The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-01-16
From Hearth and Home.l
The Hoosier School Master.
ny EDWARD EGaLEsTON.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CHURCH MILITANT.

THE CHURCH MILITANT.
Bud was doubly enlisted on the sid,
Of John Pearson. the basket-maker
In the 6rst place, he knew that thi,
persecution Of the unpopular old man
was only blind to save somebody
else; that they we're thieves who erie
Stop thief" And he felt consequent.
~ that this was . chance to put his
new y -formcd resolutions into prac-
tice. The Old Testament religious
life, which consists In fighting the
Lords enemiee. suited Bud's temper
and education. II might lead to some
thing better. 1t was the best possible
to him. now. But am afraid shall
have to acknowledge thst there was q
second motive that moved Bud to tll II
championship. The good heart ol
Martha Hawkins having espoused the
cause Of the basket-maker. the heart
Of Bud Means could not help feeling
warmly on the same side. Blessed IL
that MAI In whose life the driving al
duty and the drawing Of love impel
the same way! Rut why speak OF the
driving Of duty? For already Bud
was learning the better lesson of serv-
ing God for the love OF God.
The old bask et-maker was the most
unpopular man In Flat Creek district.
He had two great vices. He would GO
to Clifty and have ''spree" once IN
three months. And he would tell the
truth In most unscrupulous manner.
a man given TO plain speaking was
quite o. Objectionable in Flat Greek -
he would have been In France under
the Empire. the Commune. or the Re.
public. People who live IN glass hous-
es have horror Of people who throw
stones. Aud the old bask et-maker,
having no friends. WAS good scape-
goat. In driving him of. Pete Jones
would get rid Of . dangerous neighbor
and divert attention from himself.
The immediate crime OF the basket
msker was that he had happened to
zee too much.
"Mr. Hartsook," said Bud, when
they got out into the road. you'd hot
ter 60 straight home to the Squire's.
Bekase ef this ligh,nin' strikes . Sec
ond time it'll strike awful clost to
you. You hadn't better be seen with
US. Which way did you come
why. tried h come down the
holler. but met Jones right by the
big rOad. and he sweured At me and
said he'd kill me ef didn't 20 back
and stay. And 20 went back to the
house and then slipped out through
the graveyard. You see was bound
10 come ef got skinned. For Mr..
stuck to me and I mean to
stick to him. you see."
vs..ss s--ss s.s~----s-O Os.s.sssssus. nswsc-
yard. But when they reached tha for
est path from the graveyard he thought
that perhaps it was not best to 'show
his hand." as he expressed 1t. too soon.
"Now. Shocky," he said, "do you
'un ahead and tell the ole man that | |
want to see him right off down by the
spring-in-rock. IN Keep clost be-
hind you, aud ef any body offers to
roubls you, do you let OF yell aud
III be thar In no time"
When Ralph left the school house
,e felt mean. There were Bud aud
shocky gone on All errand Of mercy,
md he, the truant member Of the
church Of the Best Licks, was not
With them. The more he thought of
the more he seemed to be 9 coward,
md the more he despised himself SO,
ielding ~ usual to the first brave i'm
'ulse, he leaped nimbly over the fence
nd started briskly through the forest
n direction intersecting the path on
'hicb were Bud and Shocky. He
anne In sight In time to see the first
onflict Of the Church In the Wilder
ess with her foes.
For Shocky's little feet went more
Witty on their errand than Bud an
|cipated. He got farther out Of Buds
zach than the latter intended he
hOuld, and he did not discover Pete I
ones until Pete, with his hog drivers
,hip, WAS right upon him.
Shocky tried to halIoo for Bud, but
9 was like one In nightmare. The
ell died into whisper which could
ot have been heard ten feet.
/ sball not repeat Mr.. jones' words.
hey were frightfulIy profane. But
. did not stop at words. He swept
Is whip round and gave little Shocky
ne terrible cut. Then the voice was
Pleased. and the piercing cry Of pain
rought Bad down the path flying.
"You good. .for-nothing scoundreI,n
rowled Bud, you're u coward aud .
,ief to be a.beatin' . little creetur
ke him! ~ and with that Bud walked
p on Jones. who prudently changed I
osition In such way as to get the
10 upper side Of the hill.
well. I'll gin you the upper side, I
ut como on" cried Bud, "sf you ant I
'eared to fight somebody besides q
Dor, little, sickiy baby or a crippled
'ldier. Come on ~ {
Pete WAS no insigni ficant sntagon-
{. He had been great fighter, aud {
10 welI-seasoned arms were like iron. !
le had not the splendid set Of Bud.
vt he had more skiil and experience
! the rude tournament Of fists to {
hich the back woods 10 90 much Civ.
,. Now, being out Of sight Of wit
tsses and sure that he could lie about
% fight Afterwards, he did not scruple
take advantages which would have .
sgracsd him forever II he had taken I
lem in public fight on election or
aiming day. He took the uphill
de. and clubbed his whip-stslk,
riking Bud with all his force with |
'e heavy end, which, coward-like, he