Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-06-15
GBt Storp GelIer.
THE CLERGYMAN'S LOVE.
BY MRS. E. B. LOWERING. .


was-in love. How this circumstance hap
pened, it would be rather difficult to relate
but 1t is quite certain that in church his eyes
were at first attracted by the sweet and pen
sive beauty of Susan Bell, who sat every Sab
bath in her fathers pew, with her tender eyes
fixed on the young and handsome preacher
Mr.. Wortley observed her he was pleased
with her constant attendance and her patient
attention-her appreciation and sympathy
When he was pathetic, her soft eyes swan in
tears; when eloquent in portraying the beauty
of piety and glory Of christian hope, her eyes
beamed with the fervor of heavenly aspira-
tions.
The fair Susan's sympathy seemed to in
splre the young preacher with fresh ardor ev-
cry Sabbath for when anything occurred to
prevent her attendance at the morning or af-
ternoon service, there seemed something gone
from his heart, and he was less eloquent than
usual.
Mr.. Wortley felt that this was wrong and
it was in analyzing his feelings that he made
the discovery that he was-in lore!
Then, forming more intimate acquaintance
with the Bells, and reading Susans heart
through the transparency of her conversation,
Mr.. Wortley loved her more deeply than be-
fore, and to his alarm he found that his heart
was entirely, irretrievably hers.
Some may blame the clergyman for falling
in love from his pulpit. Let them reflect that
the best clergymen are human. Others, more
charitable, may only be surprised that he, be-
ing single man, and Susan worthy girl,
that he did not propose to marry her at once.
Let me explain. Mr.. Wortley had not fool
ishly resolved never to marry her. but he had
long since made up his mind to select for his
wife some poor GIRL who had nothing but
whole heart to bring her husband. A minis
ter, he thought, above all men, should avoid
the imputation of marrying for any worldly
advantage; and when he was told that by the
death of rich uncle, whose favorite she was,
Susan had come into a small fortune Of twenty
thousand dollars, he said to himself:
She can never be my wife,
So two years passed, and Mr. Wortley still
preached from his pulpit to the fair maiden,
who listened with eyes upturned, and who
never suspected his secret love.
But an unexpected occurrence troubled the
serenity of the young clergyman's heart. A
stranger, named Britton, took up his residence
in Peltonville, and became a constant attend
ant at Mr.. Wortley's church. He was for
long time subject for much gossping CONVEX
sation, and everybody appeared to like him,
except Mr.. Wortley.
Again MIR. Wortley might have been pref
udiced; for anybody might see that the stran-
ger was very attentive to Susan Bell, who
seemed pleased with his address. He and the
clergyman met on several occasions, and the
latter, whose perception of human character
was certainly keen, became more firmly i'm
pressed, at each meeting, with the 4 eviction
that Mr.. B. was unworthy of Susan.
Yet Mr.. Wortley accused himself of selfish
ness, and endeavored to think better of his
rival 1t was TO no purpose and now seeing
Susan's happiness at stake, he was plunged
into despair.
1t was very natural, then, that the clergy
man should regard his resolve not to marry
Susan because she happened to possess pal
try twenty thousand, and that he should think
seriously of retrieving his error.
z l may yet obtain her hand, he said, for
she cannot love him.
1t was one evening in the month of June-a
warm, soft, quiet evening, and the dim twi-
light swung its sweet, melancholy influence
over the young preachers heart He took his
hat, and sauntered slowly in the direction of
Mr.. Bells house. He passed the garden, and
through the luxuriant branches of the trees,
which fringed the road, foated sounds Of hu-
man voices, and fell upon his ear. Gentle and
low were the words which were spoken, but
they sent sharp pang into the clergyman's
heart, for he recognized the fute-like tone Of
Susan, who was not alone. The other voice
was like Britton's.
With sigh, the clergyman turned away
and sauntered back, even more slowly than he
came, and having reached his quiet room in
Elder Mason's house, he set by the shadowv
window, and gazing sadly out on the silent
stars, and on the solemn earth, until the fiery
moon climbed up the eastern sky, and his
chamber was no longer dark.
On the following morning, Mr.. Wortley
was paler than usual, and there was sadness
in his smile, which his friends could not un-
derstand. That days meditation was father
to his discourse the next Sabbath, which had
for its subject Resignation, and which was SO
full of the touching eloquence for which he
was SO distinguished so warm in the outpour-
ings of a suffering but patient spirit, that the
tender, upturned eyes of Susan Bell were dim
with glistening tears, and when at the close of
the sermon, he said in deep agitated tone,
Let sorrowlng souls pray God for resigna-
tion,' and lifted his voice in earnest PRAYER,
the sympathizing girl bowed down her face
and sobbed.
Six weeks later, on lovely Sabbath morn
ing, the clergyman ascended the pulpit with
an elastic step, and clear sunny brow. The
fresh, summer morning air had given to his
pale cheek fine glow, and to his eye hope
fnl briOhfnpss snch a. hiS fr;anJr baJ -. -