Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-06-26

Alt N'h - HhN l'''''
That's what he am, chile Mandy
slipped the words in slyly, for she
knew that they were against the pas
tors wishes, but she was unable to re
strain her miSclicvOuS impulse TO SOW
the seeds Of curiosity that would soon
bear fruit in the nquisiive mind OF
the little invalid.
"Will you get on to me N-Iandin' into
n miXup like this" She continued to
study the uncomfortable man ut her
side. II never thought I'd be a-talkin'
to one of you guys what's your
namef"
douglas" He spoke shortly.
"Ain't YOU got no handle to it,"
'If you mean my Christian name, it's
John"
"Well, that sounds like Sky pilot
nil right. But you don't look like !
sposed they did"
"Why not?"
81 always sposcd sky pilots was old
an grouchy-ikc. You're Almost as
good lookln as our strong man."
81 done tole him he was too good
lookin' to be an unmarried parSon,"
Mandy chucklcd, more and more
amused at the pastors discomfort.
Looks don't play very Important
part in my work" Douglas answered
CURLY. Mandy's confidential smokers
made him doubly anxious to get to a
less personal topic.
We'll, they count for a whole lot
with us" She nodded her head decId-
eddy. How long you been shown in
this town, anyhow"
about year" Douglas answered,
with something Of a sigh.
"a year," she gasped. "In burg
like this You must have an awful lot
Of laughs in your act to keep EN-
a-comn' that long" She was wise in
the ways of professional success.
Not many, I'm afraid" He Won
dered for the first time If this might
be the reason for his rather Indifferent
success.
do you give them the same stuff or
have you got repT
"a rep" he repeated in surprise.
Sure, repertoB, different acts-en.
tries, some calls 'cm. Uncle TOby's got
twenty-seven entries. 1t makes a heap
of difference in the big towns where
you have run"
ooh, understands Douglas answer.
ed in a tone of relief. well try to
say something new each Sunday"
What kind of spiels do you give
emp she inquired, with growing in
tereSt
Il try to help my people to get on
better terms with themselves and tC
forget their week day troubles" HI
had never had occasion to define his eff.
forts so mlnutely.
"Well that's jes' the same as us.
Polly told him, with an air Of conde'
scenslOn, "only circuses draws morr
people an churches"
Yours does seem to be a more pop
ular form of. entertainment" DougaS
answered dryly. He was beginning tC
feel that there were many tricks in the
entertainment trade which he had not
mastered And. after all, what was his
preaching but an effort at entertain
ment? If he failed to hold his congre
cation by what he was saying, his lis
teners grew drowsy and his sermon
fell short of its desired effect 1t was
true that his position and hers haC
points of similarity She was appar
emily successful AS for himself hi
could not be sure. lie knew he tript
very hard and that sometimes Il tireC
mother or Il sad faced child looked NJ
at him with smile that made the
service seem worth while.
Polly mistook the pastors revcrie TO
envy, and her tender heart was quiCt
to find consolation for him.
"You amt got all the worst Of It,
she said. "If we tried to play dunn
like this for six months, we'd starvc t
death. You certainly must give 'em
great show" she added, surveying hin
with growing interest.
at doesn't make much differenc
about the show Douglas began
but he was quickly interrupted
"Thnts right; it's jrs' the same wit
circus One year you give EN- tn
rottencst kind Of y thing. an they ca
it up; the next year you hand 'em
knockout. an it's a frost. Is tina
the way it Is with a church show
much the same" Douglas admitted
half amusedly, half regretfuIy Yer
often when | work the hardest seer
to do the least good"
81 guess our troubles is pretty niue
alike" Polly nodded, with motherl