The Story of Two Churchwardens: father and son. A novel

Front matter

THE STORY OF Œtoo ©Jjttrcfjtoartrens; VOL. THE STORY OF Two Cr^uper^war-dens: FATHER AND SON. BY THE REV. JOSEPH CLARKE, M.A., VICAR OF ELING. AUTHOR OF "ROUND PREACHER ;" AND, " FROM THE PLOUGH TO THE PULPIT.' IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. EonDon : SKEFFINGTON & SON, 163, PICCADILLY. YV CONTENTS OF VOL. II. Page CHAP. I. WANTED, A HOUSE .. ... ... ... i II. SETTLING DOWN ... ... ... ... 6 III THE RECTOR OF HILL1NGHAM ... ... 14 IV. THE CURATE ... ... ... ... 23 V. MR. BAXTER BOWRING ... ... ... 28 VI. HILLINGHAM COMMON ... ... ... 37 VII. CHRISTMAS DAY ... ... ... ... 42 VIII. CHURCHWARDEN AND RECTOR ... ... 50 IX. THE GAS QUESTION ... ... ... 57 X. MR. BOWRING'S AMBITION ... ... 59 XI. THE DARLINGS ... ... ... ... 62 XII. PROPOSED NEW CHURCH... ... ... 67 XIII. CLERK AND ORGAN-BLOWER ... ... 75 XIV.

THE VOLUNTEER CORPS ... ... 82 XV. HENRY ROSS RETIRES FROM PASTORAL WORK ... ... ... ... ... VI Page CHAP. XVI. TOMMY GOES TO OXFORD ... ... 9T XVII. DISSENSIONS IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH 97 XVIII. THE CONFIRMATION ... ... ... 104 XIX. NO WEDDING ... ... ... ... 109 XX. THE LONG VACATION ... ... ... 116 XXI. LEVIN, OF MERTON ... ... ... 121 XXII. THE REV. EDWARD ROSS ... ... 128 XXIII. TOMMY SETTLES THE QUESTION ... 139 XXIV. THE CHURCHWARDEN MEDIATES ... 149 XXV. AN UNFORTUNATE ATTACHMENT .. 155 XXVI. LEVIN RETURNS TO OXFORD ... ... 160 ,, XXVII. THE RECTOR RELENTS ... ... ... 165 ,, XXVIII. THE NEW RECTOR ... ... ... 1J0 XXIX. MR. ROMAINE YIELDS ... ... ... 180 XXX. A DOUBLE MARRIAGE ... ... ... l85 XXXI. GOOD-BYE TO OXFORD ... ... ... l8g XXXII. THE RECTOR AT WORK ... ... ... Ig5 „ XXXIII. CONCLUSION ... Ig8

Chapter I

tauten, a |#ouse* ii EAD this, Polly," said Mr. John Ross to his wife, pointing to an advertisement in the Times; "that looks like a place to suit us, though we can't depend upon one of Robin's advertisements. There are, as you will see, but two drawbacks to the place, the trouble and expense of sweeping up the rose leaves, and the inconvenience of having your night's rest dis turbed by the singing of nightingales. The house is at Hillingham. It is not a large one, and the grounds are not very extensive ; but there are fifteen acres of land attached. Suppose we go over to see it. It is at a con venient distance from town, in a healthy and genteel neighbourhood, and amidst picturesque scenery. After ten years of villa life, in a cramped place, I think we are entitled to a more spacious abode in larger surroundings.

It is a lovely day; suppose we drive over and see the house." " I am quite willing," replied the wife, "and the sooner we start the better." A short time sufficed to bring a carriage to the door. The day was bright and clear and warm, and the gardens A (LSIantrtl, a i?ouSr. 2 of suburban villadom, which they passed on their way to Hillingham, were gay with brilliant foliage and flowers. At length, green fields, glittering in the afternoon sun shine, and noble trees, throwing their dancing shadows across the road, together with the smell of new-mown hay, told them that they were fairly in the country. Rich meadow-land, sprinkled with cattle, and dotted with sheep, lay on either side of the devious road, with here and there a farmstead or mansion, or humble cottage diversifying the scene. A sudden turn in the road brought them in sight of Hillingham, which they approached by a gradual incline, under the bowery shade of ancient trees, concealing or half revealing old-fashioned houses enclosed in their own grounds.

As they passed along the High Street, their notice was attracted by a large board on a house front, bearing the inscription, " Percy, Auctioneer, Architect, and House and Land Agent." At the gate stood a pleasant-looking middle-aged man, seeing whom, Mr. Ross pulled up, and enquired of him where Elmhurst was situated. " Oh, it's about a mile from here. May I ask if you would like to look over it ? " " I am come for the purpose," said Mr. Ross. " I have the letting, or the selling of it," said Mr. Percy. " If you will wait a moment I will fetch the keys of the house, and accompany you." Mr. Percy, at the invitation of Mr. Ross, seated him self in the carriage. As they proceeded, they came to the Church, an ancient structure, with an ivy-covered tower. ŒHantrtl, a &ouSc. 3 " A fine old Church !

What kind of clergy have you here ? " said Mr. Ross. " The rector is a capital fellow, one of the right sort. He keeps to the old paths — won't have any innovations. The curate is a first-rate preacher, a little Puseyitish, a capital bat, and, like the rector, is fond of a glass of good old port." " Have you many dissenters here ? " " Very few ! There is a Baptist Chapel over there," pointing to a square plain brick building. " They have hard work to keep the concern going. There is a Method ist place, a split from the old body. They're a lively lot, they are ! " " I suppose there are many wealthy families about here." " This neighbourhood," said the auctioneer grandly, "represents some millions sterling. Here we are," ex claimed the speaker. " That's Elmhurst," pointing to a good-sized house, a little off the road, on the edge of the Common ; a short and pretty drive brought them to the front of the house, a handsome building, with a broad trellised verandah covered with roses.

The situation was greatly admired by Mr. Ross, whilst Mrs. Ross was in raptures with it. It commanded an extensive and diversified view ; the grounds attached to it were of good size and tastefully laid out. The house upon inspection pleased both Mr. and Mrs. Ross. The offices and outdoor premises they pronounced not altogether satisfactory; but, at no great expense, they might be made perfectly suitable for their purposes. As they passed out of the gates, Mr. Ross said, " I OTantcU, a 9?ouSt. 4 think the place might suit me. What do you say, Polly ? " " I like it very much," replied the wife. "Perhaps, Mr. Percy," said Mr. Ross, "you would inquire the price which the owner would take for it, and let me know." " I will write to Mr. Woodley this evening, and send you his reply immediately. If the price suits, you can't do better than buy it.

It is a good substantial residence ; the situation is superb, the premises are in good repair, and the land is first-rate. I hope you will see your way to purchase, and settle down amongst us ; you will find good society here — why, God bless you ! I have counted as many as a dozen carriages at Church." " I must confess that I like Hillingham very much, and if the sum asked by Mr. Woodley is not more than I think the place is worth, you may probably have me as a parishioner." Mr. Percy, taking out of his fob a large gold repeater, and holding it in the palm of his hand, as he looked at it, said, " We shall be back in time for tea ; you may as well have a cup before you go." " You must excuse our staying for tea, as I have an engagement this evening which I must hasten home to keep. Shall I give you a lift as far as your house ?

" " No, thank you ; I must lock up the place." Mr. Ross accordingly received a letter from Mr. Percy informing him of the sum Air. Woodley asked for his property. It was more than he had thought of giving for a place, but not more, he considered, than Elmhurst was worth. He would call upon Mr. Woodley and make Mantels, a i?ouSr. 5 him an offer for the property, and buy it, if they could come to terms. The upshot was that Elmhurst passed into the pos session of Mr. Ross, and he was congratulated by his friends upon his having obtained a most lovely place at a fair and moderate price.

Chapter II

Settling 53otou* RS. ROSS, to her great delight and pride is now settled in her new abode. No expense has been spared in its furnishing and decoration ; for Mr. Ross was determined, he said, when he was about it, to do the thing thoroughly well, and having good taste and sound judgment, he had certainly succeeded in making Elmhurst all that a gentleman's residence should be. The grounds around it he much improved and beautified. The only thing he deplored was that he had not more time to enjoy them. He went to business so early, and returned so late, that he saw scarcely anything of the loveliness and beauty of the country. By the time he had dined, the shades of evening had closed over him ; and no sooner had he swallowed his breakfast than he was off to town — either by omnibus, or in his brougham.

He would, he thought, arrange his business so as to give himself more time at home. "What's the good," he said, "of having a nice place like this, and getting little or no enjoyment out of it ? " He had, however, the consolation of thinking that his wife and children derived great pleasure and benefit from their country home. JSolun. 7 Mrs. Ross, though highly gratified with the beauty of her surroundings, confessed to herself that she found the place very dull, and sometimes almost wished herself back at St. John's Wood. The house was a source of continual trouble to her. The servants were so careless, and the children so thoughtless, that she was tormented with the fear lest her new furniture should be injured. Her dining and drawing-room, could she have had her own way, she would scarcely ever have used.

Mr. Ross, however, insisted upon their being constantly occupied. He saw no advantage, he said, in having handsome rooms and not living in them. Besides, it was necessary that the drawing-room should be always fit to receive callers. He would have no covers on the furniture, and a fire always burning ; and Mrs. Ross sitting in state, to receive possible visitors. Day after day, and week after week, the patient wife would be ready in rich and fashionable attire, to receive her desired neighbours ; but she waited in vain. Scarcely anyone came that she cared to know. The wives of the rival doctors, indeed, lost no time in calling, skilfully spreading their snares to catch a patient for their respec tive husbands. Two or three vulgar wives of West End shopkeepers claimed to make her acquaintance on the ground of social equality; whilst two or three others, no less vulgar, in the wholesale way of business, who, in vain had striven to get upon visiting terms with their genteeler neighbours, patronizingly left their cards.

"Anyone called?" asked Mr. Ross one day, for the twentieth time, upon his return from town. " Yes," replied the wife. " Mrs. Gill, Captain Gill's settling 29ofon. wife. Her husband, who has occasionally met you in the omnibus, wished her to call. She is very nice. I fancy they have not much beyond their half-pay to live upon." " The Captain," said Mr. Ross, " is a very pleasant and intelligent man, who has lived here some years, and is well received in the best society. Of course you will return the calls of those who have kindly honoured us with their cards, and by degrees we must drop their acquaintance, if we hope to be received by a better class. If you once get mixed up with a vulgar set, there you will have to stick. Tact and patience will open doors to us which are now closed." " Perhaps so.

I fancied, from what I have heard you say, that you cared little or nothing for fashionable society ; that, in fact, you rather despised it." " Yes, so I do, what is called fashionable society. That is quite a different thing to desiring to become acquainted with a few pleasant, well-educated, and well-mannered neighbours, with some of whom we may, in time, be on terms of warm friendship. It is especially for your sake, and the children's, that I wish to know nice people. When it becomes known that I am not a pawnbroker, and that I am as well educated, and no less gentlemanly than the rest of my neighbours ; and that you are a perfect lady, and the daughter of one of the rising artists of the day, we shall have the better, and, perhaps, some of the best people calling upon us." " The curate, Mr. Stone, called again to-day.

I asked him in a friendly way to come in to dinner, with his wife. He promised to come — but asked me to excuse his wife, as she was very unwell." fritting Solon. 9 The door now opens, and in runs a ruddy boy in velvet dress, and vandyke collar, with clustering curls ; followed by two fair girls in white frocks with blue sashes, and pillow-lace frilled trowsers. " Papa," cries the boy, " we are to have a holiday to morrow. It's Miss Rowe's birthday, and we are all to go to tea, and have some games. I wish birthdays came oftener than they do. Only once a year, Miss Rowe says." " Quite often enough," says the father, " if it entails a holiday." "Hadn't you better go and dress?" said Mrs. Ross. addressing her husband. "It's nearly six; I told Mr. Stone we dined at that time." " I'll take care to be ready," said her husband.

Punctually at six Mr. Stone made his appearance. He was a square-built man, with a round, jovial, clean-shaven face, in a new clerical suit of the latest fashion. " You can't say I am not punctual," said the curate ; " I always make a point of being so at all times, on all occasions, and especially to dinner. To keep people waiting is rude ; to spoil a good dinner unpardonable." " I quite agree with you," replied the host, as dinner was announced. " I asked Mr. Percy to come to dinner. He said he would come if he possibly could, but we were not to wait a moment for him." " I hope you like Hillingham," observed the curate, as he conducted Mrs. Ross to the dining-room. " Very much," said the hostess, " so far as the place itself is concerned. As for the people, I know so little of them that I cannot pronounce an opinion."

" I think when you get to know them you will like settling Houm. 10 them. There are many good families living here, whose society you would find very agreeable," said Mr. Stone. " Very likely," replied Mrs. Ross, " if we only knew them. But they seem to fight shy of making our acquaintance." " Oh ! as in all suburban places, society here is divided into cliques," returned the curate. "There's Grim, the banker's clique ; that stands first — I mean it is the most exclusive. Then comes the Ring clique ; Mrs. King's great ambition is to get into the Grim clique, but her husband's vulgarity, she finds, is an insurmountable obstacle. Mr. King is called the Anteloper, from his having applied that term to an officious, interfering acquaintance of his. There are several nice families belonging to Mrs. King's set, who are ready to put up with her husband's vulgarity for the sake of the sumptuous entertainments the sugar baker provides.

I tell her that she had better be the queen of her own circle than be tolerated and snubbed by the Grimite clique. Then we have Mrs. Porter's clique, which is composed of pious members of the Evangelical party, of good position in society, which is even more exclusive than the Grim clique. No worldly-minded person, or orthodox Church man, can gain admittance to the Porter set. Of course there are other minor cliques and groups which are less exclusive, and which intermix, to some extent, one with the other at croquet parties and dances. The Dissenters form a distinct class, never associating with Church people." " It's a pity," said Mr. Ross, " that in a small place like this there should be so much cliquism ; I suppose £>tttliiig Soum. 11 as the English character and society are constituted it will always more or less exist.

It would be the better for all classes if they could be brought to mix more. The rector should try to bring them together." " I've told him so, but he doesn't see it. He scarcely knows any of his parishioners. He is away so much, and suffers so from the gout." "What takes him away from the parish so much?" inquires the host. " He goes to stay with his father, Sir John Levin, who is an aged man, and a widower. It's a family arrange ment that some member of the family should always be in attendance upon the old gentleman to look after his health, and to keep him from taking to himself a second wife." A ring at the hall door bell announced the belated visitor, who entering the dining-room apologised for his delay, and sat down, promising to make up for lost time. "We were just talking, Mr. Percy," said the host, " about our rector, and were deploring that he should know so little of his parishioners."

" Yes, it is a pity," replied Mr. Percy, emptying his glass of sherry. " He is one of the best fellows in the world, and only needs to be known in order to be loved. I've done my best to move him, but he says, ' It's no use ; what can a sickly old man like me do ? ' The rector, I admit, may not be all that could be wished for, but we might have a much worse man than Mr. Levin. We might have a ranting Evangelical, or a flaring Puseyite. The rector goes on in the old-fashioned way, Jhttlt'ng Sofon. 12 and keeps things quiet and comfortable in the parish." " He does that, certainly," says the curate; "a great deal too much so." "The great end of the ministry to my thinking," says Mr. Ross, " is to make people feel uncomfortable ; to make them anxiously concerned about their soul's salvation. Our blessed Lord said He came not to bring peace, but a sword ; and we read of the Apostles, that they were charged by their enemies with turning the world upside down.

Their ministry doesn't seem to have tended to keep things quiet and comfortable." Mr. Percy stared with astonishment at Mr. Ross, as he gave utterance to such revolutionary language. He shrugged his shoulders, and, to turn the subject, ex pressed his admiration of the good old port which he was drinking. " I told the rector about you the other day," resumed Mr. Percy, "and he said he should be very glad to see you, if you would call upon him." "I may pay my respects to him some day. And now, perhaps, if you gentlemen will take no more wine we will join Mrs. Ross in the drawing-room." When the gentlemen had entered the drawing-room Mrs. Ross asked her husband to ring for tea. " Will you kindly play or sing to us ? " asks Mr. Stone of Mrs. Ross. " Certainly, if you wish it," replies the lady, rising, and taking her seat at the piano.

Whilst the lady is playing a fine piece of Beethoven, and Mr. Stone is politely turning over the leaves for her Mr. Ross and Mr. Percy are engaged discussing the Settling Solan. 13 designs for a billiard-room, which the latter gentleman has brought for inspection. " Thank you ma'am, thank you," says the architect, as Mrs. Ross rises from the piano; "that's magnificently played." " Suppose gentlemen," said the host, " that we now go and have a smoke." "With pleasure," replied the guests.

Chapter III

Œtye sector of igtumg&aim M 4qb M.UIHE rectory, which adjoined the Churchyard, was gp| Sot! a rambling, old-fashioned house, with an exten ffiS* Sfo*! sive garden, and four acres of land attached to it. The house, with its several outbuildings, was much too large for the living, the net income of which amounted to not more than £400 a year, though the value was set down in the clergy list as £600. The rector had but one child, a pale delicate boy of irritable temper, and obstinate will. He was ten years of age, and very backward in his learning. The rector would have sent him to a girls' school hard by ; but Mrs. Levin objected to his mixing with other children, and preferred teaching him herself. Mrs. Levin was more in favour of boys learning modern languages than the classics. She therefore set Tommy to learn the French Grammar.

The boy was sorely puzzled with it, and strongly objected to learning it. He declared it was "such queer stuff," and he couldn't see the use of it. He complained to his father respecting the hardship of his case. " What do you think mum's after now, dad ? she's Œfjt Mrttor of ffitlltngfjam. 15 setting me on to French. I don't want to know French ; what's the good of it ? I'm not going to live in France. Why, I don't know my own language properly yet." " Quite right, my boy," said the father ; " it's great nonsense. I'll speak to your mother about it." So Mr. Levin told his wife that he thought it very absurd for a boy to learn French when he did not know his own language correctly, and that, if he must learn another language, he had better learn Latin, which was indispensable for him to know in order to obtain his degree.

To this Mrs. Levin demurred, asserting that Latin would be of less use than French to a boy intended for the army. So much of Mrs. Levin's time was taken up with the instruction and supervision of her boy, that she had little time left for the discharge of domestic and social duties. The greater part of the day she was en dishabille. The rector's parishioners, especially the ladies, could not imagine what he married her for. She had very little money, and certainly no beauty ; she was only fairly accomplished, and her manners were by no means attractive. It could only have been her family, that in duced Mr. Levin to ask Miss Milward, Sir John Milward's eldest daughter, to be his wife. '• It's no use calling at the rectory," Mr. Percy had said to Mr. Ross, " before five or six o'clock, as Mrs. Levin is never ready before that time to receive company."

One day, accordingly, at half-past five o'clock, Mr. and Mrs. Ross rang the rectory bell, and found to their satisfaction that Mr. and Mrs. Levin were at home, and CI)t Jacttor of filling!) am. 16 would receive them. They met the rector coming into the house, having in his hand a fine cucumber. "What think you of this, Mr. Ross?" said the rector. " It's a fine fellow, isn't it ? Can you beat it ? " " I'm afraid I can't come near it," replied Mr. Ross, following the rector into the drawing-room, a spacious apartment, and handsomely furnished. " My wife, will be down directly," resumed Mr. Levin. " I'm very glad to make your acquaintance. Mr. Percy tells me you are a good churchman, and disposed to make yourself useful in the parish. It is so difficult to get gentlemen, in good position, to take an interest in parish matters.

I hope you will be on the school committee ; and Mr. Percy has suggested that you would make a good churchwarden." " I shall be very glad, rector, to place my poor services at your disposal," said Mr. Ross. "Anything I can do to promote the good of the parish I shall be prepared to do." " I daresay we shall get on very well together," said Mr. Levin. "I am one of the old-fashioned sort, not fond of your new fangles. Now Stone, my curate, a good sort of fellow enough, would change everything if he had his own way; but I tell him I'll have no changes in my time. None of your Puseyite nonsense for me." The door now opened, admitting Mrs. Levin and her promising boy. The lady gave a sufficiently gracious reception to her visitors. " I was telling Mr. Ross," said the rector, addressing his wife, "that I will have no changes here."

" Quite right, old daddy," put in Tommy. " I wish you'd only keep to that, and stop the changes in €l)r Btttor of %iMng$am. 17 my lessons. This French will about drive me mad." "How dare you talk in that way, you naughty boy! Leave the room this instant, and finish your lessons." Tommy, at this, frisked out of the room, and ran into the garden. There he was soon observed setting the dog after the cat, which was his constant delight. "That, I think," said Mrs. Levin, "is going too far, to say you will have no change. You would stop all improve ments at that rate. WThere a change would be for the better, why shouldn't we have it ? " "Ah, that's the point," returned the rector. "Be quite sure it would be for the better, before you make it. So far as I see, the changes we have now-a-days, both in Church and State, are for the worse, rather than the better."

" Not altogether so," said Mr. Ross. " I think I could mention more than one change of late years that has been for the better — an unquestionable improvement ; though, I must acknowledge, that some of the changes have been all the other way." " I hope you like Hillingham ! " said Mrs. Levin to Mrs. Ross. " Oh yes, very much. I think it a delightful place, and a lovely neighbourhood." " There are many worse. How do you get on with your neighbours?" " I really don't know much of them at present " No, I daresay not. It takes some time to know people — to know the sort of people you'd care to know. It's very amusing to see the affectation of superiority assumed by some here over their neighbours, who are B Crjc 3£vcttor of hillingham. 18 quite as good, or better than they are themselves. I look upon them, for the most part, as on a level.

They are all engaged in trade ; and for sugar to despise calico, is, to me, simply ridiculous." "I don't see that," said the rector, " if the calico is dirty, and the sugar refined." "I don't think, for my part," said Mr. Ross, "that it matters so much what your business is as what you are yourself. A gentleman is a gentleman, whether in business or out, and as such, is to be respected and esteemed." "That's just what I think," said the rector. "I hate the confounded airs of your rich nobodies. Mr. Stone," continued the rector, " tells me that he wants a district visitor for the cottages on the Common, and as you live near, you might perhaps be prevailed upon to undertake them." " I hardly know what to say about it," replied Mrs. Ross, giving her husband an enquiring look. "You may as well take them in hand," said Mr. Ross.

" I know so little of the poor, that I fear I shall make a very inefficient visitor," replied she. " It will afford you a good opportunity for making their acquaintance," said the husband, "for are we not told that pure religion in a great measure consists in visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction?" " I suppose, then, I had better try my hand at the work ; " and giving her husband a significant look, which he understood, Mrs. Ross rose to depart. " Come when you like," said the rector. " I shall be always glad to see you ; and if I can get as far as your house, I will give you a call." Crje Jfttrtor of SHlltngrjam. 19 " They are nice people," said the rector to his wife, when the visitors had taken their departure. " He seems quite a gentleman, and she a lady." " Yes," assented Mrs. Levin, " they are not at all bad."

" We shall find them very useful people here. We'll ask them to dinner some day in a quiet way. It will give them a little social lift." " So we will — for I hear some people, much their inferiors, are disposed to snub them." At the next school committee meeting, the rector proposed Mr. Ross as a member, speaking of him in most flattering terms. Captain Gill seconded the proposition, which was carried unanimously. Mr. Ross, when he heard of his appointment, lost no time in making himself acquainted with its duties; exam ining the buildings and furniture of the schools, and inquiring into the discipline and instruction which prevailed in them. Very much surprised were Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, the aged master and mistress, to find a member of the com mittee manifesting such interest in the schools.