The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-02-15

minister would be an eminently well
fitted pair.
But the vision faded quickly, and
the many hints that had been dropped
during the last few days flashed in
rapid succession through his mind.
"MisS Nell' was coming home next
week. He would be thrown at her
head and she at his by his well mean
ing flock until something happened.
! Oh. he well knew how it would be
lone., The opportunities congrega-
| ion possesses for annoying its minis
| er and making him do things he does
lot want to do are legion. He Suppos-
ID every lady of the aid society had
damned some function to which he
must go and meet Miss Nell'' The
minister grOaned. Already the sub
ect had assumed alarming proper
ions. He could not, he would not,
| stay round and be made football of,
20 be tossed into any woman's arms.
Again came unbidden that 'alluring
Vision of brown hair and eloquent
! eyes. 1t was preposterous! How could
they badger him now, just as his heart
was beating more madly every day
FOR some one? All. if he were only
sure! Did that friendship, formed a
few short months ago. that soul salts
! tying friendship, mean to the girl Of
| The vision what it had come to mean
! 10 him? Could he, dare he, offer her
! his love? He had been living since
then in a beautiful dream. Suppose
that dream should be fulfilled?
He hesitated Dreaming had been
sweet he feared the awakening.
Dare he risk 1.-The last leafY' With
bound he sprang to his feet He could
and he would He would please HIM
self in the choice of q wife anyway, ;
and, if fortune favored him, give his
| officiOus congregation surprise and
sharp lesson.
I A short phone message to neigh
boring town secured supply for next
Sundays pulpit. Urgent business ont
IF town" was the message left for the
,nurch officers. ana the minister found
himself On the train bound for the
East ana the VISION.
The minister's wOoing was brief and
blunt, bat Miss Helen Atwater was
! not very much taken by surprise The
acquaintance begun in Scotland the
previous summer had ripened fast on
shipboard on the return passage and
been brought to fruition by some
months of correspondence. She even
| consented to Il speedy marriage, and
rs she was living with married
| cousin in Boston the minister took his
bride from there ten days from the
day he left I4ittleton.
But the blissful days of his honey
moon failed to blot out entirely the re-
membrance of his church and his work
and his people. True, in the turnult of
happiness that had possessed him since
that day when Their clumsy interior
fence had driven him, actually driven
] him, into the joy that was now his he
had almost forgotten their plans for
him, but now it all came back TO him
and he realized that he did owe them
! something, for who knows how long
he would have doubted and feared had
not the terror Of Miss NelP' been
upon him?
Suddenly the minister laughed aloud
It was all so funny TO him now. Mrs.
Morris, sitting beside her husband, was
astonished at his mirth and looked it.
"WelR dearest, / know you'll think
me crazy. but it is really too good to
keep. You didn't know that / asked
you TO marry me so as to prevent my
congregation marrying me to some one
else. did you?" And out came the
whole story, his mental picture Of
Miss Nell' and ALL
''You know" he concluded, 81 never
for a moment thought of her side of it.
I was concerned for my own safety.
What in the world a woman like her.
with money and property and the
world at her feet, would want with q
poor struggling nfinister-I can't con-
essive. But / had heard SO much of her
the people so evidently had set
fSefr minds on it. tell you was in a
regular funk over it, 1t drove me to
put my timid hopes TO the test for you,
sweetheart"
There was peculiar smile lowering