The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1912-12-21


Mr.. Langley never made calls in the
forenoon-and he'd been here thirty
odd years"
"All right, you know best. Much
obliged for the advice. Then I'll sim
ply take my walk and leave the calls
until later"
I'D be back by ten, though. Folks'll
begin calm on you by that time"
When, promptly at ten o'clock, the
minister returned from his walk. he
found Mrs. Rogers waiting in the sit
ting room. II is a prime qualification
of an alert reporter to be first on the
scene of sensation. Didama was sell
dom beaten. Mr.. Ellery's catechism
began. Before il was over KeZiah
opened the door to admit Miss Pepper
and her brother. Ryan" was nervous
and embarrassed in the housekeeper's
presence, Lavinia was a glacier, NOV
ing majestically and freezing as it
moved. Keziah, however, was not
even touched by the frost; she greet
ed the pair cordially, and begged them
to take off their things"
II was dinner time before the cate
chizers departed The catechized came
to the table with an impaired appe-
tite. He looked troubled
Don't let it worry you. Mr.. Ellery,"
observed KeZiah calmly. 81 think
can satisfy you. Honest and true,
amt half as bad as you might think "
The minister looked more troubled
than before; also surprised.
Why. Mrs. Coffin!" he cried. Gould
you hear"
Man alive! I'm not worried. Why
should you be? We were talkin' about
trust just now-or | was. Well, you
and I'll have to take each other on
trust for while, until we see whether
we're goin' to suit. If you see any
thing that I'm goin' wrong in, wish
you'd tell me. And I'll do the same
by you, If that's agreeable. You'll hear
a lot of things said about me, but il
they're very bad | give you my word
they amt true. And, to be real frank,
I'll probably hear some about you.
which I'll take for what they're worth
and considerin' who said 'em. That's
a good. wholesome agreement. think.
for both Of US. What do you Think"
John Ellery said, with emphasis
that he thought well of it. He began
to realize that this woman, with her
blunt common sense, was likely to be
a pilot worth having in the difficult
waters which he must navigate as
skipper of the Regular church in Tru-
met. Also, he began to realize that,
as such a skipper, he was most in
experienced. And Captain Daniels
had spoken highly-condescend
but highly-of his housekeeper's quail
fications and personality. So the
agreement was ratified, with relief on
his part.
The first Sunday came and with it
the first sermon. He read that sermon
to Keziah on Saturday evening and
she approved of 1t as a whole, though
she criticised some Of it's details.
The service began at eleven o'clock.
Outside the spring breeze stirred the
budding silver-leafs, the distant break
ers grumbled, the crows in the pines
near Captain Eben Hammond's tavern
cawed ribald answers to the scream
ing gulls perched along the top Of the
breakwater. And seated on one Of
the hard benches OF the little Come
Outer chapel, Grace Van Horne heard
her Uncle Eben," who, as usual, was
conducting the meeting, speak Of
them who, in purple and fine linen,
with organs and trumpets and vain
shows, are gathered, elsewhere in this
community to hear hired priest
make mock Of the gospel" (A-menD
But John Ellery. the hired priest"
knew nothing Of this. He did know,
however, that he was the center Of
interest for his own congregation, the
people among whom he had been
called to labor. Their praise or criti-
cism meant everything to him; there
fore he preached for dear life.
The sermon was a success.
On Monday afternoon the minister
made a few calls Keziah made out
short list for him to follow, sort
Of chart of the main channel" she
called it, with the safe ports marked
and the shoals and risky places Ia
beled dangerous"
you see." she said, "Trumet amt
course you can navigate with your
eyes shut. We divide ourselves into
about four sets-aristocrats, poor re-
lations, town folks. and scum. The
aristocrats are the big bugs like Cap'n
Elkanah and the other well-off sea
captains af1oat and ashore. They
most all go to the Regular church
and the parish committee is steered
by 'em. The poor relations are mainly
widows and such, whose husbands
died or were lost at sea- Most of
them are Regulars. The town folks
are those that stay ashore and keep
store or run salt works or somethin'
And the scum work around on odd
jobs or 60 fishin'. So, II you really
want to be safe, you must call on the
aristocrats first, after that on the poor
relations. and so on down. You won't
be bothered with scum much; they're
mainly Come-Outers."
Ellery took the list from her hand
and looked it over.
. "Hum!" he said musingly. Am
supposed to recognize these-er-
class distinctions? But you're not sc.
riously advising me to treat a rich
man differently from a poor one?"
Not openly different-no. But II