Putnam patriot., 1909-06-11


 parted mans face hsd always haunted
 the boy, who was artist enough 10 fee
 his father's genins ntultlvely aae human enough to resent fhe injustlse uf his fate.
 Douglas mother had suffered se much because of the impractical ef forts of her husband that she diseeur aged the early tenden. ies If the son toward drawing ard mathematics and tried to direct his thoughts toward creeds and Bible history. When he went away for his collegiate course she was less in touch with him and he
 was able To steal time from his ath leties to devote 10 his art. He spent
 his vacations in neighhoring city be fore a drawing board in the office of n distinguished architect hls fathers friend.
 Douglas was not a brilliant divinity student and he was relieved at last when he received his degree In theol. ogy and found himself appointed to . small church in the middle west. His step was very bright the morning be first went up the path that led to his new home. Ills artistic sense was charmed by the picturesque approach to the church and parsonage. The view toward the tree eneircled spfre was unobstructed. for the church had been built on the outskirts of the town to allow for growth that had hot materialized He threw up his head and gazed at the blue hills. with theif
 background of soft. slow movinc clouds. The smell eff the fresh earth. the bursting of the buds. the forming of new life. set him thrilling with q joy that vas very near to pain.
 He stopped halfway up the path and considered the advantages of I
 new front to the narrow eaved cot tage. and when his foot touched the first step of the vine covered porch he
 was far more concerned about new portico than with any thought of his first sermon.
 His speculatiens were abruptly cut short by Mandy, who hustled out of the door with wide smile of welcome on her black face and an unmistakahle ambition to take him immediately un- der her motheriy wing. She was much concerned because the church people
 had not met the new pastor at the sta- ton and brought him to the house. Upon learning that Douglas had pur- posely avoided their escort. preferring to come to his new home the first time alone. she made up her mind that she was going to like him.
 Mandy had long been a fixture in the parsonage. She and her worse half. Hasty Jones. had come to know and discuss the weaknesses of the many clergymen who had come and gone. the deaeons and the congregation. both individually and collectively, She con fided to Nasty that she didn't ''blame de new parson fer not wantin' to miz up wid dat ar crowd
 In the study that night. when she and Nasty helped Douglas to unpaca his many boxes of books. they were as eager as children about the drawings and pictures which he showed them. His mind had gone beyond the parson- age front now and he described to them the advantage of adding an ex- tra ten feet to the church spire Mandy felt herself almost an artist when she and Nasty bade the pastor good night. for she was stfi1 quiverihe,, from the contagion of Douglas enthu- siasm. Here. at last. was master who could do something besides find fault with her.
 "I jes wan to Ae on de Groun' de frs time dat Mars Douglas and dat ere Deacon Strong se1fnches." she said to Hasty as they locked the doors and turned out rhe hail light "Dh you done see his jawr she whispered. .He look langhin' enough now. but jes you wait tfll he done set dat ere jaw O his'n. and dar ain't nobody what's goin' ter unsot it.
 Maybe dar sfnt gofns ter be no ciinchin'" said Basty. hoping for Man dy's assurance to the contrary. What Y' shrieked Mandy "Wid dat 'ere sneakin' Widow Wfiloughby al ready a-tellIn' de deacons how ter start de new psrson a-gosn' proper5' Now. why youses always a-pickin' on to dat 'ere widowf' asked Hasty, al. ready enjoying the explosion which he knew his defense of the widow was sure to excite.
 .f don. like no woman what's allus braggfns bout her clean fioors.- an swersd Mandy shortly. She turned out the last light and uptoed upstairs. trying not to disturb the pastor. John Douglas was busy already wfft pencil and paper. making notes of the plans for the chureh and parsonage, which he would perfect later on. Alas. for Douglas day dreams. It was not many weeks befoue he understood with a heavy heart that the deacons were far too duil and uninspired tc share his faith fn beauty as an aN tc mans spiritual upiift.
 I've think we've done pretty well by this church. said Deacon Strong. whe was the business head. the political boss and the moral mentor of the small towns affairs. "Just you worry along with the preachin', young man. and we'll attend to the buyfn' and buildin' operations"
 Dou2ias uiu0 Wds toO dctiFe to rOu tent itself wholly with the writing of sermons and The routine of formal pas torai calls He was a keen humani far.an. so little by litle he came to be interested in the heart stories and Accomplishments of many of the vii lage unforrunates. some of whom were outside bis congregation The men tally sick. the Respondent. who needed words of hope and courage more than dry talks on theology. found in him m ever ready friend and adviser. and