Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-11-28

lamity had taken place. "I had the
information direct from Mrs. Vane,
who had it direct from Mr.. Morton
himself"
ut will break up Marble Square
church, that is ALL" Mrs. Rice said,
decidedly. "A thing like that is too
serious a social departure for even
Mr.. Morton to make. AS much as
people like and admire him, not even
his great talents can excuse such a
great social blunder."
"They say" Mrs. Wilson suggested
in hesitating manner, that the girl
is really well educated, and not just
an ordinary hired girl. You know
Mrs. Ward has told us something
about her going out to service in or
der to help other girls realize its dig
nifty and-and so forth"
ut 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 s
wife! Will you submit to that?"
"Supposing she proves worthy of
her place?" 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 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-
or society. Mrs. Ward wondered at
her lack of nervousness. There was
self-poss ession about Barbara, now
that she had committed her future
to the young minister, that Mrs
Ward admired. She began to have a
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.
sciousness of her prominent position
Every woman in the house could not
help acknowledging "She looks like
a 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 perusa
of one of Crawford's most sensational
Sunday papers, which with a cruelty
that was actually Satanic, and {
coarseness that was actually criminal
had printed what it called, in startling
headlines: "a Spicy Tale of a Hired
Girl and a Preacher. The Rev. Mr.
Morton, of the Fashionable Marble
! Square Church, to Wed a 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
Il IL = L.
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 Sc
pure and great that it is doubtful
whether anything could have obscurec
her perfect happiness. When hel
lover rose up to preach, she never fell
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 tt
church, grinning newsboys had fiaunt
ed the pages in his face and shouted
their contents in his ears. From al
that, he had gone into his room, anc
after the sustaining prayer that hat
refreshed and quieted his soul he haC
gone out to face the people. But h
had first faced God. He was not in tht
least afraid of the people after that.
1t is doubtful whether Marbl,
Square church had ever heard sucl
preaching before. 1t is doubtful
whether Morton had ever before hat
such vision or delivered such mes
sage. The spell of his power was OF
all the great congregation. Hearts
that had come to criticise, to sneer, t.
ridicule, were touched by his words
Members of his parish who after read
ing the paper had fully made up thei
minds to sever all connection with th
church changed their minds durin.
the wonderfully sweet and helpful