The Worthington advance., 1882-07-27
DEACON FRINK'S MARE.
BY q Country Parson."

BY Country Parson."
SPRING.
81 never saw such a pesky crittcr. !
tell We she was sired in tophet. Look at
the brute" Deacon Frink was in his
blackboard and the sOrrcl ma,e was hav.
ing one of her "tantrnms." "If Il body
gets belated anu must 60, she knows il
and won't bulge an inch. It was the
evening for the regular Friday night
prayer-meetiny at FreevilIr. The d-a.
con- had had hard day planting, anu
was later than usual. lie was one Of the
stand-bys, always there, always ready IL
take part. And her. the animal stool
her ears laid back, switching her tail vi
ciously, looking out of the corners of he1
eye wickedly ut the deacon. "Josiah,
does she want water:' asked his wife
from the doorway. She was ready to 60
with him. 81 wish she had the huh
pond atop OF her." shouted the husband.
That was the third time that week she
had had the dumps, and the good man
was getting sick Of it. She was an excel
lent animal, true and strong, and save
these periods Of unrlcasantness, was an
exceedingly valuable horse.
"Mariah, human mater can't bear ev-
erything; the devil is i'll this beast, and
he's got to. come out" The deacon got
long pole rs thick as his wrist, and his
wrist was large, for he was built on an
ample plan. 1t was the small end Of the
hop-pole, and he got in behind the ami
NAL. "Now ye varmit, sit up," and the
pole descended. The deacon had been
iong-suffering. lie never had struck the,
mare before, and she was profoundly as
tonished. But he made thorough work
now. lie stood up, and that pole came
down with force. The mare at first br3ccd
herself, and looked at the deacon. Then
SHE began to circle about the yard,
threatening every moment to wreck the
vehicle. The good man WAS SO fIcshy it
was becoming violent exercise, Il sort of
Indian club movement i'll the air. The
deacon would give blow then grunt,
while the horse plunged and Jumped,
perfectly frantic "Josiah Greenbt,sh,
what will folks say of ye, deacon Of the
church., I" screamed his wife. "Say Pm
d.rned fool to 5gve up to my horse" :"
yelled the pillar Of the Freeville Church:
III convert this mare or translate her."
"Now get in Mariah, and we will 90 to
meeting" After some remonstrance she
got in, and it is safe to say that no parties
ever passed over that road in quicker
time. The mare flew, and Murah hung
TO her husband and held her breath.
The deacon sang with nnction that nj ylt
"What various hintlrances We meet,
OLord, before Thy mercy seat
His prayer was unusually humble and
he deplOred 'the sin wherein we were
born" They rode home with calmer
gait, bit the mare was entirely passive
SUMMER
Spring had gone ont and summer had
come, the miracle Of days was before the
eyes. The June sunshine had been per-
fumed with apple blossoms, the russell
fields became emerald, and in the tree
tops the birds trilled their joyous notes.
All the fairies Of the woodland were ex-
ercising their magic touch. About the
tinkling brooks, the flowers nodded in
shy lnodesty, while the trees wrapped
themselves in sea-green draperies
What customer is summer. low en-
chanting she makes the Old farm Will.
fairy fingers, weaving her tapestries!
The work and worship of the farm went
on as usual at Josiah Frink's. l. was a
busy life. It meant work and toll from
sunrise until sunset and often later.
There was little leisure or restii,y-spots
The dairy of N1ariah Frink was noted far
and wide. They always had a good mar
ket for their butter. They had large
quantities Of frnit in good years, and Tie
deacOn's wheat fields were always large.
Tie deacon and his wife lived for their
daughter, and Matte Frink was worth
living for. She was born good, and
while she had vivacty and eilergy, the
: evil seemed to have been left out Of her
disposition. She led her class at tie
seminary, where she had just graduated, !,
and her mother sail she could make
Just as good butter as was ever made at
the farm. Her twenty years Of life had
ness, and she seemed to have a sound
mind III sonnd body. She stood on the
thresh-hold Of the summer of her life
light hearted and hopeful. The young
minister often allowed his eye to 1inger
on the deacOn's pew, and the calm, fear.
less gaze Of Matte sometimes disconcert.
ed him SO that he stalnnered and stnm-
bled in his discourse. She was eager to
hear the truth from the lips of the elo.
luent young divine, and he was thinking
what a Madonna face she had, such as
the old masters put on their canvas
Indeed, her face was often associated
with the Church Fathers, and when lie
was reading Augustine and Calvin, lie
would find himself thinking of Matte
Frink. She was an inspiration to the
young man. lie preached to her, and
when her face lighted with its hidden
fire, he forgot himself in his subject.
John Hayes was young man with q
future, If he did not become shipwrecked
He had the blues," an hereditary taint
which had been in the family for genera
tlons. It was a sort of temporary in
sanity, which for the time discolored the
brightest hues of life. It often succeeded
great mental activity, after he had &C.
complished good deal, or spoken, per-
haps, with unusual power. He had tried d
f0 Ovarcomo II h,f l. ,.a,,ll aa.,>a a.,