The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-01-20

that thing Work.
"He preached good sermons" said
Mr.. Glkey, refectively.
He talked through his nose" said
Mrs. Gilkey, conclusively.
"Then the Whites" said Mr. Ames.
"They want that Eastman man, with
the long hair. He's sort of cousin to
Whites wife. The West End are all
united on that man from Washington.
And DR.. Glover's got man down
South that he's been trying to run in
this long time" Mr.. Ames paused for
breath, and Mrs. Gilkey took up the
burden of his complaint.
Yes" she said, and the Georges
say they won't vote for anybody but
that Mr.. Paine from Ohio. He stayed
with them while he was here, and they
say he is just as agreeable and enter
tanning as can be. You'd never sus-
| pect he was a minister"
AT this stage, Mr.. Ames, happening
TO look up suddenly, surprised an
amused smile on the face of the stranger
who shared his seat.
81 beg your pardon" said that gen.
tleman, in answer to Mr.. Ames' stare,
81 could not help overhearing your
conversation
"No harm DONE" returned Mr..
Ames, affably. "We're pretty much
interested in getting the right sort of a
man for our church. We know what
keeps the thing going, you see," He
ratified significantly some coins in his
pocket, and the stranger intimated that
he saw.
Isn't it the general opinion that
we're paving too steep price for our
preachin!?' inquired Mr. Gilkey.
Altogether said Mr.. Ames en-
phatically; land | say we've just got
to drop off $500 on our next man.
Why, when | was a how, minister
didn't get over $500 or $500 year, and
they managed to live on it somehow.
They didn't throw their money around
On all sorts of eXtravagances pll be
bound"
People say we have these things
ours elves" began Mr.. Gilkey, mildly.
81 don't care if we dol" retorted
Mr.. Ames. 81 earn my money, and
know where it comes from"
Mr.. Ames had by this time worked
himself into quite a vehement state of
mind. He ostenslb'y addressed Mr..
Gllkev, but it is not strange that the
consciousness that the stranger was an
interested listener caused him to elabo
rate his argument with the distinctness
and precision of one who feels that he
s making a good point. He now
glanced for approval of his sentiments
from Mr.. Gilkey to the stranger, and
the latter seemed encouraged to venture
a re mark.
"What particular style of man do
you want for pastor?" he inquired.
We want first class man." said Mr..
Ames, with the air of reciting a we'll
learned lesson. Some one who can
hold his own with the other ministers
in The place. Now, you see," becoming
confidential, there's a certain set in
our church that are strong on doctrine,
aud another class that don't care any
thing about it, aud won't hear it
preached! They mostly don't belong to
the church, but they come rec ularly and
rent our best pews, and we feel bound
TO consider their feelings. But it takes
a man with some tact to get along with
these things and not offend any one"
lndee ed it must" said the stranger.
And Mrs. Gilkey said, in further il.
lustration of the point, " Why, we can
never keep a man more than six months
without one set or the other getting
down on him. He's sure to he in hot
water somewhere. Oh, dearl why didn't
you catch that?"
This last exclamation was not adj
dressed to the stranger, but to Mr.. Gil
key. For in the excitement of the dis.
cussion the lady had loosened her hole
upon the bandboX, and a sudden Jolt OF
the cars had precipitated it into the
aisle. With the aid of a fellow passen
ger and a cane, Mr.. Glkey fshed ur
the precious parcel, and by the time
this feat was accomplished the trair
was moving slowly into the Brandon
station.
Mr.. Ames shook hands with the
stranger at parting, and said he was
glad to have met him; after which cere
mony the travellers repaired to thei
several destinations, Mrs. Gilkey with
vague forebodings lest the fall should
have resulted disastrously to the con
tents of the bandboX; Mr.. Ames will
a placid satisfaction with himself ant
the world at large; and the stranger
but as he is stranger, we cannot guess
with any accuracy what his Thoughts
and feelings were.
The church was filled that Sabbath
morning, and an agreeable flutter o
expectation pervaded the well-dresset
! congregation. Their faces wore thai
: wide-awake, alert expression of person
who expect to be entertained.
! Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spiri
as he leisurely assembled the churcl
steps just in time for the opening an
them. AS he leaned back in his sea
} and glanced over the crowded house
he said to himself that he, for one, wa
l glad they were going to have stead
3 pastor, and he was going to do his bes
to encourage him. He'd get introduces
= after service, and invite him up to din
ner to morrow. He nudged his wifi
. and confided to her this resolve, an
she said twas "just the thing"
: He craned his neck around to get
3 sight of the new man, but the des
g completely hid him from view as b.
4, sat in the large pulpit chair resting hi
t head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes of the anthem