The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-24
Euening Story
The HeInmeet.
81 MONA CoWLEs.


opened on the choir ROBIN from
whence came the many weil-trained
voices of the choir rehearsing for the
last time the Tnelodious old Christmas
carols to be sung before the congre-
cation in the church the next day
and thru the door on the opposite side
of the vestryroom you might have
caught delicious aromatic whiffs of
pine and spruce, with now and time
the tapping of a hammer that echoed
thru the high vaults of the church
roof, and if you had looked you would
have seen ropes of deep green ever
green. festoons and wreaths lying in
piles. presently to be draped. from
pillar to pillar, around gothic win-t
dows and arches-Just they had
been decked--for so many years on
Christmas eyes gone by in old st.
Paul's.
1t was enough to thrill the heart of
any Christmas-loving mortal, but TO
the Rev. Bradley Stevens, as he stood
in the vestryroom. donning ample
overcoat and absently drawing on his
wool-lined gloves, there came hardly
a 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
invitation-the first out of many-to
vestrymen-btt what his heart crayed
was an old-time Christmas.
Then he was troubled, as he had
been troubled for months before.
There was ST. Paurs nesting down in
one OF the most congested sections of
the thriving old town. 1t had once
been the most artistic neighborhood
now it was the section where min
gled the homes of the low-paid work
ers of the town in their old-fashioned,
chesrless tenements and the markets,
shops and small factories-a wonder
III hi, ecfv in
stitutional church. such as Bradley
had dreamed about in his college days
Bradley had hoped when e'came to
st. PauPs that he would be able, to
turn the old buildings to account in
some way. There were rich and in
municants. They could have seen his
plans thru. But his propositions fell
upon deaf ears. If those people came
to church, if they filled the pews,
eants 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 of the
| older vestrymen had met Bradley in
! young clergyman of the entire satis-
|. faction that he was giving as minister.
FAnd then-"there is, just one thing.
1t is such an advantage to have the
used to the social life that usually
centers about the rectory.
| tSo-wel1, you see, Mr. Stevens. I
thought you wouldn't mind my telling
you that we would be very glad to well
come your better half Doubtless
| course when you are ready to take
that step there will be no question
about an increased salary"
Bradley stood there thinking over
| himself just the sort of better half
THAT they would like him to choose
a dispenser of afternoon tea at the rec
! tory. a prim society maiden, no doubt,
who could be depended on to do exact
ly the right thing on every occasion.
Bradley wasn't exactly sure that he
would bo interested in her
| He had thought of the old rectory,
with it's spacious rooms. as it might
| be turned to account for a social CEN
| ter fpr those toilers in the neighbor-
4 hood of st Paurs-not as a place
where the socially elect congregation
would sip tea and foregather at re-
! ceptions.
BRADLEY turned up the collar of his
ulster and pulled down the brim of his
soft hat in rather more bulldoggish
manner than the old vestryman would
! have thought suitable for one of Brad
ley's calling. Then he clustered out
| into the biting snow-heavy atmosphere
| and hurried past the ancient stone
steps of the old graveyard.
Suddenly he stopped. Then he re-
called that the night before, when he
had gone to make final ARA ngements
with the organist for the Christmas
! music, he had seen that figure crouch
ing there by the tombstone in the
| same spot. And he could see now. as
he had seen then, that the figure was
| that of a woman slight and young
! a small shawl drawn down over the
/ head and shoulders. She was crouch
| ing. but she was intent. Could it be
| had drawn her? Bradley took long
PAGES over the frost-nippcd grass and
was at her side.
do YOU like the music?" he asked
and then two eyes that he soon
learned were heavens own blue were
'-Sure, 1 like the music was just
waiting here
but you needn't wait here" Brad
ley told her. You are welcome to
come in-it's cold here" and before
he had thought exactly why, he had
! led the girl back into the church into
the vestry-room. you can hear the
music here better" he told her, and
as they listened together it seemed for
the first time infinitely sweet, full of
wondrous memories of other Christ
masses. Anna was her name she told
him, and she was the niece of the
man that kept the fruit store next to
the church-they had complained
because sometimes he set the baskets
of vegetables on the stone coping.
She acted as cashier and picked over
vegetables. shipped off the outside
leaves of blacl5ened lettuce heads so
that it could be sold in spite of the
fact that it was not very fresh, and
| things like that. In return she re-
eeived her board and clothes.
! Sure I like music and I'd like to
come to your church -but-but 1 was
standing there by the tombstone"
You shall come to my church.
said Bradley, very enthusiastically.
thinking that he had never seen such
wondrous blue eyes. and a few min
utes later when he left her at the
church gates his old despondency had
vanished.
Bradley dined with the opuient yes
/ tryman. as he had promised but be-
fore 11ie.ht fa IL la had sniizht niIt the