The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-10-17
PaTson FTake's
Donation
And He Took the Bishops
Advice.
By CLARISSA MACKIE

When Arthur Frake was graduated
from the theological seminary before
taking his departure he called on the
bishop to take leave Of him and thank
him for various acts of kindness the
good old man had favored him with
during his period Of study.
well, my boy" said the bishop, "go-
ing out to service in the Lords vine
yard, ehP Sit down. l have a few
words to say to you on one subject, and
one subject only. You've got all the
theology you need in the seminary. 1t
isn't that which l wish to speak to
you about. It isn't anything concern
ing the methods you should observe in
your work. 1t is this:
Eve clergymen are apt to be made
or marred-as all men are-by the
wives we choose. Now, look out whom
you marry. Your field is not worldly
field, and If you marry worldly WON
an It would be better for you that you
tied milestone about your neck 1t
doesn't matter where you find a wife,
whether In the city or In the country.
She should have sympathetic nature,
to feel for those whom it becomes your
part to help. Indeed, she should make
your work her work"
This was the bishops advice. Mr..
Frake was much impressed with it,
but he had his doubts about finding a
girl that would I'LL his advisers condi-
lions. He had always associated with
the upper ten thousand and had not
found much unselfishness, among them.
Instead Of living for the world he had
usually found them disposed to con-
slider the world as especially created to
administer to their comfort.
Nevertheless he shrank from taking
life partner except from the class to
which he belonged. Would 1t not be
better to be allisd with woman of
fashion than with one whose unpolish-
ed manners would constantly put him
to the biush2 Then, too, his own fam
lily were to be considered. Naturally
they would expect him to marry one
whom they might receive as q social
equal.
Mr.. Frake's first call was to village
wherein dwelt only a few thousand
people. His congregation was not at
all like those Of which he had been a
member himself during his boyhood
and youth They were plain people,
honest in their way, but as to spirit
uality, or, rather, humanity, he did not
find them any better than those he had
known In the city. One day soon after
taking the passionate while writing In
his study, looking up from his sermon.
he saw his housekeeper standing In the
doorway
What Is it, Mrs. WellsT' he asked
patiently.
Mrs. Wells, fat and painting from a
morning spent over the ironing board,
wiped her forehead with a crisp white
handkerchief
II wondered what would come next"
she groaned. First, there was the
tributing of the pews, then the quar-
rel in the choir, and knew that there
would be third calamity"
you haven't told me what 1t is"
smiled Arthur Frake.
"a donation, STRIP
"a Donation" he repeated, aghast
Dear me, wish they wouldn't, Mrs.
Wells. They mean well, butt
"Oh, their intentions are all right"
interrupted the housekeeper darkly,
for she had served many ministers and
many donation parties, but they don't
realize that by the time they've de-
scended like flock of tocusts and eat
en- all the food they've brought and
more, too, why, Pm left with a house
to be cleaned from top to bottom and
you're the richer by a jar OF Beulah
Humphreys sour pickles and maybe
few bushels Of potatoes that we didn't
have time to cook for EN-"
Arthur Frake laughed heartily.
There's a measure Of truth in what
you say, Mrs. Wells" he admitted.
"6till, suppose we must look at the
motive underneath this invasion. They
mean to be kind, and we must do the
best we can to make it pleasant for
them. When Is it to be?'
Tomorrow night and a complete
surprise. / wouldn't have. known
word Of 1t If Betsy Haskell hadn't
warned me. I'm glad to know, SOS l
can bake some beans and corn bread;
then they needn't eat up all the layer
cakes and salads they bringv'
She numbered out Of the room and
left the minister to resume his sermon.
This was his first charge, and he was
sincerely DESTROYS of being adviser and
friend to his little flock. They were
all plain village people, with large
percentage Of prosperous families
among them.
He had heard of donation parties,
but he had believed that they were
festivities of the past century. Still,
Bayport chung to many traditions, and
It was evident that a donation party
for the new minister was a cherished
institution.
So he submitted with good grace and
the next afternoon picked all the chrys-
anthemums in the parsonage garden to
bedeck the Immediately neat but rath-
er severe rooms.
AS he wandered about Arthur Frake
was conscious that his home lacked the
feminine touch. Mrs. Wells was an
excellent cook and housekeeper, but
she was not home maker.
He thought rather ruefully that It
might be many years before he had Q
wife. Certainly he had never met the
girl of his dreams, and he was not like
~ to find her In this remote village.
There was not speck Of dust to be
seen in the parsonage when the kero-
sene lamps were lighted. 1t would be
an hour yet before the donation party
would arrive, and some one was talk
ing volubly to Mrs. Wells in the sitting
room. Their voices reached the minis
ter In his study. Mrs. Wells wheezy
tones were punctuated by another wo-
mans shrill utterances.
"Millie Rhodes says it's the first time
they've never been able to give FIVE
bushels of potatoes to the new minis
ter, and l says to her, l says: Don't
cry, Milly. Mr.. Frake will understand
how it is-your pa being sick so long
and your ma dying, and ALL But she
only said she wished she had some
thing to give, because she had to stop
putting anything into the plate at
church. Seems to me, Mrs. Smith,
says she, seems to me poor folks are
just squeezed tight to the wall. The
Bible says not to place any value on
money, and yet it's the only thing that
seems to count In this world" The