The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-07-14

otherwise, however, it is doubtful
whether the young theological student
would have observed it. He was plunged
deeply in thought, and as his feet trav-
ersed the six or seven blocks that lay
between his fathers shop and the Stur-
gis residence his mind travelled. once
again over the seven years that had in
| tervened since that eventful day when
Madeline Sturgis had come into his life.
| AS he looked back at the boy that he
was then he wondered how he had ven.
tured to let the seed of hope take root
in his heart. The son of cheap Ger.
man tailor; his companions, like him.
| self, the children of poor tradesmen-it
| was certainly wild notion that pos
sessed him to WOO and win this aristo
cratic little maiden, whose people were
not only rich enough to buy and sell
him and his father a thousand times
over but were of a social stratum far
above that in which the Engfers lived
and moved and had their being.
| He remembered how he had carried
home the first riding-habit when it was
finished and how he had been asked to
wait in the dining-ro until Miss Stur
gis could try it on and ascertain wheth
er it was entirely satisfactory; and he
recalled how he had sat there in that
basement apartment with it's extension
table and its leather-covered chairs;
how he had looked with admiration
upon the engravings in walnut frames
that hung upon the walls, and how he
had hoped all the time that there might
be some complaint, so that the little la.
dy would come down to show him just
what was wrong and he could get an
other glimpse of her. But his father
was good workman. The habit was
all that could be desired, and he had re-
turned home disappointed.
The days when he saw Madeline he
called his red-letter days, and for a
time they were fewer than those that
are indicated in the printed calendars.
One January afternoon, however, Mrs
Sturgis had come into the shop and
had asked his father if Karl would not
like to go to the mission Sunday-school
on Carmine street, in which she was
very much interested, and his father,
who would have gone through fire and
flood to please customer, SO fearful
was he of losing a dollars worth of
trade, had said that Karl would certain
ly be there on the following Sunday.
From that time on he saw her more
frequently, and his infatuation in
creased in proportion. She taught a
class of small boys across the aisle
from where he usually sat, and on
more than one occasion the maiden
lady who presided over the group OF
larger boys of which he was one, was
compelled to demand with some en-,
phasis his return to the business of the
hour, his gaze having way of wander.
ing repeatedly from his catechism or
his Bible to the face of the pretty little
teacher IN the opposite pew.
One incident that he recalled with
some pleasure had occurred on Sun.
day afternoon in early spring. He had
noticed that Mrs. Sturgis was not
present in the chapel; that Madeline
had come alone; and he had wondered
all through the lesson whether it
would seem rude on his part, after the
close of the session, to offer to walk
home with her. If he only could, he
thought, it would be the happiest day
of his life; but he feared that she might
think him impudent and presuming,
and, when the school was dismissed,
and the scholars and teachers filed out
into the street, he lacked the courage to
go forward and speak to her.
But his happiness had come, never.
,theless; for, in following her at what
he considered most respectful dis
stance, his eyes never once leaving her
1.-the young figure, clad in well-fittine
spring jacket that his father had cut
with his own hand, he had seen her
rudely jostled by drunken man, and
had dashed to her aid almost before he
realized what he was doing. The rec
election of her gratitude was one Of
his most cherished memories; and now,
as he turned into Washington place, he
was thinking of how, on that occasion,
her manner was so cordial and so CON-
.pletely lacking in any indication that
she recognized any difference whatever
in their social station.
He remembered that it was on that
day that his determination to study for
the ministry was formed, and that it
grew out of her telling him that the
assistant minister ut the mission had
dined with them on the evening before
''The day will come, he had thought,
"when l, too, may be asked there to
dine"
And now he was thinking that day
might not be SO far distant; for, was he
not going to the mission, the week fol-
lowing, to take the place, temporarily,
of that very same assistant minister,
Rev. Mr.. David, who, he had heard,
was to be married and go to Europe for
a three months honeymoon tour?
Yes, it was true, as Lord Beacons-
field had said: ''Any man may bewhat
ne makes up his mind to be-" = ''
BY the time young Engfer reached
the Sturgis residence he had walked
and thought himself out of the gloom
pf his blues and his selfzchidings iAte
the radiant sunshine of herr -
thai Was on t"~ - ueIerred
ii-- ---o verge of realization,
ana he whistled softly merrier air
than was to be found in the hymnal as
he tripped lightly down the stone steps
OF the area way and rang the bell.
1t was his intention to hand in the
bundle and to make off as quickly as
possible. He had no notion of being
recognized, and above all he wished to
avoid the possibility of request to
wait in the dining-room, as he had of
yore, the verdict as to fit In making
these plans he had counted upon the
bell being answered by housemaid.