Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-11
CHAPTER XIV.
The Little Church

Poor MT. Vaughan HiAi muir u -AiSS
Emmeline. II wonder what sort OF people
his father and mother were!''
He may feel more like liking his home
in this country now" said Arthur, folding
the paper and laying 1t on the table Kath-
arine quietly drew 1t toward her and re-
opened it, Her brother watched her, but
said nothing
Who is going to church this morningY'
inquired Miss Emmeline briskiy.
IT'S too hot" exclaimed Mabel
TOO hot, echoed her daughter
Miss Emmeliue frowned. Il shall go. II
no one else does," she said firmly.
$50 shall ]. said Elsie with shake or
her curly head so like Aunt Emmeline
gesture that every one laughed-every one
but Elsie mother, who was absorbed IN
her reading. How very, very strange II
midst of the gayetyl She pictured to her
self the change in him from exuberant high
spirits to pro1oundest melancholy.
He had spoken to her of his mother; of
his father. too but more often of his
mother. She was very dear to MIN.
Ii was only fulfilling the part of friend
10 send him a note OF coincidence. she
could give it to Jerry to ieave at the study
door as they drove by to church
Yes. I'm going she replied to Miss En-
melines thriCe-Tepeated question; OF
course I'm going III DE reaUy before you
are.
she vas ready. The note took more time
She regarded II disapprOvingly 1t had
forced. stilted sound, as II the writer felt
insecure, ''as / do said Katharine to her
self He hasn't appealed to me for sym
pathy. I'm not sure that he wants 1t. If
j could see him / should know what TO say.
l wish / could see him. Here we are going
away tomorrow, 10 be gone all summer.
can't leave in this way. without word. L
must see him.
II was only the natural outcome Of this
train OF thought that, as they neared the
Methodist church. instead OF handing the
note 10 Jerry. as She at first intended. my
lady turned to her companion VIII. an inn
pulsive. 'Emmeline, I'm gong to hear Mr..
Vaughan preach today and to her coach
man, saying. Jerry. stop at ne Methodist
church"
"Katharlner calculated her sister, an ex-
preston of dlsmay creeping over her fine,
frosted face. what viii people Think"
Il don't care what people think replied
the Independent Mrs. Chisholm. Elsie can
go with you.
q want to hear c. V my own self"
walled the daughter OF her mother
4 shall go. too" said Miss Emmeline
desperately. Il could never allow you to
subject yourself TO criticism by going alone
10 hear that man preach. l don't know
what Mr. Haverford will Think never did
such a thing before in my life-but if you
are determined TO be so rash, so utterly i'm
prudent ! shall go too"
So il CHANGED that those who attended
the modest little Methodist church were
set agog by the handsome Chisholm turnout
drawn UP before the homely wooden steps,
while two ladies and little girl in exquis-
tie summer costume entered the church;
and the Episcopahans, stones throw
away. missed the spectacle upon- which
they had toasted half the year
Dick Dale who was acting as usher that
morning blushed up to his closely cropped
curls and over the back of his neck as he
saw the strangers approaching. He con-
Quoted them to seats well toward the front,
supplied them with hymn books and fans,
offered to open or shut windows, and wished
there was something more he could do, to
make them feel at home.
In spite OF the heat the church was filed
and Vaughan did not at first take note OF
the addition to his flock. But Elsie's little
head in It's PREDETERMINED hat bobbed so
perslStenuy TO and fro demanding recOg-
milton, that he at last spied them and be-
trayed the fact by ever so slight lift of
the eyebrow,
He saw me- mamma. he saw me. he didr'
proclaimed Elsie in an ecstatic whisper
IF you don't SIT still and behave I'll take
you out" her mother returned with energy
and Elsie subsidized She really had quite
enough 10 occupy her in discovering DIFF
ferences between this church and the one
with which she was familiar. There were
no stained glass windows here. no carved
altar. no shining candiesticks and cross !;
there were no ehoirboys in eassock and
Gotta; even c V. wore the same clothes
that he wore on week days and spoke in
hts ordinary tone of voice. It wasn't bit
like a church. anyway, just big bare
sunny room. with chairs and a place a lit
tls higher up where c. V. sat: but she liked
II So did mamma. she was quite sure.
But Aunt Emmeline didn't; she was sniffin q
away at her vinaigrette as she always did
when she didn't like things. Now and then
she turned a woe-begOne look on her young
er sister Katharine kept her eyes reso-
lutely before her. Il don't care" she said
herself oil nula Bs
iectly miserable, but she needn't have
cCme'-then. with little. subdued futter
OF nebuious laughter deep in her own
inner consciousness 1t is queer awfully
queer. How will ne ever contrive to work
up an atmosphere without any accesso-
RESP
Louise Barker came forward and seated
herself at the sma-4 cabinet organ The
preached announced the hymn. Instantly
the entire congregation were on their feet
singing away with all their might. because
their leader was singing with all his might
Then he prayed as II he meant t. and an
old gray-haired miner behind uttered a
feryent Amen. so loudly that Elsie Jump
ed and Aunt Emmeline piled her vinai-
grette more asslduOusly than before. Then
ihey sang again. The Scripture reading
should have followed. but as the preacher
opened his Bible harsh, cultural voice
called at the open door, ''Mushie? and
down the aisle stalked big Paiuti Indian.
dressed In ragged trousers and a calico
SHIRT and with a red bandanna tied around
his head. In his hand was a big tomato
can filled WI mushrooms. This he held
out to the preacher. repeating, ''Mushie :?
Buy mushieI disdaining alike the stir of
amusement among the less sedate OF tne
congregation and the efforts OF Dick Dale
TO seize and put him out.
For an instant Vaughan looked the en-
barrassment he could but feel over such a
betrayal OF the secrets OF his housekeeping
Then he quietly took the can. saying to
the Paiuti; AN right. pay tomorrow, -
carried II into the study and returned to
hts Bible reading.
The Indian stalked out again. Indifferent
TO observation as he had been when he
entered. The parson went on with his
reading.
Was there ever such mann thought
katharine. w hat will happen next? Are
things always happening here7''
Il was certainly day out of the ordinary,
even for the Methodist church and the
Sage Brush Parson- AS he closed his Bible
and prepared TO announce his text little
Maud Wellman. restless with the heat
slipped from her mothers arms and darted
toward the platform. She had spied a
glass OF water on the table, and being
on the best OF terms with the man who
Htcod beside a.. determined to ask him for
a drink. With the utmost confidence she
looked up into his face, pointed with a
fat little forehnger al the glass and de-
rnanded. in her imperious baoy voice, heard
distinctly over the church, ''Dink, peaset'
Instantly Clement forgot everything ex-
cevt her child faith In him a faith like
that he had had In the father and nathAr