Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-18

WHO MADE THE MATCH.
Excitement and commotion agitated
the little village of Scranton, which I'M
usual condition of mind was wholly at
tributable to the advent of an awkward
Young missionary, to whom nothing In
Stheworld would have been more OBJ
noxious and alarming than such note
sriety; for the good brother was singu-
larry modest by nature as we'll as by
grace.
In the dark, humid jungles of South
ern Africa, the finger of disease had
been laid heavily upon him, forcing
him back, much against his inclination,
to the health-giving hills of New Eng
land. He took small credit to himself
for carrying the sacred mission to the
heather, though he had borne his life
in his hand the while. for, having little
taste for society, he freed himself from
its perplexities and complications with
delight, to lead the untrammeled life of
the wilderness.
What narrow, tame existence
seemed before him Those to whom he
complained of dizziness suggested that
he should take parish, marry and set
tie down. But to all such advice Miles
HartweIl had but one answer. SIT was
"a farce,'' he said, ssthis ministering to q
people who felt themselves perfect al
ready. He had no heart for it; the
dark-hued proselytes of other lands,
who had hung upon his words as if they
were life itself, had untitled him for any
such pastorate. He did not understand
the needs of such genteel and godlike
community; and, as for matrimony,
he had lived single so long that any wo
man of suitable age for him would be
old enough to know better than to mar
nv him; and so the matter was dismissed
from his mind.
But the loneliness of his small room
pressed sorely upon him; he was al
ways happier in the open air, out where
the broad, easy stretches of landscape
gave him a sense of freedom and helped
him to attune his heart in accord with
its eheerfulness.
And yet the house he had selected for
his home seemed a fitting receptacle for
so modest soul. 1t stood trihe out
of line with the row of trim dwellings
on either side, as if originally it had
been parallel with them, but had shrunk
back, glad to screen itself behind the
big larches that grew tall and grand
near the gate. And as for hustle and
gayety, whole savage tribe might feel
itself quite undone by the merriment
which sometimes emanates from the lit
tie front yard; for part of the house
was occupied by a small private school,
dominated over by Miss Alden, the pref
ty school mistress.
1t was a warm summer afternoon that
Miles, after passing several hours of list
less apathy, prepared for his daily stroll.
As he stepped out into the hall the
scholars, accompanied by Miss Alden,
were trooping by
.'Miss Alden, Miss Alden, that's the
missionary" whispered small urchin
so loud that it brought the conscious
color to Miles, bronzed face.
Miss Alden. thus addressed, gave the
missionary quick glance from under
her broad-brimmed hat; then, dropping
her eyes, she, too, hung out the same
bright signal of distress.
"Dear, dear, what a pair they would
makei" remarked an observing youth
from the stairs to q demure little object
with brown curls. "What fun ,twould
be to make the missionary, old Timbuc-
too, propose to Miss Aldeni"
ts 1t couldn't be DONE" returned his
uCI UIOWu CuI ID W
the breeze.
Ibid say I could do ftp Course I
didn' remarked the resentful youth,
bending lower to catch another glimpse
of Miles.
He had passed the larches now, and
was making for the old mill seen in per-
spective from where the youth stood,
at the end of the long turnpike just
touching the great forests that edged
the horizon to the south like q green
fringe.
The little stream that had formerly
been secured in well-built troughs now
pursued its sinuous course through this
sylvan solitude. Miles followed it in
stinctively, plunging in among the un-
-dergrowth, and filling the air with
the, pungent flavor of sweet fern and
young pines, as he crushed them be-
meath his feet. 1t seemed fitting out
let to his love of action, this of wander
ing about alone, and it was late, indeed,
before he perceived, through the widen
ing spaces of the leafy roof above. that
the darkness about him was not alto
gether the gloom of the forest. Not
only was the sun fast sinking, but dark,
angry clouds were sailing low in the
sky, almost touching the tops of the tau
pail pine-trees; and scowling ominously
at each other, as if determined'to have
it out together ere they were done
while the sudden illumination of the
darkest thickets warned him to return
homeward.
The tempest was raging wildly by
the time he had gained the old mill;
and he was glad to avail himself of the
shelter which its moidering walls al
forded.