The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-05-29
A Siren
She Proved a Lure In the
Right Direction
By F. A. mitchell

Z By f. A. mitchell +
The First Congregational. church Of
dalseyville experienced great difficulty
In retaining q minister.
Indirectly the small salary was the
Of the trouble. It was but 5000
= year. and no man could be found to
accept it except some recent graduate
Just beginning his life work: These
young men were all bachelors. There
was a girl in the congregation. Miss
Beatrix Severance, daughter of the
managing deacon. who as Don as q
young man fresh from a theological
seminary took up the duties Of pastor
began to weave about him a spell. He
would gradually become devoted. then
on n pretext or another would hand
in his resignation and leave for anoth-
er field.
A few Of the %parishioners who were
in the secret advocated securing a mar
ried mar for pastor. Acting on the sug-
gestion, they called" a man with a
wife and six children. But the salary
was SO small that the more prosperous
members of the congregation we're con-
tinually compelled to put their hands in
their pockets to help the family out.
Fairs and donation parties were resort
ed to till at last the congregation be-
came weary Of the business. The pas
tor secured a call with a higher salary,
and the First church returned to the
old system Of having a bachelor to Oil
the pulpit.
When the Rev. Thomas Ridgely. un-
married, stepped into the pulpit vacat-
ed by the pastor with a family. none Of
the congregation except a committee
who had been sent to hear him preach
had e him. As he stepped forward
to begin the service a few of those who
understood the cause Of the frequent
designations Of the church's pastors
looked at one another meaningly. He
had fiery red hair and enormous joints,
while his complexion was q. freckled
brown. II these persons had spoken
their thoughts they would have said.
AT last we have a man whom Trix
Severance will let alone"
Beatrix, who was in her accustomed
seat in her fathers pew looking up at
the minister, was Of the same opinion.
However, when he sent his first word
rolling over the congregation 1t was
like the lower notes of the organ.
There was scarcely a member Of the
congregation but admitted that Mr..
Ridgely possessed a resonant voice.
1t seemed not to make any difference
whether he raised 1t or lowered 1t,
the effect was the same. When he
spoke in those tones that are intended
to be impressive. but are usually in.
audible, his most subdued note could
be distinctly heard in every part of
the house.
But when Mr.. Ridgely began his
sermon it was evident that his voice
was not his principal attraction. There
vas a depth as well as a fervor in
everything he said that went both
to the understanding and the heart.
For the first time in years the congre-
cation Of the First church realized
that they were under a powerful influ-
ence. They listened. every eye and
ear intent upon him. till he had finish
ed; then q murmur. Of satisfaction
broke the stiffness.
When the sermon was over and the
congregation were passing out of the
church the hum Of conversation was
entirely about the new pastor. where
did the committee pick him upY'
what does it mean that such a a
will accept our little salary?" Hell
be called somewhere else within q few
months" These some Of the
comments made, and all were encomi-
ums on Mr.. Ridgely. But there were
q few, q select few, who looked at the
matter from a different point Of view.
With them the question was, How
world Beatrix Severance stand in the
matter. or would the clergyman be
driven away by her as the other
bachelors had been?
What were Miss S~everance's thoughts
or intentions no one knew, for she
kept them to her own sweet self.
Every Sunday she attended service, at
least once, and sat listening to the
clergyman's words without betraying
by her expression an interest in him
personally. Nevertheless the congre-
cations soon noticed that she was
weaving the same spell yer him she
had thrown about the others.
Then a low murmuring began to be
heard against the girl. who, 1t was to
be inferred. would drive out this gifted
man. They had failed to find fault
with her in the other cases, for the
men were not talented and could easily
be replaced. But here was q wonder
who, when they lost him, could not be
replaced. Indeed. there was not a
member Of the congregation but feared
that at any moment he would receive a
call elsewhere at a far higher salary
than they were paying or could afford
to pay him. Should Trixie Severance
be allowed to deprive them Of their
prize?
An informal meeting Of those who
understood the matter was held at the