The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-19

had been erected, with this remark
able inscription following the name
and age:
Honor virtue, Love, combine,
This mother is mine. j. p"
1t was original; the deacon's MASTER
piece. carved in marble, with his own
initials added. In the eyes of the viii
lage and in his own eyes the deacon
had at one stroke given honor to his
mother and won fame for himself.
Sunday morning dawned bright and
clear aud Rev. Phineas Dustin entered
the church in like condition. A little
embarrassed during the preliminaries,
he forgot it all during the long prayer,
when he uttered the real longings Of
his heart. The sermon was somewhat
lengthy, logical, and full of life and
hope. In fact. the preache: thought
that night if he had only preached
that way in Huckins he perhaps would
not now be candidating. The people
of Poke Island were delighted. just
what they wanted, they said to one
another. Several of the brethren told
the preacher SO; some of the sisters
wanted to. He was invited to call at
many places. and then and there made
several engagements to dine during
the week. Squire Davis became his
supporter because of a reference the
preacher had made to the Squire's
Alma Mater, Tompbins Academy of
Barnbury, now gone into a decline. In
the Sunday-school and in the evening
service our parson strengthened his
hold on the people, and he in turn was
charmed with them and their homely
ways. He was astonished beyond
measure that he who had been so
snubbed und unappreciated at Huckins
should be so admired at Poke Island.
What wonder that he went off to sleep
that night a happy man?
During the week that followed he
faithfully visited among the many fam
lilies of the parish. going by neither
the poorhouse at the East End nor the
great glazing white hotel at the Bluffs,
where the summer boarders congre-
gated. Before the week was over there
were none who had not seen and
spoken with the sweet-faced minister,
and there were few who did not love
hin. The parish of Poke Island had
LOt drawn the dead line" in the minis
try nor had they harbored the young
man-for-the-p pulpit" craze. He was dis
cussed, of course, and critically ana
lyzed. Spiritually, there was no fault.
Corporeally, an erect frame, graceful
carriage, u bright. intelligent face, Il
pleasant smile and ready word for all.
digni6ed, but not austere. Even his
clothing was beyond reproach; to be
sure it was somewhat the worse for
wear, but they were neat and the fit
was perfect. Besides. the good wife
at home had supplied him so well with
white ties and linen that he made these
the central point of his attire, and all
the rest did well as a setting. All these
things were noticed and commented on
by Poke Island, and the verdict pro-
nounced on the new minister was a
favorable one. The standing committee
felt that the work of supplying the pull
pit was nearly over, and glad they
were to be relieved of the task.
On Wednesday of this week Tom
Briefly, the local correspondent of the
jackson Ensign, went up to jackson
junction and dropped i'm to see the
editor.
Bitterly had an Unsuitable love for
gossip and even scandal, which made
him not only the spice but the terror of
the town. His persistency in gather
ing news for the Ensign had won him
favor with the editor. and at the same
time had led the people of Poke Island
to believe that they were of great i'm
portance in the world because paraded
so often and at such length in the pub
lie print He was willing to write
good of any one; but if there could be
a little wickedness mixed into any
story, it took on an added interest.
The wicked tales were those the people
talked about the most. Briefly appre-
ciatcd this fact, and it was this that
made him so eager in his work of gath
ering and culling his weekly news
budget for the jackson Ensign.
As Briefly sat down the editor passed
a box of cigars and, with his feet on
desk, the two men settled down to a
short smoke and gossip; two things
which go together even though it be a
man who pulls at the cigar. A few
moments of silence and smoke-then
Briefly began: Got any thing new for
the folks this weekP The Ensign's
grown drier than last years goldfish"
Yes" replied the editor, talking in
ejaculatory style between the frequent
putfs at his cigar and paying no atten-
ton to the criticism ON his paper.
There's rich thing this week. COL
umn article, fresh matter, startling
news, country wild over it, niece
brought it from Barnbury. Ever been
up to Barnbury?" Briefly nodded.
Remember stone church on square?
Bird store underneath, opposite hotel?"
Another nod. Fun alive there" The
editor winked and Briefly grinned.