Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-26
DAILY SHORT STORY
MY BROTHER CLERGYMAN.


TOriginsll
Soon after being ordained a minister
In the Episcopal church 1 was put in
charge of the raising OF funds for
church building. 1t was my duty to
go from point To point, preach a SER
mon on the work and receive a col
lection. One day while Oh Il train on
my way 10 q. with this object In view
young man got up from his seat near
by and took the vacant place beside
me.
Il see by your Dress he said, that
you are one OF us, and ! would like to
make your acquaintance. / am Iheo-
dore Beardslee, graduate of - sem
mary. / have not a church yet but
am expecting an especial call soon"
Happy 10 meet you" 1 said cordial
ly and gave him my name and the
work | was engaged in. He asked me
* l was TO preach the next day. which
would be Sunday, and when told him
that i was 10 preach at G.. he said he
got of at G.. himself. We chatted for
an hour, during which / was surprised
at his information. depth and spiritu-
ality. He wore no marks of his call
ing, but he told me that he did not do
so because he preferred not TO make
known his profession TO strangers till
he had church. He complained of his
enforced idlencss and asked IL there
| was not some way I'm which he could
| assist me without salary-until regu-
| larly employed. l promised to think
the matter over Then he asked me
I .
him to preach for me the next day.
demurred 10 this, but he seemed so
hurt at my refusal that before we
| reached our journeys end i had con-
scented.
was met at the station by the
| Buckley family, at whose house I was
to be entertained during my stay ut
g. I introduced Mr.. BeartisIee and he
took occasion TO inform them that he
| was to preach for me the next day
| thought that he should have waited
for me 10 make this announcement,
| and was further chagrined that it
brought him an invitation TO stay at
| their house. I was frightened that on
my introduction they should have
taken up n stranger, but II was now
| too late TO help it and l was not sure
| that ] wished to help ii.
Mr. Beardslee captivated my friends
completely Anna Buckley, aged
eighteen, from the moment she first
saw him came under the spell OF his
soft musical voice. his spiritual APP
pearance We all passed n very
pleasant evening together, though
Beardslee and Anna spent most of it
at the piano. both having musical
tastes aud Beardslee fine tenor voice.
Before we retired l called upon him
to read prayers. and the earnestness
with which he did so confirmed me in
the opinion l had formed that l would
not be ashamed OF him in my place in
the pulpit.
The next morning l loaned Mr..
Beardslee a clerical waistcOat, and we
went to the church. On the way |
asked him II he had a written sermon
| in his pocket, and he replied that he
had not that he proposed to accustOm
himself TO speak extempOraneously.
His sermon was tn the point, there
was no repetition, no need OF condensa-
ton Indeed. his Ideas and the words
in which they were expressed flowed
AS smoothly and as modestly as twin
rivulets through gently inclined
meadow. His effort was far more sue
cessful than any had ever made, the
collection the largest taken during the
year / waited after the service till it
had been counted, while prominent
members of the congregation were be
ing presented TO Mr.. Beardslee and he
was deluged with compliments. Then
we went home with the BuckleyS,
Beardslee da willing behind with Anna.
In the evening the regular minister
held service, which we all attended,
and, after listening TO a delicious rendi-
ton of Nearer, My God, to Thee" by
Mr.. BeardsIee, accompanied by Anna on
the piano. we all went to bed. l went to
sleep feeling that had been given
rest that / greatly needed while the
work had gone bravely on.
On opening my eyes the next morn
ing they rested on my suit case lying
open in the middle of the floor.
sprang out OF bed and put my hand
on the place where I had left the col
lection. 1t was not there. / ran across
the hall TO see IL Beardslee was in his
room. He was not, and his bed gave
no sign of having been slept I'm. Re
turning to my room. noticed for the
first time a paper pinned 10 a cushion.
Ii read:
The collection just pays my fee for the
effort ! made yesterday in your behalf.
You will he panied at your discovery, but
yours Is nothing to the Temorse ! feel
when am myself
l went downstairs to meet the fam
lily at breakfast. covered with chagrin.
modification. dread, lest the man had
introduced had robbed them as we'll
as me. ] announced bis flight with the
collection and told them that IL they
had lost anything I would be respon-
sIble. They would not admit that they
had but from the fact that they were