The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-27


castor himself was heard to say that
he rad seldom seen so many of his
neople together, and the pastors wife
clasped hands that day with some par
tshioners who had never been in her
house before.
The village merchants dropped in for
@ few moments at supper time, while
there was lull in the business of the
dav and even the busy doctor, after
,,akine a professional call next door,
ran in for a cordial handshake with
the pastor, leaving in the latter's hand
q receipted bill for all indebtedness.
THE pastors eyes had filled at this.
and after the doctor had gone he hur-
yied to find his wife and share the
surprise with her, but a thoughtful sis
ter who had observed the scene reach
cd her first, and the little pleasure of
telling her was denied him.
Late in the afternoon Miss Black,
representative of the most wealthy fam
nv in the parish, had swept through
the parlor, pausing long enough to
superintendent the hanging of a fine
engraving she had brought.
It was soon after Miss Blacks de-
parture that a fine seal pocketbook was
first noticed among the gifts spread
out in the study. No one knew just
who put it there. More than one fin
gered it curiously, and one or two sur
Teptitiously opened it, to see if there
was anything inside. And the pastor
smiled little as he heard it Whispered
from one to another that the pocket
book was empty.
1t was late before the weary hostess
heard the gate click after the last guest,
and later yet before she could find time
to examine the gifts. For cross,
sleepy little ones must be put to bed
and the confusion that reigned in their
home be reduced to some such order
as would permit breakfasting there to-
morrow-or-no-it was to-day. She
noticed as she passed through the
kitchen that little cooked food remain
ed from supper. Not only had a null
mother had carried home few pieces
of cake to Tommy or Jane, who had
been unable to attend. But there were
uncooked provisions in abundance; the
shed was filled with fuel, and the sta
BILE with hay and grain for the pastors
horse, while the study was filed with
goods of every description-vases, til
dies splashers, among which the pas
tor was helplessly cropping.
You will be able to appreciate these
things better than l, my DEAR" he
said. Some of them look very pref
ty but 1 don't know their uses.''
Mrs. Tyler sighed as she glanced
around There's a good deal here
haven't any use for" she said. but 1
oughtnt to say it, Ezra, for they have
been generous; that new easy chair
and the lamp and picture, not to men,
ton all the provisions and dear DR..
Holmes bill that has worried me so.
Only-there wasn't any money at all,
was there, Ezra?
Il think not, Martha"
You do so need a new overcoat, and
] was hoping it would come to-day or
the money to buy it,
Never mind, my dear; don't let us
depreciate the gifts we have by sigh
ing for those that failed to come.
can do without a coat very we'll. NY
old one is quite whole"
But so shabby, Ezra. And I'm sure
some of the people feel it discredit
TO the church for you to wear it,"
We'll, Martha, if it's essential to the
welfare of the church for me to have n
new overcoat, the Lord can provide it.
And in any case the people can't COM
plaln that their pastor carries a shah
by pocketbook. Just see this, Martha"
What good is pocketbook with
tired wife, opening it listlessly. But
IN moment her manner changed. For
accidentally slipping her fingers into
one OF the pockets, she felt a paper.
ana drew forth a crisp new bill-a
twenty-dolar bill.
For a moment they looked at each
other in delighted surprise Then the
same question sprang to the lips of
both: Who could have done it? you
9ont think 1t Guild have been Maria,
40 your he asked, wistfully.
But Mrs. Tyler settled the question
Win prompt negative. 1t wasn't
llAeiy tnat his sister had sent 1t after
heglecting him so many years. 1t was
3nucn more likely to have been Miss
DiacK or some of their people. Though
: uone know who there is in this pa
Taoe' she said, who would do SO
generous thing and keep it secret
Mr. Tyler had several matters to at
seno 10 IN the city. There were err
s o,ius lot several parishioners. and he
oeSueu 10 spend some hours in the
pubic library, and carry out a long
cnerlsned plan OF visiting one of the
.lty missions. But he obeyed his wife's
Instructions and went first to the
SSlotnlers', coming out in a new stylish-
MADE coat, with no sense of the
SSnange save that he was more COM
aOI.aDie. he carried the old coat in
= bundle, which he forgot and left in
Sne next place he entered. The err
.sahos nnished, the mission came next.
lei Sen tne library. He was hurryinq
.i nlough the winter twilight to the sta
I'm with vague fear that he had read
10 long and might miss his train.
h Mnen a hand on his shoulder stopped
IN en-, ana ne turned in wonder, to con-
1I olue-coated policeman.
reckon you're the man we want"
cJ.as rk T the policeman, while an ex-
49, looking young man behind him
htr,. preatnlessly, That's him; hold
NIL iiI cont let him get away"
,,,i, Excuse me, sir" said the bewildered
Ianas s'er out 1 really cannot be de-
t trSeu' 1 rear have already missed my
ren WSell' reckon you have, my friend"
ctt,,ii gu the officer griInly. but the
fs ,y - De pleased to give you free en-
vo,, ,nint' so don't let that trouble
CONE Inc me best thing you can do is to
'o me along quietly"
un5ou' really. sir, you are laboring
have r Misrepresentation; you can
"C no possible business with me"
hoe =. l! Well. / know a man that
anS enen. Just come along and you'll
seer, V ~ my professional friend. I've
co,,, your kind before You do the
little parson act fairly, but it's a
besasey had reached the police station
dersteMr. Tyler could be made TO I'M
Eve, ~ mat he was under arrest.
hoa," tnen he believed he had only
nrot.. mistaken for another man, and