Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-02-28

The MINIS T||ER'S
SURF RISE.
There Were Two Sides
to It.
By KATHERINE YOUNG THAxTER.

+ By KATHERINE YOUNu ihAAIEk. i
/. :
The Rev. Calvin Morris was quite an
loyed.
He was in anything but ministerial
mood when he tossed his hat on the
table amid the confusion Of books and
papers and sat down in his study to
think it over 1t was such ridiculous
situation that at first he had been mild
~ amused at it, but now-pshaw! Why
couldn't he ignore it?
But it had passed the stage when 1t
could be ignored. In the past three
days he had been told five times that
his congregation would like very much
to see him married Nor had these re-
marks been the half ocular words on
his bachelor condition that he had Of
ten heard since coming to the church
at Littleton, but had been earnest
words of advice expressed by the most
prominent members of his flock.
He was popular in the parish, and
his two years. passionate had been pro-
ductive Of good results, but there had
been one thing lacking.
Accustomed for years before his ad-
vent to the service of a most devoted
minister and his able wife whose home
had been the center for vigorous
church life, the people simply could not
get used to minister in a boarding
house. Besides, there stood the fine
new parsonage empty. Certainly it
was his duty to live up to the demands
of his people. When Miss Gilbert, the
wealthy maiden lady who had contrib
uted so much to the church, both in
money and good deeds, died two years
ago the parsonage she was building for
the church was not quite finished.
The Rev. Calvin Norris knew he
would use it in time. Indeed, ali un-
known to his people, vague plans had
been floating through the minister's
head for some months, and he had fire.
quently looked very refectively at the
quiet house beside the church.
But the real vexing, disQuieting point
Of the whole matter was that the con-
gregation had not only decided that he
should marry, but apparently had fixed
on whom he should marry. This was
assured the night he took tea with Mrs.
Thorpe, one of the most active ladies
In his church, when the chief topic of
conversation was Miss Nell Gilbert.
Now, Mr.. Norris had taken most
unreasonable and unministerial dislike
to Miss Gilbert, a. member of his
church whom he had never seen. She
was the niece of the great Miss Gill
bert and had lived with her aunt until
the latter's death, when the great
house on the hill had been closed.
Since then the young lady had travel
ed, SO the minister had never seen her.
He had heard a great deal of her,
though, and had formed an impression
of person of undoubted. energy and
ability, accustomed to have things just
as she wanted and inclined to be dom
ineering. Miss Nell'' had ideas of her
own on church music. Miss Nell'' had
designed this and had attended to that.
1t seemed to the minister there was
little too much of "NIiss Nell" every
where.
Tall and muscular and aggressive
himself, accustomed to shouldering
burdens and clearing difficulties, the
Rev. Calvin had, >Of course, an ideal of
feminine grace very different from his
own vigorous personality. Indeed, as
he sat thinking in his study that morn
ing smile rose to the firm lips and
softened the auStere lines into which
he had framed them dis he saw in his
minds eye d petite. graceful form.
soft. appealing dark eyes and masses
of cloudy brown hair. Alas for the
plans of the people who had made up
their minds that Miss Nell' and the
minister would be an eminently vel!
fitted pair.
But the vision faded quickly. and
the many hints that had been dropped
during the last few days flashed in
rapid succession through his mind.
Miss Nell'' was coming home next
week. He would be thrown at her
head and she at his by his we'll mean
ing flock until something happened.
the subject had assumed
alarming proportions. He could not.
b would not, stay round and be made
a football Of. to be tossed into any
woman's arms.
Again came unbidden that alluring
vision of brown hair and eloquent eyes.
It was preposterous! How could they
badger him now. just as his heart was
beating more madly every day for
some one? Ah if he were only sure!
Did that friendship. formed few short
months ago. that soul satisfying friend
ship, mean to. the girl Of the vision
what 1t had come to mean to him?
Could he, dare he. offer her his love?
He had been living since then in a
beautiful dream. Suppose that dream
should be fulfilled?
He hesitated. Dreaming had been so
sweet he feared the awakening. Dare
be risk 'fthe last leap?' With bound