Year: 1875

From the N. Y. Tribune.


During the last days Of summer all Oldtowr
has been in a condition of feverish excitemen


to know whether Parson Lawrence would com,


homo at the time appointed. Ellis holiday


was only for the month of August" Deacon


Suttler said at the village store, "but Heaven


knows he'll stretch it another week, leavin' III


to pay the supply on Sunday. The old mans


got bee in his bonnet, an there's no KNOWN


where it'll lead him."


Smith, the grocer, nodded emphatically as


be tied up a pound of sugar for the widow


Potts. at was your doings, Deacon. City


ways, city ways! Our pastor must be off like


the others to rest after his hard work. Well


have stained glass and choir boys next. Rest


indeed Writing two bits of sermons a week


If he'd stood behind the counter shoveling out


coffee and sugar the year round p The widow


Potts said nothing but she thought of her year


of drudgery over the sewing machine and the


parsons work seemed very light to her, in


deed. She "could have stood up and talked for


an hour twice a week If she had the college


education" she said at home. "Talkin' of the


laws of the Jews and the old Romans and


prophecies There's mighty small amount of


food for my soul in such talk, anyhow" There


are many more Of the congregation who, when


they saw the parsons gray head among the


passengers in the old red coach, remembered it


was Saturday night and wondered when he


meant to write his next days sermon. He al


ways took half the week to write one.


When the parson went away in the red coach


his heart was heavy within him. The other


passengers kept aloof from the gloomy old man


with his meek eyes and sharp, tired voice. He
had not been out of the 0ldtown circuit for ten
years. 1t was the new member, Porter, who
had given him the money for this holiday
$50 find some grist for the MILL" he said, 9TH


H.. L,,E
1t occurred to the old man for the first time in
his life that something more was needed for his
more than earnest endeavor and prayers. His
salary was too small for him to buy books or
current literature. His reading was confined
to a small theological library which he h ad
owned for years, and weekly religious news
paper. Year in and year out he talked with
the half.dozen brethren and sisters of his own
church, and the dozen families outside. He
knew every crook and Granny of their charac-
ters, as they did his; they were exaggerated in
each others eyes as bugs in microscope
They shaped and measured al the great Chris
tian graces by their own inch rule. Charity
was represented by the annual fair in the lee
ture-room for the cause of missions, and Faith
by the viger with which they sent all the world
outside of their own sect to perdition. Vague
rumors reached them of great movements in
this religious body and that, but Sister Potts
and Brother Suttler only shook their heads and
talked of the unregenerate. The Evil Spirit
was typfed to the village by drunken old
Drum, who was a very unhopeful case it is
true, but still human.


There was a good deal of discussion as to
where the parson should go for his holiday.
Many of the brethren wished that he should
improve it by making a collecting tour, beg
ging money for new steeple; others recon-
mended some of the large religious gatherings
at the seashore or mountains. But the parson,
once awakened by the word 'grist," took the
matter into his own hand. "I am going fish
ing" he said. "I used to 60 fishing when 1
was boy, and it will do me good to be boy
again." So he went fishing, tramped over the
stood to the waist in water forgot
his trout as he looked up to the great nights or
listened to the thunder among them. The
petty gossip and carking, moldy cares of the
village slipped away from his mind and left it
fresh and free. 1t seemed to him that he could
hear now in the thunder in the solemn hight,
in the movement of the little wnd-fowe: in
he grass, the words of his omnipotent gracious
Master, "Be not afraid it ISL" He never had
leard them in the moldy books or weekly news
paper. He tied up his rod and line and went
o little seaside watering place. There were
lot more people there than in his own church,
,ut they were of many differing kinds. There
we're Jews, Roman Catholics, Unitarians,
friends. He threw himself into all their fun
md work, and as far as he could into their
thoughts. 1t was genial, jolly time. He dis
covered some good, gracious woman, some clev-
n fellow, every day. He woke every morning
many good people fd ne0Yfd. .suars.- were s
whose names were akin to Atheist in his creed,
voro dovout, OvIl-fv@rieS and women.
With their ideas of Him aud their brother men
,ased on broader, more liberal ground than he
lad ever known.


There was terrible accident during his stay
man drowned, his wife and children left help
ess and in the sudden surge of feeling which
aid bare every heart about him in the tender
,ess, the humanity, the Christ-like pity and
lelp which came to the widow and orphans, he
,egan to understand the meaning of the word
brother as his Master used it, not as it was
,andied about in 0ldtown.


The parson is glad, however: to be at home
again. He springs down from the old red stage.
with his eyes sparkling and his face so full OF
laughter and happiness that Oldtown is startled
even shocked. Oldtown is of a funeral turn
,f mind. He does not think of preparing
sermon. He has SO much to say-hs heart SO
burns within him, that the Sabbath day seems
Ill toe short. There is not word of theology
Or the old Jews in it either. 1t is the homeli-
est sort of talk. But when they come out of
church everybody stops to shake hands and
exchange hearty greeting. 1t is as if they
had been somewhere with the fresh wind blow
ing, and the sun shining, and God himself near