Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-15

Michael r. sp ,k1 pompously about IL that I
was scared. for fear he'd realize Ia h9erd
~ h!In just stopped short, trying u remember
the namc. 1t seems 20 vsgusly tn;t 1 hive
heard him spoken OF. too Isn't there an emo
tional old preacher IN sensatios~l church in
New York By that name"
Tho girl made no response, anc tao other won't
on: We'll, he's llkc all other old rnen-.oo ford
OF the sound OF his voice and so s&rrulous
about his youth! I thought he mover would get
through telling me anecdotes Of his young days,
! meant to be kind to him, but, when you consider
that he was keeping mo eway from you -ou can
imagine that ! not vitality interested In his
"reminiscences"
There was an intcrlude Of appropriate silence
after this, ana then the girl asked, "Ifow's your
poor tooth"
Better, to-da~ thank Heaven. Yesterday
really thought could not 60 through the service
b Tho va, -Ic!ca, dating vhat did you tuir,
OF the serTon in the evening? Didn't It strike you
Is pretty good' thought that point abou. tho
health of content was not so bad. it really seems
odd to me sometimes that should have so little
trouble about speaking without notes. 1t just
seems to come natural to me-
1T was wonderful" breathed the girl raptur-
ousiy-"wonderful! I felt the tears In my eyes
gil the time-and when thought how you were
suffering every minute from soothache, L"
There another silence Then tho young
minister spoke again.
l r
ranging the heating plant of that old house we're
going to use parish house? Well 1t was the
funniest thng-all the Will, this old man was
talking / kept turning II over In my nind--it's
really been making me lose my appetite; I thought
: was no good. and not At to be the leader of a
parish because couldn't solve that probem--and
finally an inspiration about straight pipe ND from
the old kitchen came to me from a figure he wa.
drawing idly on the dust with his cane" 10
paused and laughed 4 little with boyish mis-
chief. Il hope 1t wasn't d.cciring and un-Chris-
tian but just couldn't keep the Joke to n1ysef.
and when l said goodnight TO my old se-mcnizct
told him lie could know how he had heloed
me. He never will, either"
The girl laughed with him. tin;,ling cush Of
amusement and admiration that disappeared 'e-
fore the sudden severity Of her sweethear,s
rs hs went en- But, II he Is q clergyman
claims, he has the most extraordinary Ideas
theology Really, Helen" ne spoke with a - utn-
fully solemn condennation--"I really shouldn't
think him quite safe He lowered his voice
greater hush. Honestly, he didn't sound
quite orthodox to me-"
There IS limit to all things. At this the
Reverend DR.. Michael Burke sprang from his bed
and, rushing across The floor With agility he had
not suspected to be in him. Ae slammed the win
dow down. banging It so that az echo rcsounded
through all the house.
But he was Irish for other things than for quick
synpathies. and before ne reached his. bed again
he was shaken by a laughter that seemed TO tear
him away from all his old noorlngs. lie buried
his face in his pillows to stife the sound Of his
noisy peals OF mirth-he ielt ovcrwhe mci.
drowned. as wave after wave OF hilarity swept
over him. His tired nerves reacted from their
tense strain Of few moments before into a wild
taAsle Of hysterical realization OF the joke on him.
1t seemed to him that he could stop laugh
Ing Every time he recalled the scene under tho
pine tree he burst into outlaws and beat his nds
upon the pillow. He thought Of his last meditation
before the dialogue outside began no matter
shout met is an immortal soul to be saved" and
Els p!dued vanity was fairly ann!hllated by lis
sense OF the ,nimitabe rony Of the situation The
same quality In him that made him instrument
e1quisltely responsive to emotion made him II,
alone IN the dorkencd room and plunge from ono
depth OF uncomfortable mirth to another As fas,
as a CONFUSION OF laughter subsidized into faint
GREATNESS chuckes, old phrases Of his exhorta-
ton foated across his brcln-"the 10y OF realizing
ones Anal insisnlhcance in the world chow cheer
fll il made middle-ase TO know that youth ALWAYS
ludicrously exaggerated its own Importance" and
he lay back or his pillows, shouting and Growing
Historically until his breath gave out and he shook
in noiscless gggles,
Finally he realized that he was dog-tred and
at the same time he felt dmly that he wa. re-
Taxed and unsraned as ne had not been for many
months - but before he could stop to phoso-
phize on this ne fell suddenly asleep like little
child.
When he awoke tho sun was shining brightly
and tho house was noisy with active life He
reached for hts watch and looked at 1t iucred T.
lously. 1t pointed to twenty minutes TO twelve
lie had slept almost half the day The fourte+n-
year-old son CT his landlord passed the open win
dow and he called him in. "Dsat you want to
60 fishing With me to-day" be asked. yawnIne
happily as he sat up and rubbed his eyes 'l'r
going nshins the rest ef the time I'm here. Con
along"
After the boy had gone he rose and went to tho
mirror. On the way q bsated spasm OF laughter
overlook him, and when he looked at himself TO
hardly recognized the healthy flushed and smiling
face which greeted him. He surveyed this caro-
free image complacently for some tmc, and, hnal,y
With freakish return to his boyhood he stuck out
his tongue and shook jocular hst at tho looking
glass Sure. an It's not you that can liver say It
does a man no good to lave his own parish a Bit"
he cried, assuming his broadcast brogue. and then.
"Och faith! an I wish Lulu could SEQ me jisA
nowl"