第99章 IN WHICH KEZIAH'S PARSON PREACHES ONCE MORE(1)

Time has wrought many changes in Trumet.The packet long since ceased to ply between the village and Boston,the stage has been superseded by the locomotive,the old square-riggers,commanded by Cape Cod men,no longer sail the seas.Along the main road the houses have changed hands.Didama Rogers peers no more from her parlor window;that parlor is now profaned by the frivolous and irreverent summer boarder.But the old residents love to talk of the days that are gone and if you happen to catch Mr.Isaac Higgins,now postmaster and a dignified member of the board of selectmen,in a reminiscent mood he will very likely tell you of the meeting of the parish committee called by its chairman,Elkanah Daniels,to oust the Rev.John Ellery from the pulpit of the Regular church.

I'll never forget,says Mr.Higgins,that parish committee meetin'if I live a thousand year.I,and two or three other young shavers,was hid in the little room off the vestry--the room where they kept the dishes they used for church suppers--and we heard the whole business.Of course nobody knew that Nat was goin'to marry Keziah then,but they did know that he wa'n't goin'to marry Grace Van Horne,and had given her up to the minister of his own accord.

So Daniels's guns was spiked and he didn't stand no chance at all.

However,you'd never have guessed it to look at him.He marched into that meetin'and up to the platform as stiff and dignified as if he'd swallered a peck of starch.He called the meetin'to order--'twas a full one,for all hands and the cook was there--and then got up to speak.

He opened fire right off.He raked John Ellery fore and aft.The parson,he said,had disgraced the society and his sacred profession and should be hove overboard immediate.'Twas an open secret,he said.Everybody knew how he,minister of a Reg'lar church,had been carryin'on with a Come-Outer girl,meetin'her unbeknownst to anyone,and so on.As he got warmed up on this subject he got more bitter and,though he didn't come out open and say slanderous things,his hints was as nigh that as a pig's snout is to his squeal.Even through the crack of the dish-closet door Icould see the bristles risin'on the back of Cap'n Zeb Mayo's neck.

At last Cap'n Zeb couldn't stand it no longer.

'Belay there!'he sings out,jumpin'to his feet.'I want to ask you one question,Elkanah Daniels:Are you tryin'to say somethin' against Grace Van Horne's character?'

Well,that was a sort of sticker,in a way,and I cal'late Daniels realized it.He 'hum-ha'd'and barked a little and then give in that he couldn't swear the Van Horne person's character wa'n't all right,but--'Couldn't swear!'snorts Zeb.'You better not try to,not when the minister or Nat's around.Aw,belay!you want us to fire John Ellery out of this society--the best minister it ever had or ever will have--because he had the sense to get sweet on a good clean girl and the spunk to ask her to marry him.And you're down on her because she's been brought up in a Come-Outer family--at least,that's the reason you give out,though some of us have suspicions 'tain't the real one.Why!she risked what she thought was smallpox to keep him from dyin'that night she picked him up,ravin'distracted,in the middle of the lighthouse lane,and if he hadn't married her after that I,for one,would have been willin' to vote to give him his walkin'papers,Come-Outer she may have been,but,by time,she's got religion that's good enough for me and I'll be proud to see her the wife of my minister.Don't let's have no more chin music.We know what you want and what you called this meetin'for;now let's vote on it.'

Three or four sung out 'Question'and 'Vote.'But Elkanah held up his hand.

'Gentlemen,'says he,'before I ask for the vote I want to say just one word.I've worshiped in this meetin'house ever sence Iwas a child.I was christened in it;my father worshiped here afore me;I've presided over the meetin's of this body for years.

But I tell you now that if you vote to keep that rascally hypocrite in your pulpit I shall resign from the committee and from the society.It'll be like cuttin'off my right hand,but I shall do it.Are you ready for the vote?Those in favor of retaining the present minister of this parish will rise.Those opposed will remain seated.'

Every man on the floor stood up.Daniels himself was the only one that stayed settin'down.

'It is a vote,'says he,white as a sheet,and his voice trembling.'Gentlemen,I bid you good day.'

He took up his hat and cane,give one look around the vestry,as if he was sayin'good-by to it,and marched down the aisle as straight and starchy as he'd come into it.Only,when he reached the door,he put up one hand as if he was steadyin'himself.There was precious few in that vestry that liked Elkanah Daniels,but I'm bettin'high there wa'n't a one who didn't feel sorry for him then.

'Twas quiet as could be for a minute or so after he'd gone.Then Cap'n Zeb draws a big breath and flings up his hand.

'Shipmates,'says he,'this is the Almighty's house and we've got to do it quiet,but I propose three whisperin'cheers for the Rev.

John Ellery and the lady that's goin'to be his wife.'

So they give 'em--hearty,too,if they was whispered--and that's all there is to that meetin'worth tellin'about.Captain Daniels and his daughter moved to Boston that summer.They never came back to Trumet to live.Annabel remained single until after her father's death;then she married a man very much younger and poorer than she was.It was remarked by acquaintances of the couple that the difference in age became less and less apparent as their married life continued.

Humph!observed Captain Zeb,summing up the situation,he started about ten year astern,but he'll beat her on the run into the cemetery,now you mark my words.Annabel's temper's cal'lated to keep any average chap drivin'on that course,bows under.