Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-07-27
A STORY OF
REAL LIFE
By WARRINGTON ALBERT
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association

marriages. but the strangest OF all was
that which served to unite me and my
wife. If l hadn't opened a certain
book on a certain day l should either
have remained bachelor or married
some one else. Had l opened that
same book day earlier there would
have been no such effect. | could not
have opened it a day later. for have
never since been in the room where it
was kept.
l was ut the time curate of church
In a small but aristocratic town. My
salary was $500 a year. l had heard
stories of girls setting their caps for
unmarried clergymen, but l saw no
evidence of the truth Of these stories
In my own case. Most of the girls of
the congregation were daughters Of
well to do. some Of them rich. parents.
Whether the girls did not encourage
me because they were aware that
had nothing but my salary or because
l was not especially attractive to
them l don't know. The fact remains
that was not encouraged.
l thought at the time that nv SER
mons were Il trihe too heavy for their
intellects. | was given to philosophic
thought. and my thoughts found a
vent in my homilies. could see
from the want of attention Of these
girls when l was preaching that they
were thinking of the set of their gar.
ments, the appearance Of their hats
and such matters rather than of the
ideas was endeavoring to convey to
them.
But there was one young lady whom
I noticed fixed her attention upon me
from the time began to speak until I
had finished. l would have been at a
loss to know whether her interest was
in my remarks or me had she not the
moment l had concluded my sermon
turned to her hymn book or'her pocket
book for the collection. seeming to for
get all about me. AS she was the only
young lady in the church with for
tune in her own right I never dreamed
Of marrying her, though she was rath-
er good looking and a very estimable
person.
OF course l had the entree to her
home, and many pleasant evening or
afternoon spent with her chatting
upon subjects that were agreeable to
me and seemed to be agreeable to her.
She appeared to be pleased to start me
talking and sat with some fancy work
in her hands listening. At that time l
supposed man entertaining to women
to be one who could talk we'll. have
since learned that a good listener
would be his most dangerous rival.
But the lady did not seem to care to
talk herself. leaving me to do it all.
This kind of chat about ideas is a
very poor conductor for any warming
of the heart. Love is not intellectual.
A rhinoceros may love. but rhinoc-
eros is not thinker. Birds love. but
they don't reason as to where they will
build their nest. Instinct tells them
how and where to do that. l never
made a start on saying anything ten
der. To do so did not occur to me. A
curate with nothing but petty salary
to make love to girl with fortune In
her own right! l should expect to be
turned out of the house and probably
my passionate at such presumption.
I received a call that would give me
no more salary, but I considered the
field better one than the one l occu-
pied. l wished to be worker as we'll
as a preacher. In the parish where
was there were few poor people and
consequently little good to be done
among those who most need. to my
thinking, a clergyman. accepted the
call and the evening before my de-
parture for my new field called upon
the young lady who had shown so
much appreciation of my intellectual
endowments. had some new and,
as thought, original points to bring
up by which hoped to leave final
impression. s@.;g ::lf ID @
n In the midst Of my presentation Of
my Views my friend rose and asked to