The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-02-21

Oh. he well knew how II would ps
done. The opportunities ccngrrga.
sian possesses for annoying It's ninis.
ter and making him do things be does
not want 90 DO are legion lie surpo~'
cd every lady of the aid society had
planned some function 20 which he
must 20 and meet "ailss Nell" The
nilnlster grouned. Already tho sub
jeci Ind assumed alarming prupors
tions. lie could not. he would not,
stay round and he made football of.
10 he tossed into any woman's arms
Again came unbiddcn that slluring
vision OF brown hair and eloquent
eve. u was pseposierous! How could
they badger him now. Just AS his heart
was bcaIing more madly every day
for some onei All. II he were only
sure. Did that friendship, formed a
few short months ago that soul salts
flying friendship. mean 10 the girl OF
the vision what II had come TO mean
10 himi Could he. dare he offer her
his lover lie had been living since
then Ia beautiful dream. Suppose
that dream should be fuinlledi
He hesitnted. Dreaming had been
no sweet he feared the awakening.
Dare be risk '.the last icafr' With a
bound he sprang 70 his feet He could
aud nc would He would please him-
self III the choice OF wife anyway,
and, II fortune favored him, give his
oiiicious congregation surprise aud
sharp lesson.
A short phone message to a neigh
boring town secured u supply for next
Eundny's pulpit. urgent business out
Of town" was the message left for the
church ofdccrs. and the minister found
himself on the train bound for the
east and the vision"
The minister's woolng was brief and
blunt, but Miss Helen Atwater was
not very much taken by surprlse, The
acquaintance begun In Scotland the
previous summer had rlpened fast Oh
shipboard on the return passage and
been brought to fruition by some
months Of correspondence. She even
consented to q speedy marriage. and
as she was living with married
cousin In Boston the minister took bis
bride from there ten days from the
day he left Littleton.
But the blissfui 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 tumult OF
happiness that had possessed him since
that day when their clumsy interfer-
ence had driven him. actually driven
him, Into the Joy ttat was now his he
had almost forgotten their plans for
him, but now II 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 him9
Suddenly the minister laughed aloud.
II was all 30 funny TO him now. Mrs.
Morris, sitting beside her husband, was
astonished at his mirth and looked II.
"Well, dearest, know you'll think
me crazy. but 1t is really too good to
keep. You didn't know that l asked
you to marry me so as TO prevent my
congregation marrying me TO some one
else. did your And out came the
whole story. his mental picture OF
Miss Nell" and all.
You know" he concluded, II never
for moment thought Of her side Of 1t.
| was concerned for my own safety.
What In the world woman like her.
with money and property and The
world at her feet, would want with
poor struggling minister I cant con-
ceive. But had heard NO much Of her
and the people so evidently had set
their minds Oh 1t. tell you was In q
regular funk over It. II drove me to
put my tlmld hopes to the test for you,
sweetheart"
There was peculiar smile lowering
around Mrs. Morris lips, and for a
minute or two she said nothing.
"what Is II, dearf" asked the minis
ter anxiously. you are not yexed, are
you"
"N-no," hesitatingly, mot exactly.
but nm just thinking how beautifully
| you have played into your congrcga'
ions hands, for, do you know. Calvin.
you have really and truly married that
domIneering person. Miss Nell"
Married Miss Neilr" repeated the
minister blankiy, staring At bis wifss
flushed, laughing face.
"Yes. truly. am Helen Gilbert AT
water. called 'Mlss Nell at the old nome
IN I.ft,le.,,t. Listen. dear. ] had no
thought OF deceiving you Mt first did
not know you were In the church at
Littieton TIL we reached New York on
our voyage home. You know we were
pretty well acquainted then. but l.
neither OF us knew our own heart. !
often intended to tell you In letter.
but somehow I couldn't. felt that u
you knew 1t might make a difference.
You were poor. comparatively. J had
all that money and property. AND
and ! loved you, dear, too much then
| Inn mn