The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-08-04

aEverything,r replied the deacon stoutly
you pore over them day in and day out;
they keep you in this room here when you
should be out among the people-not max
ing pastoral visitsl cont mean that, but
going around among them, chatting and
joking and having a good time. They
would like it, and you would like it, and
as for the young folks-how old are you,
parson p'
Sixty next month, y answered the parson,
sixty next month" he repeated solemnly.
Thirty thirty that's all you are, par
son, or all you ought to be- cried the dea-
con. Thrifty, twenty, sixteen. Let the
figures slide down and up, according tn
circumstances but never let them go higher
than 30 when you are dealing with young
folks. Pm so myself, counting years, but
Pm only 10, Is this morning, that's all,
parson,n and he rubbed his little, round
plump hands together, looked at the par
son and winked.
! "Bless my soul, Deacon Tubman, I don't
know but that you are right ~ answered
| the parson. Sixty? 1 don know as 1 I'm
60" and he began to rub his own hands,
and cane within an ace of executing q wink
st the deacon himself.
"Not a day over 20, If / am any Judge of
age" responded the deacon. deliberately. Us
he looked the white-headed old minister
over with a most comical imitation of Sc
riousness. Notably overs 20, on my honor: =
and the deacon leane forward towards the
parson, and gave him q punch with his
thumb, us one boy might deliver a punch
at another, and then he lay back IN ms
chair and laughed so heartily that the par
son caught the infectious mirth and roared
away as heartily as himself.
Yes, 1t was impossible to sit hobnobbing
with hat little, fat, jolly deacon on that
bright New Years morning and not be af-
fected by the happiness of his mood, for he
was actually bubbling over with fun, and
vs. full of frolic as if the finger of the dia,
mad, in truth. gone back 40 odd years and
he was only Is. Only 16, parson, IN my
honor.n
Pastoral visits" responded Deacon Tub
man. "Oh, yes, and they are all well
enough for the old folks, but they aren't
the kind of biscuit the young folks like
700 heavy in the center, and over hard in
the crust for young teeth, Ell, parson ?"
"But what shall 1 do? what shall l do P"
reiterated the parson. somewhat ~despond-
emily.
"oh, put on your hat and gloves and
warmest coat. and come along with me.
We will see what the young folks are do
ing, and we will make a day of it. Come,
come; let the Did books and catechisms,
ana sermons, and tracts, have a respite fo,
pnce, and Wen spend the day cut Of do
with the boys and girls
-"Irl do itW exclaimed the parson. Dea-
con Tubman, you are right. I keep to my
study too closely. 1 don't see enough of
the world, and what's going on in it. /
was reading the Testament this morning.
and l was impressed with the Masters
manne of living and preaching. 1t is not
\ certain that he ever preached more than
4 tNviaa in n church 1nrinn oil hic ninictrty
on earth. And the childreni how much
he loved the children, and how the little
ones loved himi And why shouldn't they
love me. Why shouldn't they? I'll make
them do it! Yes, I'll make them do it
The lambs of my flock shall love mer'
And with these brave words, Parson Whit
uey bundled himself up in his warmest
garments and followed the deacon down
stairs.
Tell the folks that you won't be back
till night" called the deacon from the
sleigh, "for this is New Year and we're go
ing to make n day of it," and he laughed
away as heartily as might be-so heartily
that the parson Joined in the laughter
himself as he came shuffling down the icy
path toward him. "Bless, me, how much
younger l feel already said the good man
MS he stood up in the sleigh, and, with a
a long, strong breath, he breathed the
cool pure air into his lungs. BLESS me,
how much younger l feel already he re-
peated rs he settled down into the roo1ny
seat of the old sleigh. "Only 16 to-day,
oh, deacon" and he nudged him with his
elbow.
"That's all that's all, parson," answered
the deacon gaily, as he nudged him vigor-
ously back that's all we are either of u.s. y
and, laughing as merrily as two boys, they
| Ulila1 aNvnNy in tha u1aiuh
Well. perhaps they didn't have fun TIM
day-these two old boys that had started
out with the feeling that they were only
Is" and bound to make n day of it." And
they did makea day of il, IN fact, and
such n day as neither had had for DO
years. For, first, they went to Bartlett's
bill, where the boys and girls were coasting,
and coasted with them for n full hour, and
then it was discovered by the younger 1or-
ton Of his flock that the parson was not
an old stiff, solemn, surly poke, as they had
thought, but a pleasant, ~good-natured
kindly soul, who could take and give q
joke, and steer n sled as well as the smart.
est boy in the crowd, and when it came 20
snow balling he could send a ball further
than Bill Sykes himself, who could out
throw any boy in town, INT roll ap a big
ger block of the new snow fort they were
building than any three boys among them
And how the parson enjoyed being a boy
again. How ex~hilarating the slide down
the steep hill how invigoratiug the pure
cool air; how pleasant the noise going on
around him how bright n sweet the
boys and girls looked with their cheek
and sparkling eyes, and how the old par
sons heart thrilled as they crowded around
him when he would go, and urged him q
stay and little Alice Dorchester begged
him, with her little arms around his neck
to "gest stay and glib me one more slide
You never made such a pastoral call
as that, parson," said the deacon, o. they
drove away amid the cheers of the bows
and the good byes" of the girls, while the
former fred OFF a volley of snow-balls in
his honor, and the latter waved their muff.
and handkerchiefs after them.
God bless themi God bless them 7, said
the parson- They have lifted a load from
my heart and taught me the sweetness o.
life, of youth and the wisdom of Him who
took the little ones up in His arms and
blessed them. All, deacon he added. ave
been n great fool, but I1r be so, thank God,
20 more.".
To be concluded in ton1orroto's paper.