Morris tribune., 1902-06-21

II" fancy I had something to dc
%=S myself. The call came from
&A&a) a young congregation In an
eastern city and was based partly upon
his college record and more upon the
advice of those among the authorities
5who knew MS work in the mountains.
But l fatter myself that my letters to
friends who were of Importance in that
congregation were not without infu-
ence. for was of the mind that the
RAN who could handle Black Rock
nainers as he could was ready for some
thing larger than mountain mission.
That he would refuse l had not i'm
agined though l ought to have known
him better. He was but little troubled
oyer it. He went with the call and the
letters urging his acceptance to Mrs.
Ma1or. was putting the last touches
Ito some of my work in the room at the
back of Mrs. MAYORS house when he
came in. She read the letters and the
call quietly and waited for him to
speak.
"Well," he said, SHOULD go?'
She started and grew a little pale.
Els question suggested a possibility
that had not occurred to her. That he
could leave his work in Black Rock she
had hitherto never imagined, but there
was other work, and he was fit for
good work anywhere Why should he
not go? l saw the fear in her face, but
II saw more than fear in her eyes as
for moment or two she let them rest
fupon Craig's face. l read her story,
and was not sorry for either of them.
But she was too much a woman to
show her heart easily to the man she
loved, and her voice was even and
calm as she answered his question.
lis this very large congregation?
lone of the finest in all the east"
put in for him. cit will be a great
thing for Craig"
Craig was studying her curiously. l
think she noticed his eyes upon her, for
she went on even more quietly:
at will be great chance for work,
and you are able for larger sphere,
you know, than poor Black Rock af-
fords."
WHO will take Black Rock?' he ask
ed
Let some other fellow have a try at
it." 1 said. why should you waste
your talents Lere?'
"Waste?" cried Mrs. Mavor indig-
nantly.
WELL bury if you like it BETTER"
replied.
1t would not take much of a grave
Tor that funeral" said Craig, smiling.
'Oh," said Mrs. MavOr, you will be
a great man, know, and perhaps you
ought tc go now"
But he answered coolly: There are
fifty men wanting that eastern charge,
and there is Only one wanting Black
Rock, and | don't think Black Rock
is anxious for I change, so | have de-
termined to stay where | am yet
awhile
Even my deep disgust and disappoint-
ment did not prevent me from seeing
the sudden i~;.i} of JOY in Mrs. MAYORS |
eyes, but s!-n, with great effort, an
BWered quietly:
@'Black Rock will be very glad and |
= some of us very, very glad"
Nothing could change his mind There
was no one he knew who could take |
his place just now, and why should he |
quit his work? 1t annoyed me consid- !
erably to feel he was right. Why is it
that the right things are so frequently |
unpleasant?
And if had had any doubt about the
matter next Sabbath evening would
have removed it, for the men came
about him after the service and let
him feel in their own way how much
they approved his decision, though the
self sacrifice involved did not appeal to
them. They were too truly western to
imagine that any inducements the east
could offer could compensate for his
loss Of the west. 1t was only fitting
That the west should have the best,
and so the miners took almost as q mat
ter Of course and certainly as their
right that the best man they knew
should stay with them. But there were
those who knew how much Of what
most men consider worth while he had
given up, and they loved him no less
fer it.
Mrs. MAYORS call was not so easily
disposed Of. 1t came close upon the
other and stirred Black Rock as moth
ing else had ever stirred it before
81 found her one afternoon gazing va
eantly at some legal documents spread
out before her on the table and evil
IDENTIFY overcome by their contents.
There was first a lawyers letter in