The Washington times., 1901-10-06


an ugly desk whereon lay the folos o
past and schedules of future sermons; ant
here, in the odor of retirement he com
posed his schemes of Hfe his near-sight
ed blue eyes peering over his glasses a
the green curtains that shut out the street
Fabricated as were these theories by
visionary in the semi-daylight of a sane
tum sanctorum, they had strange ap
pearance when introduced suddenly int,
the garish day. They surrounded Pau
Semplicus like spirits scarcely tangible
acknowledged even by the worldly to bc
beautiful, but invisible to the uninitiated
and quite incapable of mingling with the
rude crowd of life.
One of his parishioners said that the
minister's mind was a custom-shop OF
ready made garments" People came and
were fitted from the stock on hand. He
never made anything to order, and fire.
quently people not of regular size and
figure went away with no suit at all
The parsonage who left the rectory on
this morning of the 10th of April. 1900,
went away not only with no new outfit,
but with his old one MUCK damaged. and
as angry as man can grow over an ar
gument not too PERSONAL AS the house
maid helped him into his overcoat and
handed him his hat she remarked that
he seemed very angry indeedl'' He quite
spluttered, was red in the face, and shook
his head and shoulders down into his coat
collar as a bulldog does into his wrinkles
and layers of flesh.
Damn him." he muttered-in spite of
the parsonaSe-.d damn him, hanging is too
good for hm!"
The gentleman snapped out several 9TH
er things about him" and the little
maid, who was a new church member,
felt that she by rights ought to stop up
her cars and run away; she yielded. how
ever, to horrible fascination and wickedly
waited until the guest had fumed himself
out of the door. She shut it on last fu-
rious exclamation. and peered, thrilling,
thEs-h the glass at the disturbed caller
doubling his fist as he went out of the
gate to his home, next the parsonage $50
next that the houses had a party walD.
Molly, much stimulated by the visit. slip
ping from sin to sin, now hugged the
temptation of curiosity, and boldly knock
ed at the study door, housekeeping plea
on her lips. Her master, deep in his
leather chair. was calm as a Sabbath
morn. (Holly shuddered as she thought
of the terrors to which he had been con-
demned) But the Rev. Paul. had he
heard, could have better nailed the exple-
tives to the one for whom they were in
tended Mr.. Blackington, the neirhbor
calling to borrow book had gone away
with moral treatise delivered viva voce
by his parson. Disagaeeing with the
priest from premise to conclusion, the Wis
itor had waxed angry indeed, but he
wasn't damning the parson.
Blockington was director in a bank in
neighboring town where several years
before the cashier had been suspected of
dishonesty. Blockington alone knew the
intricacies of the suspicion and proof and
on his deputation, accusation. and witness
the man would go free or to Jail 1t was
"a first offence, and insignificant one, too,
if degrees of honesty are possible It
could be hushed up. and the matter lay
in the directors hands. The man had a |
mother and a family, all respectable peo-
pie; collectively and separately they came |
to Blockington and besought his silence |
The plea was appealing ill luck had pur-
sued the fellow always this was his ca
reers turning-point, and disgrace would |
blight mis- future and his children's etc, |
etc. Blockington's duty was like his epi- !
dermis. he never went without it. Il per |
formed my duty to my colleagues and my |
town and State. I accused RaiHes, and |
bore the necessary witness against him: |
he has just terminated his seven years
in State prison" Even from Jail the man
wrote Hbelous letters about Blockington,
the family had annoyed the good gentle
man excessively, his patience was at its
ebb. and it was against this thorn in his
flesh. as well as in his spirit. that the di-
rector's ire had flashed forth at the front
door
The course of action Blockington had
pursued was distinctly opposed to the
Rev. Paul's ideas. The parson held forth
with near approach to eloquence for the
space of an hour on the Beauty of For
giveness'' and the salvation in a Last
Chance his gentle sentimentality set in
strong contradistinction to Blockington's
practical expediency. Semplicus, though
wavering and pale. was fire; Blockington |
was stone.
Against the moving spectacle Of the dis
honorcd family BIockington opposed that
it WAS the villains crime. not his Block
ingtons) justice. that was responsible He
considered that every honorable citizen
had the country's welfare in his hands at
d moment of such decision; there was but
one course to pursue; for his part, the
surest way to preserve honor in individ-
ual or family was TO keep ones own un-
sullied, and to call spade a spade, etc,
etc
Terrible to be an instrument for such !
an operation murnured the Rev. Paul
Terrible or not, nothing to do with |
hesitation" replied Blockington, coarse
ly. cut right through and cure the pub
lie evil
Il do not believe in prisons or in capital
affirmed the minister
fairly snorted.
Your theories are positively dangerous,
Mr.. semplicus. Do you propose to leave
your gates open to the thief. and reward |
his success?'
'What ! propose is not possible II cx-
pansion in an hour said the young man,
smiling In brief, l propose instead Of
treating the criminal as an animal to ,
treat him as a human being, and before
him up caging him to strive ,
to save his souli"
Possibly the apt and touching quota
lions from an immortal gospel, together ,
With genuine conviction and tenderness of I
expression. pricked Blockington to dis /
comfort at least; possibly the worldly
mans reasoning impressed the visionary
al all events the director grew ,
'ery angry. and repeated several times
hat semplicus was positively danger !
'us' semplicus in turn. looking about in 4
'ain for a new peg on which to hang
'iea. ceased TO extcmporize. Thus they h
Iartcd
That same night. Semplicus, lying in his
'ed and revolving thoughts which If they :,
hould never set the world on fire, boded
[ least no III to mortal man, was brought =
ace 20 face with realities by a very dis Il
f1ict noise below stairs. He heard the y
Window lifted In his study. He heard 1t d
all with heavy thud. The window was o
vide easement OF French plateglass. In b