The advocate., 1894-04-18

0V AOAAOs INV NONAA AOO w SAOOAAy III
his presence. No one ever came in
contact with this man who was not the
better for his very atmosphere. He was
Phillips Brooks reared in poverty and
ADLER to eltrue sympathy for the poor.
The effect of his conversation was not
unlike the effect produced by the con-
VersatiOn Of the poet Burns as indicated
by the traditions of that bard's visit to
Edinburgh. His hearers were under
kind of happy spell. Kate's own
largely latent gift Of speech was called
out by MaSOn's conversation and she
was intoxicated with the astonishing
discovery that she could so easily "talk
with preacher" while Mason was de-
lighted with her elegant extempore die
tiOn. The time passed so rapidly in
such company that supper was ready
when she had not supposed she had
been there an hour since dinner, and
then Mrs. Mason urged her to remain
and attend church again that evening,
while Mason protested that if she did
not do so, he would be obliged to turn
evangelist and ask the prayers OF the
congregation for the WickedeSt sinner in
town; so Kate was persuaded to stay.
But when church time came, Mrs.
Mason made no preparation to go, and
upon remarking the fact, Kate dis
covered that Mrs. Mason never went
out to the night services. Here was an
awkward situation, but what was to be
done? Nothing, my fair reader, but
what 1O0S done-what you know we'll
enough you would have wished should
be done under the circumstances had
you been in Kate's place. The preacher
and the News reporter went alone to
the evening services. Was there any
harm in that? He escorted her to
seat, while the already large congrega-
tiOn, especially the manageable fe-
male portion of it, stared. Never before
had the Rev. Marshall Mason, since his
first coming to Risington, been known
to even walk with any other woman
than his mother. The youthful sisters
finally decided that the strange young
lady must be some visiting relative;
she was too undeniably beautiful to
make any other opinion endurable.
Mason had requested Kate to wait
for him; and as soon as the services
were concluded, he hastened to her and
they walked to her suburban home. 1t
was nearly mile from the church, but
the shortness of the distance annoyed
them.
Kate knew now that she had not
loved Clarence Diegal, and that she
could not have loved him. MasOn's
strong, manly, noble nature had awak-
ened her hearts full power of affection,
and she breathed the air the angels
breathe. She walked in a beautiful
dream, herself a dream. The material
universe had disappeared, and only
soul was real-only that one soul which
seemed drawing hers and which hers
leaped to join. There was no inclina
tion to coquetry; no effort at conceal
ment. 1t seemed to her that there had
never been time when she had not
walked thus by this strong mans side,
with this feeling of absolute trust and
security; and she had no wish but that
she might walk thus, on, on, forever;
no sadness but in the knowledge that
this first brief journey so soon must
end. Her regard for Clarence had been
a child'S passing infatuation; to Mason
she gave a woman'S full-Orbed love.
And Mason? He had a poets heart,
and loved as true poets love. The love
of which Lowell sang in those pathetic
lines to "The Dead House" upon re-
turning from a new-made grave:
THE many make the household,
But only one the home.
Twas just womanly presence,
An influence uneXprest,
But rose she had worn, on my grave-sod
We're more than long life with the rest
Twas q smile twas q garments rustic,
Twas nothing that / can phrase,
But the whole dumb dwelling grew conscious,
And put on her looks and ways
The love that inspired Petrarch's SON
nets To his dead .anra and cad RnrnS'