Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-01-17
cAEDWULF THE ANeLo-sAxoN.
4 Revlal Of Remembrance.

perched among Chaotic heap OF
powders on the western slope OF
Union mountain. waiting for the sun
set. Above him he heard voices
among the trees. but he was in no
mood Tor companionship; so that ne
shrank back among the rocks as his
fellow tourists approached. He start
ed and flushed when he heard Dolly
Maxton's low laughter, but that made
him the more unsociable. He had no
intention nor desire TO eavesdrop, yet
he first words he caught made his
ears burn, and he slipped further into
convert among the rocks.
on, yes, a good sermon!" some one
was saying, but so-wel. l hardly
know how to put it. II was poeticaI
dreamy. rather girlish, something like
sadman himself"
Exactly" Burridge's deep voice
responded; "girlish is the word He's
one of these fancy chaps who draw
big salaries and make pretty dreams
to please the ladies, If he's in ear
nest, why doesn't he do something,
Ell? / hear he has the easiest job
in the state-his congregation is most
~ feminine, and his parish needs
nothing but to be soothed" There
was a trace of jealousy in Burridge's
tones
81 wonder why it is" i7
voice chimed in, that men always
Delittle him? He seems an ideal rec
tor to me"
But not to me" Dolly Maxton said
decisively.
Why" Burridge eagerly inquired,
apparently oblivoius of the others.
Dolly laughed tantalizingiy, and
Sedman, in his covert, purpled with
modification She had answered that
that question to the rector when he
asked her to share his position in
work, and now she was gossiping
about MIN. He could not have be
Iieved it of her.
That" Sedman heard her say,
you must ask of the little birds.
But really, it isn't nice to talk about
our star boarder. And his sermon
this morning was a beautiful one.
1t was polished, as to statefully, so
full of lovely thoughts and imagery.
I'm sure that sucn a mind is capable
of great achievements"
such a mind, secularized is cap,
able of great achievements"
Such a mind, secularized, is cap
able of making love sonnets," Bur
ridge said cynically. "He has his
chance now, and he's doing just what
expected of him. What was that he
told you, Maxton, about his being
wanted in The slums?"
"Oh, bother!" Dolly's brother an
swered, come along. You talk about
Sedman being womanish, but I'll bet
ne wouldn't gossip about you, anyhow.
The supper bell Ii ring in a minute"
The party passed on down the
slope, but Burridge and Dolly seemed
to linger in the rear for scraps of
their conversation still floated up to
the unwilling listener.
Yes, he told me about it," Dolly
said. Some friend of his died there,
and it was the friends wish that Mr.
Sedman should succeed him. 1t
seemed a fine opportunity to do good.
Would you have taken it,"
Burridge's laughter was touched
with embarrassment. I've not a sky
pilots soul" he said, "to use a phrase
I've heard out here. I'm in this
would 70 erat Tho o+bo,. fol1ox,,,c ,,,o,,c,,
for-my wife-to spend. Will she
ever spend it, do you Think"
The voices grew inaudible, but for
some time the rector sat silent and
distraught, gazing out into the glow
ing western sky.
What does it matter ne said at
last, absently speaking aloud. "She
is frivolous and weak-a fit wife for
a masterful man, but no companion
for me. His head sank in thought
and after time he drew out pocket
book and extracted a letter. She
called this an opportunity" he unused.
g. "The charge of a slum parish; where
they fight and stlrve, drink, breed
and die. Where everything is needed
and nothing can be done Where one
Of my sermons would be Greek, and
-and-well, yes; why not? Where
would have not a moments peace in
life. To give up St. Mays far that"
He scowled at the sunset, but in
moment the disconnected look faded
and he aazed with absorbed interest
at the fash anu play of colors. Under
that oriental sky, his whole being be-
came absorbed in an esctatic worship
of the beautiful. AS the red faded to
orange. and pink, and violet, and slow
lily clipped into the purple dusk. the
expression of his face died away into
an evening calm.
Behind him the round moon start
ed above the horizon of hills, and the
dusk had hardly asserted it's pres
ance before the valley was filled with
mystical light. The peacefulness of
The scene was in keeping with Sed-
mans nature He knew but little OF
the rough word; from infancy his
way had been made pleasant for him.
The transcendentalism inherited from
his father the piaty and effeminate
love with which his mother had en-.
lowed him. had been nurtured among
libraries and gardens, until, as some
J., ;- ~~o.,+l~