W. R. Inge - "Light, Life, and Love"

G. A. Henty - "In Freedom's Cause"

Susan Coolidge - "What Katy Did At School"

William Henry Withrow - "Neville Trueman the Pioneer Preacher"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: Herb of Grace

R >> Rosa Nouchette Carey >> Herb of Grace




"You are wrong there, Die; Mr. Carlyon never goes out on Saturday
evenings. It is his day for writing his sermon, and I have never
known him break his rule. Mr. Charrington wishes to have Mr. Herrick
to himself. He," with another smile, "knows two are company and
three are none. Well, good people, I must not dawdle this morning,
as there is so much to do;" and as Elizabeth rose from the table she
gave her sister a meaning glance, and Dinah, who was like wax in
Elizabeth's hands, took the hint at once.

"We are so glad you have made up your mind to stay until Tuesday,"
she said cordially, "for we are asking some people to come over for
tennis on Monday after-noon. Elizabeth has gone off to write the
notes now."

"Why on earth could she not have said so?" thought Malcolm, with
secret irritation. But Dinah went on cheerfully--

"It will be only an informal affair; there is no time to arrange a
regular garden-party. We will keep that until you take up your
quarters at the Crow's Nest. We generally have one big affair before
the summer is over, and then our friends come down from town, and we
have to commandeer all the carriages in the place to meet the train.
Elizabeth calls it 'The Templeton's Bean-feast.'"

"Yes, I see," and Malcolm forced a smile at the little joke.

"This will be a very different function," continued Dinah. "We are
only asking about five-and-twenty people. We shall have tea in the
hall--it is the coolest place in this weather--and there will be two
or three sets of tennis, and croquet for those who like it. It was
all Elizabeth's plan. You have no idea what a talent she has for
organisation--she almost takes my breath away some-times. She
planned everything last night and had the list ready for me when I
went to bid her good-night."

"That accounts for the light in the Red Gallery when Cedric and I
came in," remarked Malcolm.

"Yes, we were dreadfully late; but Elizabeth was so wide--awake that
I was quite ashamed of my own drowsiness. I think we shall get a
pleasant party together."

And as Cedric came in at that moment, Dinah retailed their little
plan for his benefit. Cedric was delighted, and voted Betty a brick.
Any form of sociability was welcome to him--an impromptu garden-
party in Malcolm's honour met with his decided approval.

"David must give us our revenge," he said, chuckling with glee at
the idea. But Malcolm did not respond to this.

He felt inwardly provoked at the whole affair, and regretted that he
had promised to remain another day. Could not Miss Elizabeth have
guessed--pshaw! what an ass he was, how was she to know?--that a
motley and miscellaneous collection of people was his distinct
aversion! A rustic Olla podrida, an Omnium-gatherum was not to his
taste. It was his last evening too, and he would have to make
himself pleasant to strangers.

He knew what these impromptu garden-parties meant. People drove over
from distant villages and expected to remain late. There would be no
dinner, no coffee on the terrace, no songs in the dimly-lighted
drawing-room. Ah, just so, was not Cedric endorsing his thought at
this very moment?

"Betty is a trump, Die! She has thought of just the right people. I
suppose we shall have a scratch meal when the rush has gone. But we
must ask the Brent girls to have a snack with us."

"Oh, of course, Elizabeth said so at once, and she mentioned the
Ross party too. Tina and Patty will expect to remain--they always
do, and they think the drive back by moonlight the best part of the
fun. Very well, Cedric dear, you will go over on your bicycle and
leave the notes?"

"Well, I don't mind taking trouble in a good cause," he returned in
a virtuous tone; and then Dinah, with an air of great satisfaction,
addressed herself to her guest.

"I wonder if you would care to drive Elizabeth over to Earlsfield
this afternoon; she has a good many commissions to execute. Brookes
has to wait for the vet, as one of our carriage horses is lame, and
I do not like her to go alone with James." But Malcolm carefully
disguised his pleasure at this unexpected request.

"Is this Miss Elizabeth's idea too?" His tone rather puzzled Dinah.

"Oh dear, no--at least, I think not. I rather fancy I suggested it
to her."

"And she made no objection?"

"My dear Mr. Herrick, of course not. She will be only too grateful
to you. James is a good lad, but we dare not trust him with Brown
Becky, and though Elizabeth drives very well, she wants to be free
for her business."

"Then in that case I shall be delighted to go," and there was no
fault to be found with Malcolm's tone now. His satisfaction was
hardly diminished by a hair's-breath when Cedric suggested that they
might go round by Rotherwood on their way home and give David a
verbal invitation. "He might be engaged if we waited until to-
morrow," he said seriously; "the busy D--is rather a popular person,
and the young ladies of Earlsfield and Staplegrove are always on the
look-out for him."

"You would not dare to say that if Elizabeth were in the room," but
Dinah spoke quite innocently and had no arriere pensee.

"I know that Betty monopolises him to any extent," retorted Cedric,
"and it is a shame when that poor little Tina--"

Then Dinah quite flushed up and said quickly, "Hush, how can you be
so silly, Cedric. Tina is a perfect baby. Who cares what a foolish
little flirting thing says about Elizabeth! You ought not to repeat
such speeches."

"There is always so much gossip in a village," observed Malcolm,
with a laudable intention of casting oil on the troubled waters, for
he saw that Dinah was really vexed at Cedric's careless speech; "and
an unmarried curate is always rather an attraction to some genus of
young ladies."

"Mr. Carlyon never encouraged them," returned Dinah quietly. "The
fact is, Mr. Herrick, Tina Ross is rather a mischievous little
person. She is very pretty and very much spoilt, and she cares far
too much for admiration. My sister used to be very fond of her--she
was quite a favourite at one time; but the other day she owned that
she was greatly disappointed in her, and that she was afraid Tina
was rather an empty headed little thing."

"Oh yes, we understand that, don't we, Betty?" retorted Cedric,
nodding at Elizabeth knowingly as she entered the room. "Tina is in
your black books now." But Elizabeth received this with perfect
serenity.

"Oh, she is an amusing child," she returned carelessly, "but she
makes a very common mistake. She thinks a pretty face and a flippant
tongue and a childish manner are perfectly irresistible, but in her
study of mankind she is certainly an unlessoned girl."

"I think old David admires her," observed Cedric casually. He spoke
in such a matter-of-fact way that Elizabeth was quite taken in.

"To be sure he admires her," she said seriously. "How can he help
it? Even Mr. Herrick--who, I have been told, is really a severe
critic on female beauty--will admire her too when he sees her on
Monday. You shall have an introduction," with a mischievous look.
"We will not allow Mr. Carlyon to monopolise her." Here they both
stared at her. "Tina is an old friend of his. Now then, Cedric lad,
if you have finished your breakfast, I want you in the morning-
room."

"One moment, please," and Malcolm barred her way. "I believe I am to
drive you over to Earlsfield this afternoon."

"Dinah has arranged it then," with rather an inscrutable little
smile. "Thank you, it will be very kind, and I know it will be a
relief to her mind." But she added hastily, "There is no use in our
going round by Rotherwood. We can post Mr. Carlyon's note. If there
is time we might go on the Downs--you will like that much better,"
and then Elizabeth gave him a friendly little nod.

Malcolm enjoyed his afternoon. Brown Becky was in excellent form,
and it gave him a great deal of pleasure to drive her; and then
Elizabeth was so sociable and so altogether charming. He had glanced
more than once at the paper she held in her hands. "Are you going to
order all these things?" he asked, and she had laughed in his face.

"Five-and-twenty to thirty people to entertain is rather a large
order. We have plenty of cider and fruit, and of course there will
be claret cup, but we have no time to make cakes--besides, there
must be a cold collation for at least a dozen."

"Oh yes, I understand," he returned good-humouredly; but he was
secretly surprised by the quickness with which her commissions were
executed. Evidently the ladies of the Wood House were people of
consideration to the tradesmen of Earlsfield, for obsequious shopmen
stood bowing and smiling on the threshold; and was it his fancy, or
was there an added stateliness in the second Miss Templeton's step
and carriage as she threaded the pretty little market-place,
exchanging greetings with every other person she met?

"Now I have finished," she observed presently, "and you and Brown
Becky have behaved like a couple of angels." Then she chanted
merrily, "Oh, who will o'er the downs with me?" and Malcolm turned
the mare's head in the direction she pointed out.

It had been very hot in the market-place, but when they had gained
the open down a honey-sweet wind blew refreshingly in their faces,
and not only the moorland but the roadside was clothed with the
purpling heather. Malcolm checked the mare involuntarily, and sat
silently feasting his eyes on the glorious colouring before him. "No
Tyrian garment could equal that," he said half to himself.

Elizabeth looked at him curiously.

"I thought you would like it," she returned, well pleased by his
rapt admiration of her favourite view.

"Like it! I only wish I had Keston here; but if I am a living man I
will bring him and Verity too. What a grand old world it is after
all, Miss Templeton, though we do our best to spoil it."

"Ah, you are right there," and Elizabeth's voice was a little sad.

"Don't you remember what Clough says?" continued Malcolm quietly:

'The work-day burden of dull life
About the footsore flags of a weary world.'


We all have our pedlar's pack to carry through Vanity Fair; but how
good for us to turn aside into some of Nature's holy places which
she keeps so fair and sweet and untainted, and to take a long
draught of the elixir of life!"

"Mr. Herrick, do you ever write poetry?" Malcolm shook his head.

"No," he said regretfully. "One day, if you care to hear it, I will
tell you the story of an impotent genius."

"An impotent genius?" It was evident that Elizabeth was puzzled, but
then she had only known Malcolm Herrick five days.

Malcolm nodded gravely. "The story of a man who was halt and maimed
and crippled from his birth--a tongue-tied poet and a paralysed
artist. The story is a sad one, Miss Templeton, but it will keep."

Elizabeth's eyes danced with amusement. She began to have an idea of
his meaning.

"I rather think you are a humourist, Mr. Herrick." And then Malcolm
laughed, and after that they fell into quite an interesting
conversation. Elizabeth turned the subject to her own ignorance, and
begged Malcolm to tell her what books she ought to read.

"Dinah puts me to shame," she observed frankly. "She reads all the
best books, and she often tries to persuade me to follow her
example. The fact is, I am rather a desultory sort of person, and I
have so many interesting occupations that I never know what to do
first."

"One must always have a little method in one's daily life," returned
Malcolm indulgently. "How would you like me to make you out a list?
You might slip any books you did not want to read."

Then Elizabeth thanked him quite gratefully.

"I mean to turn over a new leaf on my thirty-first birthday," she
continued serenely. "Isn't it a great age, Mr. Herrick?"

But Malcolm only smiled in answer. He was thinking how strange it
seemed that she was actually his senior by two years; but he soon
grasped the idea that Elizabeth Templeton was one of those women who
grow old slowly, and who are sweetest in their ripened prime.

The evening at the vicarage passed very pleasantly, and when Malcolm
took his leave he was much surprised at the lateness of the hour,
and sorely disturbed when he found Dinah sitting up for him. But she
would not listen to his excuses.

"An hour later does not matter to me, and I was reading and quite
forgot the time. I am so glad you have enjoyed yourself," and Dinah
dismissed him with her gentle smile.

Malcolm was rather disappointed with the vicar's sermon the next
day. It was learned, and full of quotations from the Fathers, but he
could not but perceive that it was perfectly unsuited to a village
congregation. "Can these dry bones live?" he thought, as they came
out into the sunny churchyard.

Mr. Carlyon had read the service. His manner had been extremely
reverent and devout, but Malcolm found his delivery unpleasing. The
peculiarity in his speech was very noticeable in the reading-desk,
and there was no clearness of articulation.

"I am not versed in phonology," he said reluctantly, when Elizabeth
asked him a little anxiously about Mr. Carlyon's reading, "but I
know you would not have questioned me if you did not want to know my
real opinion. I think it is rather a pity that Mr. Carlyon has not
taken elocution lessons."

"You are quite right," she returned quietly. "I can assure you that
he is fully aware of his deficiencies."

"I am not sure that he has not some physical difficulties to
surmount," went on Malcolm; "but however that may be, a course of
elocution and some sound advice about the management of the voice
would have been of immense value. I have always thought that every
young man who intends to take holy orders should be compelled to
attend elocution classes as part of the training. You will not think
me too critical in saying all this?"

But Elizabeth, with evident sincerity, assured him that she
perfectly agreed with him.

They all spent the afternoon down at the Pool, and Malcolm read
aloud to the sisters, while Cedric and the dogs enjoyed a nap. When
he had finished the poem--it was Browning's Christmas and Easter Eve
he had been reading--Dinah thanked him with tears in her eyes. "I
never heard any one read so beautifully," she said. But Elizabeth
was silent; only as they were crossing the little bridge she turned
for a moment to Malcolm, who was following her closely.

"You have a right to be critical," she said meaningly; "I should
think you must have been top of the class," and a flush of
gratification came to his face.

They all went to church again in the evening, and this time Mr.
Charrington read the prayers and the lessons, in a mellow, cultured
voice that was very agreeable to Malcolm's ear. Mr. Carlyon
preached.

Malcolm settled himself in his corner and prepared himself for
twenty minutes' endurance, but to his surprise he soon found himself
roused and interested.

If the preacher's articulation was imperfect--if he took hurried
breaths and stumbled here and there over a sentence--Malcolm soon
ceased to notice it.

The treasure might be in an earthen vessel, but it was goodly
treasure for all that; the priest might be young and inexperienced,
but he had his Evangel, his message to deliver, and the earnestness
of his purpose was reflected in his face. "Rejoice, oh young man, in
thy youth," was the text; but before the short sermon was over, the
row of ploughboys near them had roused from their drowsiness and
stroked down their sleek heads with embarrassed fingers, as David
Carlyon's voice rang through the darkening church with the
concluding words, "but know thou, that for all these things God will
bring thee into judgment."

Involuntarily Malcolm glanced at Elizabeth as they rose, but she did
not see him; her large bright eyes were fixed on the preacher for a
moment, then her head bent meekly to receive the blessing, and to
Malcolm's disappointment she made no allusion to the sermon on their
way home.



CHAPTER XVI

"IT REALLY IS A GOOD IDEA, DIE"


It is most certain that woman's most womanly affections
are the likeness of affections which have their pure
and perfect fountain in the nature of God.
--PULSFORD.


After supper that evening Malcolm found himself alone with Dinah.
Elizabeth and Cedric had gone down to the Pool to find a book she
had left there in the afternoon, and he had been on the point of
following them when he saw a wistful look in Miss Templeton's eyes,
and immediately sat down again.

"You want to speak to me," he said pleasantly. He was quite aware
that Elizabeth had carried off her brother with intent and purpose,
and smiled to himself over her little ruse.

"She is very clever. I wonder if the missing book is a figment of
her imagination," he thought; but in this he wronged her, for that
little red-edged copy of Keble's Christian Year was very dear to
Elizabeth.

"Yes, I want to speak to you," returned Dinah, and her tone was
rather anxious and flurried. "The time is growing so short now, and
to-morrow there will not be a moment, and so Elizabeth said--" and
here again a flickering smile played over Malcolm's face.

"And she has carried Cedric off because you wanted to speak to me
about him." Dinah was so hesitating in her manner that he thought it
best to finish her sentence for her. "I hope nothing is troubling
you on his account. In my opinion he is very much improved."

"Oh, I am so glad you think so," and all Dinah's mother-soul shone
out of her mild eyes. "Elizabeth was only saying last night how
strong and manly he has grown. But, Mr. Herrick, I am rather anxious
about one thing. You know Cedric is to row in the Oxford and
Cambridge race."

"I am certainly aware of the fact," replied Malcolm drily. The
Jacobis and the University race had been the two standing dishes
with which Cedric had regaled him. "I have heard of little else, I
can assure you. Well, he is a lucky fellow; it is not every one who
gets the desire of his heart."

"Then you approve of it?" questioned Dinah; but her tone was so
dubious that he looked at her with unfeigned astonishment.

"My dear Miss Templeton, how could I do otherwise? It will be
valuable training for Cedric; the discipline and self-denial that it
entails will be the making of him. Of course his head is rather
turned at present, and he is crowing like a bantam cock who wants to
challenge the world, but he will soon be all right."

"You and Elizabeth think alike, then," replied Dinah; "she only
laughs at me and calls me old-fashioned. I suppose I am not up-to-
date," with a touching little smile; "it seems to me such waste of
time and energy. And then there is the Civil Service Examination."

"Oh, we need not trouble our heads about that for another eighteen
months."

"You think not?" still more anxiously. "Both Mr. Charrington and Mr.
Carlyon tell me that it is a terribly hard examination."

"Well, it is pretty stiff, of course, and Cedric will have to work
hard. You must give him his head for the present, Miss Templeton,"
he continued. "When he has taken his beating like an Englishman--for
perhaps you are not aware there is a very poor chance for Oxford
next year; their best men have left, and they have to lick a lot of
raw recruits into shape. Well, what was I saying?--when Cedric has
taken his beating and cooled down a bit, he will settle to work like
a navvy."

Dinah looked a little comforted. "Then you think he will pass?"

Malcolm almost laughed outright at her simplicity.

"Miss Templeton, am I to prophecy smooth things to you, or am I to
answer in the spirit of Micaiah the son of Imlah?"

"Oh, please tell me exactly what you think."

"Well, then," with obvious reluctance, "in my opinion Cedric stands
a very poor chance." Here Dinah's face fell. "He has plenty of
abilities, but I doubt his staying power; he works too much by fits
and starts--there is no method or application. But of course he may
turn over a new leaf. It is just possible that he may pass by some
lucky fluke. It is not always the best workers who get through. You
will give him a coach, of course. Oh, I see," reading Dinah's
expression correctly, "he may have a dozen coaches if he needs them;
but if you care to consult me when the time comes, I think I know
the right man for cramming."

"Oh, thank you--thank you!" in a fervent tone of gratitude; "how
good you are to listen to me so patiently!"

"My dear lady--" in a friendly tone of remonstrance. "But there is
something else you want to say."

"Only this: if Cedric does not pass, what are we to do with him? You
know he has utterly refused to enter the Church or to study for the
law. He has no taste for engineering or architecture, and we should
not care for him to be a business man."

"Need we consider the point at present?" returned Malcolm gently.
"There is a limited number of professions, certainly. What do you
say to a mastership in a public school? I fancy the life would suit
Cedric; his love of boating would score there." Then Dinah
brightened visibly.

"We never thought of that; even Elizabeth, who is so full of ideas,
only suggested his going to an agricultural college to learn
farming."

"Oh, that would never suit him," replied Malcolm in an off-hand
manner. "He likes to have his bread ready buttered for him;
cornfields and flour-mills are not in his line at all. Ah, here
comes the search-party," and Malcolm looked a little curiously at
the book in Elizabeth's hand.

"Oh, we have had such a hunt for it." Elizabeth looked quite hot and
tired. "Cedric found it at last wedged between two boulders. I
wonder he did not fall into the Pool while he was trying to get it
out."

"Oh, Cedric, you ought to be more careful."

"Why on earth did you say that, Betty?" rather crossly. "Don't you
see Die is wearing her grannie face?"

"But the Pool is so deep," in a terrified tone.

"Of course it is deep. Well, what of that; can't I swim like a fish?
Oh, these women, Herrick!" and Cedric shrugged his shoulders. "I
wonder how often I have taken a header into the Pool before
breakfast!"

"You would have been sorry to lose the book," remarked Malcolm
sympathetically, as they went into the house.

"Yes," returned Elizabeth hurriedly, "it was given to me by a
friend." And then she bade him good-night.

Dinah followed her into her room. "I am so glad you found it, Betty
dear," she said kindly. "It was the copy David gave you at
Christmas, was it not?" Elizabeth nodded.

"I do so love it," she said frankly; "and the limp leather binding
and red edges are just to my taste. I always care so much more for
books that are given me than for those I buy myself." Elizabeth
spoke with such complete unconsciousness that Dinah thought she had
made a mistake in imagining that she specially prized the book.

"Oh, I want to tell you, dear, how very kind Mr. Herrick has been."
And then with many little feminine interpolations Dinah related the
substance of their conversation. She was almost childishly pleased
when Elizabeth graciously approved of Malcolm's suggestion.

"It really is a good idea, Die."

"And to think it never entered our heads! Don't you wonder Mr.
Carlyon never thought of it?"

"Well, you see he has never taken Cedric's future into serious
consideration. But what fun it would be! We would furnish his rooms
so beautifully, and we could stay with him sometimes. And when he
married we could build him a house that would be the envy of all the
masters. Fancy Cedric marrying and our having a dear little sister-
in-law of our own."

"Oh, how I shall love her!" murmured Dinah with a happy little coo
of satisfaction. This was not the first time they had talked on the
subject. That her darling would marry, and that she would dearly
love his wife, was a foregone conclusion to Dinah.

The little fair-haired girl of her dreams was not Tina Ross, nor
even pretty Nora Brent--no one that Dinah knew was quite good enough
for her boy.

"You ridiculous grannie," Elizabeth once said to her, for she and
Cedric often called her grannie, probably from her careful, loving,
old-womanish ways, "do you suppose such a rara avis exists in
Earlsfield or Rotherwood? Let me see," ticking off each
qualification on her fingers, "young Mrs. Cedric Templeton must be
pretty--oh, very pretty; fair, because Cedric has a fancy for fair
women with blue eyes; not tall--oh, decidedly not tall; petite,
graceful, and je ne sais quoi--"

"Now, Betty--"

"Betty has not finished, and does not like to be interrupted. This
Blanche--shall we call her Blanche? it is short and handy--Blanche
is also full of gentle animation; she is docile, yielding, and has
nice caressing ways that grannie loves. Indeed, she is such a
guileless, simple little creature that it is difficult to believe
that she is grown up--just eighteen, I think you said, Dinah, or
was, it nineteen, dear?" But Dinah refused to hear any more.

Elizabeth might laugh at her and call her grannie, but in her secret
thoughts Dinah cherished a fond idea of a little fair-haired girl
whom she would mother for Cedric's sake.

And now first Malcolm and then Elizabeth had given her this charming
new idea.