The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-31
Hic Two Smiles
loriginal.l


| position, which was concealed under a
forbldding countenance The corners
of his mouth were drawn down, and
when he smiled they refused TO be
drawn up. The consequence was a
mingling OF smile In the eye and a
crusty look about the mouth that was
by no means pleasing Harding pos
sessed very good mind. He was orig
inal and entertaining. but this, espe-
cially among young people, counted for
nothing. When he perpetrated With
eism accompanied by what in another
would have been droll expression the
result was a combination Of smile and
acerbity that was very unpleasant.
One girl only seemed to be able to
chat with Harding without laughing
at him, Rebecca Payne. But Miss
Payne was the daughter OF poor cler-
gyman and merely tolerated In society
well, because she had neither wealth
nor that faculty of assumed gracious
ness to the members Of her set which
in society people is often accompanied
by ungracIotisness to those without
their set She was, however, intellec-
tual, and some of the more apprecia.
tive members took her up. But none Of
the socially prominent young men paid
her any attention, and this was back,
set for her When II was noticed that
the only attendant she could rely upon
was Harding her fate, socially consid-
cred. was sealed.
Hardlng's occupancy Of the social po-
sltion to which he was entitled was
confined TO one winter. The next soci-
ETY. saw him no more. He disappeared
for five years. At the end Of that pc
rlod one OF the arlstocratlc churches OF
the place where he had been born and
reared needed minister. The pillars"
had heard of young man, a Mr.. Cum.
mings, who was electrifying the elect In
another city and sent him an invitation
to preach. The reverend gentleman ap-
peared one Sunday morning In the pull
pit, and the moment certain members
of the congregation looked at him they
whispered to one another, How like
Owen Harding and yet how unlike
himw
Mr.. Cummings after announcing his
text closed the Bible and without
scrap Of memoranda delivered the fin
est sermon that had ever been heard in
that church. Once when using hu-
morous illustration he smiled. That
smile captivated every woman present.
and there was not girl unbespoken
who did not resolve that II Mr.. Cum.
mings were called and accepted the
call she would set her cap for him, for
1t was known that he was both unmar-
ried and rich.
When the congregation left the church
there was a hum Of praises intermin-
gled with query and counter query
from those who had known Harding as
to whether he and Cummings could
possibly be one person. Then 1t was
learned that the clergyman's name was
Harding Cummings, the latter name
having been taken to fulfill the proyi-
slons of fortune. This settled 1t that
Cummings was none other than Owen
Harding, who had been the laughing.
stock Of his acquaintances for a dia.
bollc smile that had since become Sc.
raphic. A thousand tongues were set
babbllng not at the young minister's
1Noquence, but at the transformation of
his facial expression. As people once
asked concerning newly risen literary
star, Where did she get that styleG'
so 1t was asked concerning the Rev.
Harding Cummings, Where did he get
that smlleT
Mr., Cummings became the pastor Of
the church, and fifty young ladies in
and out Of the congregation, all social
~ prominent. made dead set for him,
1t must not be supposed that Mr.. Cum.
mings' eloquence or his heavenly smile
would have alone led these young ladies
to covet him for a husband. II was
the elOquence and the smile supported
by his great wealth. The minister
showed no preference for any Of them,
which made the race all the more ex.