The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-10
any of them, save at church and even
there she found a whole seat at her

At last the storm, which mad s.
long darkened the village horizon
seemed about to burst over her head
There were low threats of driving he
out from the place, and the mob spiri
seemed to be gathering strength
About this time, some three months
after the stranger came to. Maple Cot
tage, very handsome travelling car
| riage, drawn by span of noble grays
stopped in front, of her dwelling, |
4 fine looking man, apparently abou
fifty years of age, with his wife and
two children, were seen to alight an6
enter the house All that day and
through the evening, there. was hear6
the sound of happy voices, and from
the piano rang out merry strains
mingling with the ripplings of joyous
hearts. o,f ....,-e -
The next day was Sunday, but this
time the widow did not sit alone
Strange looks and low-murmured
words ran through the congregation
and the minister seemed to share the
surprise of his audience, and looked
as though under painful embarrass-
ment. He recognized in the stranger
a minister whose reputation wa;
world-wide-no other than the ricl
and distinguished President of --r--
College, from which he was q gradu.
ate. a..s..tg sdt 55fJ.lt ssfrf-isf ..s.ae
Prof. G. remembered his former
pupil, but it must be confessed he was
both surprised and disapp He
had given the young man credit foI
individual talent, but this sermon was
repetition of poor platitudes, and q
trucking to public opinion, which
showed q weak and little mind, Ia
After service, the president stopped
moment till the preacher came for
ward, and when the greetings were
over, he said kindly, ssMy sister wrote
me that Richard Forbes was preach
ing here, but l did not connect the
name with the memory Of my former
pupil" s
9Your sister? ?" said the embarrassed
young man. 81 was not aware that I
ever had the honor of preaching be-
fore such hearer. You do not mean
to say that the woman with whom you
entered is your sister.!"
"And why not?" It is now Prof.
C.'s turn to look surprised.
| Sure enough, why not? What did
he know against the woman of whom
all had been speaking evil" for the
last three months. He had taken these
cruel sur1nises for granted, and had
been SO far Influenced by the scandal
that he had failed to call upon the
stranger. A sense of the impropriety
and guilt of his conduct rushed across
his mind. Suppose the woman was
really the disgraced and guilty being
that public opinion-the public opin-
ion of the village-claimed, was it not
his duty to save sinners? Christ came
"not to call the righteous but sinners
to repentance How had he fulfilled
his mission? And yet he stood in his
pulpit and claimed to be follower Of
the meek and lowly Savior! e .
"There is something about this mat
ter that I cannot understand" said
Prof. c., as he scanned the changing
countenance of the young preacher.
"You do not mean to say that my
sister has been resident of your place
and listener to your preaching for
three months without your calling up
on her? The duties of preacher are
surely better defined H4 siiiJil
But / did not dare"--and here the
poor man stammered and stopped /;
for he could not excuse himself, with
out exposing the gossip of the congre-
CATION.
"Did not dare to call ON my sister,
the widow of General Finch!" And
tinge of contempt mingled with the
look of surprise and indignation with
which he contemplated the abashed
and crest-fallen young preacher.
After reaching his sisters residence,
he questioned her in regard to the
matter; but here he was again baffied.
She could only tell him that, since her
residence in the place, she had been
"let alone" in the full sense of the
term. Determined to understand the
wherefore Of such a proceeding he
again demanded an explanation of the
minister, who was finally compelled
to admit that he had supposed, from
the gossip of his church members that
the woman was very outcast from
society, and that there had been talk
of driving her from the place.
"She viii not care to remain" !" said
the professor; e but before she goes, ]
will sift this matter thoroughly
And so he did, gathering up, link by
link, the whole chain of scandal, until
he came to Mrs. Lawrence. But this
the latter utterly denied, and Mrs
| Thomas was at last obliged to confess
that Mrs. Lawrence merely shrugged
her shoulders and curled her lip, wher
asked her opinion of her new neigh.
Dor. '.-i u 5'-i'i7 Dos
"Ah, indeed p was Mrs. lawrence;
rejoinder; az remember of thinking
she could not be much of lady, a:
she wore a faded delaine and did hel
own washing" q94E a1d .5
And there the matter rested. Mrs
Lawrence, with a look and shrug O.
her shoulders, and Mrs. Thomas, by
jealous surmises, had caused sorrow
and pain to an innocent person-the1
had, in fact, stolen the good name O
one who had never injured them; anG
but for the timely appearance of he
brother, the consequences might hav,
been still more serious
The professor preached the follow
ing Sunday, and at the conclusion o