The Yale expositor., 1896-07-31

light died out in darkness.
Appleblow was particularly unfortu
nate in this respect; 1t was, in fact,
famed for it's dismission Of pastors
| without peculiar provocation. Many
a grave, middle-aged man gave good
advice to Walter Redlaw, the newly
fledged clergyman who at last pro-
claimed himself willing to be installed
as pastor of Applebow. Men of more
experience, men old enough to be Red
laws grandfather, had failed there
able men, too, whose orthodoxy could
not be questioned. Redlaw was a man
Of promise-why should he doom him
self to certain disappointment at the
outset of his career? Nobody approved
of the act; but Redlaw, ardent, hopeful,
and not twenty-five, was all the more
resolved to accept the CALL To sue
coed where no one else had ever sue
ceeded before him, to do good, to be-
come beloved, to see his congregation
| grow about him, and to end his days
at last where he had begun his life of
pastor, wept for by old and young, and
humbly looking forward for reward in
heaven for the good he (as an instru-
ment in his Makers hands, had done
amongst his flock-a pure and beauti-
| full ambition, albeit worldly men might
smile at it as being very humble.
So Walter Redlaw came to Applebow
and stood before the pulpit during the
ceremony OF installation one evening
! al,o he
bytery with an humble determination
| God helping HIM to obey it and the
next Sabbath stood in the pulpit and
preached unto the people.
There are some very young men who
have all woman's beauty without be-
ing effeminate. Walter Redlaw was
| one of these. He had soft, golden
brown hair, which could not be dubbed
''red" by his greatest enemy. A broad
! high forehead. white as flesh and blood
could be, regular features, pearly teeth
| and color that came and sent---Ns
the faintest tinge of rose-leaf, now the
deepest carnation. Moreover, he was
neither puny nor ungraceful, stood
straight as an arrow, and had voice
clesr and musical and powerful enough
to fill the church without an effort.
That day bright eyes looked up at
| the young minister, and many girl,
If the truth were but known, thought
more of his fair face than of his SER
mon, and he, preaching with all his
! soul in the words he uttered, thought
not at all Of any one of them.
Perhaps they did not quite under
stand this, for that night, when family
prayers were over, and shutters closed
and barred, and old folks snoring in
their beds, more than one girl in the
snug little village of Appleblow stood
before her glass and wondered how she
would look in white muslin and orange
flowers, and all the paraphernalia OF a
bride; or in black silk dress and broche
shawl and straw bonnet trimmed with
white ribbon (Appleblow fashions were
yet primitive), sailing slowly up the
aisle of the little church some Sunday,
while envious maidens gazed and whis-
pered, There goes the minister's
wife"
And, at the same moment, Walter
Redlaw, sitting at his desk, traced, at
the beginning of long and loving
letter, the words-"My dearest Rosa
Sewing societies, fairs, tea-drinkings,
merry makings of all kinds followed
each other in quick succession. Apple
bow, so to speak, caroused, though in
a genteel and virtuous fashion, for the
next three months, and Miss Pinche-
mall, the dressmaker, took a new ap-
prentice and superintendent the fitting
department herself. leaving the needle
to vulgar hands, SO great was the de-
mand upon her skill. New bonnets,
too, purchased in "the city," came by
express to Appleblow, and the nine
Misses Fish excited envy unparalleled
by appearing in the first bodices ever
seen in the village, all of black velvet
trimmed with scarlet.
Successful! there had never been
such success before; nobody dared to
find fault with Walter Redlaw, upheld
by all the womankind of Appleblow-
maid and matron, young and old,
grandmothers, granddaughters. man.
mas, spinsters, aunts and schoolgirls.
By-andby whispered rumors were
set af1oat. The young minister had paid
particular attention to Miss Smith, he
was seen out walking with Miss Brown,
he had taken tea thrice with Mrs.
Jones, who had two unmarried daugh-
tiers; in fact, he was engaged in turn to
every single lady in the village, If re-
port said truly; though, on the state
ment being made over the teacups
some one was always found to aver
with downcast looks and conscious
bushes, that she had particular rea-
sons for knowing the rumor could not
possibly have slightest foundation"
Then dearest friends" became RI
walls, and feminine Damons and Ply
thiases didn't speak," and young
farmers, tradesmen, the schoolmastel
and the doctor were Tilted, one and all
in the most ruthless manner, for the
fair-haired, blue-eyed young pastor
who had no more thought of aspiring
to be king Of hearts in Appleblow thar
he had Of attempting to become Presi
dent of the United States, but was gen
tie and amiable to all alike.