The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-17

longer. He talked to me very seriously about
my health, and told mo was in fairer way
tn I've buried than married, and he should
disapprove of his daughters becoming in
terested in me solely on that ground. Go
home for a year or more he said rest and
exercise; make q sound, healthy man Of
YOURSELF and when you have done that,
come and see us again, and will introduce
you to my daughter"
"Why in the name Of common sense
haven't you followed his advicer'
II have done so, Halsey as far as Is posi-
ble | have put myself in training as though
] were going to row with prize crew; but
you cannot realize the difficulties of my posi-
tion. / am minister without parish, and
so belong to everybody. have done more
work the past winter than any regularly set
tied pastor of my acquaintance, and l have
had before my mind always my own person.
al, private desire to fit myself for a foreign
field, so that some time il | win Miss Cor
coran-and If gave up that hope | should
give up everything-we may go out to our
life work together. We have returned
missionary at Sunderland and am studying
Turkish with him. l want TO have some ac-
quirements which will recommend me to the
board, so that may not have to waste year
Oh the field in preparation"
"You appear to have carried out Dr. Cor
coran's advice in regard to rest to the letter."
Hasey remarked dryly. ~ wonder you
haven't engaged some rabbinical old clothes
man of the Bowery to instruct you in He
brew, and taken dip into Chinese by way Of
pastime.n
II studied Hebrew at the seminary the
other replied, not perceiving the irony in
his friends remark. II think have made
the most of my opportunities, but now, just
when need it most, my brain fails me. l
must preach at Ramoth Gilead next week,
and my head is in whirl. l can't settle on
a train of thought, collect two consecutive
ideas on anything but the objectionable SIM
that is uppermost in my mind the whole time,
and it was while puzzling over that subject
that fell into the state Of ruin from which
DR.. Corcoran rescued me-"
'Steele," exclaimed Halsey, "you have
acted like an idiot If you want to marry
Miss Corcoran and sail away to Joppa, which
1 consider a very sensible idea, as the sea
voyage would build you up and foreign
travel is just what you need to top off your
education and fit you for a shining position,
a candlestck on a hill and not a city under
bushel, you know--if this is your little game,
l say why in the name of common sense do
you pay any attention to side issuesl Why
don't you say to Ramoth Gilead: Gentlemen,
you may go to Jericho. l have other fish to
fryr"
''Simply because Ramoth Gilead lies in my
way. 1t was the birthplace and early home
Of DR., Corcoran. 1t was through him that I
received this call. And he writes me a very
pleasant letter apropos of the subject. This
Is What he says:
MY DEAR STEELE: It Is q long time since we
have heard from you, and trust you have i'm.
Quad fha TINA NV In ripo in tnpk cf
health. have some little influence with the
board am in fact their health inspector, and
happen to know Of mission which think you
would like and for which think you admirably
qualified. won't ask you to come on an uncer-
tainty, as can arrange for an examination
little nearer your present residence. The church
at Ramoth Gilead will give you call as candi.
date in u few days have number Of trust
worthy spies in the place and If they send me
good report Of your physical condition II have no
doubt In any other particularly will send yvu
name in to the board and they will probably
make you proposition soon. This does not
compromise you in the least, for you need NOT
accept the offer when it comes. Before you re-
fuse, however, we would like to have you make
us visit and let us talk the matter to-
gether Faithfully yours, GIDEON CoRcoRAS
P.S-Nrs. Corcoran unites with me In this in
vitation, and my daughter who heard much OF
you and will be with us, will be happy to meet
you
''There it is-the opportunity of my life
slipping from my hands If were to see
Miss Corcoran tonight l could talk to her of
nothing but the objectionable sim"
80, come now,n Halsey replied, cheer
ingly, "you have given me tolerably con-
nected account of the whole affair, and dare
say you will make your way with the young
lady What bothers me is what sort of an
impression you will make on those Ramoth
Gilead farmers as regards health. It's pity
you haven't physique like mine; but never
mind, all will end we'll, and we will meet
again in Ispahan or Babylon-you the patri-
archal head of a numerous family and l the
war correspondent of The Daily Shouter.
You must write up your experiences and
will bring them home and see that they are
well brought out and that you get pretty
penny out of the affair. Or you may get
yourself lost and I'll enact Stanley to your
| Livingstone and we'll advertise each other
| from Dan to Beersheba. You must put this
! objectionable sin nonsense out of your head
| and put your best foot forward generally.
| Don't bother about thinking up new SER
| mon; give them one of your old ones, but put
a lot of vim into it, Beat the dust out of the
| pulpit cushions. Let them know that you
| are alive"
| Steele shook his head sadly. 81 want them
to know that l am strong, well man, and
feel a lassitude creeping over me which
makes the lifting of that fishing rod diff
| cult task
| "Cheer up! cheer upI' exclaimed Halsey
'You will be rested in the morning; it is al
that confounded japanese and Turkish study
all you need is a little muscular Christianity
Take a leaf out of Charles Kingley's book
buy a pair of boxing gloves, and I'll pumme
| faith hnpa and charity into nOOr Httlt
shriveled BODY
The next morning Andrew Steele was de
lirious 1t was with great trouble that hi
friend conveyed him home. On the morning
after their arrival the sick man had luciC
interval. He regarded Halsey with wistfu
dry eyes, at has come" he said. "Tv
broken down. If could have held out thre'
days longer"-
"You are right, old fellow" Halsey re
piled, cheeringly; ''give up to it completely
let the disease do its worst, instead of trying
to fight against it, and it will spend its fore
all the sooner"
"But | must send a supply to Ramotl
Gilead," he murmured; 81 promised to preacl
for them tomorrow, and there is no time t
secure any one else"
II will. 60 for you,n Halsey exclaimed, i'm
pulsively, "and read one Of your sermons,
His friend was sinking into unconsciousnes
again, but he grasped the idea partially am
a smile of unutterable relief chased the toI
ture from his face.
"You will take my place" he said in a ton
of perfect confidence and profound gratitude
"you will do everything for me better than
could do for myself, can endure anythin
now"
In a few moments he was quietly sleeping
81 must not betray his trust Halsey said :
himself, as he rummaged through his friend
iesk; but the drawer which probably cor
tanned the sermons was locked, and he coul
not ind the key. He glanced at his watch
be had barely time to catch the train. "Neve
mind" he thought ~ have dozen Of goo
ones by the ablest New York divines in m
shorthand notebooks. will read one or tw
of them.n
Hastily throwing the note books and fe'
necessary articles into hand bag, he set OF
for Ramoth Gilead. The station was merel
a platform in the wilderness. The little so
tlement lay three miles away, around I'll
spur OF Mount Haystack. An elderly ma
was waiting upon the platform and shoe
hands with Halsey, remarking; You al
Mr., Steele, s'pose DR., Corcoran has wri
ten us all so much about you, that the who
parish feel as il they knew you, though thel
isn'tone of US that has ever set eyes ON you
Upto this moment all that Halsey had Il
tended was 10 explain the situation, and
| ofPar IN c,,prlv bis frianda plana ~ raadit