The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-07-27

eyes. Ills speech would thunder and
tighten at will, and when at his best,
the emotions Of his hearers were under
his control. He had never done a better
Sabbath's work. The faces ofthose before
him were wet with tears at his appeals.
But now, as he walked along the vii
lage street in the teeth Of the wind, it
counted for nothing; It was not Indian
summer to-day. The leaves, flying in
ecstaey, filed the murky air. The walk
was full ofthe vet, sodden mass: The
demoniac glee, and the wind howled
like lost spirit in chains What an
uncanny morning 1t was. The hills
grew gigantic in the cerements uf
mist, and the houses seemed to have
sobbed themselves into Il hopeless grief.
John Hayes was saying to himself that
he had mistaken his calling, and he
wouid quit it. 1t WAS simply the re-
action from high nervous excitement.
Ile needed Il counter irritant to restore
the balance. lie was going to Deacon
Frink's, two miles ont of the village.
lie liked to see the deacon Monday
morning. He would lend hand at his
work often, and the deacon'S sharp.
curt remarks toned him up and set him
on his feet again. The good man was
quaint, humorous body, not as reveren-
tial AS the cut and dried church elder,
but sound to the core and true as steel.
When the parson got in sight Of the
house, he saw the deacon running
toward the barn, his hat off and III his
and then instinctively began to run. The
old man was putting III the mare, and she
seemed to be having one of her evil fits.
deacon Josia, What is the matter?'
'Alattie has fallen from one Of the
high beams, her head is cut open, and
she don't "-here the good man
choked with emotion "This critter has
got one Of the balks, ought to have her
neck wrung."
Matte had been hunting eggs that
morning, the first time she had got back
from the seminary. 1t had been her
work when little girl, and she was ia
NOUS for walking the high beams. She
had forgotten this morning she had been
stout girl. She had probably become
dizzy, and had fallen from the upper
loft, striking OH the corner Of sharp
timber. There no signs ofite, and she
was bleeding proflsely. John Hayes
miles between him and life. The dea
cons mare, balky as she was, must re-
deem herself to-day lie took her 10y
the head, put his hand on her nose. He
had an electric touch lie looked her
in the: eye. "Nanry, yo,, must do your
duty to-day. Your mistress is dying"
and he clencAed his teeth. lie sprang
into the wagon. The horse had relaxed
his position at his first word. and as be
touched the reins she sprang III the air.
How the blackboard ratified as she came
down and sped away. The deacon for
got his grief even us he looked. The
road for mile was visible from the yard.
The racer strain of blood ruled that morn
ing. The parson braced his teetand hung
to the ribbons until they cut into his
hands. lie had been the strongest Of
men in his class in college, but they
sockets. Deacon Frink,s mare neve!
Stacked; she took the middle Of the road
and she kept it, although two teams
barely escaped as she flew by. The foam
was on her nostrils and her eyes opened.
What a glorious old sinner She was,
thought the dominic. He loved horse
and terrible as was the possibility with
that bleeding form behind him, he adj
mired the splendid beast. She was re-
trieving her reputation. The veins stood
ont OIL her beautiful neck, but her wind
was still good and the village was near
Short az the time had been, it seemed
like an age. Every heartbeat to the
young man was like a knell. His bleed
ing hands he knew nothing about. AS
lie reached the doctors door he looked
at his watch. He had been nine min
lite two an" miles. We'll half uod 1 S 9Siag
"W hat is the matter with your hands,
Mr.. Hayes?" asked the doctor, as he
rushed to the door. "Nothing, nothing"
Miss Matte is dying She has fallen
Come And he turned again, and Dea-
con Frink's mare struck her old trut
without long breath. "Great Cesar"
said the doctor as lie bundled his case
into his gig and struck after him; "what
has got into Deacon Frink's mare? Has
the parson got the devil himself behind
it?' The doctor had famous horse, but
he said afterWard, "that body might as
we'll follow chain lightning as to keep ny
with that balky mare when the minister
drove her."
The doctor found his patient with
scarcely any pulse; just t1utter about
the heart which would have stopped in
five minutes more, he said sravely, when
the tide Of life came back and lie had
given hope for recovery, and they got
MdItle III Oeu. Allef he uau uOne all
he could for her the prosaic old physi-
| clan went out to his stable and petted the
| mare and rubbed her face while she
winned and pushed him about with her
cold nose. The old doctors eyes were
actually red when he came out of the
barn.
Thanks to the blessed mare, Matte
Frink recovered, but it was coming from
the grave, the horse never baked again.
The story Of that ride spread like wild
fire, and the deacon was offered thou
sand dollars for her, but he said, the
| had given her to bis daughter, and it
required parscn to drive her."
One June day when the earth was
fresh in new apparel, and the blue dome
hung above an enchanted world. John
Hayes and Matte Frink took the mare
with her new harness and carriage and
rode over to neighboring town. The
| old gray-haired clergyman pronounced
them one, but long before that, in the
shadow Of death they were welded in
heart.
"Rltakmere Manse."