Gunnison news-champion., 1909-07-30

oStHN N tse i~rn<sHa 90
Mandy vent about bsv datse,
very quietly. feeling thai ths
Little comments v hsch once amused tbs
pastor had uo~ i-.cosne an iuierru;,tiou
10 thoughts IN which she had no part
He wogid SIT for koars With his head
IA his nasdS. taking No s.ticw Of " hs
PASSED before him Sh.s tried TO think
81 new dishes 10 tcnpt bis appetite aud
shook her head sadly as she lsrc ths
uDsss;ed fossi back ~ the k,,chcn
she sometimes found . I.0rfolie ot
dra a~ ingS lying oscs uys<n his study Ia.
bse. sbe rcsnemtse~d the zeal With
which he had pisnn~A to remosl..i the
church and parsoaase when he frst
came TO them. how his enthusiasm had
gradually died foe lack OF cscoura -e-
oent and how he had at last put his
brooks In a cupboard. where they grew
dusty from long neglect. She mar
ve.ed at their resppesrxbce nov. bat
something In his set. faraway hoax
made her afraid to inquire. Thus she
went oa from day TO day. growing
more impatient with Hasty aud more
silent with the pastor
Mandy needed humor and compan-
ionship to oil the wheels If her hum
drum life. There was no more laugh
ter in the house. and she began to
droop.
Polly had been away from the parson-
age month when the complacency Of
the village was again upset by the ar
rival of the Great American Circus"
There were many callers at the par
sonage that day, for speculation was
now at fever heat about the pastor
" III he try to see herr" HAS he for
gotten her." and What did he ever
questions that the women were asking
each other. Now that the cause Of
their envy was removed they would
gladly have reinstated the pastor as
their idol. for. like all truly feminine
souls. they could not bear to see a man
unhappy without wishing to comfort
him. nor happy unless they were the
any man be happy without me?' has
been the cry Of each woman since Eve
was created to mate With Adam.
Douglas had held himself more and
more aloof from the day of Polly's dis
appearance. He expressed no opinion
about the deacons or their recent dis
approval Of him. He avoided meeting
them oftener than duty required, and
strong felt so uncomfortable and
tongue tied in his presence that he. too
GLAD "a,
as Possible.
Nothing was said about the pastors
plans for the future or about his con-
tinued connection with the church, aud
the inquisitive sisterhood was IN the
point OF exploding from an overac-
cumulation Of unanswered questions.
He delivered his sermons consciep.
tiously. called upon his poor. listened
20 the sorrows. real and fancied. Of his
parishioners and shut himself up with
his books or walked alone on the hill
behind the church.
He had been abscnt all day when
Mandy looked out on the circus lot
Tor the dozenth time and saw that the
afternoon performance was closing. 1t
had driven her to desperation to learn
that Miss Polly was not in the parade
that morning and to know that the
pastor had made no effort to finA out
About her. For weeks both she and
Hasty had hoped that the return Of
the circus might bring Polly back to
them. but now 1t was nearly night
and there had been no word from her
Why didn't she come running in to see
them. as Mandy had felt so sure she
would? Why had the pastor stayed
away on the hills all dayi
Cnanswered questions were alway.
an abomlnation to Mandy, 10 finally
she drew quarter from the knotted
GAAgham rag that held her small wad
Of savings and told Hasty to go long
TO de show an find out boat Miss
Polly"
She was anxiously waiting for him
VIXEN Deacon Strong knocked at the
doOr for the second time that after
noon
IN Mr.. Douglas back yet:" he asked.
"No. sab. he amt said Mandy very
shortly. She felt that strong and El-
.vefSon had been ''a-tryin' to spy on de
parson all day" and she resented their
visits more than she usually did.
What time are you expectin' him."
II don't nebber spec Massa Dc1e-
las till ! sees him"
Strong grunted uncivilly and went
down the steps. She saw from the
window that he met Elvefson in front
OF the church.
'Dey sure am a-meanin' trouble"
she mumbled
The hand had stopped playing; the
last Of the audience had struggled
down the street. She opened the door
and stood en- the porch; the house
seemed TO suffocate her. What was
keeping Hasty?
He came at last but Mandy could
tell from his gait that be brought IN
welcome knews.
Amt she iarT'
shes a-trabbelin' wid 'em, Mandy,
-. ne A.