Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-11-12
CHAPTER III.
In Which Keziah Assumes a Guardian
ship.

In Which keziah Assumes a Guardian
ship.
Grace left the parsonage soon after
the supposed tramp disclosed his
identity. Her farewells were hurried
and she firmly refused Mrs. Coffin 8
not too-insistent appeal to return 10
the house "up street" and have sup
per. She said she was glad to meet
Mr.. Ellery. The young minister af-
firmed his delight in meeting her.
Then she disappeared in the misty
twilight and John Ellery surreptitious-
ly wiped his perspiring forehead with
his cuff, having in his late desire for
the primal necessities forgotten such
a trifiing incidental as handkerchief
The minister smiled rather one-sid-
eddy.
TITS been something of day for
me-" he said. 81 am ahead of time
and I've made a lot of trouble, I'm
afraid. But yesterday afternoon l
was ready and, to tell the truth, was
eager to come and see my new home
and get at my work. So | started on
the morning train. Then the stage
broke down and I began to think
was stranded at Bayport. But this
kind-hearted chap from Wellmouth-I
believe that's where he hyed-hap-
pened to pull up to watch us wrest-
ling with the smashed wheel, and
when he found l was in a hurry to
get to Trumet, offered to give me a
lift. His name was-was Bird. No,
that wasn't it, but it was something
like Bird, or some kind of a bird"
''Bird?" repeated Keziah thought
fully. There's no Birds that l know
of in Wellmouth Huml Hey?
'Twan't Sparrow, was it?"
THAT was it Sparrow"
Good land! Emulous Sparrow
Run considerable to whiskers and
tongue. didn't hep"
why, yes; he did wear beard. AS
for tongue-well, he was converse
tional, If that's What you mean"
That's what l mean. If you rode
twelve mile with Emulous, you must
have had an earache for the last six.
Did he ask a question or two about
your personal affairs, here and there
between times?"
Mr.. Ellery laughed.
Eyes, one or two, between times, "
ne admitted
Il shan't die Of surprise. Did you
tell him who you was?"
moo, to be honest, | didn't. He
was so very anxious to find out, that
well, lodged | think he believed
/ was going to visit Captain Daniels.
Still, some one may have seen me
come here"
NO. no, they didn't. This fog is as
thick as Injun-meal puddin'. Nobody
saw you"
We'll" with some hesitation, the
young lady who was here with you"
ooh, Grace Van Horne! She's all
right. She won't tell.--She amt that
kind"
ivan Horne? That doesn't sound
like New England name"
"'Tisn't Her folks come from Jer-
sey somewheres. But she was adopt
ed by old Cap'n Hammond, who keeps
the tavern down on the bay shore by
the packet wharf, and she's lived in
Trumet since she was six years old.
Her father was Teunis Van Horne,
and he was mate on Cap'n Eben's
coastin' schooner and was drowned
off Hatteras. Eben was saved just by
the skin of his teeth and got a broken
hip and religion while it happened.
His hips better except that he's some
lame; but his religions been more
and more feverish ever since He's
one OF the head Come-Outers, and
built their chapel with his own money.
You mustn't think I'm speakin' light
Iy Of religion, nor of Cap'n Eben, Ell
Their. He's a dear good soul as ever
was, but he is the narrowest kind of
Come-Outer. His creed is just about
as wide as the chapel door, and that's
as narrow as the way leadin' to sal
walton; it is the way, too, so the Come
Cutters think"
What are Come-outers? Some new
sect?"
"Sakes alive! Haven't you heard
OF Come-Outers? Cats footl Well,
you'll hear of 'em often enough from
now on. They're folks who used to
go TO our church. the Regular, but
left because the services was too
worldly, with organs and choir sing
in. and the road to paradise too easy,
SO need for me to tell you any more.
You'll learn"
Mr.. Ellery was interested. He had
been in Trumet but once before. on
the occasion when he preached his
trial sermon. and OF that memorable
visit remembered little except the ser
mon itself, the pews filed with cap
tains and their families, and the awe.
inspiring n~~~onality OF Captain Ell
kanah Daniels. who had been his host
To a young man, the Ink upon his di
ploma from the theological school still
fresh. a trial sermon is a weighty mat
ter. and the preaching OF il weightieI
still. He had rehearsed il over and
over in private, had delivered it al
most through clinched teeth. and had
returned to his room in the Boston
boarding house with the conviction
Chat IL was an utter failure. Captain
Elkanah and the gracious Miss Anna
bel. his daughter. had been kind
enough to express qualification. and
their praise alone saved him from de
spair. Then, to his amazement, the
call had come OF casual converse
ton at the church and about the Dan
iels' table he could recall nothing. Sc