Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26
THE SAGE BRUSH PARSON
BY A. B. WARD
Copyright by Brown Company
BY A. B. WARD,
Copyright. 1905. by Little. Brown & Company,

I
theiess made no effort to escape. but tucked
IT'S iorepaws in and purred Justify
very nice, said Clement, laying one
nanu on the Kitten and the other on the
enid $ soft hair. Soon both were astAep
Meanwhtle. there was great hue-and. cry
on richmond HIN. Nora had come hDme
with the empty tricycle.. confesslng that she
nao no idea of its owners whereabouts
ne various members of the family depart-
ed IN as many different directions TO senrcb
TOT soF tAe runaway. Katharine. for reasons
best known to herself. went straight 10 the
chnreh. The afternoon shadows which
come so early TO the canyon were already
engtnening, but the small brick ediice.
because OF It's position on the hin was aim
IN the light The door stood open She
looked In, caught the glow OF the red car
pet noted the INFORMAL arrangement of the
chairs 1t was certainly a homelike little
plaee, but very unchurchly. Her Episco-
palan soul rey'olted as Eisie's had at the
whistling. There was not a sound. yet size
felt quite sure the child was there Why?
she asked hers,elf Katharine had a y5ay
OF asking herself questions: usually she
compelled herself to answer them.
She advanced slowly down the aisle
which was IN line with the inner room.
1es. there they We're, the man, the child
and-actually the kitten
She was conscious of a strange little SEN
| SETON. disquieting. yet not altogether an
pleasant, as she spied the long brown hand
resting Else's curls
His head dropped. OF what was he think
ing?
He did not see her until she stood in the
| doorway. Then he started. She mf2ht
! have been a wood nymph. he told himself
| emerging from the oaken frame about her.
! IN her cool, fanny silks and wide flower
| trimmed hat, with her pallor and 1er
| startled eyes.
| He did not speak for an instant. But
| Elsie had felt his sudden move She sat
| upright, flushed and embarrassed and be-
| gan to talk very fast She had been so
! tired she walked 50 far
''But you ran away" interrupted KatlIa-
| rine with asperity, why did you 10
| that?'
Il wanted to ask C v something" re-
| piled Elsie with "a toss of her small head.
| What" cried her mother II was her
| turn to become embarrassed. Redder than
| her roses she grew.
! Elsie saw her advantage and pressed It.
! He Is g. VIE says so. she continued.
| land he says-oh, there goes the kitty 1
! borrowed OF Mary Flynn
over the red carpet she darted like a pun
| Of thistledowu in a high wind. Katharine
| and Clement followed in hot pursuit. They
| caught her, as she caught the kitten, half
| way down the steps.
Both her hands were occupied Let ne
| take the cat" said Katharine. but Elsie
| tucked the animal rCsOlutCly under her chin
! again. saying she doesn't know you,
| mamma, and" this by way Of wardiuE or
| interference, ''kitties have fits, sometimes
| Katharine glanced helplessly at Vaughan.
| He laughed. 'I'll get my hat and walk up
with you if you will permit me- he s'dd
| sympathetiCaiIy
| ''If YOU will be so kind" she responded.
So the three went through the diney
| streets together the man in his long coat,
| which suited him. she decided. like the
| habit of an order, the woman IN her golden
| draperies ripping and shining as sire
! walked, Ike sunIit water over the statue
| of a fountain. ana the fairy child now here.
! now there. before. behind them. Like the
shuttle In q web She wove them together
| and gave them an excuse for being in "a N
| others company.
| The rest of the searching party had Ie-
! turned and were gathered I'm a group IN
/ Of Web
IT'S the parson TO the rescue again.
| said WinsIow, his lip twtching-
| so it seems" replied Arthur.
cot all thinCzr' murmured Mabel w2o
seemed 10 read unutter3ble meanings in the
| approach Of the three.
i.'yyhere DO YOU think The child has hern2''
/ demanded Miss Cmmeline Of every one in
| general And no one In particular an
Come up and meet my friends" urged
| Katharine Dine with as do. NY brother
| wishes to meet YOU; he said So And the
rest are all friends; you would Ike them.
Please do"
intendent had limited to him, not too subiy,
that these were the people whom 1t was es-
pecialIy desirable that the new preacher
should meet and attract w hat better OPP
portunity could be ofered2 -
| He Welded not altogether against ms
will and Katharine led him triumphanty
ND 70 the group. They received him pl-
Ttelv. kindly. az become the well-bret,
hut with covert spirit Of inquiry
which at once put him on his mettte
He would show them of what stun
HI. was made He talked. IN theL
language told stories, from their point q
view put on their armor. fought their hat-
tie touched Haverford where he was most
sensitive. showed how dull Wnslow could
be. hattered Mabel charmed Miss Emnt-
line and made Arthur Sinclair open his
ewes in the way so like Katharines way
when she was surprised and pleased
Her ewes glowed like stars tonight SHe
openlv exulted in the new acquisition 10
their little circle ''YGu will come agar,
You must" she pleaded rs he bade her
goodnight. You are just what we nee-'
Really it IS a mission"
He laughingly promised and hurre1
away. wondering at the new Nghtness ana
brightness he discovered In himself re-
spontling with every faculty TO the Amos
phere he had left. ,-
on Jackson's Corner two men IN miner
dress started out from among the sna-o"7
and accosted him. -.
you the Teller that runs the hanlly-
panky establishment yonder? inquired oh5
.s1Ihe what?" asked Vaughan.
THE hanky-panky shop The haHeiu-al
out@t" repeated the miner impauentiy
The satisfactory, the sinner-be-daiii'e"
Mace" calculated the other miner,
"O-h. the church," exclaimed Vaughan Il
great light breaking in upon him Yes;
YES I'm the parson. Come in, come III ana
teu me what / can do for you