Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-16
THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL,
a Parable by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The sexton stool in the porch OF Milford
meetlns-EouSe, pulling Justify az the bell
rope The old people Of the village clmr
stopping along the street. Chil.iTcn. with
bright faces, tript mcrrily besides their pa
rents. or fni1nicke1 a gTavcT gait. in the con-
sCiOuS dignity of their Sunday clothes.
Spruce bachelors looked Sid-Iong at the
pretty mai liens and fIncied that th" sabbath
sunshine made them prettinr than on week
days. When The throng had mostly streamed
INTO the porch. the sexton began 10 toll the
bell, keeping his eye ON Rev. Mr.. Hooper's
door The nrSt glimpse of the Clergyman'S
summons.
But what has good Par<on HOOPER got
upon his 1ace:' cried the sexton IN astOnish-
ment.
All within hearing immo Iiat,.v trrnet
about. and beleld the >lmbiauca of Mr.
Hooper, pacing slowly his maiftatiye ydy
toward the meetiHg-hOuSe- With one accord
they started. expressing more wonder than if
some strange minister were coming 10 tilI,.
Inc cushiolS Of Mr.. HpOpeT'S pulpit.
Are yol sure 10 Is our parSOn'" inquired
Goodman Gray. of the sexton.
Ora certainty 10 il COOL Mr. HOOpnr" re-
piled the sexton. He was to have . chaDgnI
BalpitS with Parson Shute OF WcStbury; but
ParsOn Shuts sent to excuse him
sermon
The cause Of 80 much anlazpmC nt NAV an
PEAR sufficiently slight Mr.. Hooper, a gen
Ilemanly person Of about 30. though still q
bachelor. was dressed with due clerical neat
hand, ami brushed the weekly dust from his
sunday garb. There was but one thing re-
markable in his appearance. SwatcheI
about his forehead. AMI hanging down ov, r
his face. 50 low a. TO BE- shaken bv his breath
Dir. Hooper hal on a black veil. on n nearer
view, ~ seemed TO consist Of two folds OF
Grape. winch entirely concealed his features
exceTs his mouth and chin. but probably did
not intercept his sight further than TO give a
darkenesi aspect To all living and inaninats
ulhgS Win This gloomy shade before him,
good Mr.. Hooper walked onward. at a slow
ana quiet pace. stopping SOnewha; and look
ing on tnc ground. aS il customary with ab-
stracte,i men, Vet holding kindly 10 those of
MS IaTiShlOncr> who still waited on the meet
1nS-house steps. But 50 wOldeT-struck were
lhey tiitJ MS greeting met with no return.
Il can really feel as if gODl Mr.. HBDDar'S
lace was behind that piece Ofcrape," said the
Il don't like it muttnrej an ola woman.
as Sne hOoblel into the IN srtiug-hDu>e. He
ma changei himself into som et'IiIS awful,
only by hiding his face
Our ParSen has gone mai" cried COOL
man Gray, following him across the thresh-
\ rumOr Of some unaccountabI Me pbenon,n-
non hal preceded Mr.. Hooper into the meet
ing house, and set all the congregation a>tir
ew could refrain from twisting their heads
tOWafds the door many stool upright. and
turned directly about; while several little
boys clanbar'-i upon the seats. and came
down again with terrible racket. There
was general hustle. a ruStiin. of the yvo-
mans gowns and shuffiing OF the mau'S feet
greatly AT variance with that huSbei repoSe
which should attend the entrance Of the min
ISter- Bat Mr.. Hooper appeared not TO notice
the perturbation of his people He entered
ID.
mildly 10 the pews on each side. and bowed
as he passed his oldest parishiOncr q while
halred, great -gTandsire, who occupied an
armchair in the center OF the aisle II was
strange To observe how slowly this venerable
man became conscious of something singular
IN The appearance OF his pastor. He seemed
not fully 10 partake OF the prevailing won
der, I'LL Mr. Hooper had assembled the stairs
ana showed himself in the pulpit. face 20 face
win the congregation, except for the black
veil. That mysterious emblem was never
once WlthdraWn- IL shook with ais measured
Dream a. be gave ont ths psalm; 10 threw its
obscuTity between him and the holy page as
ne read the Scriptures and while he prayed
the veil lay heavily ON his upliftri counte-
nance DIt he SEEK To hide 10 from tine dread
being whom he was Addressing
such was the effect OF this simple piece Of
cIapt' tiitt more than one woman OF delicate
nerves was forced To leave tn" meet ing house.
Yet perhaps the pale-face,t congregation was
almost a. fearful a sight 10 the minister. a.
his black veil 20 them.
Mr. Hooper had the reputation OF a gOoi
preacher. bat not an energetic one; he >trOve
20 win his people hcaveUward by mild. per
suaSiVe influences, rather than 10 drive Them
thither by the thunderS of the wont The
sermon which ne now delivered was marked
BY the same characteristics OF 81 Vie and man
hef as thc general series OF his pLlpit ora
Tory. But there was something. either in the
sentiment OF the discourse itself or in the i'm
agIatlo4 OF the auditors, which mate il
sIcatiy tIle most powerful effort that they
had ever heard from their pastors lips. II
was ungcd. rather more darkly than usual
with the gentle gloom of Mr. HCODcr.S fem
permanent. The subject hal reference 10 So
cut sin, and those sad mysteries which we
hide from OUr nearest and dearest. ard woulT
lalh conceal rom our own consciousness
even forgetting that the Omni>cicnt can de-
tect them. y subtle power was bTra .he1
INTO his words Each member OF the con-
gregatiOu. the most innocent girl. and the
man OF hardened breast. felt as if the
preacher had crePt upon them. behind his aw-
Iul we'll. and discovered their hoarfpd in
EQUITY OF deed thought MANY spread
tHelT Cla>pe,t hands on their bOSpulS fTbers
was nothing terrible in what Mr.. Hooper
fraf.a
every tremOr of his melancholy voice the
hearers quaked. An unsOught pathoS came
nand-in-hand with awe. SO sensible wrra
Inc audience of some unwOnted attribute in
their minister, that they lOngei for breath
OF wind 10 blow aside the veil, almost be-
leving that a strangers visage would be lis
covered. though the form, ges Esre and voice
were those OF NJ. Hooper.
AT the close OF the service. the people hur-
Iled out with INDIGENOUS confusion, eager to
communicate their pent-up amaZement, and
conscious OF lighter spirits. the moment they
tost sight OF the black veil. Some gath cred
IN little circles, huddled closely together
with their mouths all whispering in the CEN
ter some went hOmevard alone, wrapt in ST.
lent incubation; some talked loudly. and
Profaned the Sabbath-day with Ostantatious
laughter a few shook their Sagaeious heads
inIlinating THAI they could penetrate the
was no mystery AZ all, but only tha, Mr.
h9pers eyes were weakened by the mid
h- Sst lamp as 70 require shade. After a
Drlei interval, forth came good Mr. HOoper
also, IN the rear OF his flock. Turning his
NcisI Iace from one group TO another he
Palu que reverence 10 the hoary heads sa-
iuteu the middle-aged with kind dignity. "a
tnelI ITltnd and Spiritual guide, greeted the
young win mingled authority ami love and
iald MS hands on the little children heads 70
PIES mem. such was always his custom on
the Saobath-day. Strange and bewilderpi
LOOKS repaid him for his courtesy. None as
on iof1ner occasions, aspired to The honor OF
waking by their pastors side Old S6nire
saunders, doubtless by an accidental lanSa Of
memory, neglected TO invite Mr. HooiSor -, VI
MS table, where the good clergyman had baen
wont 10 bless the food, almost every Snnday
since his settlement. He returned iberaSr-SS
90 The parsonage, and at the moment of cIoS'
ing the door was observed To look bacE ,St
the people al Of whom had their ewes fiSed