border, four inches broad, of exquisite lace-work. Those pieces of lace-work struck upon Hester’s heart as ‘ being essentially wrong: not in themselves, but as applied to such a purpose. It was impossible not to have the eye diverted by the beauty of the embroidery ; it was next to impossible to keep the mind from revert- ing to the unworthy motives which had induced the labour and the present to the young bachelor clergyman. “Who worked—fhose?” she asked as they were walking home across the churchyard. ‘Augusta Dove.” He knew at once to what she alluded. ‘That young lady in blue, two pews to the left of you.” ‘Alfred, it is wrong ; they ought not to be displayed there.” ‘““T thought so at first. But the ladies were so pertinacious over it, persuading me there could be no possible harm in an innocent piece of industry. So I yielded.” ‘“T wonder where this will end?” sighed Hester. ‘“‘ It seems to me that you run, blindfold, to meet them half way.” The Reverend Mr. Halliwell remained silent. Perhaps his con- science smote him. Or he may have felt that he had irrevocably fallen into the meshes of the Chelson maids and matrons, and was powerless to extricate himself. CHAPTER. MISS ZINK’S HYSTERICS. THERE seemed to Hester to be no end of work in the parish ; much more than there need have been, to bring forth so little result. A treat was in agitation for the Sunday school children, and a dozen meetings were held to consult about it, Mr. Halliwell in the chair, and the ladies round. Meanwhile, he and Hester were invited to a grand evening party at Mrs. Zink’s. But when the evening came Hester had to go alone, for he was called out to a sick parishioner. Eomicbooks.co