The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-11
EVENING STORY
The Kind Hard Knock.

siIble for McDonough institute nau
been pastorless for a month. when in
early spring the Rev. Joseph Palmer
preached his trial sermon.
The littlest teacher at McDonougnv
Miss Anne Mccall, detained at homie
that morning, asked her roommate,
the Youngest teacher, how the people |
liked his sermon and his preaching
Edith shifted slightly. Shed worn
her new crepe de chine that mace ner
hair look like ropes OF gold, ana the
man was middle aged!
Hes what you'd call brilliant,
Anne, but he won't be called.
"Why?" wondered Anne :,
1.-THE man hasn't any pulpit voice;
Edith explained. He speaks scarcely
above a whisper most of the time. He
had fever and it affected his voice,
and now he has to preach in places
where they can't afford to be particu-
lar
Joseph Palmer had intended return
| ing to his home in the next county that
evening, and wondered why he al
lowed himself to be persuaded to re-
main and attend the young peoples
meeting that evening. But when
Anne Mccall arose and sang the
| "Wondrous Story'-her voice mellow
and sweet and reverent, her gray eyes
shining-he knew why he had re-
manned.
! 'Fathers and mothers have told
Fme," he said. when asked to speak
| few words they wanted their chill
dren schooled that they might have an
easier time in the world. Girls and
boys, that's a mistake. Education new
1 er made life easier. but it does make
| 1t more pleasant-yea. much mere
pleasant! Life is a SCHOOL, school
of hard knocks, and all of you will
have to take course in it. know,
young folks" he smiled whinfsically.
I've got diploma in this school. and
sometimes I think I'm ta king a post
| graduate counsel" -
After the meeting the young people
were allowed to linger a few minutes
| for social conversation" before lining
up for marching home, and the pas
toral candidate came to Anne, in the
back of the house. to thank her, ha
| explained, for her song.
1T was like a new song to me-" he
said, his eyes alight. II love the way
you sing it!'
His eyes fell on the fragrant pink
and-white spray of arbutus in the
bosom of her white dress. II meant
to get a piece of arbutus," he told her,
from the bowl on the hotel table this
evening, but I forgot it. Would it be
asking too much
Half vexed, for some of the girls
were looking on curiously. Anne hand
ed him the spray.
Thank you," he said, land now I
call me-" he added in a lower tone,
after they hear Ledyard next Sum-
day. but Mats my dear friend-Id
love to know that you like him. Could
you write! mean would you let me
| Anne found herself blushing.
why. any of us would be glad to
} send you a line to let you know that"
she stammered.
Thank you," he murmured again,
could not heIp>it! Good night"
Ever since Anne Mccall with her
hard-earned diploma-paid for by
table waiting, mending, tutoring-had
come to Elton. she had loved the blue
rim of the mountains, the shining
bowlder-strewn river. Nor had she
: grown tired of her work among the
girls, but sometimes she had felt some
: thing was lacking in her life.
81 ought to change schools" she
.. thought periodically. ''it's staying toe
long in one place"
But Miss Lister, the president, had
, been there in content twenty-five
! years, and Miss Spear, the sewing
,. teacher, nearly as long. So Anne
: stayed, and her eyes that were starry,
grew wistful.
+, On Saturday there came in the mail
for her a box holding six red, half
t. blown dollhouse roses.
Dear Lady of the Song" the card
a beneath them read, please wear these
: tomorrow instead of the arbutus OF
. which I robbed you last Sunday
IL Anne divided the roses with her
roommate, but slipped the card out OF
. sight.
Two weeks after the Rev Nathan
= Ledyard was installed pastor of the
= church, and with his wife and baby
e moved into the parsonage. A week
| To- ufn = ~
3 young pastor greeting a broad-shoul.
! dered man, with thick. grayins hair
Unseen herself, she had time closely tc
observe Palmer before they wen
away. She wondered she had not OBJ
served before how well set up he was
and how his fine black eyes lost theil
usefulness when he talked.
The next Saturday evening Anne, In
| vited to take tea with the Iedyards
found Palmer in their little parlor. II
4 that his conversation was a deligh
8 and his laugh infectiously boyish.
y I'D love to stay for tomorrow" h,
e told her as he escorted her home "bu
e must go to Lone Fir, where preach
al once each month. You see, som,
- folks want me. il must only whisper
my sermons to them, but they can pa,
y me but little. SO I've little money t.
e do good with. It's been only thre,
g years since could preach, but ough
e getting some success since began t,
Il write for the magazines-but 1 find
I'm wanting, with all the health il
IS me, something I've no right to wisl
e for, or expect to get, and 1t goes hard!'
Il intended my work to fill my life,
= she said to herself that night. sc
n thought il I ever permitted myself t,
e think Of anything else-he'd have t,
y be a success in what he'd chosen t,
e be. Don't you go crying. Anne Nc
r Call; you're thirty-five years old. re
II member!;
It But the dignity of thirty-fve year
10 did not keep the little teacher from
l. sobbing herself to sleep, nor from
crying over the beautiful letters tina
after that came weekly from Trent
I Vile.
'Pa1mer's going to preach in Bars
town tomorrow" Ledyard said to Ann
i | Go I,te