Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-04-28
CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI.
On the morrow there was the congre-
CATION at Mount Zion as usual, to hear
that air Teller" lecture on some every
day theme, when the regular preacher
was not there, and what happened two
Sundays out of the four or five in each
month.
After a little waiting everybody was
seated in the new, white little church,
save and excepting dozen goddess boys
of fifteen to twenty years, who came
galoping up like a troop of wild Indians
and sat in their saddles or rode about
under the long, dropping limbs of the
sparsely growing beeches that cast their
cool. quiet Sunday shadows over Mount
Zion Church.
Even they ceased their ordinary occu-
patton of switching each others horses
to make them jump, and knocking off
each others hats to compel the unfortu-
nate hatless to dismount in order to re-
cover that portion of his Sunday attire.
In fact, all this wild set" of boys who
came here from a distant neighborhood
paused in their gambols when it was
whispered about that "the new preacher"
was not only absent from his post but
absent from all the purlieus of Sand
town.
At first there was much speculation
and many various opinions as to the
probable whereabouts of Mr.. Mason. He
had gone away from his work on several
other occasions, it is true, but never be-
fore had he gone without telling Coon
pndb R.aIHap i,,at xpb bo
and precisely when he would be back.
LizHy Wickly was greatly annoyed at
this unforeseen impediment in the way
Of the prompt amends that she had 30
fully contemplated making on that very
day. She remembered now that she had
always treated Mr.. Mason a little
brusquely, even maybe patronizingly,
When she wasn't teasing him.
This she knew, grew out of her vast
respect, and even reverence, for his en-
ployer-which feeling she was compelled
at last to confess, had its origin and
Whole growth in the mystery with which
Prof. Huntley chose to surround him
self
She had been driven to think of him as
So earnestly devoted to the one noble
| calling of patiently wringing out OF
Earth the secrets of the ages, for the
| instruction and elevation of mankind
that he could find no time, even If sucl
man could have the inclination. to min
gle with the common people of the vii
lage
And taking another view, was not Mr.
| Will Mason himself, responsible for Prof
| HnntlpV'Q IopiIal1r ieto MT ottitnIa IN
| ward all the people of Sandtown? HaC
not Mr.. Mason deliberately misrepre
scnted her fathers family to Prof. Hunt
leyf
If he had told his employer that the
| Wicklys We're educated people, and fal
above their surroundings in all menta
acquirements-if he had said to hin
what he had said to her on yesterday
afternoon, only, when she had been un
usually respectful and considerate to
ward him?
If he had done this, would not Prof
Huntley have sought and obtained al
introduction-an undertaking so easily
achieved in Sandtown? And then! Wei
then, candidly she would have done he'
very best to interest and impress him.
For she might as well confess to her
self now as to evade self-questionngs
as she had done for month past, Lizzy
Wickly was in love with Prof. Huntley
| Now do not sneer at the notion of this
really capable young woman being il
love with man she had not seen. Have
any of us, who have loved and 10, I'd
again. had so much the advantage of this
romantic young woman! Have we req iy
seen the people we have loved?
| On the other hand, have we not been
more effectually prevented from seeing
them than if mere few thousands OF
yards of green summer woods lay per
petually between them and us? Have
not all of us awaked from the trance OF
love to find that our fingers had beer
caressing asinine ears? And is not this
the meaning Of the Midsummer Nights
| Dream!
CTo be continued.)