The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-09-11
OUR Daily Story.
"A Congregation of One"

|
to the Delmains.
Ewes father had offered him
e 10000 for the advowson of that
tiny church.
Its fancy price"
"To get rid of me, presume"
| And Ewes father had said:
well, don't deny it, Mr.. Del
main; and any man in my position
would do the same"
| The 10000 was increased to
100000 and that had reused the
' oldDelmain spirit in even the vicar
, of Drelling.
81 should as soon think of selling
my coat of arms, Mr.. Hassell."
| Mr. Hassell had no coat of arms
, at that time, but he had temper,
and he was vindictive.
"Well, I'll make you sorry before
I've DONE" he said.
And now he had done about all he
could do and it was enough.
The Rev. Philip Delmain, last of
the Delmains of DrelIing, thus sit
ting in his disestablshed vestry
among the cassocks and the choir
who would never again praise the
Lord with him, was beaten.
, The sweet chimes of that other
| church ceased. Instead of them he
heard the cheerful twittering of
birds. Otherwise he was surround
ed by great and soothing silence.
| Well, it ought to have been sooth-
ing But it was not. His pale face
flushed as he remembered what he
had just done, or rather not done.
| The shame of it!
| He rose and confronted his igno.
miny with steady eyes if flushed
cheeks and in a little while he re
turned, calm again and no longer
flushed, to the place from which he
had fled.
She was there kneeling, with hel
face in her hands.
Just for a moment he stood mo-
tionless; not quite so erect now
but writer than before. Only for a
moment
And then he moved softly to his
vestry and shut the door.
| Not now a recreant servant OF his
| Master, when he returned to the
church, and went down it's narrow
nave, he thought Why should he
not pause and even stand where
she had stood? She had left her
| oil
noble of her. All the other books
had been taken away to that garish
| little gem of a new church. Only
hers remained.
| He kissed the book and replaced
it reverently. In a week it would
no doubt be with her in that other
church.
But on the west side of the
| church whittier he turned to reach
| the parsonage in which Delmain
had lived for more than two cen
| turtles, he saw her
She was standing by the large,
white marble cross which marked
where her mother lay. Mr.. Melton
Hassell had lost his wife in the first
year of his greatness as master of
Drelling. It was before the discord
between him and the vicar of Drell-
| ing, and-well, of course, she lay
| in, the old churchyard.
She looked up, and at once moved
toward him. and there was that in
her fact which constrained him to
wait for her. The impulse to steal
away in the other direction was In
stantaneous on seeing her; but so,
also, was her movement toward
/ him.
i HIe waited for her and smiled.
Yes, he would give her the key If
she would take it.
| But she spoke first, offering him
her hand.
Il want to say something" she
said rapidly; land | want you to
believe every word of it. You
may think what you will of me, but
it has got to be said. Once you
asked me If could love you, and ]
i was hasty, and said could not.
| meant would not. But | love you
now, and-you read the words just
now--if you still love me, am will
ing and anxious to say, like Ruth.
| Whittier thou goest will 60 and
you know the rest. Philip. All"