The Prescott daily news., 1909-07-01
HIS HEARTS DESIRE,
An Informal Call That Had a
 Happy Ending.
By GARFIELD MAC NEAL.

Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated Literary
 Press.l
 The chimes were still ringing as Tom Hastings sat down in the half darkness of the little church. He had strolled in hoping for temporary re- lease from his bitter thoughts, but the quiet of the place only seemed to rouse his brain to greater activity. Yet he could not think of his story, the story already due at the publishers. h. stead he saN only girls face, now sweet and gracious as it had been be- fore the quarrel, now cold and repellent as the past two weeks had shown it.
 A strain of music broke the silence. The choir was filing in. Hastings glanced carelessly at the white robed procession The face of the first boy caught his attention for a moment, se- rfous, spiritual, framed in an aureole of golden hair, an ideal face for choir boy.
 But again his thoughts ran back in the old channels to the quarrel and it's consequences. Her work had seemed to go on as usual. She was a success ful miniature painter-at least fine car riages often stopped at the doorway of the big studio building. and her room rang with feminine voices. That was the maddening part of 1t. She lived just across the hall, so he must see her many times a day. He had made up his mind to move. But, then, he had such beastly lot of traps, or per haps it was some lingering hope that kept him there.
 Some familiar chords on the organ startled him. Was it the Offertory al- ready? Yes. and the ideal choir boy was singing alone. His handsome face was flushed, and in his eaxnAstness he waved his sheet of music gently to and fro.
 "Oh, rest in the Lord" he sang
 Hastings leaned forward The words were apparently for him. The abso- lute certainty of the boys tones car ried conviction.
 And he shall give thee thy hearts q sire"
 The tender voice went straight to the mans heart and comforted him. Yes, he, too, would wait patiently, and perhaps some day he, too, would have his hearts desire. Till then he would wait and work.
 The next two weeks went by very differently. Under the press of new enthusiasm the book seemed to write itself The last sheet had gone in to the publisher, and he had always worn q smile when he met the girl on the stairs. Her bow was still as freeing. but he Cnly smiled again and hummed the few bars from Elijah, And he shall give thee thy hearts desire"
 Again Hastings sat ill the little church. Perhaps his choir boy would sing for him. But the figure of the small leader dropped. In the glare of the choir lights his face showed white and haggard, while his eyes were swoll- en from weeping. A wave of pity went over the watching man. It might now be his turn to comfort. The sweet soprano voice was low and broken.
 Hastings determined to find the meaning of the change, so he fingered after the service. and a kind faced GU rate told him the sad little story
 You mean Jack Haines? He has just lost his mother er-cOnsumptio-- the poor little fellow is left all alcne He is being cared fer by neighbors l'ut We must frd him q place i'll some charity school"
 That delicate child in charity school! Hastings could not bear the thought of it. The face of the clild