, 1898-09-16
DURELL's MISSION.

UUKELLS MISSION.
Rev. Icabod Durell carefully stroked
his quill pen and adjusted his glasses
more evenly on his nose and proceeded
to write out his sermon, in which he
was pointing out the error of allowing
merely temporal things to interfere
with those Of eternal significance. lea
bod was a plain, earnest man, who
worked faithfully at the problems of a
parish in colonial Virginia, which were
much like those of every parish every
where, only that he had come into closer
touch with his people than have many
ministers before and since his day.
Icabod bit his pen in hope of inspira-
ton, but his thoughts would turn from
his theme to II of the younger men in
whom he was deeply interested and of
whom lately he had seen but little, and
he found it difficult to select texts in
Genesis and Revelation exactly to illus
trate his point. So he sat at his square
mahogany table absorbed in thought
and drew the plume of his quill pen
back and forth in a reflective way across
his nose.
James Hopkins came in through the
open door and patiently waited for the
parson to finish the sentence which he
was writing. This Icabod finally &C.
complished and became aware of Hop
kins, standing near.
81 didn't hear you," he said, apollo
giving.
"No matter" answered Hopkins,
and both men sat down beside the big,
book laden table.
"Parson, I'm in trouble" Hopkins
began, land l want your help"
Anything 1 can do" said Icabod,
'you know / will"
Hopkins hesitated. Then he took the
plunge. "It's about Sally Dawes.
suppose you'll laugh at me for com,
Ing" and he fumbled the hat in his
hand, "but l can't make her listen to
mi, and / don't know what to do. She
promised to marry me, and now she
snys that she never will"
The parson waited for him to go on,
but Hopkins seemed to have finished all
he had to say.
"And you want me to speak to her?''
Icabod inquired, looking at his embar.
raised caller with some amusement.
"Yes," said Hopkins, land l want
you to make her marry me. You could
do It. You know I'd be a good hus.
band, and you could talk about it-and
explain things" he ended rather
vaguely.
Icabod was silent. He considered a
moment.
"Well, James," he answered, "I'll
speak to Sally Dawes for you. but she
has many men to choose from, you
know that, and I'm but o poor pleader.
Still I'll try"
Hopkins looked appreciative and Of
fered tho pnrson a pinch of snuff. Then
he ross, and the two men shook hands,
and Hopkins went out into the summer
world.
Icabod looked after him with some
c~omplacency. So it was this that had
been keeping him away. He would
straighten out matters with Sally
Dawes. The girl was a fool not to keeI
man like Hopkins if once she had the
luck to get him. Meantime there was
his sermon, 80 he went back to the TIA
bio and again gently rubbed his nose
with his feathered pen and tried once
more to get the drift Of his argument.
The next afternoon Icabod rode ovel
to the Dawes plantation, where he
found two Of his younger brethren en-
Toying themselves in Miss Sally's com
pany. With patience and long suffering
be waited until they reluctantly had
gone, and then he proceeded at once te
deliver his message.
"And he's a worthy man, and you
should be ashamed to treat him tc
whom you're betrothed in such u fash
ion," he ended.
Sally listened sttentively and ar
ranged her neckerchief.
cts no different from the way ]
have treated the Others, " she answered
at last, with nj attempt to seem i'm
pressed with her own faults. ''If Jamei
Hopkins would come a-woOing, let him
bespeak himself and not go bothering
the parson."
"It's no such great bother" replied
Icabod candidiy, with the air OF one
who valves the point merely OF guam
tity. "only you don't seem to under
Stand what your actions mean to Jamei
Hopkins. He's no man to be forever
chasing after q woman. There are
many girls in the county who'd be glao
Of him."
"They're welcome t him, and you
may tell James Hopkins the same ano
give him my best good wishes, - replied
Gally, with all sweetness.
80 the interview ended. It seemed te
Icabod useless to discuss the subject
further, He had done his duty, and i,
va nearing supper time, SO he took hi
loavo and rode away, amused and rathel
ooery and wondering which OF tho othel
young men was to marry the prettiest
airl in the parish. Her picture CANT
back to him Is she had stood on the low
uaasa, one arm resting against the vim
oossred post, the sunshine playing on
~ mir hair, which had blown a little
ovse her brown eyes, so filled with
mischief. 6hs certainly was the pref
tsst maiden In the parish, lcabod
AhpnGhss snere candor compelled the ad'
0aaic, and he wondered II the eea
0hmtweaId b overdone, and according
~ spnaied LIS riding stick and husT1es
0toMerd the parsonage.
14&1ng tn Sunday incoming. nop
Is 80 the parson, md Wnel
h0e1fhe sesult Of the tntefvfss
$3.50 afMppointed.