The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
THE RETURN OF THE
PRODIGAL..
author of Phyllis of Philistia,e THE Je
samy Bride Etc

author Of Phyllis of Philistia >, 1.-THE les
samy Bride Etc
Copyrighted 1897 by F. Frankfort Moore.
The rector Of Elmthorpe was said by some
people to be hard man; by others he was
said to be just man; but no one who has
mad an average experience of life will find
any great difficulty in reconciling the two
statements. 1t is usually the men who are
strictly just who are also the hardest. The
Rev. Edwin Hargrove made it point never
to owe man farthing, and he gave ev-
eryone 10 understand that he expected RI he
paid in full by such persons who owed him
money. He attended to his duties as
parson towards his parishioners. and he in
sisted on his parishioners doing their duty
10 their parson.
No human being could point to an unjust
act that he had done, but at the same time
no one remembered his having failed TO
exact the uttermost farthing from the men
who farmed the glebe land He paid his
servants literally, but if one of them silent
too long in the morning or remained IN too
late at night the delinquent was severely,
reproved. He changed his curate rather
more frequently than the majority of rec
tors of the county, but that was. he said
because they had not the same high stand
ard of duty as he had raised for himself
He could not understand how his brethren
could reconcile it to their consciences to
employ slovenly young men who had the
effrontery to resent--to such a pass had
matters come in the church NOWADAYS
even a mild reproof for preaching only n
quarter of an hour instead of the minimum
of twenty minutes.
When some of his brethren had mildly
suggested. on hearing his complaint respect
ing one Of the curates who had given short
measure, that perhaps the young man had
been actuated through a desire to be merci-
fIl to the congregation, Mr.. Hargrove put
on his sternest expression while he said:
when engage a curate take care to
tell him that he is to preach for twenty
minutes every Sunday evening If he then
accepts the situation. and yet only breaches
for a quarter of an hour. he is guilty of
fraud-yes, a form of fraud"
He could not understand why his brother
parsons should feel greatly amused at his
explanation of his differences with curates.
He felt that the laXity Of clergymen nova
days was a source of great danger to the
church.
However accurate his apprehension may
have been in regard to this particular point.
no one could deny that laxity existed in
another direction-namely the payment OF
the glebe rents by the farmers. The rector
could not why he should not receive his
rents in full, even though he knew that
thousands of acres in his own county were
lying uncultivated, and every one for miles
round was complaining that farming could
not be carried on for any length of time
in England except at loss But the fact
of his want of perception in this matter
did not cause any visible improvement TO
take place in his tenants payments.
One of them asked him if he expected
that glebe farms should pay when agri-
culture over the whole country was far be-
low paying point? Was the glebe to be
lard of Goshen, while an Egyptian dark
ness of depression was over all the land?
1t was easy enough and appropriate
enough to tell the man not to be irrever-
ent. 1t was not easy to get him to pay
his rent; and thus the rector of Elrnthorpe
found on making rough calculation, that
his income for the year would fall short of
what it should be by over two hundred
pounds.
He had just made his calculation when
his daughter Alice entered his study-the
room in which he wrote his sermons and
received his rents. when there were any to
receive. She had in her hand n letter, and
her face was beaming so joyfully that her
father began to suspect that something
had happened-something which was quite
likely to prove disagree able to him-a pro-
posal of marriage, or something nearly as
fntolerable.
What's the matter?" he inquired. II am
rather busy just at this moment, Alice. oh,
a letter. Who is it from?"
It's from Dick-from Dick at last" re-
piled the girl
Her fathers face darkened. His instinct
had not been at fault, he felt. He had sus-
pected that something wrong had occurred.
Dick was his rebelious son.
He has had the insolence to write to
you?" said the rector. did l not say that
you were TO hold no communication with
him."
You did. 1 have obeyed you, though it
broke my heart to do So 1t will be five
years next month since he went away. 1
have never written to him even once during
this long space nor has he sent me single
line until this moment" said Alice.
Il looked for obedience from you Alice.
For father to expect obedience from his
child is not great deal. If your brother
had been obedient he would not to-day be
in the position that he is
Alice gave a laugh. She repented of it in
a moment. and would have taken it back if
it had been in her power to do so. Her
father looked at her with a grave and ag-
grieved expression on his face.
This IS the first occasion upon which
you have manifested something of the re-
bellious spirit of your brother" he said.
Alice, 1 am ashamed of you. Better leave
me now"
Il have not read the letter to you, father"
pleaded Alice.
i do not wish to hear anything of it,
1t is sure to be about money. said the rec
tor.
She was silent.
is it about money! he asked.
Wei, yes, it is about money" she re-
Piled.
Was it a CLEAN of satisfaction that was
in the eye of that just man, the rector of
Emthorpe? Was it possible that he was
pleased to learn that his judgment had not
been at fault?
Il knew it, he cried. He spent at the
university as much money as though he
were the son of rich man, and when he
took part in that disgraceful act that caused
him 10 be sent down"
1t was only a boyish frolic. father"
boxrisI, frolfof A ho,-iSb fr0lo that