The evening world., 1908-03-23

The Rev. Mr.. Brown is hiding
and is fighting hard to retain the rig
Rowayton is forty miles out OF the
Grand Central Station. on the Shore
line. a town of oysters and summer
boarders that nestles along the Five
Mile River.
Raymonds Church Leaders.
The Raymonds are one of the prin-
cpal all-the- y year-around families OF the
place, Its members prominent In sociai'
business and religious circles. They
h&vS been hard-shell Baptists for
generation, and that means snuch In
New England. True. each summer
there desceuds upon Rowayton horde
of New Workers. but without even
remote effect on the traditions OF the
regular inhabitants.
1--WE are Baptists.'' or They are
Methodists," are qualifications OF vastly
more importance to a Rowayton resi-
dent than a healthy bank account or
olue-blood ancestry.
Eight years ago the Rev. Mr.. Brown
became shepherd to the Rowayton
flock Of Bapusts. and took up his resi-
dence in the parsonage with his wife
an invalid her mother and a daugh-
ter, Cornelia, then twelve years old
His work in the vineyard Is shown
in a new $4,000 brick church edifice
and a largely increased congregation,
many recruited from either the Metho-
d4sts OF Rowayton or the Congregation
alists of Darien, the neighboring shore
town.
But let Mrs. Susie C. Petty. who Ii
an aunt OF Miss Raymond. tell the
story:
REV. Mr.. Brown will be fifty-eight
years old his coming birthday He
wears a neatly trimmed gray beard and
has shaggy eyebrows. He is an evan
gellst style OF preacher. and filled the
pews / have heard said he preacnes
a good sermon. but as l am Metho-
dist I never heard him.
"Ny niece, Clara. was born in 1881
and is her fathers pride because OF
her bright mind, musical and dramatic
ability She has three younger sisters,
Florence. Ruth and Susie, the former
a school teacher, and the latter pu-
pill in our high school. Clara was fore
most always in the church work, hold
ing many offices. such as Secretary OF
the Foreign Missionary Society, and
other posts of honor. For a time she
hat charge OF the town library. and
II was here that talk first started Of
the attentions paid her by Brown.
my brother Charles, Claras father,
had the greatest confidence in the min
lister and is a deacon to-! the church.
They were the best of friends up to the
time folks began to talk about Brown
following Clara around. The parscn
gave her lessons in elOcution, and en-
couraged her to keep up her study OF
the violin
THE first l knew of the town talk
was from Mrs Charles Frake. who
with her husband came to board with
the home of Mr. and Mrs George Ever
EFT she had heard some one say Brown
was sweet on our Clara. The Everetts
are Roman Catholics. and I told Mrs.
Frake l guessed some Of the young
people We're jealous OF Clara. L men
toned the matter to my brother, and
believe he had some words with
Brown on the subject.
THE next person to come to me
about the matter was Ciara's sister
Ruth. We were all right mad about
the parson following Clara around
especially when his own wife was 50
delicate and in need Of his attention
and prayers Clara resigned from th'
library in August. and Florence, th'
second child went to teach school a
New Britain.
Pastors Winter Vacation.
Brown has the bronchitis, and every
winter directly a.trr The mol lays. goes
South for his health. He left thi'
January for Wilmington, N. c., and hi!
wife went to live at the home of Mrs
Josephine Craw, who lives down th'
river.
Then my brother suspected tina
Clara was getting letters from tn
preacher. and one day when She ma
packed her !nEs and annOun ea tina
she was going to visit her sister IL $ey
Britain he forced her TO surrcnder
score OF letters written by Brown /
her from the South,
II was that mad over the double sid
OF Brown that l sat down and wrot
him a very harsh letter. He Wrote blc
to me: Cara is a pune, good ana tTl'
, =!stian E.rl Deal gently with her.
Trustees Take Action.
'-Clara's father immediately Gale
together the trustees ut the cnuro.
John Scherer, Abraham ,!eyerly How
ard Every. John Crgaer, md Frank
lyn Lyach, and 70 ,1sm submitted 20
correspondent Hf f.u preacher ..
were al. .ndi-nau, ana .u ap a0.gr...
terms couyrr-a b. Er.Ha ....r '.e'.G-
This hro.E.t .. aua.aH z.
congrceat,ou of ,.c church has sin.