Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-16

ular pastor. Being a little deaf she had
not heard his name rightly. If Mr.. Steele
was going to preach she would make ar
effort to go. Mr. Steele would miss her.
whether she was there or not Surely such
a WEAKNESS as she felt was ample excuse
foi her staying away.
Besides, on this birthday and the ami
to stay quietly at home with her mem
cries. She closed the Bible, and, sitting
| with her finger between the pages. thought
of her far-off youth. She had been the
brought her up to work hard. There
had been no notable JOY in her girlhood
She had been a very ordinary young
person and she had fallen in love in the
ordinary way. Her parents did not APP
prove of the young man. He came from
. family that had cared more for books
than for toll, and there was no indica-
ton that he would ever be more than a
worthless dreamer. They forbade her to
marry him and she obeyed. He went
away.
i "A month--the month of May--saw the
beginning and ending of it all. She was
eighteen then. Now she was fifty. and
nothing beautiful or dear or remember
able had happened III between. She mad
worked hard and tried to be patient. but
the brief love passage had colored and
Influenced her whole life. She had
bought books and read them: she had
dreamed dreams. size had played with
great fancies Though sine was old now
and tired and never had done anything;
great or valuable in her whole life she
hand known some contentment This con-
tenement came from her gently accepting
life as il was. Her sirli,ocd friends had
tirifted away and she had not made new
ones. Her circumstances had forced her
to live among people with whom she could
have nothing in common. Her soul and
mind had spread their wings while hey
poor little body stood with its feet IN
the mud. And so she had come to fifty
years
'"AIy grandmother lived to he ninety.
she thought II wonder-"She sighed
arm not exactly tired of living. but i,
Gets so terribly monotonous, nevertheless
A heavy step came up the stairs and
Mrs Hallo.an, fat, red, coarse and vigor-
Gus, the vile OF Il b;ickiayer, put hel
head in at the Goor. Good mo.nin. lady y
- said Mike and meself and the kids
are going away for the day. So, here's
the KEY 70 the front door"
Judith took the key ITS a beautiful
day for an excursion" she said.
THAT it is. I've mind that there'l BIZ
light attendance at church this morning
Everybody will be going a-pleasuring."
"Oh, do you think so?" cried Judith.
The thought occurred to her that per.
haps her presence at church would be
needed after all. 1t would be trying fol
the strange man to find his congregation
-an away, because the sun Offer ed greater
attraction than his sermon. She could
only till one place, IL is true, Out that was
better than not TO fill ii at all She decidec
70 put her feelings aside and do her duty
oy going to church
Her gray suit vas worn and something
more out of style than her little black
hat with the purple flowers she haG
made herself. YET when she stepped
out of the Hailorans' front door into the
luil light of day she looked the gentle
grave, sweet-spirited little lady that she
was The wonder was that she should
he coming out of n door like the Hal.
.orans'.
Before the last bell had ceased boom
ing above the old gray church she was
in her quiet corner, with her small hands
folded and with her face wearing til
customary repose. The congregation
rustled and drifted by her-such small
congregation as troubled her heart t.
see. There scarcely was young FACE
to be seen, yet automobiles were full O,
them as they flashed countryward.
The bell ceased. the organ played, thu
congregation began to hunt through thei]
hymnbooks for the opening hymn. The
door behind the pulpit opened and tn,
minister came forth. He was a slende,
man, with hair too white for his fine
thin. brown face. It was q sad face
tired. too. but with n kindness and good
ness and sweetness in 1t that must havl
won hearts. His dark, keen eyes moved
lover the handful Of people gathered there