Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-05-15
THE LAWYERS WARD.
A Runaway Couple from Phila,
delphia.

Qelpulb.
Rev. DIR. Melton was just beginning
to feel at home in his new parsonage
when he was surprised one evening to
receive call from his classmate Harry
Leigh. In college days they had been
friends, and for awhile after their grad
uation 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 youthfully.
In his dark-red neck-scarf was thrust
gold dogs head with ruby eyes, and to
the parson the scarf and the dogs head
suggested q sporting character He
knew that Mr.. Leigh was not sporting
character, and wondered mildly that
highly respectable, prosperous. middle
aged lawyer should thus adorn his per-
son. Moveover, Mr.. Leigh had brought
per little walking stick, and these he
precious to be laid ON an unsympathetic
chair He clung to them until the par
son was filled with an unchristian de-
sire to throw them out of the window;
but instead, he broke off in the middle
of a:sentence, took hat and stick from
his guest, and carried them to the new
so-called Queen Anne rack in the hall.
There he left them, together with the
aprrayaI carj hoI M.
Leigh's presence in the house.
Mr.. Leigh, in the minute that he was
alone, smiled, and the smile had in it a
touch of plying condescension, and
when the parson re-entered the study
his guest scanned him leisurely. He
saw tall, loose limbed, awkward man,
clad in black broadcloth of country cut,
with low vest that displayed liberal
cxpanse of spotless linen. DIR. Melton S
slippers were little the worse for wear,
but he knew that his daughter would
surprise him at Christmas with new
pair, and meanwhile the old ones were
comfortable His collar and cravat
were neat, albeit not fashionable, and
they were well hidden by a flowing
gray beard that had more white hairs
in it than there were in his mustache
From under his broad forehead pair
of contemplative blue eyes looked at
the world with mingled shrewdness and
kindness, and they rested on his guest
with sort of comical surprise. He
thought Mr.. Leigh rather foppish in his
dress, and Mr.. Leigh hoped that the
country parson would soon be intro,
duced 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.
We'll" he said, "and how do you
fancy the idea of becoming metropol-
itan preacher, and seeing your sermon
garbled in Monday mornings paperp"
''1'he papers didn't garble my sermon
this week." the doctor said. '.On 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."
II believe God made them both, and
man tries his best to spoil both," the
parson answered.
'.Ah, that's neat--very neat. Blythe
way. / ought to call you doctor. ! read
your book on the Atonement with q
good deal of pleasure" The parson
WINGED, but Mr.. Leigh did not observe
that. II 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"
~ came near being one of the musty
old fogies myself,'F said DIR. Melton.
They wanted me to be professor,
but prefer to be parson."
"A city parson,' said his guest.
II am not SO sure about the city
part,n DIR. Melton said, slowly. 1T
was pleasant up there in the country; !
was attached to my people; l liked to
astonished when ! received a call from
New, York. Idon'tknow that / would
have accepted it if one of my deacons
lad not had promising son ready to
fill my place, and think that my con-
gregation rather liked the idea of a
the conclusion that / should live and
die a acountry parson; but here 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 a
chance of bettering his fortune; but ii
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..