The Morris County chronicle., 1904-02-05
Then Bill stood up and began to speal

Then Bill stood up and began to speak
of Importance had to be previewed
from all possible points; an honest
man, strongly religious and great
admirer of the Pilot, but slow moving
as a glacier, although with plenty of
fire in him deep down.
"He's soond at the hairt, ma man
Robbie" his wife said to the Pilot,
who was fuming and fretting at the
blocking of his plans, 'Fbut he's terrible
Ideleeberate. Bide We a bit, laddie.
He'll come tae."
"But meantime the summers going
and nothing will be DONE" was the
Pilots distressed and impatient answer
SO a meeting was called to discuss
the question of building church, with
The result that the FIVE men and three
women present decided that for the
present nothing could be done. This
was really Robble's opinion, though he
serused to do or say anything but grunt
as the Pilot said to me afterward in a
rage. 1t is true Williams, the store
keeper just come from "across the
Nne," did all the talking, but no one
paid much attention to his fluent fatu-
fties except as they represented the un-
expressed mind Of the dour, exasperat-
ing little Scotchman, who sat silent
hut for an "aye'' now and then, 80 ex-
pressive and conclusive that every one
kne% what he meant and that the dis
,cussion was at an end. The school
house was quite sufficient for the pres
ent The people were too few and too
poor, and they were getting on well
undI the leadership of their present
minister. These were the arguments
which Robbie's "aye" stamped as quite
unanswerable.
1t was sore blow to the Pilot, who
had set his heart upon a church, and
neither Mrs. Muir's "hoots" at her hus-
bands slowness nor her promises that
she "wad max him hear II" could bring
omfort or relieve his gloom
In this state of mind he rode up with
me to pay our weekly visit to the little
girl shut up in her lonely house among
the hills.
1t had become the Pilots custom dur
ing these weeks to turn for cheer to
that little room, and seldom was he
disappointed. She was so bright, so
brave, so CHEEKY and so full of fun that
gloom faded from her presence as mist
before the sun and impatience was
shamed into content,
J Owens bright FACET was almost al
ways bright now and her bright wei
come did something for the Pilot but
the feeling of failure was upon him,
and failure to his enthusiastic nature
was worse than pain. Not that lie con
fessed either to failure or gloom; he
was far too true man for that, but
Gwen felt his depression in spite of all
his brave attempts at brightness and
insisted that he was i'll, appealing to
me.
"Oh, it's only his church," said, pro
ceeding to give her an account of Rob
bic Muir's silent. solid inertness and
how he had blocked the Pilots scheme
what a shamev' cried Gwen indig.
nantly. w nat pdu uldu ne muS'
be!''
The Pilot smiled mo, indeed" he
answered. "Why, he's the best man il
the place, but wish he would say OIL
do something If he would only gel
mad and swear | think | should fee
happier"
y Gwen looked quite mystitied.
You see, ne sits there In solemn 81
lence looking so tremendously wis'
that most men feel foolish If the,
speak, while as for doing anything tn,
idea appears preposterous in the fac
of his immovableness."
II can't bear himy' cried Gwen. .
should like to stick pin in him."
II wish some one would answere,
the Pilot. 1T would make him seen
more human If he could be made +
Jump
"Try again" said Gwen, "and ge
some one to make him jump"
1T would be easier to build tn
church." said the Pilot gloomily.
II could make him jump" said Gwel
viciously, and will" she added afte
"a pause.
your answered the Pilot, openin
a.