West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER XII

- very quietly. feeling that the
little comments which once amused the
pastor had now become an Interruption
TO thoughts I'm which she had no part.
He would sit for hours with his head
In his hands. taking no notice OF what
passed before him. She tried 10 think
OF new dishes to tempt his appetite and
shook her head sadly as she bore the
untasted food hack TO the kitchen.
She sometimes found a portfolio OF
drawings lying open upon his study TIA
bic. She remembered the zeal with
which he had planned to remodel the
church and parsonage when he first
came TO them, how his enthusiasm had
gradually died for lack OF encourage
ment and how he had at last put his
books In cupboard, where they grew
dusty from long neglect. She mar
yeied ut their reappearance now, but
something in his set, faraway look
made her afraid 20 Inquire. Thus she
went on from day TO day, growing
more impatient with Hasty and more
silent with the pastor.
Mandy needed humor and compan-
ionship to oil the wheels of her hum
drum life. There wEs no more laugh
ter I'm the house. and she began to
dpoop.
Polly had been away from the parson-
age u month when the complacency OF
the village was again upset by the mr.
rival or the Great American Circus" !"
There were many callers Mt the par
sonage that day. for speculation was
now at fever heat about the pastor.
"Will he try to see herr" HAS he for
gotten herr" and what did he ever
fnd I'm herf" were a few OF the many
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 man
unhappy without wishing to comfort
him, nor happy unless they were the
direct cause OF his state. How dare
any man be happy without meY' 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 I'm his presence that he, too,
was glad TO make their talks rs few
as possible.
Nothing was said about the pastors
plans Tor the future or about his con-
finued connection with the church, and
the inquisitiye sisterhood was on the
point OF exploding from an overac-
cumulation OF unanswered questions.
lie delivered his sSrmons conscien-
tiously. called upon his poor. listened
To the sorrOws. real and fancied, of his
parishioners and shut himself up with
his books or walked alone on the hin
behind the church.
He had been absent all day when
Mandy looked out on the circus LOT
for the dozenth time and saw that the
afternoon performance was closing. II
had driven her to desperation to learn
that Miss Polly was not In the parade
that morAug and to know that the
pastor had made no effort to find 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 IL 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
would7 Why had the pastor stnyed
away on the hills all day?
Unanswered questions were always
an abOminatlon TO Mandy. SO finally
she drew n quarter from the knotted
cIngham rag that held her small wad
Of savings and told Hnsty to "go long
10 de show an find out bout Mis-
Polly"
She was anxlously waiting for him
when Deacon Strong knocked at the
door for the second time that after.
noon.
''Is Mr.. Douglas back YETI he asked
V'i'No. sab, he amt" said Mandy very
shortly. She felt that Strong and FL
verson had been "a-tryin' to spy on dc
parson all day" and she resented their
visits more than she usually did.
What time are you expectin' him p
Il don't nebbcr spec Massa Doug
ias till sees him"
Strong grunted unclvllly and went
down the steps. She saw from the
window that lie met Elverson in front
Of the church.
"Dey sure am n-meanIn' trouble. p
she mumbled
The baud had stopped playing: the
last of the audience had struggled
down the street She opened the door
and stood on the porch; the house
seemed to suffOcate her What was
keeping Hasty?
lie came NJ last but Mandy could
tell from his gait that he brought IN
welcome knews.
"Aln't she dnrT'
shes n-trabbciin' wild 'em, Mandy
but she didn't done ride"
See heah. Hasty Jones. IL dat ere
chile sickr
II don rightly know" said Hasty
"A great big man. what worcd clothes
Ike n gemmen, coined out wild n whir
In his hand an says ns how he,
'bllged 10 'nOunce anudder gal in Miss
Polly's place An den he says as how
de udder gai was jes' as good, an der
everybody look disappointed like, an
den out comes de udder gal on a hOsi
an do tricks, an amt heard no more
bout Miss Polly"
"Shc's sick. dat's what says" Man
dy declared excitedly, "an' somebody
got TO do sOmethin'w
Il done all I knowed," drawled Has
", fearing that Mandy was reRrettine
her twenty-five cent investment.
Go long out an nx mp DAT 'ers
Kitchen hre," was Msndy's impatient
reply. 4 got to keep dem vittel'
warm for Massa John"