, 1889-01-03

Il have never seen her. l went hacl
To-. the seminary, completed my coUIrs.
doing double work in the following yea
in order To make up for lost time. Bu
in the midst of my work. | thought con
tinually OF her. l wrote TO her, told h,.
something OF the interest with which she h;.-
inspired me, and begged to be permitted :,
correspond with her. She replied COZ
tC"usly. giving her reasons for declining
correspondence. | wrote again and aga:
hut she would not reply. After gradual,
/ visited lbr. Curcuran, and told him cvyr
!hinG. He heard me very kindly, but =
inclined TO treat the whole matter rs ertiry
imaginary. His daughter was still Az
from home. and would remain so for 4 :
longer. He talked to mo very seriously a."
my health, and told me was in n faircT !.
I" bc buried than married, and he Sho.i
diSapprOvc of his daughters becoming
tercSted in me solely on that ground =, {
home for year or more he said; rest a.
exercise; make Il sound, healthy man
YOURSELF and when You have done thu
come and see again, and will iHtrodu
you to my daughter
why i'll the name of common Sc.ls
haven't you followed his advices'
Il have done So, Halsey, as far ns is pos
be. | have put myself i'll training as thouSi
] were going TO row with q prize crew; h;l
you cannot rcalIzd tine difficulties of my posi-
ton | am minister without q parish, ana
50 belong to everybody. have done NOR,
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 forei--
field, 30 that some time if win Miss Cor
coran-and if l gave up that hope l should
give up evcrything-wc may go out TO our
life work together. We have a rcturnc
missionary at Sunderland, and am studyins
Turkish with him. | want TO have some ac
quirements which will recommend me to the
board, 50 that may not have TO waste Il yeal
Oh the field in preparation"
You appear to have carried out Dr. Cor.
coran's advice in regard TO rest to the letter,
Halsey remarked dryly. ~ wonder you
haven't engaged some rabbinical old clothc,
man OF tho Bowery to instruct you in He
brew, and taken dip into Chinese by way OF
pastime."
Il studied Hebrew at the seminary" the
other replied, not perceiving the irony i:
his friends remark Il think I have made
the most of my opportunities, but now, just
when ] need it most, my brain fails me.
must preach at. Ramoth Gilead next woel;
and my head is in whirl. ! can't settle on
a train of thought, or collect two consecutive
ideas on anything but the objectionable sin
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.n
Steele" exclaimed Halsey, 'tyou have
acted like an idiot. If you want to marry
Miss Corcoran and sail away to Joppa, which
/ consider n very sensible idea, as the sea
voyage would Laid you up and foreign
travel is Just what you need to top off your
education and fit you for shining position,
u candlestick on hill and not city under n
bushel, you know-if this is your little game,
] say why in the name of common sense do
you pay any attention to side issues. Why
don't you say to RamUth Gilead: Gentlemen,
you may go tn Jericho have Other fish 70
fryrn ~.
Simply because Rnmoth Gilend lies in my
way. 1t was the birthplace and early home
OF pr. Corcoran- It was through him that
received this call. And he writes mo q very
pleasant letter apropos Of the subject. This
is hat he says:
siY DEAR STEELE: 1t is q long time since we
have heard from you, and trust you have i'm
proved the time by LAYING in y good stock OF
health. have some little influence with the
board, nm in fact their health inspector, and ]
happen to know of q mission which think you
would like, and for which think you admirably
qualified. wont ask you to COME on nm uncer
tainty, as can arrange for an examination q
little nearer your present residence. The church
at Ramoth Gilcad will give you call rs candi
dnte- in q few days. ! have number of trust
worthy spies in the place and if they send me &
good report OF your physical condition q have nc
doubt in any other particularly, will send yoUJ
name in TO the board and they VIM probably
make you proposition soon. This does moi
compromise you in the least, for you need moi
accept the offer when it comes Before you re
fuse, however, We would like to have you make
u visit and let talk over the matter to
gether, Faithfully yours, GIDEON CoEcoRAS.
p. S.-Mrs- Corcoran unites with me in this in
vitatien, aRd my daughter, who heari much o
you and will be with us, will be happy 10 me.
you
There it is-the opportunity of my lif'
slipping from my hands. If were to s.,
Miss Corcoran tonight could talk to her q
nothing but the objectionable SIM
30, come now,n Halsey replied, cheer
ingly, "you have given me tolerably CO;
nected account of the whole affair, and Glr
say you will make your way with the you:
lady What hothers me IS Whit sort of Il,
impression you will make on those Ramo
Gilead farmers as regards health. Its pitt
you haven't physique like mine; but neva
mind, alI will end well, and VIC viii NICE
again in Ispahan or Babylon-you the patr;
archal head Of a numerous family and I til
war correspondent of The Daily Shoutor
You must write up your experiences and
, will bring them bome and see that they ar
well brought out and TINT you get a prettl
penny out OF the affair. Or you may &C
yourself lost and I'll enact Stanley to YOU
Livingstone and we'll advertise each othe
from Dan to Becrshebn- You must put thi
objectionable sin nonsense out OF your heac
and put your best foot forward generally
Don't bother about thinking up q new scr
mon; give them one of your old ones, but pu
lot of vim into it. Beat the dust out Of tn
pulpit cushions. Let them know that yol
are alive"
Steele shook his head sadly. ''I want then
to know that am o strong, well man, and
feel lassitude creeping over mo whicl
makes the lifting of that fishing rod diff
cult tssb
"You will be rested in tbs morning; it is al
that confounded Japaneis. aud Turkish study
ell you need is q little muscular Christianity
Take leaf out Of Charles Kingley's book
buy pair Of boxing glot 8, and I'll puInmc
faith, hope and charity iEsn your poor lfttl
shriveled BODY"
The next morning Andrew Steele was dc
lrious. It was with great trouble that h
friend conveyed him homo. On the mornin:
after their arrival the sick man had q luc;t
interval. He regarded Halsey with wistfu
dry eyes. at has come" he said. "Iv
broken down If could have held out thre
days longer"-
lyon are right, old fellow Halsey re
piled, cheeringly; 'give up to it completely
let tho disease do its woTEt, instead of tryin;
to fight against it, and it win spend It's fore
all the sooner"
but I must send supply to Ramotl
Gilead,n n no nurmured; ''I promised to preeci
for them tomorrow, and there Is no time Il
secure any one else"
'G VIII go for you," Halsey exclaimed, i'm
puisiyeIy, land read one Of your sermons.
His friend was sinking into Inconsistencies
again, but he grasped tho idea partially anC
q smile of unutterable relief chased the tor
ture from his face.
"You will take my place, he said in a tom
of perfect confidence and profound gratitude
"you will do everything for me better than
could do for mysalf. l can endure uythinG
now"
In few moments he was quietly sleeping
sI must not betray his trust, Halsey said tc
himself, As ne rummaged through his friend
aask; but the drawer which probably con
tained the sermons was locked. and he coult
III IL = Lie &,.k.