Evening star., 1925-06-04
One of a series of the
wears best short
stories.

said-he had gone to Atlanta on bust.
ness
Did Mr.. Withers know he was 60
tn'?" asked Bill.
''Oh. yes. He is TO attend to some
business for Mr.. Withers."
Out of Capt. Duncans gate Old
Bill came, and his face was troubled.
Two blocks up the street lived Dr.
Boyd, leading physician of the town,
} and also member of the church,
man too busy to take an active part
in church management, but too just
to see an unfair thing done.
THE doctor has gone to a medical
convention in Birmingham" said
| Mrs. Boyd. Yes. he always
| goes this time of year"
Bill was struck silent; then he
spoke: Mrs. Boyd, mebbe you know.
How are things decided in church
who'll be the preacher. an such?'
In our church." she replied, the
majority governs such matters"
| Bill thanked her and left. At the
gate he stood a while. pulling his
beard. like a man bewildered. Then
| he left Main street for the highways
and byways of the towns life-the
cotton mill villages, the neighborhood
| OF the lumber yards People turned
to look after him in astonishment as
! he hurried along, red beard streaming
| against his broad chest, bird dogs
trotting at his heels. He did not 20
near the preachers home. He had
and resign if he finds it out" he de-
clared. That was why it happened
that Hopkins, working in his Winter
garden, and Mrs. Hopkins, busy in the
kitchen, did not know he was in town.
dlo not suspect that a battle, with
their fortunes at stake, was brewing
on that golden afternoon.
Deacon Withers, busy in the rear
ONCE OF his store, heard some rumors
Oh what was happening, but these ru-
mors he listened to with a smile fuIl
of irony. Well he knew the futilitv
OF unorganized effort and the power
OF movement which was organized
Ihe meeting tonight was to be
packed. The officers were of his own
| choosing. Mr.. Crump, his partner,
was moderator. Joe Saunders. a. cor.
| pulent bachelor whose fat bass voice
IN the choir the preacher was said to
nave deplored, thereby making an
enemy 10 the death, was clerk. The
maicontents were all with the deacon,
| The easy-going had their names in
MS book, and would be afraid to hack
down. The young people were out OF
town. -
So the battle drew near. And for
the millionth time in history. big and
httle, ol1garchy, represented in this
case by the deacon and his closely.
KNIT cl1que, and democracy. repre-.
sented by a miscellaneous collection
ol oroinary folks, led, If led at all, by
an ignorant, passionate and highly
vuIneraole man, were to try their re.
spective strengths. Right and wrone
hao come to grips again.
Al o'clock, when Mr.. Hopkins
rose and gave out the first hymn, the
sunday school room in the basement
OF the church was already comforta bIy
| nlled. and there were unaccustomed
.aces--people from the highways and
Dyways OF the town. Deacon Withers
not shaken.
On the front bench. in the amen
corner dedicated to himself cat tba
ueacon About him was his clioue
VINO would second his motions and
vote as he wanted them to. Half way
oown the aisle at the end of the bench
M ms smallest child on his lap, sat Bill
McCorkle. next to him. face male sat
Moly. while the remainder of the
LILLY LILLY sIrasgied off like red-carpeted
seaI steps. In the aisle near their
master lay the two setter dogs NH
nad trailed him here, though he had
ieIt them at the livery stable.
now ana then Bill passed an enor.
NOUS hand over his beard. Never
oerore nad he been to prayer meeting.
or attended business meeting of the
cnurch. OF parliamentary proceedings
tss ne Icy eXactiy nothing. Now he was
ueiiolng WIN the greatest fear he had
ever known-fear of his own insda,
quacy to rise to his feet and snaak FOR
| his friend. Speah ioi
Frue, he had made a speech on Jeff
Davis, and another on the Constitution
OF the United States. But on both
u; .nese occasions he had been fortified
IN way he was not fortified now. Re.
hind him the crowd, who looked to hir,
1or leadership, must have sensed his
agitation. For in the main they
seemed apologetic, out of place
ashamed. p''00
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Star1