The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-04-23

ped quietly into the next room to fin
ish tomorrow's sermon. Mandy renew
ed her operations at the window with
increased vigor when the pastor had
gone. She was barely saved from
pitching headforemost into the lot by
the timely arrival Of Deacon Stpngs
daughter, who managed with difficulty
to connect the excited woman's feet
with the floor.
"Foh de Lor' sake!' Mandy gasped
as she stood painting for breath and
blinking at the pretty. young. apple
faced Julia. 81 was suah most gone
dat time" Then followed another OUT
burst against the delinquent Hasty.
But the deacon's daughter did not
hear. Her eyes were already wander
ing anxiously to the lights and the tin
sci Of the little world beyond the win
dow.
This was not the first time today
that Mandy had found herself talking
to space. There had been steady
stream Of callers at the parsonage
since II that morning, but she had
long ago confided to the pastor that
she suspected their reasons.
"Dey comes In here a-trackin' up my
fioors." she said. IAN a-askin' WIN
you don't stop de circus from a-show
In mex TO de church an den a-cranin'
dar necks out de winder till can't
get no Homework DONE"
That's only human nature" Doug
las had answered, with a laugh. but
Mandy had declared that she knew an
other name for 1t and had mumbled
something about "hypocritters' as she
seized her broom and began to sweep
imaginary tracks from In front of the
door.
Many times she had made up her
mind 10 let the next caller know just
what she thought of .hypocritters. .
but her determination was usually
weakened by her still greater desire &,
excite increased wonder In the faces
of her visitors.
Divided between these two inclina
lions. she gazed at Julia now. The
shining eyes of the deacon's daughter
conquered. and she launched forth int
an eager description Of how she had
just seen a wonderful striped ana
mule" with a ''pow'ful long neck wall
right out Of the tent" and how he ha,
''comc apart afore her very eyes" AM
two men Ind slipped right out Of hi'
insides" Mandy was so carried ava.
by her own eloquencc and so bus.
showing Julia the sights beyond the
window that she did not hear Miss
Perkins. the thin Tipped splnster. VIII,
entered. followed by the Widow VII
loughby. dragging her seven-year-old
son Willie by the hand.
The women were protesting because
their choir practice OF what Shall The
Harvest Bet" had been interrupted b!
the unrequcsted accompaniment of the
''hoochee coochee" from the nearby cir
Gus band.
Its scandalous.' Miss Perkins snap
ped. "Scandnlous. And somebody
ought 10 stop It." She glanced about
with an unmistakable air OF grievance
at the closed doors. feeling that the
pastor was undoubtedly behind one 81
them when he ought 20 be out takinr
action against the things that her sou
abomlnatcd.
swell. I'm sure I've done all that
could" piped the widow. with meek
martyred air. She was always mar.
tyred. She considered Il an appropf
ate attitude for a widow. "Ie cant
blame me II the choir Is ont Of key to
morrow"
"Mcrcy me~ interrupted the spinster
III there isn't Julia Strong a.leanine
right out Of that window a.looking al
the circus. and her pa a deacon of the
church, and this the house of the pas
tori It's shocking. ! must go TO her ;
MA, let me see. too." begged Willie
rs he tugged at his mothers skirts.
Mrs. willoughby hesitatcd. Miss
Perkins was certainly taking a long
while for her argument with Julia
The glow from the red powder outside
the window was positively alarming.
Dear mer' she said. Il wonder II
there can be q FIRE" And with this
prctext for investigation she, too
joined the little group nj the window.
A few moments later. when Douglas
entered for a fresh supply Of paper
the backs of the company were 10
ward him. He crossed TO the study
table without disturbing his visitors
and smiled 70 himself at the eager
way In which they were hanging out
OF the window.
Douglas was sturdy young man OF
eight and twenty. frank and boyish IN
manner. confident and light hearted In
spirit. lie had seemed too young to
the deacons when he was appointed "a
their church. and bis keen enjoyment
Of outdoor games and other healthful
sports robbed him Of certain dignity
IN their eyes. Some Of the women OF
the congregation had been ihcllHed to
side with the dcacons. for II hurt their
vanity that the pastor found so many
other interests when he might have
been sitting In dark. stuffy rooms dis.
cussIng theology with them. but Doug
las had been either unconscious of OF
Indifferent 20 their resentment and
had gone on his way with a CHEEKY nod