Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-14

their pastor.
They were three white-haired old dea-
cons, and they were filled not with shame /
and contrit!on, but with the solemn enthu- |
siasm that has animated religious perse-
cutors of all times and ages.
Brother Pastor" as they called their |
victim-that had been the loving name
by which he had been known in church
and village in happy days gone by--was
swrithing, visibly writing before them.
They had given him two terrible shocks
his flock had decided that he was growing
old, and he was asked to resign his pas
torate.
IF it is the Lords will, brethren" he
managed to gasp out, certainly, certain
" will do it."
sit is the Lords WILL" said the eldest of
the trio, with such conviction that Brother
Pastor bowed his head before him as if
he were inspired.
t'Shall i give the-the resignation to
you in writing?" he whispered hoarsely.
1--we never had occasion to write one be
fore, having had only this one church."
Yes" calculated the second eldest dea-
con- ''and let it take effect February LIST,
ID. vi think we may now depart, breth-
rem. All has been said that is necessary"
Brother Pastor ran his trembling tongue
over his dry lips to enable them to frame
the words Good morning."
Left alone, he stared blankly about him
for. a time, then went slowly from the
study to his bedroom. guiding himself for
the first time in his life by hand laid on
the stair rail. He must take care not to
stumble-old men are apt to hurt them
selves.
Arrived in his bedroom he cautiously.
and with somewhat shame-faced air,
triad n lonlf tho dnnr lTnsnanasSfllIv
so-a key had not been turned in his
house for thirty-tiye years. Well, it did
not matter if his housekeeper did come
upon him. He was going to do some
thing that was foolish, perhaps, but not
dishonorable.
With a faltering step he approached
the shabby wash-stand, and looked in the
tiny framed looking-glass over it. There
was the face that he had surveyed alb
sently so many times-his only motive
being to see whether it was clean. Now
he had a deeper one, and Brother Pastor
shuddered as he thought of it.
He would search for the signs of old
age that the church discovered in him.
0ld-why only few weeks ago, before
the young stripping from city theological
seminary had dashed into the village with
a fury and a zeal that had swept his old
fashioned elders into the background,
Brother Pastor had felt like grown-up
peaceful boy. But now, in some way or
other, that young man did make him feel
old.
He stared hard at the face in the glass
1T looks brown" he murmured, land
somewhat weatherbeaten, and there are
lines on it, but | should not call it the
face of an aged man. and my hair, though
grizzled. is thick. My mother did not get
the hoary head until she was eighty"
A sudden rush of emotion came over
him and he had to turn to the window.
He would think of something else. There
was the valley before hin--the beautiful
valley over which he had driven in snow
and rain and pleasant weather for thirty.
i've years. Marryings and buryings and
pastoral visits-how many there had been
Here he had brought up his children, anC
seen them go to homes of their own. Ovel
there in the church-yard lay the LITTLE
faithful WORKOUT body of his wife--tht
body that had been laid cheerfully on thu
altar of the church from which he was
about to be driven.
He felt as if his heart-strings wer,
swapping. then he pulled himself up AM
said aloud and sharply. This is weak
ness. / must remember that | am maj
and Christian. Also that | do not Sc,
myself as others see me. Perhaps" b,
added, as a sudden thought occurred t,
him, "the appearance of age is in my legs
wish that / could see them"
He glanced wstfully at the small glass
Five good-sized mirrors he and his wifi
had given as wedding presents to variou
members of their flock who had married
but never glass better than the cracke,
one he now possessed had they been will
ing to purchase for themselves.
He took it from the hook and set i
against the wall. Then he backed ava
from it, and by dint of man., neck-stretch
ings and head-cranings and a final liftin
of it to chair, he was able to obtain
piecemeal view of pair of straight leg
in faded black trousers. There was n
appearance of old age there, and he wa
just about replacing the glass when hi
X housekeeper, Miss Penelope Jones, Of
tered the room, her arms full of clea
clothes.
She dropped them hastily and withdrew
but not without II half-frantic glance
NV compassion at his suffering face. 81
was a little faded-ooking woman, rattle
slow of comprehension on general sui
:. jects, according TO her sisters in II
church, but as smart as steel trap whe,
Brother Pastors interests were CO
MI cerned. just now the universe was roe
ing for her. She knew all about the Ii
iRA uedNdi III The CnlTCn-snc ana Hf0th
Pastor We're to he turned out into ii
wilderness like Hagar and her son.
She went back to her kitchen wor
but after she had broken two pic plate
and had thrown bowl of minc"-me
into the fire, she tossed her apron ov
her head with a sob, and went out into 4
fresh air to compose herself.
mild benevolent sun smiled on h
though it was only "A week before Chri
mas, and the calmness and the purity
IN the snowy garden soothed her disturb
E mood. She walked slowly up the MIA
Y walk to the picket fence bounding t
parsonage grounds.
Behind the parsonage was the schn
house, and as it happened 10 be recess
number of children were playing ne
I the fence.
Miss Penelope drew near, and standi
.r still watched them unohserved. WI
for the lands sakes are they doinc:" 5
muttered.
Zareby Hoyt, the smartest. bright
child in the village was working husi
aided by detachment of girls. in raisi
sff snow mound.
Carefully their mittcned hands nat,
Ez it into roundneSs, their tongues By
lkS meanwhile. The scraps of conversat
MA that reached Miss Penelope puzzled