His speculations were abruptly cut short by Mandy, who bustled
out of the door with a wide smile of welcome on her black face,
and an unmistakable ambition to take him immediately under her
motherly wing. She was much concerned because the church people
had not met the new pastor at the station and brought him to the
house. Upon learning that Douglas had purposely avoided their
escort, preferring to come to his new home the first time alone,
she made up her mind that she was going to like him.
Mandy had long been a fixture in the parsonage. She and her
worse half, Hasty Jones, had come to know and discuss the
weaknesses of the many clergymen who had come and gone, the
deacons, and the congregation, both individually and
collectively. She confided to Hasty, that she "didn't blame de
new parson fer not wantin' to mix up wid dat ar crowd."
In the study that night, when she and Hasty helped Douglas to
unpack his many boxes of books, they were as eager as children
about the drawings and pictures which he showed them. His mind
had gone beyond the parsonage front now, and he described to them
the advantage of adding an extra ten feet to the church spire.
Mandy felt herself almost an artist when she and Hasty bade the
pastor good night, for she was still quivering from the contagion
of Douglas's enthusiasm.
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