New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-08
THE MINISTER'S CRIME.
BY MACLAREN COBBAN.


pharmacopoeia but / can do him 10 good what
ne needs is not drugs. but ara braclng ar;
Get him away out Of this and let HIM run wiz
in the country, Or-lf your engagements wont leo
YOU get TO the cOuntry-Tem0ve to some open
suburb north or south
The doctor sat in little parlor, in shabby
genteel street of close packed middle LONDON.
Opposite him was the patient, a chld oil tnIee ol
Jour, ON his mothers knee and clasped about WIN
his mothers arms. while his father the rev JAMES TSs
Murray, stood anXiously listening me
boy-tnc first-born, and the only chllu
Of his parents-had month or TWO
before been stricken down with an INFANT all,
ment and though that had passed, he continued
so weak that the doctor had tested the soundhess
of heart and lungs. and the outcome OF his eA,
animation was that the only hope Tor inc chilu
II only wish" said the father. that | could
take him away. must try, though don't
see at present how am to do it iii. ..o
He turned away 10 the window 10 hlde inc
emotion that would rise TO choke hlm whch lie
met the large, weary blue eyes OF his boy Dent on
him. as if in appeal that he might not be allowed
to fade and wiher and die, like flower before IL
Can't you at least send the boy away with
his mother?" asked the doctor.
Il must try" said the father without turning
round. Il must see what can be done -.
I'm the meantime" said the doctor, Using,
"go on with the cod-livcr oil and malt extract
The doctor went and still the Rev James
MURRAY stood by the window, STRIVING To Keep
down tie emotion that demanded 10 nave lss
way. The wife rose with the chid I'D her aIni'
and went close to her husband: .,. ,.,,,
James my dear" said she in a low voice (and
she took his hand, don't, my dear! IL his
James turned with the impulse OF all his
passionate love for bis wife ana child. and drew
them together to his breast and bent ms head over
them And one great sob of anguish broke IRON ON
him, and one tear OF bitter agony SpI'nS III Ills
rye. and fell hot upon his wlies hand
.Oh. James, my darling" she cried, cllnglng
70 him Don't God will be good 10 us
They stood thus for some seconds, WINE no
sonnd was heard but the loud ticking of the cheap
l0dginc-hollse clock on the mantelpiece. The VIE
sobbed little in sympathy, with per husp anu;
nor that she considered at all how her own heart
was wrung, but that she felt how his was
Seeing and hearing her, he recovered himself.
Come, my dear, said he. this does no go93us;
lie led her back TO her seat lie sat down
beside her transferred the boy to his own lap and
Come now. Jim," said he to his boy. how
am / going to get you and your nanny TO the
Daddy come too" said the child putting
Il would. Jim, l would" said he, with the
faintest suspicion of painful catch IN ms vOlcc
still; but have no money Ana l ooi h l,nS
how nanny and you are TO so, unless soiic Niu
Oh lanes dear" exclaimed the wife. I'm
pulsively. catching her husoanH on "1r from 10 Kind
iriendsl am burden to you, ana ho'hihg
but a burden!' o,s 10 horonc to her. you
are the sweetest burden that man could bear, ana
I'd rather have you than all else the world couiu
give. ..,, aoor soid she @to hear
rou saw So It's like sweet music to me :;
Gnt lis not true. If you had mar
ried another-if you had married dlneIen rC,,
and as YOU were expected TO have marred-yoiu
~nnIJ NOT be here now; and if you had a SICK
hoy like our dear. poor Jim, there "oulu n"i ~;
been no difficulty in getting TO the couhS ~ pn NJ
getting anything that was neeueu da aoT I love
Mary" said he with a certain touch OF
l.; ~ I hay
regretted that we loved each other. ana married
each other, and, whatever may come, shall NJ, ~.
regret it, The complete oHe OF 2o %p IoTe my
darling, and he caressed the head crowned WIN
q glory of bright hair is tie JOY OF my HE
She drew again his hand to her cheek. and
pressed it there and said no word more; ana ha
So they sat for a few seconds longer, WniP 'nt
vulgar intrusive clock, with q KIND OF imp III
it's noisy tick, seemed 10 say ITS time. iV'
time"
Let lis take the opportunity Of this pause Il
explain how the Reverend James MURRAY got ny
The anxious position in which we lind HIM li'
was a minister of a well-knOwn denomination o.
Nonconformists When he left college he had peer
reckoned a young man of great promise ana o.
considerable powers of persuasive eloqnenoe' anC
he was expected 10 become famous preacher
lie was invited 10 be the minister of a large anC
wealthy congregation in a Northern manufacturln!
town lie accepted the invitation and for two o
three wears he great favOrite with his peO
Mo never they declared, had they heard tin
n preacher Though he sometimes 50 :" hne
that they did not understand NM, ana never mac
they known a better man. HIS praise was II
pvervbOdyS mouth: the men admired Iln an'
the women adorcd him. But lac was bachelor
and there was not an unmarried lady IN the con
grpgatOn who did not aspire to he his wife, WhicI
nut him in the awkward and lnV,ll0uS pOSltlOl
Of having to prefer one out of many. lie aston
ished and offended all the weltO-do ladies' d.
falling in love with and marrying the pretty, sh
goyernesS of one of the weathicSt fanilleS--a or
who had not been regarded as having the slnalles
chance of occupying the proud place of minister
wife His marriage alicnated the women, ant
through them cooled the ard0r OF the men, I'D
situation was strained: bat il might hay
gradually returned to It's former easy condito,
had not the minister soon after his marriage D'
come what is termed broad in his religion
views and uncompromising in his expression
them. His people grew alarmed, and his deacon
rcmonstrated-with less frendliness OF feein!
probably. than if he had not offended them .
his inarriaGc-hut the minister declared he cOul
not do otherwise than preach what re believe
10 be the truth. Then some people left him, an
others would no. speak to him, and his posltl0
became so difficult and finally 50 unbcarabe tina
he could do nothing but send in his resignation
lie shook the dust and the CRIME of that NOrther
town of his feet and with sore heart and slendt
purse iourneyed u London. lie was resolved I
labor among the masses" If the arrogant an
wealthy classes of the North would not hca
him, he was sure tie poor of London. bendin
beneath the weary burden of life, would hea
him gladly. He had not been in London Ion
when he became minister 10 a venerable, hal
deserted chapel in one of those curiousy quiz
corners MADE by the rushing currents and III
swirlinG eddles OF the life of orr huge mctropoli
II was close to the heart Of London and 50
no one knew il was there but the handful 9
small shopkeepcrs and their families and Il
few devout and destitute old women who mao
M lis congre2ation These poor people wei
fnttrrcd with pride when they got 50 clever an
beautiful preacher for their own; they looked
see ere long the old chapel crowded with an n
tcntive congregation as il had been in oth'
DAYS: and the chapcl.kceper who was also
painter had put all the magnificent hopes
himself and his friends in the fresh inScrptio
he made on the f0ded nOt'cC-bOard in the for
court, MINISTER. THE REV. JAMES MCl
RAY, NJ A." in letters Of gold
A year had passed since then. and the minister
Heart WAS sad. lie had spent himself for Il
benefit Of the poor tnat sweltered round that
chapel and the Ionr did not seem TO want him
his miniStrations any more than the wealthy; thu
would gather round him if he spread tea 4