Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-13
THE LAWSON LESSON.

ne new IlllIliottl bau NcA'iCt civ Va
course every one was anxious to be-
come acquainted with him as soon as
possible. In Woodleigh, the recognized
way of doing that was to have him come
to tea and spend the evening. Ac-
cordingly for nearly month the Rev.
John Dents face had been missing
from the tea table of good Mrs. Dodd's,
in whose family he had been received
as member until his plans for the fu-
ture had been decided upon. In that
time he had been handed around from
one member of the congregation to an
other, in much the same way that
new book or the latest style in MILNE
ry would have been. He had talked
literature, art and fashion with the
mothers and daughters, and politics
and church finances with the fathers
and sons. He had sat down to daily
suppers Of fried chickens and watfles,
until his stomach began to rebel, and to
insist on rest or change of diet. Then
he began to look around, to see how
much longer it was going to last.
Tuesday, Deacon Smith had spoken for
him. Wednesday he had promised to
the Martins, while Thursday had been
set apart by the Lawsons as the day on
which the new pastor should break
bread With them.
This would take him nearly around.
True, there were a number Of families
whom he had never visited beyond
mere calls, but they belonged to the
poorer part of his charge, and were of
that class who scorned to make feast
unless they could make it in every way
as good as their wealthiest neighbors.
Mr.. Dent hoped most devoutly that
they might not see their way clear un-
til he had, by iudicious course Of
crackers and tea, restored his stomach
to something like it's natural tone.
Deacon Smiths supper and the night
mare that followed it were both safely
past, and he was on his way to fulfill
his engagement with the Martins, walk
ing briskly along with the light step
and cheerful countenance of u man
who has made up his mind to do his
duty, no matter what it costs him.
SUDDENLY the brisk walk ceased, and
Mr.. Dent stood staring down at an APP
partition which had Unexpectedly risen
from thicket of weeds by the road
side. 1t was not one from which Mr..
Dent or anybody else, was likely to re-
coil, for it was small and freckle-faced,
and, moreover, was so badly frightened
itself, that it barely had breath enough
to make the following announcement:
"Please, sir, Aunt Polly has been
took awful sick, and mothers had to
go off in tearin' hurry, an il you
don't mind you're to 60 to Lawson's
this evenin' an come to our house an
other time"
OF course Mr.. Dent didn't care, and
another time would do quite as we'll if
not little better and having Quoted
small Tommy Martins fears by win
ming smile and hearty-hand-shake, he
turned round, and started of in the di-
rection of Lawson's without even ask
ing himself whether Or not this sudden
change of arrangements would make
any difference to them.
1t was fore-ordained, suppose, At
least that was the only way Mr.. Dent
could ever account for his doing such
an utterly stupid thing as cutting
across lots, vaultirg the back fence,
and presenting himself at Mr.. Lawson's
back door, at an hour when he was
supposed to be calmly eating chicken
off Mrs Martins best china.
The Lawsons were about to partake
Of their evening meal. Mr.. Lawson,
Sam and John were already in their
places. Mrs. Lawson was arranging
the cups and saucers, and Mary Jane
was filling up the teapot, preparatory
to sitting down, when the double rap
was heard at the door. "rhe Grimeses
to borrow something | wish we
could get through one meal without
them" said Mrs. Lawson, tucking her
soiled apron aside, rs she went to open
the door
Before she gets it open, would like
to introduce YOU little more fully to
the Lawson family that you may I'M
derstand how matters stood on that
November evening, when fate sent Mr..
Dent to their back door.
Mr.. Lawson was an intelligent, we'll
TODD man, honest in his dealings, social
in his relations with his fellow.men,
and of considerable influence in the
church. Mrs. lawson was kind and
motherly, invaluable in sick-room,
and an authority on ak matters relat-
ing to pickles and preserves. Mary
Jane was quite society leader, and
her way Of draping her dresses, and
doing up her hair, was always accepted
as "style" by her girl friends. The
boys were good-natured and fond of
fun, and were decidedly popular, rs
such boys We're apt to be.
AS q family, they would have been
regarded as perfect, if it had not been
for a bad habit which they had-in
common with great many other good
people-of putting the best foot fore
most.
When company was coming, they
spared themselves ne labor or trouble,