The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-02-21

| ter looked straight upon the harbor Un-
der his sitting room window was little
garden and at the end of the garden a
low wall, with stretch Of water be-
yond it and bark that lay at anchor
but stones throw away. as it seemed,
its masts overtopping the misty hillside
that closed the view. A green painted
door was let into the garden wall-a
door with two flaps, the upper Of which
stood open, and through this opening he
caught another glimpse Of gray water.
The landlady, who showed him into
this room and at once began to explain
looked, was hardly prepared for the rap
ture with which he stared out of the
window. His boyhood had been spent in
sooty Lancashire town, and to him the
green garden, the quay door, the bark
and the still water seemed to fall little
short of paradise.
II reckoned you'd like it," she said.
IAN, to be sure, It's blessing you do. T"
He turned his stare upon her for a mo-
ment. She was benign looking woman
OF about so, in short skirted gray gown
and widows cap
"Why do you say that?"
Because, leavin out the kitchen,
there's but four rooms, two for you an
two for me, two facin the harbor an two
facin the street. Now, if you'd took
dislike to this lookout, must ha' put
you over the street an moved in here my
sell. do like the street, too, there's SO
much more doin."
81 think this arrangement will be bet
ter i'll every way" said the young min.
ister
"I'm main glad. Iss, there's no deny
in that I'm main glad. From up stairs
you can see right down the harbor,
which is prettier again. Would'ee like
to sec it now? o. course you would, an
it'll be SO much handler for answerin
the door too. There's back door at the
end O. the passage. You've only to slip
bolt an you m out in the garden-out
to your boat, if you choose to keep one
But the gardens tidy little spot to
walk up an down in an make up your
sermons, wi nobody to overlook you but
the folk next door, an they m church.
goers. -
After supper that evening the young
minister unpacked his books and was
about to arrange them, but drifted to the
window instead. He paused for minute
or two, with his face close to the pane
and then flung up the sash. A faint
north wind breathed down the harbor,
scarcely ruffling the water. Around and
above him the frosty sky flashed with
innumerable stars, and behind the barks'
masts, behind the long chine of the east
ern hill, a soft radiance heralded the ris.
ing moon. 1t was the new moon, and
while he waited her thin horn pushed
up, as it were, through the furze brake
on the hills summit, and she mounted
into the free heaven. With upturned
eyes the young minister followed her
course for 20 minutes, not consciously
observant. for he was thinking over his
ambitions, and at his time of life these
are apt to soar with the moon. Though
possessed with zeal for good work in this
small seaside town, he intended that
Troy should be but stepping stone in
his journey. He meant to go far. And
while he meditated his future, forgetting
the chill in the night air, it was being
decided for him by stronger will than
his own. More than this. that will had
already passed into action. His destiny
was actually launched on the full spring.
tide that sucked the creyices OF the gray
wall at the gardeu's end.
A slight sound drew the ministers
gaze down from the moon to the quay
door. Its upper flap still stood open. al
lowing . square Of moonlight 10 pierce
the straight black shadow Of the garden
wall
In this square VI moonlight were new
framed the head and shonlders Of . hu.
man being