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EASTER
offering
(7 jgjr
Doro^te^ouflas
REV. MILTON Davis entered his
study after having eaten a
lonesome Easter breakfast
and threw himself Into a big
chair by the window for a few
moments of quiet before beginning bis
strenuous day. He heaved u sigh as
he glanced at the empty chair on the
opposite side—empty save for the
mind picture the young ministe: was
wont to draw on occasions when the
world would seem well lost for the
possession of one particular woman
But that woman had not, as yet, ap
peared upon the ecclesiastical heart
stone of Rev. Mr. Davis.
There were many fair parishioners
who would gladly have been that
fortunate maid; their inclinations,
howeven were restricted to the gifts
which constantly found their way to
the rectory. The wide couch in the
rector’s study was a heterogeneous
collection of sofa pillows; the walls
were lined with biblical subjects, evi
dently considered the only art ap
propriate for ministerial eyes. Rev
Mr. Davis had been the recipent of
eighteen pairs of slippers and three
house coats.
In his turn, he sought diligently
among his flock for the girl who
might do; she apparently sunned her
self in another fold, for she certainly
did not thrive In his pasture.
The choir, which weekly occupied
four seats facing the pulpit, gave
forth to the little church such quar
tet music as it felt equal to. It was
comprised entirely of village talent.
Jimmie Langhorn, the tenor, consid
ered the world and all its machina
tions a joke; if the soprano felt a
jolt in her side when sustaining a
high G it was nothing more nor less
than Jimmie’s elbow prodding her
along The contralto was a 6mall
maiden to whom the tenor made love
during the darkness of the sermon;
the bass singer was also the cholr
master
The soprano, a young matron, and
Jimmie Langhorn were fast friends,
and many a plot against ministerial
bachelordom was hatched betwpen
them. It seemed to them a shame
that so good-looking a minister should
remain a bachelor.
So it happened that as Rev. Mr.
Davis bemoaned the singleness of his
ow’n state and others bemoaned it for
him, the god of love entered his study.
His buxom housekeeper was the liter
al bearer, and she offered It to him as
a package, labeled and wrapped in
much tissue paper. Upon being un
swathed the Easter gift proved to be
a small marble statue of Cupid.
“And which of your Iambs is it this
time?" she asked with motherly In
terest, and noticing surprise on the
rector’s face.
The minister read the card: “From
the soprano, Easter greetings."
"And her a married woman!"
snifTed Mrs. Mallory. “It’s a wonder
some of them don’t offer themselves
Heaved a Sigh at He Glanced at tha
Empty Chair.
as housekeepers!” She made her exit
with high scorn for the susceptible
Bex of which she was an humble mem
ber.
“It certainly seems odd," reflected
R.’V. Mr. Davis, casting a quizzical
glance at the small god of love. "I
had not suspected Mrs. V/ade of a
secret attachment—for me—but you
represent a subtle hint of some kind.”
He smiled.
He called up Mrs. Wade. No; she
had not sent it. Her voice, over the
’phone, sounded more or less indig
nant at the idea.
Kev. Mr. Davis prepared for his
Easter service and dismissed the
thought of the mysterious gift.
The door leading to the chancel
faced the choir. As the minister en
tered. his eyes lifted a moment and
met those 01 a girl who occupied the
soprano’s usual place in the choir,
and for a moment he had apprehen
sions Was it possible that the Eastei
music, after all the careful prepara
tlon, was to be sung by the substltuU
stranger? Where was Mrs. Wade!
&
But as the service progressed tht
minister realised that his fears were
groundless And that was not alk
he was keenly conscious of the pres
ence of the new soprano.
After service, while he stood shak
ing hands with his departing parish
ioners, according to his usual custom,
he anticipated with \ tusual pleasure
his meeting with the girl who had
so graciously assisted the choir. He
was anxious to congratulate her and
thank her.
"Doctor Davis," said the voice of
Jimmie Langhorn at his side, “I w’ant
to present you to this sister of mine.
Muriel, our rector. Doctor Davis,’’ he
said turning to the girl. "She cried
to be allowed to sing in our choir, so
wo had to let her. Mrs. Wade has
a cold, you know, and was glad of an
opportunity t.o be excused. Sis, here,
has Just returned from Germany and
was anxious to try her wings.’’ Jim
mie Danghorn Joked even with the
minister.
Muriel cast an indignant glance at
her brother as her hand met that of
the minister "It isn't so, Doctor
Davis,” she said with mounting color,
for the young minister’s gray eyes
had not once left her face. “He and
Mrs. Wade made dire threats until I
consented ”
"For which they deserve a gold
medal,” aiflrmeJ the dominie.
“Don’t!” exclaimed Jimmie “She
is conceited enough now, between her
voice and her collection of statuary!”
"Statuary!” inquired the minister.
"Then perhaps I can thank you. Miss
4^-i I \c*
%
“Yes,” Returned the Girl.
Langhorn, for the dainty bit I re
ceived this morning?”
Jimmie became suddenly Interested
In the arrangement of the music for
the evening service.
“I'm sorry," laughed Muriel, "but
I happen not to be the guilty party."
“Some one sent me Easter greet
ings in the form of a little marble
god of love; and I have already in
sulted Mm. Wade by accusing her of
sending It.”
“And me! An absolute stranger—
I like that!" Muriel spoke with some
asperity and her manner, the min
ister noted, was much like her broth
er’s.
“Oh, please, Miss Langhorn,"
begged the minister contritely. “I’m
really awfully sorry."
“Well—I'll think about it.” She
cast him one glance and turned to
Jimmie. “Come, brother mine, or we
won't get any dinner.” She turned
again to Doctor Davis, “Can’t you
take dinner with us/"
“Under the condition that you will
all come and eat cold turkey with me
after the service tonight. I have a
housekeeper who must be appeased.”
Since Muriel expected to be in Lee
only a month before going to the city
to start a concert career, Rev. Dr.
Davis lost no time in laying siege to
h^r heart. The ministers decisive
chin denoted that when he knew what
he wanted he went straight for it.
Luckily, they lived in a healthy,
cheerful community where calls upon
the world-weary were not necessary
and the dominie robbed no one In the
time devoted to courting. Since It
was nearing the end of the opera sea
son, he took Muriel frequently to
that realm of wonderful music.
When she sang at concerts In the
city, he was always there to escort
her home and carry her floral t ib
stes. These flowers Invariably lent
their sweetness to some humble
dwelling in the village.
“Isn't it wonderful to be blessed
with the power to help our fellow
men?” Rev. Mr. Davis voiced this
sentiment one evening as they walked
home through the lanes after having
called to see old Mrs. Gabel, who
didn't get to church often on account
of the distance. Muriel had sung
some of the familiar old hymns for
her until the dear old soul had wept
from sheer happiness.
“Yes," returned the girl with tears
not far from her own eyes. “I have
wondered lately if all the applause
of a great, clapping audience will
ever bring me one-tenth of the joy
that the tears in Mrs. Gabel s eyes
brought?" She looked out over the
broad country. “Anyway, I shall of
ten look out over the footlights and
set1—not a swarm of faces—but this!’*
j Muriel’s gesture swept in the starry
j heavens, the moonlit road and the
j great arch of trees,
j Suddenly the dominie turned and
took he- in hie arms. “You are not
; going on any stage! It would take
f you too far from me. You may do
all the concert work—all the church
singing you like—but always I will
' come for you when night falls. Your
| Hrother Jim sent me the god of love
* : and I am going to hold on to it!
• I What do you think about it, dear?"
’ ; “Evidently I am not to be allowed
to think," murmured Muriel, T)Ut with
' finality In her resignation
! Copyright. 1913. by the M-x’lure News
Syndicate i
1
CONSIDER the lilies of the
field"—Matt. 6:26, 28. 29.
What has this text to do
with Easter day? Let ua
think awhile Life and death;
the battle between life and death;
life conquered by death; and
conquered again by life. Those
were the mysteries over which the
men of old time thought, often till
their hearts were sad. And because
our forefathers were a sad and earn
eat folk; because they lived in a sad
and dreary climate, where winter was
far longer and more bitter than it is,
thank God, now; therefore all their
thoughts about winter and spring
were sad; and they grew to despair,
at last, of life ever conquering death,
or light conquering darkness.
All living things w’ould -die. The
very gods would die, fighting to the
last against the powers of evil, till the
sun should sink forever, and the world
be a heap of ashes. And then—so
strangely does God's gift of hope
linger in the hearts of men—they saw
—beyond all that, a dim dream of a
new heaven and a new earth, in which
should dwell righteousness; and of a
new sun, more beautiful' than ours;
of a woman called ‘‘Life,’’ hid safe,
while all the world around her was
destroyed, fed on the morning dew,
preserved to be the mother of a new
and happier race of men. And so to
them, heathens as they were, God
whispered that Christ should some
day bring life and immortality to
light.
‘‘So it pleased the Father," says St.
Paul, “to gather together in Christ
all things, whether in heaven or in
earth “
In him were fulfilled, and more
than fulfilled, the dim longings, the
childlike dreams, of heathen poets
and sages, and of our own ancestors
from whom we spring. He is the de
sire of all nations, for whom all were
longing, though they knew it not. And
nowf we may see, it seems to me, what
the text has to do with Easter day.
Be not anxious, says our Lord, for
your life. Is not the life more than
meat? There is an eternal life which
depends not on earthly food, but on
the will and word of God your Father;
and that life in you will conquer
death. Consider the lilies in the field.
All the winter they are dead, unsight
ly roots, bidden in the earth What
can come of them? But no sooner
does the sun of spring shine on their
graves than they rise into sudden life
and beauty as it pleases God, and
every seed takes its own peculiar
body. Even so is the resurrection of
the dead.—Charles Kingsley.
LOVE AND SERVICE
ALL. Christendom at this season
proclaims the resurrection of
Jesus Christ and rejoices in the
1 promise of immortality.
No other figure of history has left
such an indelible impress upon hearts
and minds of men. His was a life of
service, of love, of devotion to man
kind, and even in the hearts of those
to whom the resurrection is not ac
cepted belief, there ia reverence and
admiration for the life and works of
the Great Teacher. The leaven cf his
life has spread from the little ban! of
disciples he gathered about bim until
today nearly one-third of the entire
people of the world are devoted and
acknowledged followers of the Naza
rene, and to the intelligent followers
of other creeds he is a teacher and
leader of men, comparable to Brahma,
Buddha, Zoroaster and Confucius.
It is fitting that the commemoration
of his resurrection should be contem
poraneous, w'ith us at least, with the
rebirth of nature. Even as he rolled
the stone away and put aside the ha
biliments of death, so at this season
the timid violet, the jonquil the cro
cus, the spear of grass push aside the
cerements of darkness and death, ana
look up with smiling faces to the sun
shine of life. On every hilltop and In
every valley the story of the resurrec
tion is being re-enacted day by day.
The greatest lesson in the life of
Jesus Christ was that that of service,
and more year after year is the idea
of service entering into the hearts and
minds of men. The world is growing
better. Millions of men and women
are striving today, individually or col
lectively, to alleviate suffering, to pro
mote health and happiness and in «t
myriad ways to make better the eondi
tioD of their fellowmen. To isira who
brought light from darkness, life from
death, immortality from oblivion, may
be attributed al! that is good in our
modern civilization.
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Warning Against Poisons.
To prevent accidents with bottles
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thereby know the cotnents.
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sill at night in very cold weather if
a newspaper is placed between the
window and the plants. The plants
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