Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-28


bership and attendance since Morton's
arrival.
The usher showed Barbara to a seat
about half way down the aisle. As she
sat down she noticed Mr. Morton talk
ing with a 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
a front seat just as the meeting be-
gan.
1t had been a long time Since Bar
bara had attended Christian Endeav-
or meeting. She felt that she was
growing rather old for it, but tonight
she enjoyed it thoroughly. When the
time came 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
heard him preach, his talk tonight
made hes feel the value of life and the
strength % 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
10 ELL
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 commit tee
giving all strangers topic cards and
other printed matter belonging to the
society, and introducing them to one
another as well as to members.
1t was one of the new methods pur-
sued by this committee to ask all
strangers to sign a 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 a 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.. Morton's own society.
A few of the young people in the Mar
BILE Square church knew who she was
and what she was doing, and with few
exceptions she had been treated with
great kindness, no discrimina ton
whatever being made. But the ma jor-
ity of the young people did not know
her, and tonight she was plainly
dressed, her face was bearing marks of
the WEAKNESS of the strain of the last
months work, and it was not surpris-
ing that she was suspicious of every
suggestion of a slight.
When the committee and the other
strangers finally went out and mingled
with the others in the large room, Bar
bara thought she detected a distinct
GOODNESS to her. She was certain her
name and her position had been whis-
pered around among the young people.
As she afterward found out, she did
the committee an injustice, as they had
not told anyone of her work. But she
was left alone in the midst of all the
others, and in spite of her habits of
self-control and her previous expert
ences she began to feel a bitterness
that was contrary to her sweet ma
ture.
She looked around the room, and no
ticed Miss Dillingham; talking with a
group of older girls who had begun to
come in the society little while after
Mr.. Morton's call to Crawford; and
she went over to her and spoke to her.
And then it was that Miss Dilling-
ham, who was not perfect any more
than Barbara, did as wrong social act
as she had ever done in her life. She
simply nodded to Barbara without say
ing a word, and went on talking with
out introducing her friends to Barbara
or taking any other notice of her.
Barbara instantly stepped back away
from the group, while her face glowed
and then paled. AS she turned sharply
| around to go out of the door which was
near, Mr.. Morton confronted her. He
had witnessed the little scene.
'You will always be welcome in our
Endeayor society, Miss Clark" he said,
while the color that mounted to his
face was as deep as hers.
81 shall never come again so long as
I am servant" replied Barbara, in a
tone as near that of passion S she had
/ ever shown to him. And with the words
she opened the door and>went out into
the night, leaving him standing there
| and looking at her with look that
| would have made her tremble if she
| had lifted her face to his.
CHAPTER VII.