Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-07-23
The BELL RINGER
BY AGNES G. 6ROGAN.

!nSIS from right 10 LETT as lie drove
up til" village street He had prom
iScd his father to seek out, during his
travels, n certain ministerial friend.
whose promising career had ended in
this insignificant and hidden corner
of the world.
The man of business had almost for
gotten his promise, until the Hill
crest" sign on the wcather-beaten sta
ton reminded him of his fathers re-
quest. Il was here that Reverend Da-
vid Roberts had come in i'll health and
encouragement to make his home.
James Harding's father and David
Roberts had been classmates together
ut the old university. Davids first
charge had quickly led to greater.
| and still greater pastorate, until 1t be-
came fashionable to be numbered
among the thronGs who went to hear
his brilliant addresses. Then, quickly,
came nervous breakdown and-failure.
Weakly recovered, David had lost his
hold upon men. Some blamed this to
his own loss of confidence in human
nature.
| The. theologian had loved and mar
rcd young society woman. whose
only admiration for his great work was
its exhibition of power. And with his
| necessary acceptance of humber fields
! the society wife left him, to return to
her people. So, thereafter. David went
from charge to charge alone, and it
was not until the death of Elizabeth
Roberts many years later, that he
wrote his wife's people asking that
| his daughter who had been raised in
their care. be sent to him in his vii
| lage home to visit, and to make her
| future choice between them.
James Harding smiled cynically, rs
! he rode through the streets of Hill
crest, mt this proposition.
So James Harding entered the I'M
familiar vicinity of church entry,
/ and then stood there in silent surprise.
For it was girl who tolled the sway
! Ing bell, her white AIMS drawing
rhythmically at the rough ropes.
| And 1t was the appraised face of the
! girl, in all It's appealing loneliness.
which held him silent and wondering
| She turned presently to give him n
frank smile of greeting. then closing
| the door upon her bell rope, came to
! wait his message
One glance at himself, and Mt the
! unaccuStOmed elegance Of his car,
! seemed to tell her that he would have
a message. Harding gave it.
"Mr. Roberts will be here in half
an hour" she answered him: perhaps
you would like to wait in the vestry."
And as Harding waited, he decided
! that It might he interesting to climb
the narrow stair that he had noticed
| beyond the hanging bell ropes. He
might be able from the platform Of the
tiny tower to obtain a view of the
surrounding country. So 1t was with
| lOng-fOrgottcn sense of adventure
that he ascended the ladder-stair. And
there at the top, in little dusty at
| tic sort of resting place, sat the girl
Her dark eyes widened as she saw
him, then again came her understand
| ing smile.
you'll have to climb up the small
er ladder to get into the tower" she
directed: but he paused, wondering at
| the studylike appearance Of the tiny
| loft. A wooden box used as desk
was Uttered with scrubbed pages, a
shabby pile Of books lay heapcd upon
! the floor.
The last rays Of daylight filtering
down from above made n halo Of the
! girls hair rs she knelt before the
: wooden box. with that rnpt look in
her eyes-shc was TO James Harding
some fair saint Mt her devotion And
though he might not understand what
| 1t was that held her absorbed, as he
had first seen her. he lifted his hat in
apology. and went back down the stair
| He sat smiling during the service, to
which his fathers old friend begged
him to remain, ut the unaccustomed
| incidents of This evening
| \ strange new interest possessed
| him to see again, and hear about, the
lovely. pcrplcXinE young creature who
swayed church bells and wrote in a
! tower. But rs the man of great affairs
| listened to the old minister's trembling
! words he was impressed by the breath
less attention Of his hearers, and then
| promptly forgot them, in the sincerity
of the simple message. And as the
two men sat later, in the comfortable
room of small cottage, Harding ques-
toned abruptly concerning the girl.
"a woman SEXTON" he added, smil-
ing, us unusual"
The worn face of the minister
seemed illumined by some inner glow
"My daughter-rlngs the church bells"
he replied, but I guess-you'd better
call her pastor. instead Of sexton. un-
less you'd call her an angel Of light
| as Sbn jS Won poscin -, a.