THE SYNOD
As most of Mrs. Cliff's business in New York was now finished, and as
she and Willy were waiting there only for the yacht to be made ready for
sea, she had a good deal of time on her hands.
On the Saturday following her decision to make a trial trip on the
_Summer Shelter_, when returning from the daily visit to the yacht, Mrs.
Cliff stopped in at a Brooklyn church in which a Synod was at that time
convened. She had read of the proceedings of this body in the papers,
and, as the deliberations concerned her own denomination, she thought
she would be interested in them. Willy, however, preferred to go on by
herself to New York, as she had something to do there which she thought
would be more to her taste than the proceedings of a Synod.
It was not long after she had been seated in the church that Mrs. Cliff
began to regret that she had not attended some of the earlier meetings,
for the questions debated were those in which she took an interest.
After a time she saw near her Mrs. Arkwright, a lady who had visited
Mrs. Perley some years before, and with whom she had then become
acquainted. Joining her, Mrs. Cliff found Mrs. Arkwright able to give
her a great deal of information in regard to the members of the Synod,
and as the two sat and talked together in whispers, a desire arose in
the mind of Mrs. Cliff that she and her wealth might in some way join
in the work in which all these people were engaged. As her mind rested
upon this subject, there came into it a plan which pleased her. Here
were all these delegates, many of them looking tired and pale, as if
they had been hard-worked during the winter, and here was she, the
mistress of the _Summer Shelter_, about to take a trip to warm and sunny
regions with an almost empty vessel.
As soon as the meeting adjourned, Mrs. Cliff, accompanied by Mrs.
Arkwright, made her way to the front, where many of the members were
standing together, and was introduced by her friend to several clergymen
with whom Mrs. Arkwright was acquainted. As soon as possible Mrs. Cliff
referred to the subject which was upon her mind, and informed the
gentlemen with whom she had just been made acquainted, that if they
thought well of it she would like to invite a party of such of the
delegates who would care for such an excursion at this season, to
accompany her on a short trip to the West Indies. Her vessel would
easily accommodate twelve or fifteen of the gentlemen, and she would
prefer to offer her invitation first to the clerical members of the
Synod.
The reverend gentlemen to whom this offer was made were a little
surprised by it, but they could not help considering it was a most
generous and attractive proposition, and one of them undertook to convey
the invitation to some of his brethren of the Synod.
[Illustration: MRS. CLIFF'S INVITATION WAS DISCUSSED WITH LIVELY
APPRECIATION]
Although the Synod had adjourned, many of the delegates remained for a
considerable time, during which Mrs. Cliff's invitation was discussed
with lively appreciation, some of the speakers informing her that if
they could make the arrangements necessary for their pulpits and their
families during a short absence, they would be delighted to accept her
invitation. The Synod would finally adjourn on the next Tuesday, and she
was promised that before that time she would be informed of the exact
number of guests she might expect.
The next morning when Mr. Burke appeared to accompany the ladies to the
yacht, he found Willy Croup alone in their parlor.
"Do you know what's happened?" cried Willy, springing towards him as he
entered. "Of course you don't, for Mrs. Cliff is going to give the first
country week on the _Summer Shelter_ to a Synod!"
"To a what?" cried Burke.
"A Synod," explained Willy. "It's a congregation, I mean a meeting,
mostly of ministers, come together to settle church matters. She invited
the whole lot of them, but of course they all can't come,--for there are
more than a hundred of them,--but there will be about a dozen who can
sail with us next Wednesday!"
Mr. Burke's jaw dropped. "A dozen ministers!" he exclaimed. "Sail with
us! By George! Miss Croup, will you excuse me if I sit down?"
"You know," said Willy, "that the _Summer Shelter_ was bought for this
sort of thing! That is, to do good to people who can't get that sort of
good in other ways! And if Mrs. Cliff takes out poor children from the
slums, and hard-working shopgirls, and seamstresses, why shouldn't she
take hard-working ministers and give them some fresh air and pleasure?"
"A dozen ministers!" groaned Mr. Burke. "I tell you, Miss Croup, I can't
take them in!"
"Oh, there'll be room enough!" said Willy, mistaking his meaning, "for
Mrs. Cliff says that each of those little rooms will easily hold two!"
"Oh, it isn't that!" said Burke, his eyes fixed steadfastly upon a chair
near him as if it had been something to look at. "But twelve ministers
coming down on me so sudden, rather takes me aback, Miss Croup!"
"I don't wonder," said Willy, "for I don't believe that a Synod ever
went out yachting before in a bunch!"
Mr. Burke rose and looked out of the window. "Miss Croup," said he, "do
you remember what I said about mixin' fun and charity in these cruises?
Well, I guess we'll have to take our charity straight this time!"
But when Mrs. Cliff had come in and had talked with animation and
enthusiasm in regard to her plan, the effects of the shock which Mr.
Burke had received began to wear off.
"All right, madam!" said he. "You're owner, and I'm Captain, and I'll
stand by you! And if you take it into your head to ship a dozen popes on
the _Summer Shelter_, I'll take them where you want them to go to, and
I'll bring them back safe. I suppose we'll have all sorts of customers
on the yacht this season, and if we've got to get used to queer
passengers, a Synod will do very well to begin with! If you'll find out
who's goin' and will write to them to be on hand Tuesday night, I'll
see that they're taken care of!"
Mrs. Cliff's whole heart was now in the projected cruise of the _Summer
Shelter_. When she had thought of it with only Willy and herself as
passengers, she could not help considering it was a great extravagance.
Now she was going to begin her series of sea-trips in a fashion far
superior and more dignified than anything yet thought of. To be able to
give such an invitation to a Synod was something of which she might well
be proud, and she was proud.