The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-03
(cotinued.)

Sir Charles thought this neat and
laughed good-humorediy: ne asked the
rector to dine on Sunday at half-past
seven. II shall know more about It by
that time" said he.
They dined early on Sunday. at High
more. and Ruperta took her maid for
walk IN the afternoon, and came back
IN time to hear the female preacher.
: Half the village was there already. and
presently the preacher walked to her
station.
TO Ruperta's surprise She was lady.
richly dressed, tall and handsome, but
with features rather too commanding.
She had a glove on her left hand. and
little Bible In her right hand. which was
large, but white and finely formed
She delivered short prayer, and opened
her text:
Walk honestly; not in strife and envy
ing"
I Just as the text was given out. Ru-
tperta's maid pinched her, and the
lyoung lady. looking up, saw her father
coming 10 see what was the matter. Maid
was for hiding. but Ruperta made wry
face. blushed, and stood her ground.
How can he scold me. when he comes
himself?" she whispered
During the sermon. OF which. short as
Il was, can only afrord to give the out
line I'm crept Compton Bassett, and got
within three or four feet OF Ruperta-
Finally. Sir Charles Bassett came up,
in accordance with his promise to Angelo.
The perfect preacher deals in general
titles. but strikes them home with few
personalities.
Most clerical preachers deal in general
tiles. and that is Ineffective. especially to
uncultivated minds. Mrs. Marsh, as
might be expected from her sex, went
little too much the other way.
After a few sensible words. pointing out
the misery in houses, and the harm done
ITO the soul. by quarrelsome spirit, she
lamented there was too much OF IL I'm
Huntercombe; with this opening she went
into personalities: reminded them OF the
fight between two farm servants last
week one OF whom was laid up at that
momeint in consequence And. said
she. "even when IL does not come, to fight-
ling, It poisons your lives. and offends
your Redeemer."
. Then she went into the causes, and she
said drunkenness and detraction were the
chief causes of strife and contention.
She dealt briefly but dramatically with
drunkenness, and then lashed detraction,
sss follows:
: Every class has It's vices. and detrac-
stion is the vice OF the poor. You are ever
so much vainer than your better: you are
eaten up with vanity, and never give your
sneghbor a good word. have been in
thirty houses. and in not one of those
houses has any poor man or woman
spoken one honest word in praise OF a
sneghbor. So do not flatter yourselves that
Xthis is a Christian village. for IL is not.
sThe only excuse 10 be made for you, and
fear IL is not one that God will accept
on. his judgment day.. is that your bets
tiers set YOU bad example instead OF n
good one. The two principal people in this
".HtI IlAsr lrAss fAI. Ia x.1
have been enemies for twenty years.
That's a nice example for two Christian
gentlemen to set to poor people, who, they
may be sure, will copy their sins. IL they
copy nothing else.
These gentlemen go 70 church regular
ly and believe In the Bible, and yet they
defy both church and Bible.
Now should like 20 ask those gentle
men a question. How do they mean to
manage IN heaven? When the baronet
comes 10 that happy place. where all is
love. will the squire walk out? Or do they
think to quarrel there and so get turned
out, both OF them7 J don't wonder at
your smiling; but Il Is a serious consider
alton, for all that
1T is not : substantial thing like the
body; II n a bundle Of thoughts and feel
ings: the thoughts we die with in this
world. we shall wake UP with the next.
Yet hero are two Christians loading their
What q waste OF feeling II II must all
be flung off together with the body, lest
II drag the souls of both down to the
bottomless perdition.
And what DO they gain In this world
irritation. ill-health. and misery. 1t is
fact that no man ever reached great
old age. who hated his neighbor: still less
good old age, for; if men would look
honestly into their own hearts, they
would own that TO hate Is TO be miser-
able.
'T believe no men commit sin for
many years withot some special warm
ngs; and TO neglect these Is one sin
more added 10 their account. Such a
warning, or rather ] should say, such
pleading OF devine love, those two gen
tlcmen have had DO you remember about
eight years ago. two children were lost
on one day. out OF different houses In
ithis village? "a murmur from the
crowd.)
Perhaps some Of you here present
were instrumental, under God. I'm ind
ting that pretty pair" "a louder muir
mur.)
"oh. cont he afraid 70 answer me.
Preaching Ia only way of speaking,
and I'm only a woman that IS speaking
10 you for your good. Tell me-we are
not In church tied UP by strait-laced rules
10 keep men and women from getting
within arm'e length OF one anothcr's soul
tell me, who saw those two lost chill
tdren7'
'T. !, I. I. T." roared several voices IN
reply.
: rs n true. as q rood woman tells me-
vthst the innocent darqinss had each an
arm around the others neck2"
"Ay."
And lite coronets OF flowers. 30 match
their hair7'' Chat was the girls doing)
"Ay."
And the rttie bov had plryed the man.
and taken OF his tippct 10 put around
the little iady7"
"Ayr' with a burst of enthusiasm
from the assembled rustics.
81 think i see them myself and the
torches lighting up the dewy leaves over
head. and the divine picture Of innocent
love. Well, which wes the prettier sight.
and the fttest for heaven-the hatred OF
The parents. or the affection OF the chill
frc,p