Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-02-22

The Rev. George began fairly enough
with the lads OF his new parish. lie
got them together within fortnight
VI his arrival and talked football and
baseball to them until they were as
wax In his hands Tommy. who was
I fifteen aud ovcrgrown 10 mlkiness.
hung upon his words and thought II
would be- line 10 die for him. And then
the very next week. when Tommy
stumbled over his own feet aud fell
down with the bail. thereby letting the
minister's side get a whItcwnsh. that
gentleman said irritably. Il knew The
Whclp would beat us, but really II
didn't seem fair to shunt him OF on the
other eleven"
The field rang with laughter as later
the school and playground rang with
II when somebody called: "Whelp!
Whclp.ee' Are you gJin' to eat us all
when YOU grow upW
Children reflect wonderfully the So
clal color Of their homes. For awhile
all the parish was entranced with the
new pastOr-so much ~ indeed that a
whisper against him would have been
received as something between high
treason ana the objectionable sin. The
Rev, George was youngish. fair look
Ing. quick and dcft In phrascmaklng,
suave. lie admitted In his private
talks a temper. but said. with eyes up
east, that he kept Ii under by help of
strength beyond his own. He was sin
gle. That of course set all the mothers
IN the church to work mating him
suitably. He saved them the trouble
Of choosing for him 10y dcvotlng him
self 10 Alison Prior from the day she
came home.
II only she had been home from the
first. Tommy would never have been
The Whelp. Tommy was Allsons
brother and In many ways her chum,
yet she only smiled when he explained
the minister's sin and said at last:
Really. Tommy. I don't know Just
what a whelp Is like. but you do look
very much what I fancy II Is-all legs
and arms. so much too big that they
are In their own way and everybody
else's."
When Tommy had gone away. how
ever. trying 10 stand very stff and
keep his elbows primly beside him,
Alison looked after him lovingly, then
turned and shook her list at the recto-
~ which was visible across half mile
Of fields.
II only Tommy had known that; but
how should hep He was n very human
boy He loved Alison so we'll he would
have grudged her to any fellow. II
was unbearablc 20 think Of her marry
ing that preacher and sitting perked
up In the front pews. never daring to
smile or whisper Besides, there was
his affront Tommy flung himself up
on the grass out In the pasture. dug
his heels in the turf and thought very
hard. tears resting upon his freckled
cheeks.
All NJ once something came with a
rush. struck him sounding thwack on
the back and sent him rolling over and
over As he got mp he felt q harder
thwack and tumbcd all In a heap.
When at last he scrambled up, loapIng
nlmbly aside. 90 shin up convenient
apple tree. Blnky. the big Cotswold
ram. stood az the tree foot. shaking
his head up and down, evidently lnvit-
Ing Tommy 90 try conclusions again.
Tommy had no mind for that In
stead be sat up among the laden
boughs and thought harder than ever.
After a little hc whlstlcd joyfully I'LL
ed his hands with red apples and
climbed down 10 the lowest fork Of the
tree. Blinky was at him In a minute.
but stopped short as Tommy tossed
him an apple. AS soon rs he had de-
voured II he looked lnqulringly at Tom
my. who tossed him another. redder
and julcier than the FIRST.
Twenty minutes after Tommy passed
unscathed from the pasture. with
Bllnky trotting behind a pattern Of
content. Every day for the next fort
night Tommy gave BlInky apples, tufts
OF sweet late grass. nubbins 81 corn
and pungent dashcs Of salt and red oak
bark. Bllnky followed him like a dog.
never trying 20 butt or chase him.
though toward the rest Of the human
race he preserved an unrcgcncratc
mind.
Whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad. The Rev. Georges
particular madness that autumn was
golf Golf was but an idle name In
the parish until be came TO Il. Fancy
his delight. muscular. masculine and
missionary. In laying out links and
teaching his parishoncrs the game.
Alison was one Of his earliest and most
pupils. They spent hours DO
liciouHly together yet apart, upon the
course. Alison was certainly devoted
Co the game. As to whether she was
also devoted 90 her teacher she her.
self did not quite know.
Love may be slain with n laugh.
was not enough Of a psycholo.
glst 10 know that. but ne did know
Alison. and he laid his plans accord
ingly.
Upon a perfect Indian summer after
noon all the golf crowd OF their parish
met all the golf crowd Of another
Darisb' upou the home links 10 settle