The Washington times., 1937-02-02

Gothic'S urge to rise! Therefore,
it called to the Gothic element in
every mans soul.
The organ had altered It's
dreamy mood and was introducing
I the stirring measures of an Easter
hymn. The congregation stood.
A tall young man in veStments,
bearing a CroSier, was moving
slowly up the aisle. Behind him
came the choir in pairs; little boys
first, quite angelic in fresh sur
pliCeS. their childish voices Shrill.
Now the boys were growing taller.
Now they were grown men.
Among the tenors, Parker found
Elise. He wondered how many
/ of the congregation observed that
there was a girl in the choir. 1t
was not too easy to discover at a
glance, with her black bobbed
hair and the same uniform. The
basses rumbled ponderously. al
leluia -. Alleluia!"
The organ softly modulated into
MendelSsOhn'S. But the Lord Is
Mindful Of His Own" He was
/ glad the place was so quiet for
the opening notes of the solo. He
had thought he knew what Elise
could do with the muted cello in
her throat, but this heart-Stirring
diapaSon of hers surpassed any
thing he had ever heard. Elise
had demonstrated. on previous
occasions, the quality of her con-
tralto, but this was the first
chance she had been given to set
it free in an environment that lent
it wings. To realize what Elise
had to offer demanded a cathe-
dral!
Another hush settled over the
congregation. The two clergymen
Parker had seen in the process
sional were assisting a crippled
man into the pulpit. He graSped
| the desk firmly with both hands
as his aids turned and left him
there. Mobility" was the only
word adequate to describe this
mans face. Parker remembered
now that Mrs. Dean had said
Dean Harcourt was cripple.
The first words were spoken
very quietly. their restraint SerV-
ing to make them more unusual
than they might have seemed had
they been uttered with intent to
be oratorical.
The implication of this hour,
began the Dean. represent the
utmost reach of human audacity.
Mems ambitions, throughout
the ages, have mounted from their
terrainS of experience, dearly
earned. toward heights of achieve
ment, to be as dearly bought.
We have warmed our hearthS at
the worlds internal fires. We have
broken white sunlight into healing
rays. We have traVerSed under the
water, through the mountains and
in the air. We have found anti
dotes for every poison, anodynes
/ for every pain. Yesterdays miracle
/ becomes tomorroW'S commonplace;
Yesterdays luxury, tomorroW'S ne
/ cessity. But no aspiration of ours
will ever rival the hope we cele-
brate today-immortality!"
It was like tonic. 1t was like
an injection of strychia! 1t was an
vestig attn g breeze rushing
through the Stuffy darkness OF
Parkers unexplored soul. But If
ever you are to be immortal" l." de-
clared the dean, you are immortal
now"
/ Never in his lifetime had Parker
invested so much mental energy IN
following a public address. Dean
HarCourt'S words were not mere
words as words are commonly con-
| ceived. They walked up and down
on Parker. They lifted him out
of his lethargy, shook him wide
awake. tramped ruthlesSly on his
sophistications, and companion
ably held out a hand to his de-
spairs. God! What wouldn't he
give for an hour alone with this
man!
AS for the rest of it, Parker
hardly knew what was going on.
They collected the money and he
tossed in the largest banknote he
had. There was a long prayer
which he did not follow. The choir
was filing out of the stalls and
into the aisle, singing the reces-
Sional. Jerusalm, the Golden.
They were out in the spacious
vestibule now. The bishop pro
nounced a benediction.
/ Dean Harcourt was being led out
of the chancel through side door,
two young men in vestments sup
porting him. Parker wished he
dared go back there and see this
man at close range; wanted to
take his hand and look into his
face. Indeed, the impulse was so
strong that he tarried indeCisively
in the foyer, jostled from all sides,
until the current swept him along.
TO Be Continued)
(Copyr'ght, 1897. by Lloyd c. Douglass
Distributed by King FeatureL