River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-23
THE MINISTER'S MISTAKE.
Saturday Night.


old trees glowed in the level light, as If
they had been carved out of glittering
bronze, and the scarlet vines along the
stone wall caught new splendor from ths
last rays, while the silvery.white fringe
Of the wild clsmatis swung from the
dead thorn.bushes. and here and there
bird, perched high up against the deep,
vivid blue of the heavens, uttered its
shrill, clear vesper note; and Mr.. Caryl,
walked home through the Westbrook
woods, thought what beautiful world
this was that God had made.
Mr.. Caryl was only four and twenty,
and had been seen in the Westhrook
parish for three months. Not long but
long enough TO discern, by the testimony
of his own experience, that there were
thorns as well as roses in country pas
tors life.
1t had seemed so beautiful and ideal,
when he looked ct it through tho me.
dunn Of his fancy, standing on the thresh.
old Of the Theological Seminary. 1t was
beautiful still; but the ideality had gil
gone out of it.
His mother met him on the doorstep
of the parsonage-a brisk, specialized lit
| tie dame, in turned black silk, with
| frills OF neatly-darned lace, and violet
ribbons In her cap.
well, Charles" she said, choerily,
"here's whole slateful of calls for you"
Mr.. Caryl's eountenance rather fell
He had been anticipating an evening by
the wood-fire, with the last number OF
Blaesqsood's Magazine.
"Callss" he repeated. "What are they
and where are theyt"
He went into the little parlor as he
spoke-the parlor where the coveted
wood-dre was leaping and flashed on the
bright and.irons, and o shaded lamp
already burned on the table among his
piled.up books and papers-and took up
| the little slate.
| 1.-THE Widow Corsett," he read; adding,
soto cocs: THAT woman againi She hes
oied once week, regularly, ever since l
have been in Westbrook."
"Charlesl" mildly reproved his mother.
! ats fact" asserted the young clergy
man. II don't think people ought TO
| confound hypochondria and religion In
this blindfold sort OF way. She'd d deal
better send for the doctor and leave off
scolding that wretched adopted daughter
others. won't go--that's settled. What
nextf Meet Deacon Daley and old Cap.
tain Hartwick at Flowersville Four Cor
ners as half.past 8 tomorrow Now l
wonder why people can't agree about
| their own boundary lines without calling
In the clergyman of tie parish as umpire
| between them"
"Eissensions is such a dreadful thing
among your nock, Charles" said his
mother.
$50 is scarlet lever, or smallpox" said
Mr.. Caryl, rather CURLY; "but all
the same don't see how l can lie held
| responsible for either the one or the
other. Lend the manuscript OF your last
| sermon to old Miss Dadd to read. But
haven't any manuscript TO read--only
halt dozen memoranda. preached en-.
tirely extempore, last Sunday"
"Couldn't you Just write it oil from
memoryp said Mrs. Caryl. piteously.
THE poor old lady seems so anxious.
She said the sermon impressed her SO
deeply"
REALLY, mother, think that's little
unreasonable" said the pastor. SUP
pose every old lady in the parish were to
| require me to write ont twelve-pags
sermon for her especial benefit! Give
bliss Hits list of hymns for next Sun.
day. Yes, I'll do that-as well now as
any time. Speak to Mrs. Prune's Sarah
| Mrs. Prune's SarahG Who is Mrs. Prune's
Sarah. And what am / to speak to her
about. I'd like to know 2" demanded IL IS
young clergyman in sort of mild desper-
alton.
Don't you know explained Mrs.
Caryl ats Mrs. Prune that lives down
by the steam saw-mill, in the big white
house, with the poplar trees in front of
| it. And it's her stepdaughter, that's come
home from the third situation, all on ac-
count of the ribbons In her hat aud her
pride in her own pretty face"
"And am to speak to her, ell 2" said
the young pastor.
Eyes; you are to speak to her." said his
mother.
II shall do nothing of the sort" de-
clared Mr.. Caryl, with some emphasis.
but you must Charlesl" pleaded the
old lady. Its in the line of your regu-
lar duty"
Mr.. Caryl hesitated, and wrinkled his
brow in sore perplexity.
| do you think so ?" said he.
I'm sure of It'll" declared the old lady.
Conscientiousness was one of the strong
points of Mr.. Caryls character. He took
up his hat.
IF its got to be DONE" said he desper.
| pcrately, "the sooner the betterw
But you'll stop for your tes first,
Charles ?" urged Mrs. Caryl. "Hot corn
bread and strawberry JAM
an stop for nothingl" said Mr.. Caryl.
"Dont fret, little mother; it won't take
me long to speak to Sarah"
And he disappeared with laugh.
| As it happened, he never before had
been called upon to practice this particu-
lar branch of his profession, pleading
with the rebellious lambs Of his flock
who thought more of their bright eyes
than they did of their hymn books; snd
he turned the matter over in his mind as
he walked along the frosty woodland
| path, where the young moon cast fitfui,
evanescent light, and the dead leaves sent
up faint odor beneath his feet.
| Speak TO Sarah,n he muttered 20 him.
self, not without certain perception OF
! the ridiculous side of the matter. "And
what am to say to her. wonder"
He knocked softly at the big front door
of the Prune mansion. A shutting, IN
tidy girl of IA or 10 opened it, hiding be-
hind shawl and fringe of curl papers.
as Mrs Prune at home ?" said he.
mo, she amt retorted the girl.
Mr.. Caryl paused. lie scarcely knew
what question to ask next
as Sarah at homes" he demanded,
after little.
miss Sarah?'
"Nell, suppose it can hardly be Mr.
Sarah" said the young clergyman, half
Eyes, Miss Sarah of course"
"She's at home" said the girl, ungrE-
ciously, opening the door a little wider
Game this afternoon. Settin' in the par
Tor, Walk in, please
And without further ceromony, Mr..
Caryl found himself ushered into s. semi
dark apartment, where tall, slender
yound beauty OF is summers or so sat be-
fore the fire, in plain black dress, with
the simplest OF cuffs and collars, and
single plane blue ribon fastened into tho
thick braids of her hair--a person 50 en-
tirely different from what he had expect
ed to see, that he stopped short ia some