The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-03-22
4 MINISTER'S ROMANCE,
And How II Ended.

WIS DuI li.c LatdItl sequence W :. ny -
early riaty and extreme moral uprghtness.
He was a model boy He was as seTi-
GUS at thirteen as the average man Is at
thirty. He studied good books earnestly,
and when very young he harassed his
youthful head with deep thought. lie
never laughed at a foolish joke; he never
proved truant; like George Washington he
never told a lie: he was p0lite-In word
he was a man il all but years.
So l say that it was but III the nature OF
things that he became q minister. He did
not have to begin Il grown UP nan to study
for the ministry like most people. Ills
whole life had been a preparation for it.
L remember when at the age Of thirty
three he was called as assistant in large
parish. He took up tie work, and with
the greatest Of faithfUlnCss, he filed the po-
sition for three years. Then the quiet
young man, with the thoughtful face whose
every act was tie essence Of sincerity and
carnestncss, attracted the attention Of a
wealthy parish in a small viiia@s not far
from the scene Of Lis first Iabors.
Nothing creates 4 greater stir among the
female members of a church congregation
than the advent Of a young and unmarried
minister. They await his first pulpit APP
pearance with inpatient anxiety. They
look upon il as n settled fact that he will
marry some one CT the daughters OF the
flock. Which will il be? Who'll capture
tie young minister?
1t was the loyciieSt of Sunday mornings
when young Rev. Robert Swain first
church at Blythewood He was at home
in the pulpit as at no other place. and he
handled his sermon i'll such an easy way as
to provoke the conclusion in the head of
every pretty maiden who saw him that
the new preacher is just two awfully
sweet"
Something in the welcome that was pie
tured on every face; in the fresh flowers on
the rostum; in the sweet music inspired the
young preacher, and he who was always
eloquent grew grandIy sublime. lie pre-
scented 4 dramatic appearance III tie pulpit
bis tall figure we'll shaped, surmountcl with
q splendid head covered with rayen-blac1
hair lie was the picture Of au eloquent
man.
At the close Of tie services the congrcga-
ton came forward and overwhelmed this
diflldent young man with a pr0Gu50n Of COM
pliments, congratulations and welcomes.
When he reached home he noticed that he
carried q bouquet Of flowers in his hand
And then he remembered how he came to
have them. n thrill of pleasure passed
through him at the recollection, Above all
he remembered the face Of the giyer. Il
was soft, full Of expression AMI extremely
beautiful. 1T was odd, very odd that he
should receive q bouquet from a pretty
young woman and come homa-hc, a minis
ter-With his head filed up with thoughts
q, or sweet face, lovely eyes, and ripe, red
That bouquet was the beginning of TO
II, '''0
The life of Robert Swain had been de-
voted to books and to study Women and
pretty faces had had no part in it. lie gave
mainly. He resn9ctoI fb.in 'i h,t u t i!u
made love to them H. had ,,a,oI cS,,r:-I.,,
ell the idea Of m,rra a in, Id,,'r
ITO tin,o If AZ 800 ~ i"H5 DNioIG
hocoI,ti ~ ~, YrcI,iS vi ti"7 STORY II u3d
y,o,,iI 10 80 ~ MS A,4u thit ne
oo,,tni nv tn;. nlJ .! ceIDacy; lie had ac-
i bSd bnn9 80 tt.o Iiltl}aHy' just as II
AZ fta, ' cn,, ~ o1,gleu ~ iatt.
n, Al'q 80 collis |" b%theWood change
came cam E OYER thgss The Pretty young woman
s,'r1 'i, VIZ Such modest smiles and in
hn,,r,,.+ 6I"9Jl'I haai,lef' han@ed him the
;',4 "l ~ a. l-Le cAnfch tHat morning, came
l,'I" nc young llilsters life more than any
0V d4F woman 4dd ever come into it.
Hst WaiI OF G3G Of the weathicst Of young
@ ,;ti IS p;lrlahioner. His acquaintance
MlIt' ngI progressed by slew degrees. From
hnI'1o,. ~ i'iI 70 speak 10 her he grew
,n;6it | s,,a;d liilaHy oFerc2me bis natural
WIN WIN her, 1t came to pass in time that he
spent whole afternoons with her. She
proved an attractive and interesting com
pahion. lie neglected lis books. almost
ii7 UuitN, " ltlh - Hef. lie loved to sit
ana watch her talk, watch her graceful
hioTenentS and the varying expressions
OIL hGr lace
al HrellE women have lovers and Kath-
H tI1, b9"I1hs was no exception. She had
liosIs % tlelh ana she gave 4 certain
amount ~ Q! encouragement to all Of them.
S 1t. was Just little Of coquctte and the
,lattcly OF men pleased her. She liked TO
nave 1hem hanging around But this fauIt
was iPr greatest she had a kind heart,
Dut she was miSchlevous.
% Wheh the young minister began pay
ing her attentions she accepted them in
n,oceltly enough at first She encouraged
mem and even when she saw his eyes
h&ht up with emotion. while looking into
hers. she grew less amjabie TO him. 1t oc-
cured to her that she would like to
lead man like him about by the heart.
Under Just such circumstances as these
did Rev. Robert Swain grow to love Hath
crine Downing with a love almost idolo-
t1ous.
With the young minister this condition of
affairs was terrible The devotion, the
time, the thought which he bestowed Unon
this young woman was taken from his dll-