The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-10-20
Observation-Disclosures


wv bride to Crown Point the whole
harG-working, humble church member
ship stood ready, to receive her with
open arms, but at the first steady,
self-contained greeting of that young
lady, they felt on the whole that it
was not necessary sest5 = -
They loved the minister and they
wanted to love her. too, but noting
the cold glance of the keen eyes that
seemed to- take stock of their every
blemish and imperfection, they shranlS
back abashed.
She had come from a moneyed fam
lily, and her acquaintance with peo-
pie who actually toiled had been slight,
but she had not hesitated when the
minister put to her the momentous
question. The matter of life with
Bertram, or life without him, did not
take her long to settle, for UNDER
meath the crust of her worldliness
there. beat a truly gentle, generous
heart, only from her manner one would
never have guessed it. .--
She quite filled the parsonage with
beautiful things; pictures, statuary,
and soft carpets. Filmy lace curtains
draped the old-fashioned windows and
the table glittered with cut glass and
silver. She had always been accus-
toned to these things aid she really
gave them little thought. but to her
husbands flock these possessions were
both revelation and a joy It would
have been a rare treat indeed for most
Of them to have viewed these lovely
treasures with merry feeling of COM
radeship with the mistress Of 1t all, but
she invited no confidence, she encour-
aged no familiarity. They were bound
down by such hard, narrow lives, that
to them she seemed q bright, beautiful
being of world not their own.
Then too, she seemed to resent their
well-meaning efforts and calls. Not
that she said anything, but she al
ways wore her coolest air. and her
grandest manner every timey=they met,
SO they invariably Left Her presence
feeling greater strangers than ever
with the tall, stately girl (for she was
but girl), who was their minister's
wife,
'They only come out of curiosity,
Bertram," she would tell the minister
when she spoke of their visits. "They
come, not to see me- but myfg house.
declare never saw anyonS stare Ut
things as does Mrs. Wilkins.@ Why
does she do it? And what do you think
Mrs. Atwood asked me yesterday? If
i knew how to, play "The -Maiden's
Prayer. The idea! should think she
would know better. ! 1t does seem to
me that the people here are 40 years
at least behind the times. II wonder
what they'd think if I'd play for them
that fantasy from List No doubt
they'd much prefer MY Old. Kentucky
Home % 1''' '7-a' Ai22SSi5''@-''F s.7!}fl ~
mo doubt they would" repeated the
minister gently; 'but you must not
judge them too harshly, dearest. Poor
old Mrs. Atwood! Knidd" IS she wanted
to know if you knew The Maiden's
Prayer Perhaps it was the only Sc
lection she renembered from q youth
that was never nzaasya one
Julia" he added after q moments
silence, cts hard, dear, for you to
understand, but these are my people.
my life issinkedy with theirs, ordinary
and illiterate as some Of them may be.
l am their shepherd. Don't you re-
epember what yas satd5of Jesus in the
ministry? This-'The common people
heard him gladly All, my dear, the
common people, after all are 4 great
and telling force for good or evil. and
I'm working with themgand for them;
and, if-(his voice trambJed Eff ~
any act of mine can enrich and
widen these narrow and confined
Lives 81 shall feel that + have. not ia:
bored in vain.''
His grave face lighted q little
They're good, faithful friends, LITTLE
wife he added, "if they. cannot un.
derstand classical music, and don't
belieye;sinsthel hast day. tnatstllis charge
will be laid t. them. They understand
the law of brotherly love and Kind.
ness al. least. When had that at.
tack Of p1eurisy before You came,
believe certainly would have diei