Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-08-30
A NEW FIELD.

So secluded and quiet was the village Of
about 1t, that it seemed not unlike q
modern garden of Eden, without any SER
pent to create a disturbance. Mr.. Wright
was confident that the people would prove
to be guileless and kindly.
One Sunday In the early fall he began
his duties as rector. He preached q CHEEKY,
sympathetic sermon, telling his hearers
what he purposed to do for them and ask
ing for their hearty cooperation. Many
shook hands with him after the service
and promised to aid him.
During the next month the Rev. Henry
Wright pursued his work with zeal. He
called on his Pensioners and sought to be-
come well acquainted with them. He
preached sermons that were interesting,
even if not filled with deep thought, and
he received frequent compliments.
He noticed that the maiden ladies, of
whom there were II goodly number, some
rather old and sedate, others young and
blooming, manifested a lively interest in
him, but his modesty and inexperience led
him to believe that they sought his pres
ence for spiritual guidance rather for any
worldly reasons.
But his tranquil days were numbered.
When Miss Charlotte Lacey and her
widowed mother came from a city to
Broadlawn to reside, the r~ector's interest
in life was no longer strictly confined to
his clerical duties.
Miss Lacey was one of those sweet, spir-
itual beings whose effect on susceptible
and sovnon%io ,royx e. chat - q nolc
walking upon the earth. The young oler.
gyman, taught to reverence good women,
felt that his heart was smitten and began
TO- show her timid attention not vouchsafed
to other female members of his flock.
Miss Lacey Joined the choir, and all the
men declared that her singing was beauti-
full beyond anything that had ever been
heard in the church. As he listened to her
voice it was with great difficulty that the
Rev. Henry Wright could prevent his
thoughts from wandering into channels
not suited to the sacredness Of the occa-
sion, and that his eyes, in spite Of his eau
ton, wandered in Charlotte's direction
too often was the verdict of more than one
closely watching spinster in his congrega-
ton.
One morning Miss Almira Thorough
wheat, daughter of Simon Thorough
wheat, first vestryman Of St. Johns
church, met Mr.. Wright at the store and
in a gracious manner invited him In be-
half Of her father and herself to take tea
with them in the evening.
The tea was q somewhat austere affair
in spite of the efforts Of entertainers and
guest to make themselves agreeable. Mr..
Thoroughwheat's grave, cold face was in
hospitabls to smiles. Both he and his
daughter had long, thin noses and grim,
square jaws.
BY their imperious methods they had
conquered the weak and incurred the en-
nifty Of the strong. As most of the mem
bsrs of st. Johns church were possessed
of a moderate personality, Mr.. Thorough
wheat and his daughter, by virtue of their
masterful natures, had naturally become
the rulers of the congregation, their will
being regarded as law.
Already aware Of this fact, the new REQ
tor was haunted with a fo%reboding that II
he insisted on his full rights he would be
likely to offend his naughty parishioners
and bring upon himself much trouble.
On the other hand, MI. Thoroughbred
and Miss Almira suspected that Mr..
Wright had a mind of his own; that he
might not consent to be under their
thumbs, a. had been the case with his pre-
decessor, a old clergyman devoid Of force
of character.
II hope" said Mr.. Thoroughwheat aft.
er the cake had been passed and the eating
was that Of persons who nave already par
taken Of enough, THAT you will be careful
not to depart in your preaching from the
sound doctrines Of the church. / thought
I detected a rather dangerous tendency to-
ward the 90 called liberal ideas Of the day
In your last sermon"
II believe In maintaining the regular
doctrines of the church. But you must
know that nowadays our thoughtful clergy
men favor a broader and more intelligent
interpretation Of the Scriptures than that
which was permitted in a less enlightened
age"
"The faith Of my fathers ia good enough
for me, and 1t is good enough for other
people too. do not believe In newfan
gled notions"
"But you believe in progress. You use
q moving machine and hook and tackle
for removing hay from the cart to the NOW
Of your barn. Your father used soythes
and pitohforks."
THAT is another thing. l an aston
ished to hear you compare modern inven.
tions with the doctrines Of Christianity.
The Bible IL the revealed word Of God. II
n the sams now that 1t even was-an un
alterabls guide for sinful man."
UNovnA h~%han, ~nr S~v. 80 ->A a-Az
. controversy, said Miss Almira, with q
hard sort Of laugh. Let us change the
subject and retire to the parlor."
Almira had her own reasons for not
Wishing her father to become angry with
Mr.. Wright. She did not purpose to lei
her father interfere with her plans. But
she had her own disagreeable topic In
readiness and introduced 1t while her IA.
Their was absent for the purpose Of attend.
ing to his late chores.
"You like singing very much, I BE-
%lieve," she remarked.
"Yes, l am glad that u choir, Of
which you have long been the leader,
takes 80 much interest In their work and
help make our services attractive"
1--WE have q new singer, Miss Laoey,
who IL quite active"
Eyes. She will prove to be q very de-.
sirable addition to the choir, I trust, said
the unsophistioated clergyman unguard'
eddy. "She has q sweet voice and has been
we'll trained In the art"
II agree with you that she IL a good
singer, but I am afraid she will try ia