in bayport, things were moving on as usual. from week to week the rev. mr. fenwick appeared in the pulpit of the village church, and officiated to the satisfaction of all but a small minority of the parish.
for there were a few malcontents, headed by deacon crane, who had not yet lost the hope of seeing the pulpit filled by his cousin, who, not being popular, had been unemployed more than half the time during the past year.
the deacon went about and dropped disparaging remarks about mr. fenwick, but they did not bear fruit. to his chagrin, he found that very few cared for a change.
he was perplexed, but none the less determined to bring about his desires.
to facilitate his purpose, he informed the treasurer of the parish that he should reduce by one-half his subscription to the parish expenses.{294}
“why is this, deacon crane?” asked the treasurer. “are you getting poor?”
“no, brother jones; but i ain’t exactly satisfied with our pastor.”
“why not?”
“i don’t seem to get much spiritooal refreshment from his sermons.”
“the rest of the congregation do, and they are to be considered.”
the deacon had nothing to say in reply, but he stayed at home the next sunday.
one reason for his dissatisfaction came from a letter he had received from his clerical relative, asking for the loan of one hundred dollars.
“i can’t lend you the money,” he replied; “but if i can get the parish to dismiss mr. fenwick, i will try to get you in his place.”
it was while the deacon was exercised in this way that his son noah ran into the store one afternoon and exclaimed: “who do you think has just gone past the store?”
“you had better tell me, noah. i can’t waste my time in guessing.”
“it was the minister’s son, guy.”
deacon crane pricked up his ears.
“how did he look?”
“pretty fair.”{295}
“he’s probably lost his place, and come home to live on his father.”
“shouldn’t be a bit surprised, dad.”
“noah,” said the deacon, much shocked, “never call me dad again! it isn’t respectful!”
“all right, father. you’d better call at the minister’s and find out what brings guy home this time.”
“i think i may have occasion to call this evening,” replied the deacon.
meanwhile we will follow guy home.
his father was overjoyed to see his son back again, for he was deeply attached to his only child.
after the first greetings were over, guy said: “you don’t ask me whether i am still at work for mr. saunders.”
“i thought you would tell me in due time, guy. now i can only think with joy of your return.”
“well, father, i mean to stay at home, or at least near home, for a year. mr. saunders has given me a vacation of twelve months.”
“doubtless, my son, you can find some employment here, since he will not need you for a year.”
guy smiled.
“there is no reason to worry about that, father,” he said. “how are you getting on with deacon crane?”{296}
“i think, guy, he would prefer to have a younger man in my place. it makes me feel that i am growing old.”
“pooh, father! you are only fifty-two. but, tell me, did you not at one time think of writing a commentary on the gospels?”
“yes, guy; but my sermon writing takes all my time.”
“then why not apply to the parish to give you a young man as a colleague?”
“the parish cannot afford to pay two salaries.”
“then you might offer to serve as senior pastor without salary.”
“but, guy, how am i to live?”
“what salary does the parish pay you now?”
“a thousand dollars.”
“very well, father, ask for an assistant, and i will pay you twelve hundred dollars a year.”
“i suppose you are joking, guy.”
“not at all. i am in earnest.”
“but where are you to get the money?” asked mr. fenwick, looking at his son in bewilderment.
“i must tell you, father, that i am worth over a hundred thousand dollars.”
“if you had not always been truthful, guy, i should think that you were trying to deceive me.”
then guy explained. the explanation was, to{297} his father, a marvelous one, and he had many questions to ask.
“now, father,” guy concluded, “i will alter the terms of my proposal. i will make over to you outright the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, and you can invest it so as to produce a good income.”
finally, mr. fenwick accepted his son’s proposal, and agreed to communicate with the parish.
that same evening deacon crane tapped at the door and was admitted. guy was at home, and sat demurely in his father’s study.
“so you’ve got home, have you, guy?” was his greeting, preceded by a cough. “noah told me he saw you go by the store.”
“yes; noah is a great friend of mine,” returned guy, with a smile. “i hope he is well.”
“yes; i am thankful to say he is. he’s a good stiddy boy, noah is; he don’t go gadding about all over the world.”
“like me?” suggested guy, with a smile.
the deacon coughed, but did not disclaim the amendment.
“have you lost your place?” he asked.
“mr. saunders has given me a year’s vacation,” answered guy.
“humph!” said the deacon. “that’s rather{298} hard on you. you may find it difficult to get a place round here.”
“i shall not try for one. i am going to stay at home with father part of the time.”
“you’re pretty young to retire from business,” sneered the deacon.
“i shall be glad to have noah call on me.”
“i don’t approve of noah bein’ idle. he’s helpin’ me in the store, out of school.”
“by the way, deacon crane,” said the minister, who was enjoying in his quiet way the deacon’s misunderstanding, “i am glad you called in. i want to consult you about church matters. guy wants me to ask for a younger man to share with me the responsibilities of parish work, as a colleague.”
“mr. fenwick,” said the deacon, greatly surprised, “you must be aware that the parish cannot afford to pay two ministers. as it is, we are cramped by our agreement to pay you a thousand dollars.”
“for that reason i propose to relinquish my own salary. there will be but one salary to pay.”
“but,” said the deacon, inexpressibly surprised, “how are you going to live?”
“perhaps i ought to mention that a relative has given me twenty-five thousand dollars. i can live on the income arising from that.”{299}
deacon crane looked at the minister with greatly increased respect, for he set high value on worldly prosperity.
“why, that makes you a rich man, mr. fenwick,” he said.
“indeed, i feel so.”
“but i didn’t know you had any rich relatives.”
“nor i, till to-day.”
“do you mind telling me who has given you this handsome fortune?”
“guy,” answered the minister, briefly.
“i didn’t come here to be made a fool of!” said the deacon, angrily, half rising in his chair.
“no one has tried to make a fool of you,” returned guy, quickly. “i have been very fortunate, and can well afford to give my father twenty-five thousand dollars. he is anxious to get time to write a commentary on the gospels, and so i have induced him to ask for a colleague.”
“is this really true, guy?”
“you can rely upon it, deacon crane. father may have occasion to consult you about the investment of his money.”
“i’ll be very glad to oblige him,” said the deacon, generously. “when will he come into possession of the amount?”
“next week.”{300}
“i congratulate you heartily, guy,” said the deacon, very cordially. “i always thought you were a smart boy.”
“i am sorry you don’t want noah to come to see me. i have brought him a gold watch from new york.”
“i’ll send him right over,” said the deacon, briskly. “he thinks a sight of you.”
“i am glad to hear that. i shall always be glad to do him a good turn.”
“i guess i must be goin’,” said the deacon, who was anxious to spread the wonderful news.
“well, father, did you see guy?” asked noah, when his father entered the store.
“yes, i did.”
“is he out of work?”
“he needn’t work any more as long as he lives,” said the deacon, solemnly. “guy’s come home with a fortune. he’s just given his father twenty-five thousand dollars.”
noah listened with eyes and mouth wide open.
“do tell, pa!” he said.
“yes. guy’s an awfully smart boy. he’s brought home a gold watch for you, noah, and he’ll give it to you when you go over.”
“i’ll go right over, pa.”
“and i am willin’ you should be with him as{301} much as he wishes. take my advice, noah, and make him your intimate friend.”
“you bet i will, pa!”
“don’t use that expression, noah! remember you are a deacon’s son.”
in a few weeks the changes already hinted at were effected. mr. fenwick was provided with a colleague, but not the deacon’s relative, and had begun work on his commentary.
at the end of a year guy entered the office of the new york correspondent of john saunders, whom he will eventually succeed. he makes a good business man, and mr. saunders has never had occasion to regret the interest he has taken in the young american.
