Sharp County record., 1885-06-04
THE LAWYERS WARD.
A Runaway Couple from Phila-
delphia.

Rev. DR.. 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 a
gold dogs head with ruby eyes, and to
the parson the scarf and the dogs head
suggested a sporting character. He
knew that Mr.. Leigh was not a sporting
character, and wondered mildly that a
highly respectable, prosperous, middle
aged lawyer should thus adorn his per-
son. Moveoyer, Mr. Leigh had brought
into the study a tall silk hat and dap
per little walking stick, and these he
held as though they were far too
precious to be laid on an unsympathetic
chair He clung to them until the par
son was filled with an unchristan de-
sire to throw them out of the window;
but instead, he broke off in the middle
of 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
engraved card that had announced Mr..
Leieh's presence in the house.
Mr. Leigh, in the minute that he was
alone, smiled, and the smile had in it q
touch of plying condescenson, 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
expanse of spotless linen. DR.. 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
We're 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 a pair
of contemplatiye blue eyes looked at
the world with mingled shrewdness and
kindness, and they rested on his guest
with a 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 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,n he said, land how do you
fancy the idea of becoming metropol-
itan preacher, and seeing your sermon
garoled in Monday mornings paper?"
THE papers didn't garble my sermon
this week. the doctor said. son the
contrary, the reporters picked out the
best and overlooked the worst in the
kindest and most fattering 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 tOWnpn
Il believe God made them both, and
man tries his best to spoil both, " the
parSon answered.
"Ah, that's neat-very neat Blythe
way, l 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
old fogies myself" said DR.. 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