Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-05-08
Next Door to the Church

John Boyle y Reilly
Next Door to the Church
1t was not tie rect ry; that was on
;he other side. 1t was long, low
studded, old-fashioned house, with
wide rambling piazzas, and lawn
which ran mp 10 the very church win
dows, and preserved its identity as a
lawn. and Il >iinct from a church-yard
by the intervention of low iron
fence. 4 cato in the iron fence, aud
a box- bordcrcd walk leading to litlc
side door in the north transept, rem
dercd the church easy of access, and
left not the shadow Of an excuse for
| any member Of the Birch family to
STAY away from service. Not that the
Birch family ever desired TO stay
away from service. Quite the con-
trary. Mr. Birch, being senior war
den. took up Tie collection, and could
not be sp.rcd. Mrs. Birch was god
mother 10 all the babies who came
into the world not sufficiently well
supplied with dat necessary article.
and it was incumbent upon her to be
II properly shining example. John
went 20 church because his father and
mother and katherine did, and he did
not like TO be left at home alone: at
least that is what John might have
said if he had been asked but | doubt
if il had ever entered his head that Inc
could stay at home. And Katherine
katherine had loved to 90 10 church
all through her happy childhood and
girlhood; and when She came home
from college tlis bright SUMNER
"sweet girl graduate" as John mock
ingly called hcr-shc loved il more
than ever. Moreover, katherine
loved TO 90 into the great dusky church
in the sweet summer afternoons. when
there was no congregation TO disturb
the solemnity of the place, and when
she could sit quiet in corner of q
pew, and think her own thoughts and
plan her own future. a glorious
future it was to be, full of noble self
sacrifice and of toll for suffering hui
manity. And the sunshine falling
upon the tiled floor in wavering pa chcs
of purple and yellow seemed to her to
! symbolic her dreams. The purple
meant the struggles she should have to
make; the gold, the joy which would
result from the brave conqucring of
self. II was not very profitable, and
her color symbolism was certainly all
wrong; but the afternoons in the old
church were helpful, happy times to
her.
Sometimes John would come too.
But John was useful rather than an
ornamental member of society, and he
knew that his proper place was be-
hind the organ, where lie did not
show, but where he rendered invalu-
able aid TO Katherine. who, perched
upon the high organ seat in front,
voiced her ideals and aspirations in the
music she wrung from the heart of the
great organ. These afternoons were
even better than the quiet ones.
The rector of ST. Marks was Young,
and new to the parish. He had heard
much of Katherine before her return
from college; too much, in fact, tc
make him look forward with pleasure
TO the prospect of such parishioner
"Katherinc will bring new intel
lectual life into her circle of young
friends" said her mother. "Kalhe-
rine will know the reason for thes,
new-fanglcd notions of yours" said
hor father. "My. but Kitty know.
when sermon is bad" said John.
And outside the family it was the
same, until the minister groaned in
spirit.
"A paragon in a parish is positive
pest, said lie TO himself, uucon-
sciously dlliteratiYe in his scorn. ~,
at least, shall not bow down to this
intellectual autocrat."
The day OF her arrival came. 1t
was Saturday. Mr. Carson was fire.
quent guest at the hospitable mansion
next door, and after his late dinner he
dropped In to pay his respects. 'sBet-
ter get it over with" thought he. lie
was not man who fed from disa-
grceable duties.
As he stepped upon the wide front
NCihudds d hS uAC iOSt liOll Il ildlll-
mock at the end, and came forMagd-
little figure, slender and graceful.
The setting sun behind fell upon the
golden hair, making a shining halo
about it. The rosy gown repeated the
colors of the evening sky. 1t seemed
to the voun0 man that thn heart of tho
sunset had embodied itself, and was
coming to meet him. And then the
brilliancy of the sky faded, and there
was only maiden with golden hair
and rosy gown standing before him,
holding out her hand and saying:
This is Mr. Carson, is it not!
Mamma told me to expect you. She
will be out very soon.'
Then, bustling, houscwifely Mrs.