Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-08-18
A Parochial Explanation
BY CRAIG CORNISH.
Copyright, 1895.
DEv. TCABOD DURELL thoughtful-
Copyright, 1898.

DEv. TCABOD DURELL thoughtful
n ly stroked his quill pen and ad-
busted his glasses more evenly on his
nose and proceeded to write his SER
mon, in which he was pointing out the
error of allowing merely temporal
things to interfere with those of eter-
nal significance. Icabod was plain,
earnest man, who worked faithfully
at the problems of parish in colonial
Virginia, which were very much like
those of every parish everywhere, only
that he had come into closer touch
with his people than have many min
listers before and since his day.
Icabod bit his pen in hope of inspira-
zion, but his thoughts would turn from
his theme to one 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
illustrate 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 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 ac-
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, "and I want your help"
Anything I can do" said Icabod,
"you know I will"
Hopkins hesitated. Then he took the
plunge. cts about Sally Dawes.
suppose you'll laugh at me for COM
ing" and he fumbled his hat in his
hand, shut can't make her listen to
me, and I don't know what to do. She
promised to marry me, and now she
says 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
embarrassed caller with some amuse-
ment.
EYES," said Hopkins, "and want you
&c make her marry me. You could do
it. You know I'd be a good husband,
and you could talk about it-and ex-
plain things" he ended, rather
vaguely.
Icabod was silent. He considered a
moment.
"Well, James," he answered, It'll
speak to Sally Dawes for you, but she
has many men to choose from, you
know that, and Tn but poor pleader.
Still, I'll try"
Hopkins looked appreciative and Of
fered the parson a pinch of snuff. Then
he rose and the two men shook hands
pnd Hopkins went out into the sum-
mer world.
Icabod looked after him with some
complacency. So it was this that had
been keeping him away! He would
straighten out matters with Sally
Dawes. The girl was fool not to keep
man like Hopkins if once she had the
luck to get him. Meantime there was
his sermon; so he went back to the
table 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 over
to the Dawes plantation, where he
found two of his younger brethren en-
joying themselves in Miss Sally's COM
pany. With patience and long suffer
ing he waited until they reluctantly
had gone, and then he proceeded at
once to deliver his message.
Sand he's worthy man, and you
should be ashamed to treat him to
whom you're betrothed in such fash
jon," he ended.
Sally listened attentively and ar
ranged her neckerchief.
"It's no different from the way I
have treated the Others" she an
swered, at last, with no attempt to
seem impressed with her own faults.
eff James Hopkins would come a-woo-
Ing, let him bespeak himself, and not
go Botheringithe parson."
"It's no such great bother" replied
Icabod, candidly, with the air of one
who valves the point merely of guam
tity, "oniy you don't seem to under
stand what your actions mean to
James Hopkins. He's no man to be for
ever chasing after woman. There
are many girls in the county who'd
be glad of him."
They're welcome to him, and you
may tell James Hopkins the same, and
give him my best good Wishes" re-
piled Sally, with all sweetness.
So the interview ended. 1t seemed
to Icabod useless to discuss the sub
ject farther. He had done his duty,
and it was nearing supper time, so he
took his leave and rode away, amused
and rather sorry, and wondering
which of the other young men was to