Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-06-13
LAWYER AND PARSOE

The Rev. DIR. Melton was just bt
ginning to feel at home in his ne,
parsonage when he was surprises
one evening to receive call from
his classmate Harvey Leigh. Ii
college days they had been friends
and for awhile after their gr;ldua
ton they had exchanged letters AM
visits; but the letters and visit
had come to an end long ago, AM
it was many years since they hal
met. As they sat in the book
lined study, each eyed the othe
curiouSly. Years sat lightly 81
Mr.. Leigh, and he was dressed
tashionably, almost youthfully. Ii
his dark red neck scarf WIS thrusi
a gold dogs head with ruby eyes
and to he parson the scarf and tht
dogs head suggested a sporting
character, and he wondered mildly
that Il highly respectable, PROSPER
GUS, middle aged lawyer shopl(
thus adorn his person.
"Wcll," Mr.. Leigh said, "ant
how do you fancy the idea OF, be
coming metropolitan preacher,
Snd seeing your sermon garbled.ir
Monday mornings papers"
'Thc papers didn't garble my
sermon this week" 1.-THE doctor said
"On tile contrary, the reporters
picked out the best and overlooked
the worst in the kindeSt and most
hattering fashion," .
Mr.. Leigh laughed. "You went
be amiable to reporters when you
know them better. This is quite a
change from your old life, and All
agreeable change, no doubt. Or do
you believe that God made the
country and man made the .town?n
II believe that God made them
both" the parson answered.
"Ah, that's neat-very neat: By
the way, ought to call you doc
tor: | read ynurzhOok on-the a.
ure.' 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.n
Il came near being one of the
musty old logies myself" said DR..
Melton. 'They wanted me to be
a professor, but 1 prefer to be a
parson."
ga city parson," said his guest.
ii am not sure about the city
part" DR.. Melton said, slowly. "lt
was pleasant up there in the coun.
try; was attached to my people;
I liked to potter about in my gar
den. ] was astonished when | re-
ceived a call from New York. |
| don't know that | would have ac-
copied it if one of my deacons had
not had a p, ,mising son ready to
fill my place, and | think that my
congregation rather liked the idea
of a y,u ing dominic. l had about
come to the conclusion that should
live and die country parson; but
here LAM"
"With six thousand dollars a
year and comfortable house," adj
ded Mr.. Leigh.
Tile parson frowned. "a man
with four children has no right to
slight chance Of bettering his for
tune; but it was not the money
that brought me to New York
There is work here" He broke
oft suddenly, perhaps because he
saw the shadow of a sheer on Mr.
Leigh's lips. "And yon are still
living in Philadelphia" he asked
Yes, indeed; [ would not live
anywhere else. New Workers may
turn up their noses and call it ;
village, but Philadelphia suits PEG
pie who belong to the old Quaker
stock"
"You have a son, l believe, tt
perpetuate the name?" the old par
son remarked.
aOne son-an only child. Nor
ton is twenty-four, and reading law
in my office. a bright fellow too
never gives me a moments uneasi
ness; always at work, steady-golng
no boyish nonsense about him."
"Twenty FOUR" the parson re
peated, "and no boyish nonsense
about hin2 There is much Of non
sense aboutmy boys,I lam hap-sorr,
to say. Still, l hope they won
disgrace me. Their mother think
they are all right, and | am learn
ing every day of my life that m.
wisdom, as compared with Others
is beneath contempt. lean hardl.
believe you have son twenty
four. Why, you are spruce youn4
man yourself"
Thanks to a life free from excess
es of any kind" said Mr.. Leigh
Sand | married early-I advocat
an early marriage, if II man ha
money enough to support family
This waiting to scrape together
Il paltry income is terribly hard o
a Young man. Yes, married early
and [ have every reason to believ
that my son will follow my exam
pie"
"And when is your boy to ma
ry?" asked the doctor.
ooh, ic is not quite arrange