The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-10-25
BORN TO SERDE
BY CHARLES NJ SHELDON
Aushor Of QUESTION
EDWARD BLAKE"
BY CHARLES M. SHELDON,
(Copyrish,. 100. By Charles n. shsidea-l

utf 10 neip OtHer girls reaHZe ltS dig
nifty and-and so forth"
SIT makes no difference!" Mrs. Rice
replied sharply. "She is known as a
hired girl. The idea of being obliged
| to look up to her as our minister's
wife! Will you submit to that?" =
"Supposing she proves worthy of
her placer" Mrs. Wilson suggested,
feebly.
"It's out of the question:" Mrs
Rice answered, positively. "The
whole thing is awfully unfortunate
for Marble Square. If Mr.. Morton
had only chosen some girl of good
social rank, Miss Dillingham;, for ex-
ample. But, as it is, / for one"
Mrs. Rice did not finish what
seemed like a threat, but scores of
other women in Marble Square felt
and spoke just as she did, and the
outlook for a great disturbance in
the parish was very good.
When Sunday came, Barbara pre-
pared to attend service. She had not
been for several Sundays, not since
the time of the scene at the Endeav-
her lack Of nervousness. There was
self-possession about Barbara, now
that she had committed her future
| to the young minister, that Mrs.
Ward admired. She began to have
real respect for her in addition to
her affection.
When Barbara went down the aisle
| with the family and entered the Ward
pew with the rest, it is safe to say
that every eye in Marble Square
church was directed toward her.
What people saw, very many of them
| to their great surprise, was lovely
face, free from affectation or super
| fetal prettiness, without bashful con-
seriousness of her prominent position.
Every woman in the house could not
help acknowledging: "She looks like
lady" Love had done much for Bar
bara. 1t is a wonderful power to Dig
Nifty and bless.
There were hundreds of people in
Marble Square church that morning
who had just come from the perusal
of one of Crawford's most sensational
Sunday papers, which with cruelty
that was actually Satanic, and a
coarseness that was actually criminal,
had printed what it called, in startling
headlines: "A Spicy Tale of Hired
Girl and a Preacher. The Rev. Mr..
Morton, of the Fashionable Marble
Square Church, to Wed Hired Girl.
Full Particulars of the Engagement.
With Snapshots of the Parties"
There were two columns of descrip-
tion that were worthy of authorship
from the lowest pit, accompanied with
what purported to be reliable pictures
of the two lovers. And it was from the
perusal of all this horrible invasion
of every sacred and tender private
feeling that the human heart holds
dear, that most of the men and wom-
en- had come into church that morning
to add to the sensation by almost as
heartless and cruel a scrutiny of Bar
bara and Mr.. Morton.
Barbara did not know all of this;
but, even if she had, her love was so
pure and great that it is doubtful
whether anything could have obscured
her perfect happiness. When her
lover rose up to preach, she never felt
more pride in him, or more confidence
in his powers.
He fully justified all her expecta-
tions. Unlike Barbara, he knew quite
fully all the venom and vileness of the
paper in question. On his way to
church, grinning newsboys had flaunt-
ed the pages in his face and shouted
their Contents in his ears. From all
that, he had gone into his room, and
after the sustaining prayer that had
refreshed and quoted his soul he had
gone out to face the people. But he
had first faced God. He was not in the
least afraid of the people after that.
1t is doubtful whether Marble
Square church had ever heard such
preaching before. 1t is doubtful
whether Morton had ever before had
such a vision or delivered such mes
sage. The spell of.his power was on
all the great congregation. Hearts
that had come to criticise, to sheer, to
ridicule, were touched by his words.
Members of his parish who after read
ing the paper had fully made up their
minds to sever all connection with the
church changed their minds during
the wonderfully sweet and helpful
prayer that followed the sermon.
All, Barbara and Ralph The Spirit
of God is greater than all the evil of
men. If victory comes out of all this
suffering for you, it will be due to
Gods power over the selfish, thought
less, cruel children of men.
When the service was over, Barbara
quietly went out with Mrs. Ward. In
the vestibule they were met by Mrs.
Dillingham;, who had come out of the
other door from a side aisle.
With scores of people noting what
was said and done the majestic old
lady greeted Barbara with courteous
and even kindly greeting that was UNI
mistakable and created genuine SEN
sation, for no family in all Marble
Square church had higher connections
than the Dillinghams.
my dear Miss Clark" Mrs. Dilling-
ham had said, 'your mother was kind
enough to return my call. You have
not been so good. Will you come and
see me soon?"
Indeed | will, Mrs. Dillingham;, il
you have forgiven my neglect of your