| Show i M 41 44 4 4 4 1 I AMONG A M WA N G H E 2 imbs by F fl LANCASTER LANCA STEIL copyright by DIOT ary pub joinar company F dmn n carson va s 1 jok ok charif charge of trinity church aid aad of ita its cov co V cation b he did cot not dream nt th the rocks that at ley lay in hie his apparently smooth path ila fact the rocks did not develop until alter after the christmas the rho trouble began in a mall small difference of opinion concerning christmas decorations some riched girls gira bent beat upon shocking the mory morts sedate member members mixed mistletoe with ith the wosa moss oat wee was twined around the altar darson had aided with VA th belat ones and the mistletoe was BL 54 asade hd tre treated kited the matter it V ats a joke that hs s everybody save tha ringleader rin alender ot of the wicked one ones a retty young society reporter she took the matter not only seriously but vengefully venee tully and forthwith proceeded to make thi alev carsons life a 91 lurn to him taking down his ser mens in anu ania criticizing criticising critic ising his Mair bagush lIsh afterward att in open scorn was 1 tie le of th the favorite vents for her displeasure but tharo there were others felt himself slighted and ridiculed at every very he ile was a resolute maa and held steadily on his way but he could not help knowing that anderson was at the bottom of all his trouble and he would have had MOM mildness than the average strong man a if it ho he had not once or twice heartily wished her ont opt of his parish for Ins instance when mablo persuaded the young people to boycott boyt ott the aar he held for the benefit of 0 the old womans comans Wo mans home the sedate ones ques sympathized aut zed with the harassed prea ber but us they were chiefly business men B nd mother othera ro of families they could b bo pf vallo practical assistance sympathy alone will not get got up a fair the pome flome w ana rell relieved eved by subscription and aud the war waxed warmer the climax cabe when in the beginning ng df B lent vaughn preached from the text LIU chil children drea love pa another those who wre bv declared it the ahe best atmon he had eve eye preached but mable wable bit gil the end of her reporting pencil and left the church after that ter or pow knew her no more and when any one attempted to cound sound her bar wo on the subject she would respond with Pla quent disdain doat dont mention him I 1 carson was relieved he ile could writa a sermon now without concentrating his whole attention upon its construction and he could deliver it without feeling that he was by eyes keen to criticism criticise critic ise he would id perhaps not have said openly with bis his lips that he als glad to he b e off one member of his cons cong tation but hg be wa waa and there were than enough to notice his arre fri e dow from restraint 1 I do believe mab he is 12 actu ialy Uy atod to get rid of you one of her girl confided sweetly owe etly no doubt he Is my dear mab blab replied smoothly but he cant bo be half halt t fix glad to get rid of me as I 1 am to bret iret rid of him still the hit lurt as the girl tirl chim knew it would and miss landerson derson began to feel that her dignity demanded demonstration the very next sunday morning found ber ker wheeling out toward trout creek with basket and rod to an old gentleman who piled plied lie be with inquiries she oble explained that she was coins fishing ant but on sunday my dear young ti ob my preacher dont earel tarel lady wyl I 1 why what will your preacher y to you ob oh my preacher care what 11 1 I do so long as I 1 do not come to lehu church reb she replied gayly of course poor carson heard all acut ut it before the wee beef was two a older and saturday evening found d him sitting over alz study fire it ing that he be olgat to do something defrate de prate rat and unable to decide what bething should be gradually however or resolution took shape and th a shiver of he pulled rul sed t t i 1 I 1 on ha WS heavy coat and went out irto a coid old february night miss anderson derson wee was at home she sv bad had just ber her weekly letter latter to the criterion Criter ibn and waa lainis on oil the tho library rug tug watching the play of tho the firelight on the celli tig when mr vaughn entered unannounced 1 I wished to see you alone he es ex platted as she scrambled to hor her fot feet there are some points 0 ot difference between us its ast it would give we me great to reconcile oh I 1 dont know 11 she responded carelessly carel esaly im sure tha that I 1 am quite satisfied with the situation but r uni not he cut in sternly you have spread the report that I 1 have compelled your attendance nonattendance non noa at church will you please explain how 1 I said that you were glad tha that 1 I bad had withdrawn withdraw 4 cud ond you are mable wable returned coolly they looked into each others eyes eye a steadily for a moment as though meas urine their strength carson v was aws the drat first to speak and if it I 1 am have I 1 not cause to be hive yot ever been anything but a aj crush it under foot if 11 you see fit plague and a torment to me since I 1 took charge of thia this paT pariah lah 1 I have tried not to be if there la Is anything I 1 have left undone I 1 am very sorry and promise you that I 1 shall make good the omission 11 at the earliest opportunity there la in only one omission that I 1 am aware of you have not yet succeeded in making me wa in love wib with b you 1 I have not gone about it the right dav I 1 suppose mable returned corn com poa edly but it Is not worth while for us to spend the aholo evening quarreling she added pleasantly pleasant lir fath r and mother are cut out at a neighbors TO I 1 hope you will keep my tea from being solitary carson was puzzled by the sudden change but wore the evening WM waa over he realized what a bright brainy woman thia this tray was mab seemed determined to make herself agreeable she succeeded so well that before he attic her band hand in parting vaughn waa was quite ready to forgive and forget and this waa was only the beginning nearly every day they met somewhere for a moment at least and the meeting metting was always pleasant carson beard heard that she had explained this sudden change of front by announcing that she and the preach ve bad had made it up long enough before thi tho lenten season had bad passed it had become natural for him to regard her as his sworn second in all church work and when hey met on saturday to decorate for or easter mable took up her role ax as a i matter of course and anti zealously seconded his very every suggestion it was natural then tuat when they at last stood alone together before the illy banked altar he should have felt called upon to espreu a his gratitude and it was also natural that AS an the evening was growing int la and the soft april twilight was the church with all sorts of she lows his words should have been warrer than gratitude strictly demanded i it if you only brew krew be he colluded huskily how very very dear you have grown to ito me mable spoke quickly as though af afraid mid of herself does this apan that I 1 ba 0 o mado made good the only omission you coul suggest that evening carson started into sternness what evening ah ali what fool I 1 have been yes mablo agreed it Is a rah thing to defy a woman as you defied dolled me carson mad made no DO reply he was staring at th the lilies lilles with a 4 tou h 61 sf savageness savage nees it was easy bough enough nough now to understand under stana he ile stooped and took OF 11 trum the iter altar ma eve a JL wag ackt afir alad bd of ot tere foret it to her ker cb ush it t under abot if it you am ft be he auld mable mablo took teok tho the fragile emblem ot 0 master caster If gla gladdess duess and und looked sor a long uncertain ra went then aud sed denly with wita a shy lauch laugh she thrust alu bat the tb lony long stem into her exit and the illy 1 lall its beavy head upon her be brat |
