The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-11-18


woman. "He can't be more than
thirty-five or thirty-eight, IL his hair
and beard are gray. Jim says he
loks like an up-to-date prophet" she
added with high pitched brittle
laugh peculiarly distasteful to her
companions esthetis sense
Il was not thinking OF his features
Miss Easton retorted with rather
edgy precision. what you see be-
hind them is the great charm. He
has a manner that Is not reserve or
coldness. But he always seems in
leash to some deep rooted reminder
He must have been through crisis
od SOME kind. presumably mental,
and he has not survived Its influence
yeti"
well. II 1t isn't strange to hear
you say that. / wonder II had bet
ter tell you something Jim heard
about him." Mrs. Williams continued
slowly. She eyed her companion ap-
praisingly. YOU'LL never tel, VIII
your
"If it's anything very dreadful"
replied Miss Easton promptly, per
haps you'd better not tell me. Mr.
Woodbridge has shown himself a mod
el of zeal and practical energy ever
since he came to Saint Gabriel's. II
there's anything about him that Is
queer. 1t had better come from HIM
self He has secured the place for
miles around to get the children to-
gether for this confirmation. He seems
to have a peculiar liking for children.
1t was strange enough that he should
throw up a wealthy parish for this
poor little one in the Upper PENN
sula."
"He does read the versicles as no.
body else. Jim hasn't missed morn
ing service since he came. I think
ought to tell you what Jim heard. /
wouldn't tell IT to many in the par
ish. But you won't tell"
'T certainly sha'nt tell" replied
Miss Eaton somewhat scornfully.
'swell then. Mrs. Williams low
cred her voice impressively-the say
he killed some one once"
"Oh, what a shame!" exclaimed
Miss Eaton, Indignantly. She was the
kind Of a woman who lent vigor to
that sort Of explanatory protest;
slender, olive skinned. thirty. and an
important parsonage in Saint Ga
briefs since she was rich, intellectu-
al and of good family
'T don't mean deliberate murder,
of course" Mrs. Williams fastened
to add. with nice discrimination Of
manslaughter from the real thing.
ut was when he was very young.
Another boy angaresl him, and he
struck him: and he fell and-died af-
terward. Jim says he heard it from
a man who knew Mr.. Woodbridge when
he was in the East years ago. He
didn't mean to, of course. But then,
it might have something to do with
his expression"
"That is quite possible Miss East
on remarked, drily, and let the sub
ject drop Conversation lapguished
between the two women till they ar
rived at Saint Gabriel's. They had
met on their way to the afternoon
service, and had walked along togeth-
er. It was a September Sunday, cool
brilliant and mellow. The farstretch-
ing meadows, with small lakes dot
ting the fields of autumnal brown and
cleaning in the sunlight, made a typ
ical day for upper Michlgan-one to
stir to exhilaration or melancholy ac-
cording to individual trend Of soul.
When they arrived at the neat brown
chapel, overgrown with ivy, they
found the boys and girls whom Mr..
Woodbridge had brought together from
everywhere within radius Of TWEEN
ty miles, waiting on the lawn between
the rectory and the chapel the fresh
balmy stiffness stirred no melancholy
in those youthful rustics, who were
as restless as bees about hive
awaiting the hour when the rector Of
Saint Gabriers should appear and
shepherd them into the little fold.
In the meantime that mysterious
parsonage" stood at the window OF
his study and looked out at the chill
dren the lush grass. Some Of the
rougher elder boys were having much
fun at the expense Of an odd looking
chap, about nine years old. His art
less, light blue eyes regarded the
world and his unsympathetic compan-
ions with painful diffidence. His
round, sunburned face SURPRISING the
cence of inexperience. To the larger
other round brown faces in the inno>
cence of experience. To the larger
vision of adult eyes the shrinking fig
ure was not without patfos; but the
thoughtless urchins who surrounded
him were stimulated by it to that
teasing ridicule which, void Of delib-
crate malice, brings nevertheless
much misery to it's childish victim.
THE boys apparel was on a like di-