The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-08-30
Thus. angel of our later DAYS,
WIDDER PEEK'S PASSING.

For the first time since her marriage
Mrs. Herbert ID. Ward drops her hus.
bands name and writes for the Cen.
fury striking story. "rhe Supply al
st. Aga tha'S over the familiar and
beloved name OF Elizabeth Stuart
lh"lps. Her reason for taking up the
c'd naEic again. II is said. is because
her present story is purely in the line
OF her earlier efforts. Her admirers
will believe it the best work she has
doue since Gates Ajar" appeared. A
brief extract follows:
The old clergyman sat with his feet
upon the base OF his little cylinder
coai stove. His thin ankles shrank in
thc damp stockings which he had moi
been able to change since he came in
ont of the storm, because, owing to
sOinc personal preference of the
laundress, he could not find any dry
ones. His worn slippers tapped upon
his cold feet when he moved. But he
had on his flowcred dressing gown of
ancient pattern and rustic cut; his
high arm chair was cushioned In
chintz and excelsior behind his aching
head; the grecn paper shade was on
lils study lamp; his bcst-bcloved books
tfor the old saint was a STUDENT lay
within reach upon the table; piled upon
them were his manuscript sermons;
and he sighed with the content of a
man who feels himself to be. although
unworthy in the loving arms of lux.
ury A rap at the door undccrjved
him. His landlady put in her with
cred face.
"Sfr." she said. "thc Widder rcek's
a-dying. It's just like her to rake a
night like this-but she's sent for YOU
! must say don't call you fit to 20"
"A man is always fit to do his duty"
said the old clergyman, rising. 81 will
30 at once. Did she scnd-any-con.
veyanceT
"Catch her" retortcd the landlady.
"Why, she hlln't had the town water
let in yct-and she wuth her htteen
thousand dollars; nor she won't have
no hired girl to do for her, not that
none of 'em will stay along OF her a
week. and Dobson'S boys at the door,
a-drippin' and cussln' to get you, for
he's nigh showed under. Shes a wuth-
less old heather miSer, the Wldder
Peek"
"Then there Is every reason why l
should not neglect her" replied the
clergyman in his authoritad tive voice.
pray call the lad in from the weather
and tell him | will accompany him at
once"
He did look about his study sadly
while he was making ready to leave
it. The fire In the basc-burner was
quite Wapm now, and his wet, much-
darned stockings were beginning TO
dry. The room looked sheltered ana
pleasant; his books ran to the ceiling,
though his floor was covered with
straw mating, with odd pieces of
wooden carpet for rugs; his carpet
covered lounge was wheeled out Of
the draft; his lamp with the green
shade made a little circle of light ana
coZ!ness; his Bible and prayer book
Law open within it, beside the pile OF
sermons. He had meant to devote
the evening to the agreeable duty of
selecting his discourse for Saint
Agatha's. His mind and his heart
were brimming over with the eXcte.
ment of that first event. lie Wouiu
have liked to concentrate ana conSe-
crate his thoughts upon 1t that even
ing. AS he went coughing, into the
cold entry, it occurred to him that the
spot in his lung was more painful than
he had supposed; but he pulled his old
cap over his ears, and his thin over
coat up to meet ii, and tramped out
cheerfully into the storm.
"Well, well. my lad" he said in his
warm-hearted way to Dobson's boy;
'I'm sorry for you that you have To
be out Il night like this. :,
The boy spoke of this afterward,
and remembered II long-for a boy
But at the time he did but stare. lie
stopped grumbling, however, ana
plunged on into the drifts ahead OF
the old rector, kicking a path for him
to right and left in the wet, packed
snow; for the Widow Peek lived AT
least mile away, and the storm was
now become n virulent thing.
What passed between the unloved'
neglected, dying parishioner and her
pastor was not known to any but
themselves, nor is there witness now
TO testify thereof. Neither does 1t In
any way concern the record of this
narrative except as the least may con-
Germ the largest circumstance in hui
man story. For, in view Of what came
To pass. it is impossible not to put the
old judicial question: DID II pay
Was ii worth while? When the miser :
soul went out, at midnight, on inc
wings and the rage of that blind,
black storm, did it pass gently, a SUD-
dued, forgiven spirit humble to learn
how to live again, for Chrlsts sake
cnd his who gave hmself-as his Mas.
ter had before him-to comfort ana
TO save? Did it payT DO such thlnSs
pay? God knows. But as long as
men do not know, there VIII always
be found n few among them VINO VIII
elect to disregard the doubt, to Wear
the divinity of uncalculNting sacrlnce'
and to pay its price.