Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-20

e asked what was the chief feature OF
the village of Harpersville he would
have been told it was gossip and
scandal. 1t had come to such a point
ut last that hardly any two families
were on speaking terms. and moved
away III disgust.
IS The social state of affairs could
not have been much worse when Rev.
Henry Bates received call to fill
the pulpit OF one of the two churches.
lie was man of 80, and single, ana
he promised to be popular. 1t wasn't
IA month, however, before there were
stories floating around to his detri.
ment He had come from the west
and 1t was said that his congregation
had been pleased to get rid of him.
and there were other sly statements
and innuendoes circulated to make
his position uncomfortable.
There is more or less gossip in
every village in the land. hut as to
who starts it. is always one of those
things that can't he found out Mrs.
White hears it from Mrs Black. and
Mrs. Black from Mrs. Green, and Mrs
Green from Mrs. Brown, and so it
goes, and the fountainhead Is seldom
located.
When the Rev. Bates came to find
out what hotbed he had got into
he cut short his sermons to do lit
tie outside work. When he came to
delVe into the situation he was more
than astonished. There was Just one
single woman left in Harpersvile who
hadn't t'een talked about to her detri
ment, and she was an old maid named
Sarah Lee. She was not only an OLE
maid, but was extremely homely. and
the pastor hadn't been investigating
long before he thought he had located
the fountain-head. In another weel
he was sure of it.
The old maid was not a church
member, but the pastor called on her
INST the same, and threw out broad
hlnts that the gossip and the scanda.
.tzer would have hard work to squeeze
into the better land when tho time
came. Sarah agreed with him, and
two days later cooked UP another
canard.
She was in command of the situa.
ton up to certain point She was
well-to-do, and she had wealthy rela
ives to stand by her. The minister
saw that he must go slow and bide
MS time. There are clergymcn who
study the subject of religion alone.
There are others who study human
= nature as WELL The Rev. Bates was
one of the latter
An old maid" he reasoned "It's
n young woman who has been over.
looked in the scramble or get left in
the shuttle. This fact had soured her
temper and made her nervous and
jealous. The only way she can get
even is to use her tongue. She is
down on all her sex and ON the mar.
rfed men OF the other. The tongue
OF one old maid can stir up more mis-.
chief than five ministers can smooth
over.s p ssstl 80
!, When the pastor had reasoned that
( lar he took a rest for few min.
utes. and then continued:
What is the remedy for n tattling.
5Hossipins, slandering old maid? Re.
move the cause and the disease is
cured. In other words. if she can he
mar!aed OFF. the spirit of spite will
DE laid and she will have no reason
TO Interfere with the peace of mind
of others
:, The line of reasoning was up-to.
date and the philosophy weighed full
sixteen ounces to the pound. One
may reason thing to logical con.
,ciusion. however, and yet find that
only one difficulty has been removed.
;Ihe Rev. Bates was pitted against
Salah Lee 1t was Lee VS., Bates.
-lteftreatized that he, would have to
go at the end of the year or Sarah
Lee Lee would have to be provided with
"a husband Not only was the instinct
,ot representation appealed to. but
II the question had been submitted
10 any lay mind the answer would
nave been that one minister was
7Wortn ten times as much to any com.
munity as an old maid. The Rev
bates did not turn conspirator. It
taxes two to consrire, and he did NOT
take any one into his counsel.
IT'S very first move almost brought
about his downfall. He made n sec
ono caii on Miss Lee and during that
CAL he brought the conversation
around to the subject of matrimony.
~ was the duty of men and women
10 marry; the world would be n saw.
age desert without homes, race sui.
ctde would end in state of barbar.
ISM. For good reasons of her own,
ne supposed she had neglected this
great duty; but he hoped and trusted
thaI tnose reasons would soon be re-
moved. He himself was single, but
ne was happy to state
!. Before he could make his statement
the ;old maid was in his arms. or
Wonlq have been If he had not quickly
increased the distance between them.
she made it pretty plain that she was
wiling to be his'n. and would do her
nest TO make life happy, for him.
When he closed the conversation by
SAVING that he was engaged to a lady
IN the West. -hewa almost turned out
aoo's.t and Miss Lee started three or
fpnr new stories about him.
n fPe pastor felt sure that he had