The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1917-07-06
PaTSOn FTdke'S
Donation
And He Took the Bishops
Advice.
By CLARISSA MACKIE


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-ou to service In the Lords vine
yard, eh? Sit down. / 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 | wish to speak to
you about. 1t isn't anything concern
ing the methods you should observe In
your work. 1t is this:
1--WE 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 a worldly
field, and If you marry worldly WON
an 1t would be better for you that you
tied milestone about your neck. 1t
doesn't matter where you find wife
whether in the city or In the country
She should have sympathetic nature.
to feel for those whom 1t 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 fill his advisers condi
tons. 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
a life partner except from the class to
which he belonged. Would It not be
better to be allied with a woman of
fashion than with one whose unpolish
ed manners would constantly put him
to the blush? Then. too. his own fam
lily were to be considered. Naturally
they would expect him to marry one
whom they might receive as social
equal.
Mr. Frake's first call was to a village
wherein dwelt only few thousand
people, His congregation was not al
all like those of which he had been
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 pastorate while writing in
his study, looking up from his sermon.
he saw his housekeeper standing in the
doorway.
what is 1t. Mrs WELSH 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
Tuttles making trouble over the dis.
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, sir!"
"a Donation" he repeated, aghast.
Dear me, | wish they wouldn't. Mrs.
Wells. They mean well. but
"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 tlock Of locusts and eat
ell all the food they've brought and
more, too, why, I'm left with house
to be cleaned from top to bottom and
you're the richer by jar of Beulah
Humphreys sour pickles and maybe a
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
"Still, | suppose we must look at the
motive underneath this invasion. They
best we can to make 1t pleasant for
them. When is it to be?''
Tomorrow night and a complete
surprise. ! wouldn't have known
word of it IL Betsy Haskell hadn't
warned me. I'm glad to know, SOS |
can bake some beans and corn bread
then they needn't eat up all the layer
cakes and salads they bringr'
She numbered out Of the room and
left the minister to resume his sermon.
This was his first charge, and he was
DESTROYS of being adviser and
friend to his little flock. They were
all plain village people. with a 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,
chung to many traditions, and
It was evident that a donation party
for the new minister was a cherished
So he submitted with good grace and
the next afternoon picked all the chrys.
nnthemums 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 II
might be many years before he had q