The　ordination　service　was　very　impressive　and
  beautiful。　　Its　peace　and　dignity；　following　the
  battle　that　had　raged　for　days；　moved　me　so　deep…
  ly　that　I　was　nearly　overcome。　　Indeed；　I　was　on
  the　verge　of　a　breakdown　when　I　was　mercifully
  saved　by　the　clause　in　the　discipline　calling　for　the
  pledge　all　ministers　had　to　makethat　I　would
  not　indulge　in　the　use　of　tobacco。　　When　this　vow
  fell　from　my　lips　a　perceptible　ripple　ran　over　the
  congregation。
  I　was　homesick　for　my　Cape　Cod　parish；　and　I
  returned　to　East　Dennis　immediately　after　my
  ordination；　arriving　there　on　Saturday　night。　　I
  knew　by　the　suppressed　excitement　of　my　friends
  that　some　surprise　awaited　me；　but　I　did　not　learn
  what　it　was　until　I　entered　my　dear　little　church
  the　following　morning。　　There　I　found　the　com…
  munion…table　set　forth　with　a　beautiful　new　com…
  munion…service。　　This　had　been　purchased　during
  my　absence；　that　I　might　dedicate　it　that　day　and
  for　the　first　time　administer　the　sacrament　to　my
  people。
  VI
  CAPE　COD　MEMORIES
  Looking　back　now　upon　those　days；　I　see　my
  Cape　Cod　friends　as　clearly　as　if　the　interven…
  ing　years　had　been　wiped　out　and　we　were　again　to…
  gether。　　Among　those　I　most　loved　were　two　widely
  differing　typesCaptain　Doane；　a　retired　sea…cap…
  tain；　and　Relief　Paine；　an　invalid　chained　to　her
  couch；　but　whose　beautiful　influence　permeated　the
  community　like　an　atmosphere。　　Captain　Doane
  was　one　of　the　finest　men　I　have　ever　knownhigh…
  minded；　tolerant；　sympathetic；　and　full　of　under…
  standing；　He　was　not　only　my　friend；　but　my
  church　barometer。　　He　occupied　a　front　pew；　close
  to　the　pulpit；　and　when　I　was　preaching　without
  making　much　appeal　he　sat　looking　me　straight　in
  the　face；　listening　courteously；　but　without　interest。
  When　I　got　into　my　subject；　he　would　lean　forward
  the　angle　at　which　he　sat　indicating　the　degree
  of　attention　I　had　arousedand　when　I　was　strongly
  holding　my　congregation　Brother　Doane　would　bend
  toward　me；　following　every　word　I　uttered　with
  corresponding　motions　of　his　lips。　　When　I　resigned
  we　parted　with　deep　regret；　but　it　was　not　until　I
  visited　the　church　several　years　afterward　that　he
  overcame　his　reserve　enough　to　tell　me　how　much
  he　had　felt　my　going。
  ‘‘Oh；　did　you？''　I　asked；　greatly　touched。　　‘‘You're
  not　saying　that　merely　to　please　me？''
  The　old　man's　hand　fell　on　my　shoulder。　　‘‘I　miss
  you；''　he　said；　simply。　　‘‘I　miss　you　all　the　time。
  You　see；　I　love　you。''　　Then；　with　precipitate　self…
  consciousness；　he　closed　the　door　of　his　New　England
  heart；　and　from　some　remote　corner　of　it　sent　out
  his　cautious　after…thought。　　‘‘I　love　you；''　he　re…
  peated；　primly；　‘‘as　a　sister　in　the　Lord。''
  Relief　Paine　lived　in　Brewster。　　Her　name　seemed
  prophetic；　and　she　once　told　me　that　she　had　always
  considered　it　so。　　Her　brother…in…law　was　my　Sun…
  day…school　superintendent；　and　her　family　belonged
  to　my　church。　　Very　soon　after　my　arrival　in　East
  Dennis　I　went　to　see　her；　and　found　her；　as　she　al…
  ways　was；　dressed　in　white　and　lying　on　a　tiny　white
  bed　covered　with　pansies；　in　a　room　whose　windows
  overlooked　the　sea。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　picture
  she　made。　　Over　her　shoulders　was　an　exquisite
  white　lace　shawl　brought　from　the　other　side　of　the
  world　by　some　seafaring　friend；　and　against　her
  white　pillow　her　hair　seemed　the　blackest　I　had
  ever　seen。　　When　I　entered　she　turned　and　looked
  toward　me　with　wonderful　dark　eyes　that　were　quite
  blind；　and　as　she　talked　her　hands　played　with　the
  pansies　around　her。　　She　loved　pansies　as　she
  loved　few　human　beings；　and　she　knew　their　colors
  by　touching　them。　　She　was　then　a　little　more　than
  thirty　years　of　age。　　At　sixteen　she　had　fallen　down…
  stairs　in　the　dark；　receiving　an　injury　that　paralyzed
  her；　and　for　fifteen　years　she　had　lain　on　one　side；
  perfectly　still；　the　Stella　Maris　of　the　Cape。　　All
  who　came　to　her；　and　they　were　many；　went　away
  the　better　for　the　visit；　and　the　mere　mention　of
  her　name　along　the　coast　softened　eyes　that　had
  looked　too　bitterly　on　life。
  Relief　and　I　became　close　friends。　　I　was　greatly
  drawn　to　her；　and　deeply　moved　by　the　tragedy　of
  her　situation；　as　well　as　by　the　beautiful　spirit　with
  which　she　bore　it。　　During　my　first　visit　I　regaled
  her　with　stories　of　the　community　and　of　my　own
  experiences；　and　when　I　was　leaving　it　occurred　to
  me　that　possibly　I　had　been　rather　frivolous。　　So
  I　said：
  ‘‘I　am　coming　to　see　you　often；　and　when　I　come
  I　want　to　do　whatever　will　interest　you　most。　　Shall
  I　bring　some　books　and　read　to　you？''
  Relief　smiledthe　gay；　mischievous　little　smile
  I　was　soon　to　know　so　well；　but　which　at　first　seemed
  out　of　place　on　the　tragic　mask　of　her　face。
  ‘‘No；　don't　read　to　me；''　she　decided。　　‘‘There
  are　enough　ready　to　do　that。　　Talk　to　me。　　Tell
  me　about　our　life　and　our　people　here；　as　they
  strike　you。''　　And　she　added；　slowly：　　‘‘You　are　a
  queer　minister。　　You　have　not　offered　to　pray　with
  me！''
  ‘‘I　feel；''　I　told　her；　‘‘more　like　asking　you　to　pray
  for　me。''
  Relief　continued　her　analysis。　　‘‘You　have　not
  told　me　that　my　affliction　was　a　visitation　from　God；''
  she　added；　‘‘that　it　was　discipline　and　well　for　me
  I　had　it。''
  ‘‘I　don't　believe　it　was　from　God；''　I　said。　　‘‘I
  don't　believe　God　had　anything　to　do　with　it。　　And
  I　rejoice　that　you　have　not　let　it　wreck　your　life。''
  She　pressed　my　hand。　　‘‘Thank　you　for　saying
  that；''　she　murmured。　　‘‘If　I　thought　God　did　it
  I　could　not　love　Him；　and　if　I　did　not　love　Him　I
  could　not　live。　　Please　come　and　see　me　VERY　often
  and　tell　me　stories！''
  After　that　I　collected　stories　for　Relief。　　One　of
  those　which　most　amused　her；　I　remember；　was　about
  my　horse；　and　this　encourages　me　to　repeat　it　here。
  In　my　life　in　East　Dennis　I　did　not　occupy　the　lonely
  little　parsonage　connected　with　my　church；　but　in…
  stead　boarded　with　a　frienda　widow　named　Cro…
  well。　　（There　seemed　only　two　names　in　Cape　Cod：
  Sears　and　Crowell。）　　To　keep　in　touch　with　my　two
  churches；　which　were　almost　three　miles　apart；　it
  became　necessary　to　have　a　horse。　　As　Mrs。　Crowell
  needed　one；　too；　we　decided　to　buy　the　animal　in
  partnership；　and　Miss　Crowell；　the　daughter　of　the
  widow；　who　knew　no　more　about　horses　than　I　did；
  undertook　to　lend　me　the　support　of　her　presence
  and　advice　during　the　purchase。　　We　did　not　care
  to　have　the　entire　community　take　a　passionate　in…
  terest　in　the　matter；　as　it　would　certainly　have　done
  if　it　had　heard　of　our　intention；　so　my　friend　and　I
  departed　somewhat　stealthily　for　a　neighboring
  town；　where；　we　had　heard；　a　very　good　horse　was
  offered　for　sale。　　We　saw　the　animal　and　liked　it；
  but　before　closing　the　bargain　we　cannily　asked　the
  owner　if　the　horse　was　perfectly　sound；　and　if　it
  was　gentle　with　women。　　He　assured　us　that　it　was
  both　sound　and　gentle　with　women；　and　to　prove　the
  latter　point　he　had　his　wife　harness　it　to　the　buggy
  and　drive　it　around　the　stable…yard。　　The　animal
  behaved　beautifully。　　After　it　had　gone　through
  its　paces；　Miss　Crowell　and　I　leaned　confidingly
  against　its　side；　patting　it　and　praising　its　beauty；
  and　the　horse　seemed　to　enjoy　our　attentions。
  We　bought　it　then　and　there；　drove　it　home；　and
  put　it　in　our　barn；　and　the　next　morning　we　hired
  a　man　in　the　neighborhood　to　come　over　and　take
  care　of　it。
  He　arrived。　　Five　minutes　later　a　frightful　racket
  broke　out　in　the　barnsounds　of　stamping；　kicking；
  and　plunging；　mingled　with　loud　shouts。　　We　ran
  to　the　scene　of　the　trouble；　and　found　our　‘‘hired
  man''　rushing　breathlessly　toward　the　house。　　When
  he　was　able　to　speak　he　informed　us　that　we　had　‘‘a
  devil　in　there；''　pointing　back　to　the　barn；　and　that
  the　new　horse's　legs　were　in　the　air；　all　four　of　them
  at　once；　the　minute　he　went　near　her。　　We　insisted
  that　he　must　have　frightened　or　hurt　her；　but；　sol…
  emnly　and　with　anxious　looks　behind；　he　protested
  that　he　had　not。　　Finally　Miss　Crowell　and　I　went
  into　the　barn；　and　received　a　dignified　welcome　from
  the　new　horse；　which　seemed　pleased　by　our　visit。
  Together　we　harnessed　her　and；　without　the　least
  difficulty；　drove　her　out　into　the　yard。　　As　soon　as
  our　man　took　the　reins；　however；　she　reared；　kicked；
  and　smashed　our　brand…new　buggy。　　We　changed
  the　man　and　had　the　buggy　repaired；　but　by　the
  end　of　the　week　the　animal　had　smashed　the　buggy
  again。　　Then；　with　some　natural　resentment；　we
  made　a　second　visit　to　the　man　from　whom　we
  had　bought　her；　and　asked　him　why　he　had　sold
  us　such　a　horse。
  He　said　he　had　told　us　the　exact　truth。　　The　horse
  WAS　sound　and　she　WAS　extremely　gentle　with　women；
  butand　this　point　he　had　seen　no　reason　to　men…
  tion；　as　we　had　not　asked　about　itshe　would　not
  let　a　man　come　near　her。　　He　firmly　refused　to　take
  her　back；　and　we　had　to　make　the