he light of our candles a reverend old
gentleman, clad in a black gown; he had white hair hanging about his
face, and in his hand a stout staff on which he leaned as he walked.
There came at his side a young, strongly-framed man, in a seaman's
habit, who, I thought, looked something like him, having the same strong
features, but a clear, merry blue eye and brown curling hair; he was
very watchful over the old gentleman, who seemed to move feebly. Our
aunt greeted him kindly by the name of 'Master Harry,' and said, 'It's
good of you to bring your father up so soon to welcome me,' whereon the
young man smiled and said,--

'Nay, it is he that hath brought me; there was no holding him when he
had heard of your return. I would gladly have kept him within doors,
fearing the night damps for him;' and our aunt laughed also, and said to
us,--

'Come, Althea, come, Lucy, and speak to my best friend, who was a good
friend to your mother also; it is the parson of this parish, Mr.
Truelocke, and this his son Harry, newly come home from the seas;' so
we came up and greeted the old gentleman reverently, and his son as
kindly as we might; and Mrs. Golding put Mr. Truelocke into a great
armed chair, and sat looking at him with vast contentment. He looked at
her and smiled a wonderfully sweet smile.

'Had you brought these young maids home a month or two later, Mrs.
Golding,' says he, 'you could not truly tell them I was the parson of
this parish or of any other. But we'll let that pass;' and turning to us
he began to speak to us kindly and fatherly, pitying our afflictions,
and bidding us praise and thank God, who had raised up so good a friend
to help us. I was glad to hear his words, though they brought the tears
into mine eyes; but our aunt sat impatiently, and presently broke in on
his discourse, saying,--

'What mean you, sir, by telling me in a month or two you will be no
parson of this parish? is there anything new?'

'Nothing, but the falling of a full-ripe fruit, that began to blossom
two years agone,' says the old gentleman cheerfully; 'it hath been long
a-ripening, 'twas time it should fall.'

'Give me none of your parables, good friend; I want plain speech,'
cries our aunt; and Master Harry said bluntly,--

'Madam, it's all along of the new Act for Uniformity which was printed
and set forth this last May. You were too full at that time of your
apprehensions for these young ladies to be curious to read that
mischievo