The Curate in Charge

us to indulge in a general rapture over the word which has sometimes little foundation in reality. When Cicely and Mab walked to the rectory together from the s

e and glory of summer; the woods were at their fullest, untouched by any symptom of decay. The moorland side of the landscape was more wealthy and glorious still in its flush of heather. The common was not indeed one sheet of purple, like a Scotch moor; but it was all lighted up between the gorse bushes with fantastic streaks and bands of colour blazing in the broad sunshine, and haunted by swarms of bees which made a hum in the air almost as sweet and all-pervading as the murmur of the sea. As they drew near the house their hearts began to beat louder. Would there be any visible change upon it? Would it look as it did when they were children, or with that indefinable difference which showed in her time? They did not venture to go the familiar way by the garden

s grave," and she sat down on the black haircloth easy-chair and shivered an

ndow. She had more command of herself than her sister. She let the sunshine c

nds up in this room 'cause of spoiling the carpet. If master says so, I

hat my sister does?" cried Mab,

re your mistresses now; you must let the window alone, for don't you see the carpet

been heard here for weeks and weeks, and I don't like it neit

d Cicely: and with that the tears stood

them at last on this hospitable intent in the fading drawing-room, where they had both enshrined the memory of their mother. Another memory was there now, a memory as faded as the room, which showed in all kinds of feeble feminine de

oor soul! Oh, Mab," cried Cicely,

e else should die," said Mab,

natural; but poor Miss Brown, who was quite happy working cushions and covering them up, and keeping the sun off the carpets, and making la

to draw up there," said Mab; "and ye

hael and poor Andrea," said the other. "How you forget! Besides, it is

d by another, and then a small weak chorus, two voices entangled together. "No, no

ever saw such pretty ladies," said the e

her skirts were hanging two little boys, clinging to her, yet resisting her onward motion, and carried on by it in spite of themselves. They stared at the new-comers with big blue eyes wide open, awed into silence. They were very small and very pale,

a reluctant step forward; to which Harry and Char

little boys set up a scream which rang through the house, and hiding their faces simultaneously in Betsy's gown, howled to be taken away. Mab put up her hands to her ears, but Cicely, more anxious t

Let 'em alone and they'll get u

ven by a child. Cicely stumbled to her feet very red and uncomfortable. She stood ruefully looking a

tone. "Oh, Mab, Mab, what did papa want with these chi

changed, however, into laughter at sight of Cicely's

d when the little demons began to cry. They will do for models at all events, and I'll tak

le Cicely. She walked about the room with clasped

b and me. And boys! that they should be boys. We shall never be rich enough to send them to the

r you like? for I am the brother and you are the sister, Ciss. You are to keep my house and have the spending o

other," said Cic

wo were Harry. I am glad they are not girls. To give them a share of all we

ne makes up one's mind to i

th soft steps. He had grown old in these last years; bowed down with age and troub

said, in a voice which was pathetic in i

" said Mab; "we have jus

"Ah, the babies," he said. "I am afraid they wi

after that? He took the cup of tea they offered him, and drank it standing, his tall frame with a stoop in it, which was partly age and partly weaknes

" said Cicely, not

thank Him for all His mercies," said Mr. St. John; and then with a change in his voice, he added, "Your aunt sends me word that she is coming soon

not been i

ll into our quiet way again. The changes God sends we must accept; but the little worries are trying,

ou must remember, papa, we are not used to ho

d scarcely looked full at her before, and his eyes dwelt upon her face with a subdued pleasure.

is thoughts? If natural reverence had not restrained them, what a cross-examination they would have put him to! but as it was, their eager thoughts remained unsaid. "I will do all I can, papa, and so will M

the idea of mamma; I am sure that is what he means. He is always kind, and of cou

ab; "but if you will think of it, it s

uld have married him who wished. I can see that now, though I never thought of it then. And, kind as it was of Aunt Jane, perhaps we s

er sketch-book, and seated themselves in the old faded room, from which the sunshine had now slid away, as the sun got westward, a bewildered feeling took possession of them. Had they ever been absent? had anything happened since that day when Aunt Jane surprised them in their pinafores? The still house, so still in the deep tranquil

trangest feelings. The garden paths were clearly indicated by a feeble veiled moon, and the trees which thickened in clouds upon the horizon. There was not a sound anywhere in the tranquil place except the occasional bark of that dog, who somewhere, far or near, always indicates existence in a still night in the country. The stillness fell upon their souls. "He never asked what we were going to do," said Mab, for they were silenced too, and spoke to each other only now and then, chilled out of the superabundance of their own vitality. "But he thinks with me that the children are to be our business in life," said Cicely, and then they went to bed, taking refuge in the darkness. For two girls so full of cons

ome of the natural attractions of children. Charley was the backward one, and had little command of language. Harry spoke for both; and I will not say it was easy for these girls, unaccustomed to small children, to understand even him. Mr. St. John patted the

for us to stay at home, when you have them t

?" said the curate, perturbed. The girls looked at each other

with the corners of her mouth going down, for it was not her own opinion),

now I am old, but I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. Providence will rai

-assertive; but Cicely only heaved a sigh, and went out to the hall to brush his hat for him, as she remembered her mother used to do. Mr. St. John liked this kind of tendance. "You are a good girl, Cicel

ht," she said. "You must think it o

east pocket for the familiar prayer-book which lay there. It was more import

fferent. Dear papa, you must thi

and, of course, there is plenty-plenty for all of us. You must not detain me, my dear, nor talk about business this first morning. Depe

to the dining-room where they had breakfasted, shaking her head, without being aware of the gesture. "Why should I depend upon it?"

you saying

ar is a great fortune? or that two of us, and two of them, and two maids (th

things, but we could light them up with a little colour; and they are real babies, you know," Mab said, looking at them seriously, with her head on one side, as becomes a painter. She had posed the two children on the floor: the o

longing to it, in his mouth, and sucked it with much philosophy. "Or perhaps I might make you a peasant woman," said Mab, "with one

ature for me. Oh, dear-oh, dear! We shall not long be able to have any dinner, if we go on with such a lot of servants. Tw