Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-06-04
By nARGARET NAYO Z


Mandy had long been a fixture IN the
Hasty Jones. had come to know and
discuss the weaknesses of the many
clergymen who had come Inc gone.
the deacons inc the congregation. both
individually and collectively. She con
ided to Hasty that she didn't blame
de new parson fer not wantin' to mix
up wild dat ar crowd"
In the study that night, when she
and Hasty helped Douglas to unpack
his many boxes of books, they were as
eager as children about the drawings
and picture. which he showed them.
His mind had gone beyond the parson-
age front now. and he described to
them the advantage of adding an
ira ten feet to the church spire.
Mandy fel: herself almost an artist
when she end Hasty babe the pastor
good night, for she was still ~qutverfng
from the contagion of Douglas enthu-
siasm. Here, at last. was a master
who could do something besides find
fault with her.
II Jes' wan to be on de groun' de
frs time dat Mars Douglas and dat
ere Deacon Strong clinches," she said
to Hasty as they locked the doors and
turned out the hall light did you
lone see hts jaw?- she whispered
II look laughin' enough now, but
Jes' you wait till be done set dat ere
jaw o. his'n, n dar aiu't nobody
what's goin' ter unsot it."
Maybe dan amt goin' ter be no
c~linchin',' said Hasty, hoping for Man.
dy's assurance to the contrary.
"WhatY- shrieked Mandy. "Wtd dat
ere sneaktn' Widow Wi1loughby al.
ready a-teilin' de deacons how ter start
de new parson a-goin' properf"
Now. why youse always a-pickin'
on to dat ere widowY asked Hasty, a
ready enjoying the explosion which b.
knew his defense of the widow was
sure to X re.
II dom like no woman what's aIfus
braggtn' bout her clean %fioors,' an.
swered Mandy shortly. She turned
GU the last light and tiptoed upstairs
trying not to disturb the pastor.
John Douglas was busy already with
pencil and paper. making notes Of the
plans for the church and parsonage
which he would perfect later on
Alas, for Douglas day dreamsl II was
not many weeks before he understood
with a heavy heart that the deacons
were far too duh and u~ninspired to
share his faith IN beauty as az aidfr
mans spiritual up1ift
I'VE think we've done pretty well by
this church, said Deacon Strong, who
was the business head, the political
boss and the moral mentor of the
small towns affairs. "Just you worry
along with the p~reachin', young man.
and well attend to the buyin' and
buifdin' operations"
Douglas mind was too active to con
tent itself wholly with the writing OF
IN and the routine of formal pas.
toral calls. He was a keen humani-
tartan, so little by little he came tc
be interested tn the heart stories and
disappointnnents of many of the vii
lage unfortunatea, some Of whom were
outside his congregation. The men
tally sick, the Respondent, who needed
words of hope and courage more than
dry talks on theology, found In him
an ever ready friend and adviser, and
these came to love and depend on
him. But be was never popular with
the creed bound element of the
church.
Mandy had her wish about being on
the spot the first time that the parsons
Jaw squared itself at Deacon Strong.
The deacon had called at the parson-
age to demand that Douglas put a stop
to the boys playing baseball in the ad-
joining lot ON Sunday. Douglas had
been unable to see the deacon's point
Of view. He declared hat baseball
was a healthy and harmless form Of
exercise, that the afr was meant to be
breathed and that the boys who e
toyed the game ON Sunday were prfn-
cipally those who were kept indoors
by work on other days. The close of
the interview was unsatisfactory both
to Douglas and the deacon
"Dey kinder made me cold an
prickly all up an down de back"
Mandy said later when she described
their talk to Hasty. dat ere deacon
DON know muffin bout gtttin' roun'
de parson." She tossed her head with
a feeling of superiority. She knew the
way. Make him forget himself with q
laugh. Excite his sympathy with some
village underdog.