Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-08-20

OUT tne picture OF mat afternoon.
She could neither forget nor forgive.
o Barbara! If he could only know
how his plea for forgiveness was be-
ing denied; and with a smile, not
frown in the heart!
The rest of that week Mr.. Morton
stayed away from Mrs. Wards, al
though Mr.. Ward had expected him
to tea on Friday. He sent o note
pleading stress of church work. Mr..
Ward commented on it at the table.
Morton Is killing himself already.
He seems to think he con do every
thing. He won't last out half his
days at the present rate"
HE needs good wife more than
anything else" Mrs. Ward said, care
lessly. Some one ought to manage
him and tell him what to do"
ayes, I suppose every woman in
the church knows just the girl for
him, and is ready to hint her NAME"
Mr.. Ward remarked.
IF he marries anyone in Marble
Square parish it will create trouble.
1t always Does" said Mrs. Ward.
II think Morton has sense enough
to look out for that" replied Mr..
Ward, briefly.
Barbara heard every word as she
was serving at the table, and feared
her face might betray her. But Mrs.
Ward, in whom Barbara had never con-
fided, as she had in Mrs. Vane, did not
detect anything; and Barbara found
relief by retiring soon to her kitchen.
The following Sunday she had an ex-
perience which added to her knowl-
edge of the position she occupied as
servant, and led up to the great crisis
of her life, as she will always regard it.
Since entering Mrs. Wards family
she had not attended evening service
in any of the Crawford churches,
owing to her desire to spend that time
with her mother. But on this partic-
ular Sunday following her interview
with Mrs. Vane and her talk with Mr.
Morton, she decided that she would
go out to the Endeavor meeting at the
Marble Square church. There was no
service after the Christian Endeayor
meeting on this Sunday evening, as it
was the custom one Sunday in every
month to give the whole evening to the
society and its work. The minister
was in the habit of attending this
service and giving it his special notice,
sometimes by making direct address
on the topic of the evening, or by TAX
ing a part assigned to him beforehand
by the leader.
When Barbara went in that evening,
the large, handsome chapel of the
Marble Square church was rapidly fill
ing up. The talented, earnest, hand
some young preacher was very popu-
lar with the young people, and the So
ciety had increased rapidly in mem
bership and attendance since Morton's
arrival.
The usher showed Barbara to seat
about half way down the aisle. Asshe
sat down she noticed Mr.. Morton talk
ing with group of young people
down in front. When they separated,
he looked up and saw her, and, coming
down the aisle, he gravely shook
hands, and then introduced her to the
young woman next to her. He then
went to the door, greeted some of the
members coming in, and then went
around by side aisle and sat down on
= front seat just as the meeting be-
gan.
It had been q long time since Bar
bara had attended Christian Endeav-
or meeting. She felt that she was
growing rather old for it but tonight
al, ,f1x oh 4 he
time cana for Mr.. Morton to speak,
she was surprised to find how her an
ticipation of what he had to say was
not spoiled by anything he said. 1t
was all so manly, with such genuine.
real fragrance to it, so tinged with
healthy humor, so helpful for real life,
that it helped her. She was grateful
to him. Like the first sermon she had
heard him preach, his talk tonight
made her feel the value of life and the
strength of effort in Gods world.
Then suddenly, while she was look
ing at the earnest, eloquent face, the
consciousness of the remoteness of his
life from hers smote her into despair.
When the service was over, she did not
want to remain to the quiet, social
gathering that followed. But her
neighbor to whom Morton had intro
duced her asked her to come into the
little gathering of other visitors and
strangers who were being received by
an introduction committee and made
welcome to the society, the committee
giving all strangers topic cards and
other printed matter belonging to the
society, and introducing them to one
another as well as to members.
It was one of the new methods pur-
sued by this committee to ask all
strangers to sign little card giving
the address of the newcomer, so that
some one of the society might call dur
ing the week, and, if necessary, act as
escort to the next meeting. One of
these cards was given to Barbara; and
in spirit of perversity, growing out
of her feeling regarding her position,
| she signed her name and put under it
| the words: House servant at Mr..
Wards, SO Hamilton street."
1t was altogether unnecessary for
her to be ostentatious with her posi-
ton; but she was not perfect, and felt
an unnatural desire to test her recep-
ton right in Mr.. Mortons own society.
A few of the young people in the Mar
bic Square church knew who she was
and what she was doing, and with few
exceptions she had been treated with
great kindness, no discrimination
whatever being made. But the major
ity of the young people did not know
her, and tonight she was plainly
dressed her fare 1vns he rim rr m n rl1S Of