Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-05
The Capitals
Short Story
THE UNUSUAL ONE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. zee
lcopyricht. ISIS. western newspaper UnloD.l
BY MApcE WESTON.

charge. wished desperately that he
might love, even as other men, and
marry. For the Reverend Paul was of
SO fine an appearance, combined with
pleasing personal qualities. that 1t was
not TO be wondered at when maidens
1 of every age and station besought him
with yelled or openly bestowed atten-
\ lions.
Paul, who was not conceited, went
over the situation studiously. conclud-
\ ing ii was the supposedly superior po-
sition of pastors wife which the girls
4 coveted, he himself being merely a
means to that end. The Reverend
Paul loved his work and desired above
! all things to go about 1t fearlessly.
/ As a single man, Paul's visits and
interest were wont to be personally
construed. But as the perverse god of
i love seemed determined to pass him
by he decided to adopt a manner of
forbidding aloofness where young wom-
en- were concerned and seek assistance
4 entirely among their elders.
Thus 1t happened that the young set
4 of Pennington church at first dubbed
the new minister q Connected prig."
His eloquent sermons Paul felt In
stinctively were not being received
4 with general favor-even the good
fellowship sought with the men of his
congregation was a failure.
"What was wrong?" he asked him.
self. "In what way was his endeavor
lacking?"
He was bound to look for help at
last from the bright-eyed girls in the
choir, and Immediately that help was
forthcoming, but the singing brought
forth no enthusiasm. 1t was necessary
to seek out church decorators among
the young women; they were also
quickly found, but Paul realized that
he was again passing through the ex-
perience of past charges.
Then one day. as his eyes flashing
with the truth of his statements
glanced over the appraised faces of his
before the steady light of young
woman's concentrated gaze. .Almost,
1t seemed, that she was reading his
soul. Unwilling, yet drawn by some
compelling power, he turned again and
still again to that absorbed. strangely
winsome face. He had found his in
spiration. Paul WorthIngton preached
that day as he never had preached be-
fore. And when after service he
fastened down the aisle for his GUS
tomary Misunderstanding, it was in fever
of impatience lest someone should OBJ
struct his progress until the young
stranger had gone.
"a splendid serrnon!" praised the
girls of the choir.
'The pulpit fiOwers" questioned
fair member of the decorating COM
mittee; ''were they arranged as you
wishedY
The Reverend Paul nodded absent
ly; he had located the girl of the OBJ
servant eyes as she was about to step
out to the street. "Good morning." he
greeted. 81 wish to thank you for your
earnest attention. A good listener is
a pastors help"
The girls unique attraction seemed
enhanced with nearness. Unsmiling
she allowed him to clasp her hand.
"Your sermon was good, but far too
long" she said quietly.
The Reverend Paul fairy gasped as
the little figure of his mentor passed
on her way. He was still perturbed
as he assembled the pulpit steps at eve
ming and looked defiance toward the
pew where the girl demurely waited.
Then his defiance was lostfn satisfac-
ton. She should see that her criticism
had not influenced in the least his
evening sermon; not once would he
look In her direction. But he did.
And when, during the evening Paul
saw the girl glance at her wrist watch.
unexpectedly even to himself, he end
ed his discourse.
At the door 1t was the girl who ex-
tended her hand.
'sThat was much better" she said,
and cast back a dimpling smile.
He could not avoid seeing the girl
at the midweek lecture-she wore
such a dashing har. and her face
glowed beneath its brim.
"Next Sunday" she suggested, her
eyes were twinkling, sin addition to the
shorter. more graphic sermon, would
institute the singing of newer and
more tuneful hymns in place of the
old solemn ones. Pennington people
need cheering up"
That evening the pastor passed
through many moods. from indignation
to speculation. "After all, there might
be truth in the suggestions so crudely
given. His labor lacked result; this
was true. He would humble himself
to try the girls advice. There was
about her some confident power.
He missed her attentive presence
from his newly arranged services for
some time after his decision. He had
the people all singing now; they came
in interested numbers to hear his short,
forceful sermons. But success could
not compensate for his inexplicabl,
disappointment in the girls absence.
Love had found the Reverend Paul
at last. He admitted it freely. love.