, 1876-02-09
a Trying Situation.

huntington HnH4eHes
Mr.. Di1t1orback, we feel authorized to state,
will mt attend divine service this morning. The
old gentleman is, NO nrc PINNED to learn. labor
lug under d very distressing franc OF mind, Ia"
lug greatly inconsea asnnst churches s;; On sen.
about tho tnnster, but no learned oil ahont it,
despite bin rettcenoe. 1t seeIns that laet Sun
day morning he was dozing comfortably ID
h!a pew, In tho church Ct which he IL ooe
on apparison glsdinE eoicmnly down The aisle
with collection basket in its hand. hlr. nilder-
back braced up iuto al erect posture. cleared his
throat tn ponderoun tone 81 Roman tisTncbs.
aa ouo who ehould ss5, "Who's been asoep3"
alli, hs tho basket was extended tonatl him.
ho felt in his tEoutern-pockot for hs wallet. Il
wasn't thero, and as he withdrew bis
hand and fe!t in tho other pocket be felt
tina. tho ores Of the congregatton wero upon
him, and that wns al be fets, for ho certainly
diarl't feel n.,y poekotbook. 10 nodlod tho bns-
kct man to watt second. and leaned oyer to tho
loft. while l,o felt In tho right ioslde pocket Of
his coal, from which, III hts increasing nervous
ness, ho drew half dozen cbcstnuts, which
rolled oyor the floor with rnttlo TINT sounded In
hts bot earn like tho thundera Of tho Apocalypao,
and made them hottcr Rtlll. IAen he loaned
pter Tho end Of the pow and fe't in tho ether
tneit]n lcoat pocket and drew out q bundle Of
letters, q lot OF postal cnrds, circus ticket,
photograph OF All actress, h funny story printed
On = card, pooket-comb, and a long string: and
his face grow ro hot that hfs hreott felt Ike 3
| l,ot-ntr bih8s. Then he Equared htB elbows hud
wunt for his vest pockets, and strewc'l tue pow
cushion with q,ll tooth-ptcks, newspaper scraps,
Htroot-car cnocAs, t, sl'oc-tnttonef, sonlo lead
| pencil ssubB, and crumbIine indications OF
chewing tobscco bit OF seniinR wax. =
rioco OF licorico root about au inch long, aud
| th1eo or four torches. Then hs loanod for
ward, and, sitting TO madness by tue smiles
| which wnra breaking ont Ill hround that Church
| worne tLan tho nensles 10 primary school.
room, dtvea Into hia coAt-tail pockets, nnd
trow forth n rod silk Handkerchief, two mp
pIcs, spectacle caso. pair Of dogeG,ii
gloves, nu ovctcont button. and tine asaoft.
| ment OF bits OF dried orange pool aud
lint. Then ho stood MP, devontly p1aT.
iug that III o11thnuake might como alouE
and swallow up either him Or tho roht Ut
tbs congregation. he didn't cars which. and went
down into his hip-pockots from which 10 evoiV'
ed a revolver, corkncrcw. c!gas-care, q piece
Of httiuE, 1numoranann book, and q pocket
knife. 1ly this tiu,o air. Klldrrback'e face rat
scurlet clear du~n to his whist. aud LIE wns fc
nervous mud worried III, that he nearly shooi
hla clothes on, while tie man Ntth the has.
ket couldn't have moved nwny II he had
died for staylna. And when hfr. 1}tderbaok
iu io1lorn despair, onco more ranmed hIt
hand into tho tsouserB-pocketa Where he begat
| tho search, tho congregation held ita bfenth
and whsn alr HiltleTback drew forth tho yer,
pockct-bonk which ho lad missed III hts fi1b
careless search, and had since all but stEippat
10 fllld there was sigh OF roliof went Mp iron
every devout heart in TINT house. Dnt MI
1si!derbach only dropped into bly, sons rti! ~ ab
ruptnesB that nado the windows ratified and
regletered mental vow that ho wasn't going tt
como out 10 Church again 70 ho made fooi o
by man with lonG-handled dasnlng-baakot.