The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-12

The v0Vr1Nt ocean tS lIlNV 0hEhAs L |.
The hes TT of me;
My soul may DO,
Ielongs unto tho sacred hills.
THE MINISTER'S MONEY.
II il hard to wish for books and have no
right to buy them. This long. narrow
shop, p ,opped between two fashion stores.
and seeming to bulge behind with the
weight Of learning ON it's shelves, tempted
the minister sorely. Two volumes no
wanted especially. His heart leapsd up to
SEQ the dea, old covers. They had been
familiar long ago. Within was treasure
that. poured into the mold OF his mind,
should yield distinction to many o sermon.
Tho dread that haunted him WAS OF dearth
when he stood in his pulpit. He had no
critic 90 cruel az the Rev. Richard East.
His thin. white fingers went over the
r~ouQhsnel calf with a strange. cnresslns
touch. He removed tho first and looked at
the price. His guess was a scholars sno'
and close to tho mark. The books were
rare and e3 was asked.
The minister could not hagg!e. IL was
an art beyond him. Nobody gave him dis
count in ~stokeley. YOU'D get more OF a
gloss on living il you'd clip the edges OF
the tradesmen's bills. as they deserve and
expect" said Mr.. Pankhurst. his fore
most elder. "Yes-thank you." said the
minister. His weak blue eyes were full OF
deans and his mouth wore a smile. Int
thing wns imprac.icable-cut of from him.
So was the right to dslve in those mines
of erudition and eloQuenoe. Three poundu
ten wa exactly the sun he had saved with
a struggle to spend in London. The odd
shillines were gone already. and the series
Of meetings he had como up to attend only
began Yesterday. The sterile talk at a con-
ference was before him now There tbs
pitv of IL all met him and made siGf
leave his lips. He had ceased to hope thai
the session which was his business would
helm him; but he knew that If he had these
1vo tall folios he would be a broader mar
and 4 fuller preacher. Poverty pressed him
back toward t%hreadbare themes. Even II
the trade. would TAX less no was forbidden
to bus.
The minister buttoned his coat about Mi
spere, STOPPING figure, and was soon seated
in An omnibus. He had wasted Tins. anc
the city clocks convicted him.
Crowded out. but in good company; two
laRgards together"
Bshind was the dark face Of Caleb Pank-
hurst, a strong man. and q rich. and a pitt
less, The minister's nerves were awry. hnc
the whisper. which was suppressed snont
shook them. The odd dream smile. tina
came and went by q law remote. unfathom'
able. was his only answe,. But hs sat dowr
where his elder pointed.
Whom the sitting ended there was q col.
lection, The Rev. Richard East felt 70
the small watch-caso purse which held hi
IS and the shilling he had destined for tn
box to-day. 1t was not to be found. Tn
flush came up and tho veins Of the minis
tar's forehead were darkened by she quiol
:,Gous-stoieuw he cried hoarsely.
"Whst do you mean? Has your poke
been picked? OF how much?"
Caleb Pankhurst's pity was vastly lik
soon to a fine ear i- bus h he nea mon, ve Hna b;
the world q Bit" was his usual verdict.
'.How much have you lost? You'll neve
soc a cent of it again, you may depsnd o.
that. 1t 10 really gone, ! suppose?'
They stood in the lobby now. The min
lister was slow In answering.
"Oi course III help you. The money
missing, don't You say7"
rive pounds? One-two?" He meas
ured tho shy mans means too accurately I
suggest large figures. 1t was a meaaer sal
'"Three pounds and and a shilling or tv
over"
Il was o queer. choksd gasp. Tho minis
ter was violently trembling. Masterl,
impatience regarded him with surpris
and forgot the cloth.
"Tut, man. never mind! Don't add
your head over it. There are worse troubl,
for some OF Us. I'll give 1t you out an
out; not . loan-you understand. IT.
run me close; but l am ut stokely t,
; nish'' SO no matter l insist on you t'hir
Tho minister put out his hands,
II to wave back the cleaning gold coin
There Was passion in the gesture. b
it failed. and he knew that he wac glad
failed.
"A eiftv' That was what he repeat,
many times AZ he went up Chanoery lal
and down Holborn. He staid himself ther
1t was like q rock In the ahsdowy sea. b
yond we're perplexities.
He stopped at the old book shop, and u
books were not gone. He had had q live
dread Of this. and it had winged his fee
The haste and anxiety was alike gratu
tous. He breathed moro freely % a CLAN
reassursd him. But q foyer was in his fin
ers Ms he lifted out both volumes and We
forward.
II will take these" he said.
As the string snapped the vendor look
into the white. eager face with a half smil
1t was as though he knew somewhat nj
words we're near. But he said: Thar
you." and the minister supposed that q
tithed cash pleased him. Perhaps
found the unquestioning customer rare.
In the retrospect it seemed to kicha
East as if he were mere mechanism tn
electing, deter mining man throughout I
crucial episode Of his career. In a way
went with that theory that he never RENE
bered the route he had taken to Finsbu
and his hotel. There 10, however, the otl
hypothesis, that the moment when /,
floods rose and SWEPT him from every q
chorage of his life was SO supreme Il
trivialities were erased. He may have Il
gotten because brain and heart staRger,
youth ushered into the room caused
minister to look mp. In Il scholars ecstt
he had been porting over his prize.
lamp he said. II am glad to see y
But how did you find me out?" He stepI
toward the boy with outstretohed hand.
scowl and a pair of flashing black eyes
PEELED him, and he stopped half way. ire
Lutte and surprised. Young Pankhurst '
a sad scamp. but he had never Def
shown want of respect to the ministe-.
Father told me l should find you
Temples hotel." said q surly voj
through which al agony rang. This Is
Mr.. East; father gave you c3 to-day. or.
least. he said 30. He couIan't help III
till Tomorrow. Then ii will be too Il
and l shall be q rogue and ruined,
stopped the money in the Office. 1t
only for a few hours. ! knew father
coming up and was sure of getting it