The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-03-01
BY REV. CHARLES M. SHELDON,

cOpws0Aa 1855. sy 1Ae AaDnaes nlbsashsno o.

simpler, less extravagant lives. And
yet here you live yourself like prince.
Like prince" he repeated after pc
culiar gesture, which seemed to include
not only what was in the room, but all
that was in the house.
Philip glanced at his wife as people
do when they suspect third person
being out of his mind and saw that her
expression was very much like his own
feeling. although not exactly. Then
they both glanced around the room.
1t certainly did look luxurious, even
if not princely. The parsonage was
an old mansion which had once be-
longed to a wealthy but eccentric
sea captain. He had built to please
himself. something after the colonial
fashion, and large square rooms, gen
erous fireplaces, with quaint mantels
and thing and hard wood floors gave
the house an appearance Of solid COM
fort that approached luxury. The
church in Milton had purchased the
property from the heirs, who had be-
come involved in ruinous speculation
and parted with the house for a sum
little representing its real worth. 1t
had been changed a little and modern
ized. although the old fireplaces still re-
manned. and one spare room, an annex
to the muse prv.-l, mao Dcru auucu
recently. There wsls an air Of decided
comfort, bordering on luxury, in the
different pieces Of furniture and the
whole appearance Of the room.
"You understand" said Philip, as his
glance travelled back to his visitor,
that this house is not mine. 1t be-
longs to my church. 1t Is the parson-
age, and / am simply living in it as
the minister"
yes, l understand. You, minister,
are living in this princely house while
other people have not where to lay
their heads"
Again Philip felt the same tempta-
ton to anger steal into him, and again
he checked himself at the thought:
"The man is certainly insane. The
whole thing is simply absurd. l will
get rid of him. And yet
He could not shake off strange and
powerful impression which the stran-
gers words had made upon him. Crazy
or not, the man had limited at the pos
sibility of an insincerity on his part
which made him restless. He deter
mined to question him and see if he
really would develop a streak of in
sanity that would justify him in get
ting rid OF him for the night.
Brother Man." he said, using the
term his guest had given him. ''do you
think am living too extravagantly TO
live as / doY'
"Yes. in these times and after such a
sermon"
"What would you have me do" Phil
lp asked the question half seriously,
half amused at himself for asking adj
vice from such a source.
do as you preach that others ought !!
to-"
Again that silence fell over the room. |
And again Philip felt the same i'm !
preston Of power in the strange mans
The Brother Man." as he wished to
be called, bowed his head between his
hands again, and Mrs. Strong whisper
ed to her husband: Now it is certainly
worse than foolish to keep this up any
longer. The man Is evidently insane.
We cannot keep him here all night.
He will certainly do something terri /
bic. Get rid OF him, Philip. This may
be a trick on the part of the whisky
men"
Never in all his life had Philip been
so puzzled to know what to do with a
human being. Here was one, the
Strangest he had ever met, who had
come into his house; 1t is true he had
been invited, but once within he had
invited himself to stay all night and
then had accused his entertainer of
living too extravagantly and called
him an insincere preacher. Add to all
this the singular fact that he had de-
clared his name to be Brother Man"
and that he spoke with calmness that
was the very incarnation of peace, and
Philips wonder reached it's limit.
In response to his wife's appeal
Philip rose abruptly and went to the
front door. He opened it. and a whirl
Of snow danced in. The wind had
changed, and the moan Of a coming
heavy storm was in the air.