The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-15
"Little Minister" Resigns His Charge.

The Little Minister has left his pulpit
| in Thrums. OF course, most readers
know that Thrums is the novelistic alter
| ego of James M. Barre's native place.
| krriemuir, in Scotland. But not all, per-
| haps. know that Gavin Dishart. who mar
i ried Lady Babbie, was drawn from the
Rev William C. Conn. who for many
years has preached the gospel in the Aud
| LIGHT kirk to the satisfaction of the Kir-
| riemuir folk.
| For is there not in Barries Window in
Thrums' another little minister who
marries an Edinburgh lassie, and whose
| name is Dundas? Is not Mr.. Conn there
fore the original of Dundas?
The answer is plain Mr.. Conn sat I'M
consciously for both portraits. And if
you ask me how this may be, seeing that
Dundas and Dishart have little apparent
lY in common, ! will answer by saying
that Mr.. Barrie himself. in his margaret
OgiIvie." has ACKNOWLEDGED that he drew
not only two or a dozen, but all of his
heroines from his own mother. Lady
Babbie and the Edinburg lassie and a
score of other winsome lasses represent
this or that trait in the sweet tempered
but many sided old lady whom he has
immortalized under her maiden name of
Margaret Ogilvie. a
And now, why has Mr. Conn resigned
after giving such complete satisfaction as
is indicated in the "Window in Thrums?'
Merely because some of the older men,
bers of his congregation shook their or
thodoX heads over the fact that he had
preached in alien pulpits. They muttered
that he was becoming too broad, and
broad in their Technology meant at least
| a dangerous approach to heterodoxy. 1t
is true the presbytery acquitted him of all
blame, but the Little Minister decided that
| he did not care to remain to preach over
|
and has left for other fields where breadth
will not be imputed to him as a crime.
Another, a narrower minister, will sue
| coed him in the pulpit of the Aud LIGHT
! kirk and at the hosptable board of the
| auld manse.
| Clifton johnson of Hadley, Mass, who
| contributes a preface to the illustrated
| edition of "A Window in Thrums," pub
| lished by Dodd, Mead & Co., as likewise
the photographs which illuminate the
text, gives us in that preface a pleasant
| glimpse of the quaint old town which
| Barrie has celebrated.
This town is situated in Forfarshire
some 81 miles north of Edinburgh. A lit
tie stream runs through it, and on the
banks of this tream are two great stone
mills. which now monopolize pretty much
all the weaving trade that was formerly
done by domestic hand looms.
Formerly weaving was the only occupa-
ton of the Villagers Now this staple
industry is varied by pursuits of a semi
literary and semi-bibulous sort. The le-
gend souvenirs and lemonade are sold
within. which stares you in the face from
the identical little window of Barries
story, explains how the two can be con-
Joined. Many people visit the town and
climb the brae just to get a glimpse of
the humble, one story cottage which con-
tains the window. They arrive there
thirsty for information and for phys cal
refreshment. They obtain both at "a tri-
fling expense.
In its main characteristics the cottage
corresponds with that described by Bar
RE. 1t consists Of only two small rooms,
with small passageway between. The
room on the right is at once kitchen and
bedroom. That at the left is "the room"
Wnich rang and still rings with the elo-
quence and wit of Hendry McQumpha,
and just over the way is Hendry's cot.
| Mr.. Barrie himself during the frs: nine
| years of his life, lived in an ancient row
of dwellings known as the Tenements.
| Then his father removed to a stone house
which is still the latter's residence.-New
| York Herald.