Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-05-28
THE LAWYERS WARD.
A Runaway Couple from Phila.
delphia.


Rev. DIR. Melton was Just beginning
to feel at home in his new parsonage
when he was surprised one evening to
receive 4 call from his classmate Harry
Leigh In college days they had been
friends. and for awhile after their grad
nation they had exchanged letters and
visits; but the letters and visits had
come to an end long ago, and it was
many years since they had met. As
they sat in the book-lined study, each
eyed the other curiously. Years sat
lightly upon Mr.. Leigh, and he was
dressed fashionably, almost youthful!y
In his dark-red neck-scarf was thrust a
gold dogs head with ruby eyes, ana to
the parson the scarf and the dogs head
suggested sporting character He
knew that Mr.. Leigh was not sporting
character, and wondered mildly that a
highly respectable, prosperous middle
aged lawyer should thus adorn his p T.
son. Moreover. Mr.. Leigh had brought
into the study tall silk hat and Il dap
per little walking stick, and these he
held as though they were far too
precious to be laid on an unsympathetic
chair. He chung to them until the par
son was filled with an unchriStian de-
sire to throw them out of the window:
bat instead. he broke of in the middle
of sentence, took hat and stick from
his guest and carried them to the new
so-C allied Queen Anne rack in the hall
There he left them, together with the
engraved card that had announced Mr.
Leigh's presence in the house.
Alr. Leigh, in the minute that be was
alone, smiled. and the smile had in it a
touch OF plying condescension, and
when the parson recent red the study
his guest scannedr<:tf leisureiv He
A.S-sssa iaK- loosen ~, awkward man.
IL in black broadcloth OF country cut.
with low vest that displayed liberal
expanse of spotiess linen. DR. Melton 5
slippers were little the worse for wear.
but Ire knew that his daughter won d
surprise him at Christmas with new
pair, and meanwhile the old ones Were
comfortable. His collar and crayat
were neat. albeit not fashionable, and
they Were well hidden by Il flowing
gray beard that had more white hairs
n it than there We're in his mustache.
/ From under his broad forehead Il pair
of contemplative blue eyes looked at
the world with mingled shrewdnsss and
Kindness. and they rested on his guest
with sort of comical surprise He
thou ght Mr.. Leigh rather foppish i'll his
dress, and Mr. Leigh hopel that the
--eeuntry parson would soon be intro
dHcei to a New York tailor, and taught
town WAYS by some of the deacons in
the church to which he had been called
upon to minister.
.Well,' he said, land how do YOU
fancy the idea of becoming a metropol-
itan preacher. and seeing your sermon
garbled in Monday mornings paper?"
1.-The papers didn't garble my sermon
this week, the doctor said. ION the
contrary, the reporters picked out the
best and overlooked the worst in the
kindest and most flattering fashion"
Mr. Leigh laughed. You won't be
SO amiable to reporters when you know
them better This is quite change
from your old life. and an agreeable
change, no doubt. Or do you believe
that God made the country and man
made the town.
Il believe God made them both. and
man tries his best to spoil BOTH the
parson answered.
',Ah, thst's neat-very neat Blythe
way. ought to call you doctor. read
Your book on the Atonement with a
good deal of pleasure. The parson
WINGED. but Mr.. Leigh did not observe
that. 81 don't wonder the college
doctored you for it, though your ideas
must seem rather liberal to the musty
old fogies who peddle out Latin and
Greek and theology"
81 came near being one of the musty
Did fogies myself, said DIR. Melton
They wanted me to be professor,
but prefer to be a parson.
"a city parson," said his guest.
Il am not so sure about the city
part" DIR. Melton said, slowly. 1T
was pleasant up there in the country; |
was attached to my people; liked to
potter about in my garden. l was
astonished when received call from
New York. ! don know that l would
have accepted it if one of my deaconS
had not had promising SON ready to
ill my place, and think that my con-
gregation rather liked the idea of |
young dominic. had about come TO !
the conclusion that l should live and |
die q country parson; but here l am"
; with six thousand dollars year |
and . comfortable house, added Mr.. |
Leigh.
The parson frowned. "A man with |
four children has no right to slight
chance of lettering his fortune; but it |
was not the money that brought me to |
New York. There is work here" He |
broke off suddenly, perhaps because he
saw the shadow Of sneer on Mr. |
Leigh's lips. ..And YOU are still living
h Philadelphia?' he asked.
Yes. indeed; I would not live any
where else. New Workers may turn up
their noses and call it a village. but |;
Philadelphia. suits people who belong to
he old Quaker stock. .
ssQuaker! You haven't turned
Friends? The parsons eye lit on the
differing scarf-p;n. '.Yeu used to be
- EpiscopaiiaD when We were ia col
Z