The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-06-07

ared, stupid youth whom he had tutored. Before
he entered the divinity school he made a tour OF
Alaska In the visits to which his vacations were
mainly given up and in the academic riumphs that
he never neglected secure Miss Sophie saw al
most equally the hand oi God. At last, when he was
twenty-five years old. the Reverend Stephen Orth
being fully equipped to direct the souls OF men,
cepted his first parish.
They speaking of Stephen when his letter
eame-the women who sitting in the warm
ldte afternoon, the porch oi Sophie Bur
chelis shabby little cottage But the coincidence
was not remarkable a. though the talks between
Miss Sophie and her friends were not invariably OF
Stephen and OF the gloFies he so steadily accumu-
lated Whatever their private view oil the young
himself they all shared. nowadays, the tender
hypocrisy that made them admire what she touch
ingy presented, probe for what she did not
spontaneously offer. They knew SO well that
Stephens account OF hinself-7at school. at col
lege, in the minstry--had alwav bsen1Hhe wide,
solid fabric upon which her affection had embroid
cred its flowing pattern; and u F.s MitFataAse Sn
visible tapestries that the wsrfs1 of her life
hung it from another OF their splsndid
scenes that her eager spirit perpetually huttered
They begged her 70 neglect them while she read
it, and settled back in their chairs arranging their
kind faces in lines OF wonder and admraton--for
from Sophie Burches Stephen ii was matter OF
wide report that there was but kind of news TO
expect But. as she read the tender smile on So
phies face stiffened little. And without rereadng
the four hastily written pages, she replaced them in
the envelope. There perhaps reason why
she should not have read the letter aloud The news
that in her brief reading OF it seemed to scorch and
shrigel her secret; ii was being announced
Stephen said, in Chicago, But jealousy that was
stronger for the moment than any pride in him kept
her silent He should have told her first; and if he
had not. these should know. Not guess
ing that her artless face and hdgetng hands told
plainly story OF suppression, she placed the letter
in her belt and faced her guests neryousy.
Its quite disappointment to me-, she confessed,
with her quaint habit OF understatemen Stephen
WON'T be home this month after all"
Emily Darrow, Sophie's minister's wife, was the
possessor of rich experience that included more
than summer at Chauauqua. Does that
he's going 10 some summer school, Miss Burche:"
she discernngly suggested These young clergy
men are getting TO be restless intellectually"
Little Dora Thistlewaite had the courage OF her
conservatism. 81 always think that intellect isn't
everything even in preacher" she daringly inter
rnpted; and explained, piorsly: 1T seems to me
they ought not TO put too great strain upon their
bodies they win fail when their Aocks need them.
Does Stephen keep well Sophie,"
"Oh, perfectly Sophie paled at the thought. "Of
course he does oyerax himself" she added with
subdued pride. "Kfe did al college and he does now
for his people. But have thought about --and
watched hinl--and l believe it must be that-God
gives him strength don't to seem to boast
about Stephen, but isn't it true-Eveyn dear you
know about such thngssnt it true that the men
who have done great things in the world have always
been able todisregard the laws Of health little
not too much, OF course"
The slight, blond girl spoke with more decision
than her delicate face suggested 4 think that such
a Stephen Orth, she said calmly. under .
stands much better than his own capacity
for work sitiou+ ssr s-ets r
Very true declared Mrs barrow, with author
ity And Mr. Orth cannot be rail, His appear
ance suggests unusual strength. A big manly man"
He probably would not be called handsome"
Sophie suggested, with worship in her faint voice
Why | should say that he vas conceded Mrs
parrow. Particularly me- gown Does he wear
one. Miss RmcheiI2F
lie has in thi, Chicago church" Sophie confessed,
apply Not before"
Beautiful. isn't IT." testified Dora Thistewaite
81 the picture thus presented Very beautiful in
iced"
Unlike the others. Evelyn Guest had not been dis
racted from the main point You didn't say why
le isn't coming. Miss Sophie" she now demanded.
Is he to rake vacation:"
His vacation he's spend in mission work-his
hurch you know does much of that sort OF
,ood. He may be here in October could not
make out"
Discrimination was new to her and her head ached
.hen. at last, she alone with her letter--the
readful letter that Stephen had written. In Sophies
inocently rigid schedule Of sentiment this was the
lost significant letter that could pass between
lem; according to that schedule, it should
.o have been The tenderest But with breyty
lzt Was almost brutal, Stephen had told her OF his
engagement 10 young woman whom he had come
, know in settlement work, and he allowed her to
fer that the alliance he called il, was a social
iumph for himself They were to continue their
ork together among their poor people. during the
lmmer. Like himself his hancee was an Orphan
Id her Mary Hollinger !.
Until the summer dusk ciouded into night Miss
5phie alone in her room in the little ).
nne cushioned rookng-chair where she had d and :
Id Stephen when he litte boy. Eager, in
llgent tereadings OF the letter lying open her s
p had not reconcied her 10 its cruel omissions
iss Sophie believed she knew what q son would i
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