The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-12-24
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
THE TIelplneet.
cowLEs.
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure new;
paper Syndicate.
RIO most OF US there would have
been holiday spirit aplcnty IN on
y st. Pauls church on Chrstmas
eyo. Tho door on one side Of the yes
tryoom opened on the choir room
from whence cAme the choir rehears'
ing for the dast tins he melodicus
Christmas carols TO be sung before the
conservation in the church next day
and through the door on the Opposite
Side Of tho vestryroom you might have
caught delicious aromatic whif[s OF
IJtH1 and ti9ruCc, with now and then
the tapping of Il hammer that ccnoen
through the high vaults OF the chrrcn
root, and IL you had looked you would
iiaSe seen ropes OF deep green ever
green and fcstoOns and wrca;bs lyine
In piles, presently to be draped from
pillar to pillar, around gothic windows
and arches-just as they had been
decked for 90 many years on Christ
mas ewes gone by in old st. Paul.
twas enough TO thrill the heart OF
any Christmas-loving mortal. but 10
he Rev. Bradley Stevens, as he stoou
h the yestryroom DOMINIC ample oy-
srcca. and absently drawing on MS
wool lined gloves there came hardly d
suggestion of Christmas cheer.
In the first place Bradley had no
place in particular to spend Christmas
DAY. To be sure he had accepted an
lnyitation-the first out Of many
hayo dinner with one OF his opuien'
yestrymen but what his heart craY'
ed was an old-time Christmas.
Then he was troubled, as he hau
been troubled Or months before. There
was st Pauls nesting down in one OF
The most conges.ed sections OF the
striving old town. 1t had once been
the most artictic NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
It was the section where mingled lhe
homes Of the low paid workers OF inc
town in their old-fashioned caeerless
tenements and the markets, shops ana
small factories, wonderful enlghcor;,
hood for progressive Institutional
church, such as Bradley had dreamed
about in his college days.
Bradley had hoped when he came to
st. Pauls that he would be able 10
turn the old buildings to account in
some way. There were rich and ln1lu'
ontial members among the commune
cauts. They could have sent his plan
Though. Bit his propositions fell
upon deaf ears. If those people came
to church, If they filled the pewss,
whore then would the old communi--
rants z sit? They would hardly want
to rub elbows with those persons
persons Of that sort so often carried
germs in their clothing.
And then that very day one or the
older vestrymen had met Bradley I'M
his vestry room. He began teiling the
Young clergyman OF the entire satlstaci
tion that he was giving as minister,
And then-"there is just one thing II
is such an advantage to have the rec
.ory 0ccupied-our people here are
used 10 the social life that usually con
tiers about the rectory. :,
Swell, you see, Mr.. Stephens u
thought you wouldn't mind my tei'EE
YOU that ws would be very glad to vel
come your better half. Doubtless there
Is some young lady-and of courSH
when you are ready to take that st'r
there will DC no question ABOUT IN
jncrca,td sm'Gw."
Bradley s'Ood there think'r' HVegI
what he had taic He could pictrt'a I
himself just the sort of "betts: half
thai ti,ey W. uId like him to c9n JSe' "a
dispenser o[ afternoon tea at tn rec1
tory. a prim society maiden, no doq1ti
who could he depended on to do "ftl
1y the right thing on every ocCasloq'
Bradley wasn't exactly sure that mel
would be Interested in her. IL
He had thought CT the old rectqE,'
with its spacious rooms, as it miaht
he turned to account for social ceP-
ter for those toilers in the neighDoF
hood OF st. PGul's-not as a placeS
where the socially elect congregation
would sip tea and forega:her at recep'
. tons
Mister and pulled down the brim OF
his soft hat in a rather more bulldog
RiSh manner than the old vestryman
would have thought suitable for one
~ Bradleys calling. Then he bluster-
ed out into the snow heavy atmos-
phere and hurried past the ancient
stone slabs Of the old graveyard.
Suddenly he stopped. Then ne re-
called that the night before, when ne
Fad gone TO make final arrangements
With the organist for the Christmas
music. he had seen that figure crouchti
ing there by the tombstone in the
same spot. And he could see now
as he had seen then, that the tlsu9
Was that of woman slight and young
"a small shawl drawn down over heT(
head and should ers. She was CROUCH
inE. but she was intent. Could II be
that the music and the lights inside
had drawn her? Bradley took long
paceS over the frost-nipped grass ana
was at her side.
And then two eyes that he soon learn
ed were heavens own blue were turn
ed upon him.
sure l like the music-l was JUST
waiting here
i'But Won needn't wait here" Brad
lev told her. "You are welcome to
eome ir-its 50 cold here" and before
Ia had thought exactly why, he haa
LAD tIna Eirl back into the. church into
4he yestTy room. you can hear the
S,,tie here better" he told her and
as rhey listened together it seemed
fSr Ire FIRST time infinitely sweet, full
Of wondrpus memorial OF other Chrst
masses. Anna was her name, she told
rim. and she vas L e vice. Of the msn
that kept the fruit store next to the