CHAPTER III.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7022, 28 November 1890, Page 1

CHAPTER 111.

The Government inspection was always one of the events of the year at Little Puddington. It generally took place in the end of August. The Inspector was an elderly gentleman, whose proper name was Christopher Wensby; but whose ordinary name among the teachers of his district was " The Walrus," from the fact that his bald foreheadaud white moustache pointing downward in a straight line on each Bide of his mouth gave him a decided resemblance to that creature. Report stated that Mr Wenßby and Miss Jordan had had tender, or Bemi-tender, passages at Borne remote epoch. At any rate, they were very good friends; and Mr Wensby always dined at the rectory once a year, when his toils in the little village Bchoolroom were over. The day came; the inspection was dnly performed ; and at the end of the day Mr Wensby sat down at the rector's hospitable table. "And what do you think of our new mistress ? " asked the rector, as he began to carve the joint. "A very superior person— very superior person indeed," returned the 'Inspector. Miss Jordan's chin was lifted a little higher in the air as this answer was given; but the gesture went unnoticed. "Ah ! Glad you think so. We consider her quite an acquisition," Baid Mr Dowthwaite. " Tea ; there seemed an improvement in all directions," continued Mr Wensby; " but especially in the needlework. Under the former mistress the needlework was very clumsy ; now it is admirable." Misß Jordan smiled incredulously. "I assure you I have received very neat specimens of buttonholing," said the Inspector. " The department cannot fail to be pleased with them. I can show you them after dinner if you like." " I should very much like to see them/ said Mias Jordan, dryly. After dinner, accordingly the specimens were produced, and very neatly executed they were. " I don't believe our girls ever did that work," BaidMiss Jordan solemnly, as she bent over the buttonholes. "But I saw them!" ejaculated Mr Wensby. " Saw the stuff in their hands. I dare say," returned the lady. _ " What do gentlemen know about things of that sort ?" she added, contempuously. "I ■ have always to report as to the quality of the needlework," said the Inspector, stiffly, and with a Blight blush. "But if you a3sure me, from your own knowledge of the children, that - they could not have done this work themselves, it will be my duty to institute further inquiry." "I am certain of it," said Misß Jordan. That evening Mr Wensby compared notes with his host, and the rector confessed that he was surprised— secretly, he was startled— to find what a large number of " attendances " has been made even by the most irregular of the village children. " We have a Board meeting to-morrow," said Mr Dowthwaite. "Then ask Misa Grayling to attend it," said Mr Wensby, " and ask her whether the children actually did the needlework themselves. If she says they did, I will fix a day — I can come over in about three weeks— to see them do some more specimens; and Miß3 Jordan can be present. If there iB a marked discrepancy between the two sets of work— why, of course, I must report accordingly ; and you can conaider the matter at the next Board meeting." All thiß made the rector feel very uncomfortable. But there was no help for it, and the next day he sent a verbal message to the schoolmistress, requesting her to step over to the rectory, where the School Board was then Bitting. "Miss Grayling," said the rector, not without embarrassment," I believe that Her Majesty's Inspector will he able to report very favorably of the condition of the school." Miss Grayling bowed politely. •'There is one point, however, on which I should like to ask you one or two questions. These pieces of sewing, now"— and he produced them from a drawer as he spoke — " seem to me very neat, very creditable ; hut are you sure that the children whose names are attached to them did then themselves, unaided ?" " Quite sure," Baid Misß Grayling tranquilly. "And the attendances— they seem much larger than they used to he. Are you sure you have kept the register accurately P" " Perfectly sure," said Miss Grayling looking the clergyman fall in the face. One or two members of the Board moved uneasily in their seats, and Mr Sowerhutts seemed to be on the point of protesting audibly against theEe aspersions on Miss Grayling's good faith. The rector felt very uncomfortable. "Very good, Miss Grayling," he Baid, *'I am "glad to hear you say so. And I think we needn't detain you any longer." The schoolmistress slowly rose, bowed in her usual dignified manner, and withdrew. Before long it got abroad in Little Puddington that Miss Grayling was in disgrace, or at least in a condition of suspended favour. Various reasons were given for this, the most popular theory being that the new mistress had been caught stealing the school pence. The matter was discussed in the alehouses, at the doors of the cottages, in the church.-, yard after service. Through it all Miss Grayling went on her way, 6erene as usual, preserving exactly the same manner to every one as if the voice of scandal had never mentioned her name. A little before 6 o'clock one evening the Rev Augußtine Cope knocked at the door of the pretty cottage in which Miss Grayling lived. For some months— ever since he had first seen her, in fact — the susceptible curate had been under the spell of the young lady's sweet brown eyes. He had struggled with himself long and manfully. He was 1 not in a position to marry; and Miss Grayling was not a suitable match for him. fio knew all that very well. He did not like to thing of what his aunts, Misß Cope and Misa Georgina Cope, would aay on being presented with a village Bchool mistress for a niece. But, then, he had not looked on the face of any other woman who could be called a lady — save Miss Jordan's — for nearly eight months. He was in \vre ; he could not help it ; and now this unpleasant matter added at once to his love and to his embarrassment. Even now he did not know his own mind. His ostensible object wa9 to exchange one of the harmless novels, with which he now kept Miss Grayling well Bupplied, for another of the aame type.. " Mi3S Grayling," began the curate, as h8 seated himself in the little parlour, " this cannot be true ! " " What is not true, Mr Cope ?" "These shameful accusations, these aspersions — " . " Of course not, and I did not think that jou, Mr Cope, would pay any attention to

them," said the schoolmistress, with quiet dignity. "Oh, no! not for worlds!" exclaimed the curate; "I believe in you. as I would in a saint ! Dear Miss Grayling — Laura — I may call you Laura?— l find it difficult to say how I feel for you— and how much I long to shield you from the calumnies and troubles of the world in the shelter of an honest man's love." As he spoke, the curate took Miss Grayling's white and well-formed fingers between his own. " I offer you my heart and all I have," he continued, his eyes searching her downcast face. " Alas ! that it is so little ! I know well we cannot uiarry on my present I have youth and strength on my side. Sooner or later I must get a living, and then— and then — -Oh, Laura ! say that you love me ! " " Mr Cope, I feel honoured and flattered more than I can Bay, and my heart tells me it is not indifferent to you, but — " She paused, and the tones of the church clock striking fell on her ear. "Mr Cope !" she exclaimed, withdrawing her fingers as she spoke, " you are more than generous, but I cannot trust myself to give you an answer now. I must not be rash or unjust to you. Leave me now — leave me, I beg you. I will write to you to-morrow." Somewhat surprised at this sudden dismissal, the agitated curate took his hat and stick and departed. Next day he received a daintily-scented note from Miss Grayling, in which she said that, much as she honoured him and highly as she valued his friendship, Bhe could see that it was not for his interest to marry a dowerless girl, and she therefore declined his proposal. Her decision, she added, was quite "irrevocable." There was but one "r"in "irrevocable," and somehow thia circumstance did something towards mitigating the grief with which Mr Cope received his letter of dismissal. The testing examination, which was to confirm or overthrow Miss Grayling's reputation, was fixed for a Friday afternoon. The School Board meeting happened to fall on the following day Saturday. At three o'clock on Friday Mr Wensby arrived, and Mr Dowthwaite and Misß Jordan went with him to the schoolhouse. The children were all there, with clean pinafore 3 and shining faces, but Miss Grayling was absent. Miss Jordan's face wore a peculiar smile as one of the older girls informed the rector that Miss Grayling had not been at home for three days. Miss Jordan soon set the children to work, and in five minutes the Inspector wa3 convinced by the clearest evidence that not one of the school girls could make even a decent buttonhole, much, less one like those contained in the specimens. " You had better get rid of your superior young person as soon as you can," he said to Mr Dowthwaite, as they went back to the rectory. Next morning, however, when the School Board met they found a letter awaiting them from Miss Grayling, in which she said that in consequence of the undeserved aspereions which had been thrown upon her management of the school she felt that the course most consistent with her dignity was to resign the post which she had had the honor of holding. The rector was indignant, and moved that Miss Grayling's resignation be not accepted, but that in consequence of the revelations that had been made she be summarily dismissed. Mr Sowerbutts was not present, but the other members of the Board, who had but a very limited idea j of the heinousness of Miss Grayling's ! offense, murmured at the severity of the sentence, and at last the rector was persuaded to let the resignation be accepted. The following day was Sunday. Ie was the curate's turn to preach, the rector's to read prayers. The choir and the school children were in their places, and Miss Jordan scanned the congregation with an approving glance from the rectory pew. " Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us," began the rector. At that moment an unwonted rustle was heard at the door, a subdued murmur ran | through the assembled worshippers, and j the rector, lifting his eyes, beheld the ex- j schoolmistress moving up the aisle on the arm of Mr Sowerbutts ! There could be j no doubt of what had happened. The curate received a shock such as he had j never before experienced. Miss Jordan forgot herself in her amazement, and stared at the bride as if she had been a ghoat. Mr Sowerbutta tramped stolidly on till he reached his own pew, and then, having duly installed his wife therein, began to say the responses in a louder tone than usual. , The bride, in a dainty Parisian bonnet, looked very pretty. Her triumph was complete. Miss Sowerbutts retired to a cottage which ehe owned in the outskirts of Groby, and the schoolmistress reigned over the Mount farm and its owner with gentle but firm sway. When Mr Wenßby came to Little Puddington for the next annual inspection he was proceeding to the schoolhouse in state, bearing Miss Jordan on his arm and escorted by the rector, when the party met a pony carriage in which was seated a pretty and beautifully-dressed woman. The lady bowed graciously to Mr Wenaby, and he, not remembering the circumstance under which he had last seen that attractive smile, returned the salute. Mrs Sowerbutts glanced at Miss Jordan and smiled maliciously. Miss Jordan dropped her hand from her companion's arm, and the rector, stepping forward whispered something in his friend's ear. " Good gracious !" exclaimed the Inspector ; "that woman ! I hadn't an idea who she was, I assure you. Thought I knew the face— that was all." But Miss Jordan had suddenly become deaf, and on the subject of the senior churchwarden's wife she continued to be deaf for the remainder of her days.