St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-09-21
HER SUNDAY DINNER
BY ISABEL GORDON CURTIS.

Well, Mr.. Piggott may be good at
funerals and the bedside Of the sick,
but our card il Rev. Percy Manners Z
said Mrs. Aleldrum Smith. HWait
till you see him. He's the sort of min
lister to give toneto any church. He's
up to date, swell-looking and hand
some. He has such splendid teeth
and beautiful hands. You can't help
watching them all through the sery-
ice. His gestures are simply grace
itself. He's young, not tmoret than 80,
but his hair is gray;it gives him very
distinguished air.
"I'ye heard plenty Of shoWy young
preachers whose sermons didn't
amount to much, said Mrs. Willis.
We've listened to quite string Of
them this summer
ooh, Mr.. Manners can preach. His
elocution is something wonderful.
I've seen his congregation in Pitts
burgh sit spellbound with tears roll
ing down their cheeks. / heard him
one night preach about Daniel N.Y.
/ got as excited as when I saw Quo
.Vadis played"
Mrs. Willis smiled family.
DO you know who is to entertain
him9 she asked.
A crimson blush stole into Mrs.
Smiths fact. aHe's going to Mrs.
David Floyds; she did wire-pulling
enough to get the president himself. "
It seems the best place for him, !,
said Mrs. Willis. "she has the finest
horse and carriage in town, and she
sets a splendid table. From all I've
heard of Mr.. Manners, / should think
Mrs. Floyd's would Just suit him.
Had be any otherinvitations?1
He had Is. Ours was one of
them"
Mrs. Willis told herhusband ofthe
conversation on the way home from
church, while they yatedinner..
eI'll leave ST. Giles if they call Man
ners,o he said, decisively. @He's a
regular wind-bag. His excuse for
leaving Pittsburgh is his health. I'm
told on the quiet that his congrega-
tion are good and tired Of him.
There's q small faction Of us de-
termined to get Mr.. Piggott. IF we
don't"
& hope we camp said his wife, ear
nestly; shis sermons are good, but he
didn't show his best to-day. People
have to know him as we do in their
own homes.
On the following Sunday Laurel
Hill looked forward to the sensation |
of an afternoon sermon in st. Giles.
A telegram had come Friday to saw |
it was impossible for Rev. Mr.. Man |
ners to reach town in time to preach |
q morning sermon He was attend
ing a convention. Instead, he would |
preach at three in the afternoon.
There was q hastily convened meet
ing of the church. DR.. Willis spoke
of it emphatically as sensational in
novation, planned to call in members
OF other congregations, and a break
ing. up of the quiet order of the Sab
bath day The plan appealed to Mr..
Manners supporters. They believed
in an occasional dash of neWness. A
telegram went to the young preacher
accepting his plan. The congrega-
ton awaited Rev. Mr.. Manners ap-
pearance with widely varied anticipa-
tion. There was little doubt, It was /,
said, but he would be called. a ma
jority stood in his favor, only his SER
mon was required to settle the ques-
tion, it was bound to be superb, said L
his supporters.
The other candidates had arrived in
town without a signal Of demonstra-
ton. They had been taken quietly Il
to the homes where they were enter
and left Monday morning. ]