Doctor Congalton's Legacy; A Chronicle of North Country By-Ways

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIII MRS. COWIE'S LIBRARY When Mrs. Lonen told the minister's wife the story confided to her by Mrs. Cowie, neither of these good ladies suspected that the farmer's wife had anything but the purest motives behind it. The minister also entertained the same belief. He knew that Dr. Congalton by the terms of his will intended, and desired, that his brother should form a matrimonial connection with the Cowie family. It seemed therefore reasonable on their part, if they reciprocated the doctor's wish, that they should have a care about the proper upbringing of Mr. Congalton's child. Mr. Maconkey considered it his duty to relieve Mrs. Cowie's anxiety on this important question by telling her the truth at once. Further, he informed her that he had explained the matter fully to the child's father, lest the story in its original colouring should reach him and prove detrimental to Miss Hazlet's good name. He ventured to express his conviction that she (Mrs. Cowie) would be pleased to know that her surmises, while perfectly justifiable from ocular evidence, were, in point of fact, groundless. She felt it was clear, from the minister's trustful and straightforward explanation, that he did not suspect her of having any ulterior motive. Indeed, he had excused her solicitude by delicately revealing his knowledge of the late doctor's desire for a closer relationship between the two families. Mrs. Cowie received these assurances with mixed feelings. She was comforted by being misunderstood, and by the minister's confiding sympathy. It is true she believed from what she herself saw that there was a moral screw loose somewhere in the governess's character, but for her own purposes the wish was father to the belief; and, as her plans were somewhat frustrated by the d...