The Washington times., 1920-10-29
By Winston Churchill.

= By Winston Churchill.
Author Of sRscAsrd Carvel," "Ths
Crisisr and Many Other Novels
Of Worid-Wide Popularity.
7 7 e was that sine qua non of
II modern affairs. a corporation
4 4 lawyer-although he resem-
bled a big and genial professor OF
Scandinavian extraction. He wore
round tortoise-shell spectacles. he
had a high, dome-like forehead. and
an ample light brown beard which
he stroked from time to time. 1t Is
probable that he did not believe In
the Immortality OF the soul.
His eyes twinkled as he rose.
.I don't pretend to be versed In
theology, gentlemen, as you KNOW,
he said, and the entiro vestry, even
Mr.. Paar, smiled. For vestries, In
spite OF black coats and the gravity
Of denieanor which first citizens are
apt to possess, arc human after all.
"Mr. Parr has stated, I believe, the
requirements. and l agree with him
that 1t is not an easy order to fill.
You want a parson who will stick
to his last, who will not try expert
ments, who is not too high or too
low or too broad or too narrow, who
tiative, who can deliver good ser
mon to those who can appreciate
ono, and yet will not get the church
uneomfortably full OF strangers and
run you out Of your pews. In short.
you want a levelheaded clergyman
about thirty-five years old who Will
mind his own business"
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS.
Tho smiles on the faces Of the
vestry deepened. The ability to put
a matter thus humorousiy was
part of Nelson ,Langmaid's power
with men and juries.
"I venture to add another qualifi-
cation" he continued, "and that Is
yirility. We don't want a bandbox
rector. Well, / happen to have in
mind q young man who errs some
what on the other side. and who
looks as little like a cliff profile
I once saw on Lake George OF
George Washington or an Indian
chief, who stands about six feet
two. He's a bachelor-if that's a
drawback. But am not at all sure
he can be induced to leave his pres
ent parish. where he has been Tor
ten years"
II am announced Wallis Plimp-
ton, with his hands in his pockets.
provided the right man tackles
him"
Nelson Langmaid's most notable
achievement, before he accom-
plished the greater one OF getting
new rector for st. Johns, had been
to construct tho "water-tight box
whereby the Consolidated fractions
Company had become law-proof
possibility. But his was an esoteric
reputation-the greater fame had
been Eldon PARIS. Mems minds
had been dazzled by the breadth
Of the conception Of scooping all
the street car lines OF the city, long
and short, into one big basket, as 1t
were; and when the stock had been
listed in New York, butcher and
baker, clerk and proprietor, WIDOW
and maid. brought out their hoard
ings; the great project was dis
cussed in clubs, cafes, and depart
ment stores, and by citizens hang
ing on the straps Of the very cars
that were to be consolidated--
golden word!
THE RICH ESCAPE.
Very little appeared about Nelson
Iangmaid. who was philosophically
content. But to Mr.. Parr. who was
known to dislike publicity. were de-
voted pages in the Sunday news
papers, with photographs of the i'm
posing front of his house in Park
street. his altar and window in st.
Johns, the Parr building, and even
of his private car Antonia.
Later on another kind Of pub
licity had come. The wind had
whistled for a time, but It turned
out to be only a squall. The Con-