The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-01-02
90: ~r1PToN. IOWA, JANUARY 2, 1873

Sti0 kA0W MUS WoS 2uUtuCU Uu0iI. 11O
had only this consultations: his keeping
the company Of Miss Hawkins might
serve to disarm the resentment Of Bud.
At al events he had no choice. What
designs the Squire had In this arrange
mont he could NOT tell; but 1t any
rate the ''clsy bank mare carried him
to meeting on that December morning,
with Martha Hawkins behind. And
a. Miss Hawkins was not used to this
mode Of locomotion, she was In etate
Of delightful fright every time the
horse aank to the knees In the soft,
yellow Flat Greek clay.
1--WE don't 60 to church ~ ct the
East" she said. The mud isn't SO
deep at the East. When Was to Bos-
ting --" but Ralph never heard
what happened when che was to Bos-
ting. for just as she said Bosting the
mare put her foot into = deep hole
nodded by the foot Of the Squire's
horse, aud already full OF muddy wa.
ter. As the mares foot went twelve
inches down into the track, the mud.
dy water spurted higher than Miss
Hawkins head. aud mottled her dress
with golden spots of clay. She gave
little shrek, and declared that she
had never "seen 1t SO Ut the East"
The journey seemed . little long to
Ralph, who EouEd that the subjects
upOn which he aud Miss Hawkins
could converse were few; but Miss
Martha was determined to keep things
going, aud once, when the conversa-
tion had died out entirely, she made
. desperate effort to renew 1t by re-
marking, as they met man on horse
back, "That horse switches his tail
just ms they do at the Fast. When l
was to Bosting saw horses switch
their tails just that way"
l. What surprised Ralph was to see
that all Flat Creek went to meeting.
Everybody was there-the Meanses,
the Joneses, the Bantas, and all the
rest. Everybody on Flat Creek seem
ed to be there, except the old wooden
legged basket-maker. His family was
represented by Shocky, who had
come, doubtless, to get . glimpse Of
Hannah, not TO hear Mr.. Bosaw
preach. In fact few were thinking Of
the religious service. They went to
church as common resort to hear the
news. and find out what was the cur
rent sensation.
On this particular morning there
seemed to be some unusual excitement.
Ralph perceived 1t as he rode up. An
excited crowd, even though 1t be at q
| church-door on Sunday morning, can
| not conceal its agitation. Ralph de.
posted Mise Hawkins on the stile. and
then got down himself, and paid her
the closest attention to the door. This
attention was for Buds benefit. But
Bud only stood with his hands In bis
pockets. scowling worse than ever.
Ralph did not go in ut the door. It
| was not the Flat Creek custom. The
lsaess saa.lAs.eAs saastAlda-- Mhila sna~ ,a'"-
! men chAtted within. Whatever may
have been the cause Of the excitement,
RALPH could not get at it. When he
entered little knot Of people they be-
came embarrassed, and the group dis
solved ITSELF and It's component parts
Joined other companies. What had
the current Of con versation to do with
him? He overheard Pete Jones say
ing that the blamed old wooden leg
was In 1t any how. He'd been seen
goin' home ut two in the mornin'.
! And he could name somebody else ef
he choosed. But 1t was best to clean
out one at time. And just then
| there was murmur: "Meetin's took
up" And the masculine element
| filled the empty half Of the 'thewed-
log" church.
When Ralph saw Hannah looking
utterly detected. his heart smote him,
and the great struggle set in again.
Had 1t not been for the thought Of the
other battle, aud the comforting
presence Of the Helper. fear Buds
interests would have Jared badly. But
Ralph, with the spirit Of q martyr, re-
solved to wait until he knew what the
result of Buds suit should be. aud
whether, indeed. the young Goliath
had prior claims, rs he evidently
thought he had. lie turned hopefully
to the sermon, determined to pick up
any crumbs Of comfort that might fall
from Mr.. Bosaw's ,neager table.
In reporting a single specimen pas
sage Of Mr.. Bosaw's sermon. shall
not take the liberty which Thueydides
aud other ancient historians did, oi
making the sermon and putting it in
the hero's mouth. but shall give that
which can be vouched for.
you see; my respective hearers, "
he began-but alas! l can never pic.
ture to you the rich red nose, the see.
saving gestures, the nasal resonance
the sniffie. the melancholy minor key
and all that. My respective hearers.
ah, you see-ab as how-ah as my tex '-ah
says that the OK -ah knoweth his own.
eI -ah, and ALI the ass-ah his masters
crib-ah. A-h-h! Now, my respective
hearers-ah, they're mighty sight O.
resemblance-ah atwext men-ah anC
oxen-ah," Ralph could not help re
flecting that there was mighty sigh
Of resem mblance between some men ant
asses But the preacher did not SCI
this analogy. 1t lay too close to him
"bekase-ah, you see, men-ah Ii might.
like oxen. ali. Fer they's q tremen
gious defference-ah atwixt defteren
oxen-ah, jest as thar is atwext defer
ent men-ah; fer the OK knoweth-al
his owner ali, and the ass-ah, his ma
ter's crib ah. Now, my respective
hearers. ah" 1.-THE preachers voice her
grew mellow, and the succeeding sen
! tences were in the most pathetic ant
lugubrious voicel, you all know-si
} that your humble speaker an has got
: all Jest the best yoke Of steers-ah il
! this township-ah." Here Betse.
, Short shook the floor with suppresse
titter.l They ANT no sech steers q
: them air two Of mine-ah in this Who'll