Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-05-24

gious, and it was remembered that
Miss Hepsy was not "a professor,
though she had such zeal in the matter
of county conferences.
Adoniram Hewitt's house presented a
holiday appearance on that summer
afternoon when Lysander drove over to
Ponkapawket station to bring back the
minister The best room was thrown
open, there were flowers everywhere.
Mrs Hewitt had on her best cap, and
the pantry shelves were lined with good
things to eat, in such quantities as to
lead one to the belief that Miss Hepsy
Jackson's words had had their weight.
All Scragg End was at IFS windows and
DOORS Mrs. Hewitt stood on her door
steps, her cap strings fluttering in the
breeze.
81 do hope Lysander hasn't forgot
ten to get new box of backing. Ot
course the minister will want his boots
very shiny she said to herself.
just at that moment Lysander drove
up-with only girl beside him. What
could be the reason that the minister had
not come? The young lady was a
stranger. She had probably come to
visit somebody at Scragg End, and as
there was nobody to meet her at the
station, Lysander had brought her over.
But he was helping her to alight at their
own gate. She was walking up the
path. Mrs. Hewitt adjusted her glass
es. and satisfied herself that the face
was unfamiliar. She was a grave and
dignified young woman, with self
possessed manner, but with bright
flush on her face. Why didn't Lysan-
der come up and Introduce her, instead
of attending to the horse?
s. suppose you were.expecting me, y
said the young lady, extending her hand
in a friendly way. 81 am the new min
ister-Miss Barton"
As Mrs. Hewitt afterward declared.
"you could have knocked her down with
a feather And her overwhelming as
constituent was SO plainly shown that
the new minister became very much
embarrassed.
"Of course. You knew-certainly
YOU ought 20 have been told that-that
was a woman she said.
1--WE didn't know. Why. we never
thought of such thing. They didn't
say word about it." exclaimed Mrs.
Hewitt, and in her establishment and
dismay she utterly ignored the out
stretched hand.
The young lady had strong and
rcsolute face. but Mrs. Hewitt sudden
ly became aware that the corners of
her mouth were dropping, and there
was n hurt rs well as Il weary look in
her eyes. and all her motherly com
passion was aroused.
But it don't make any difference,
clfild-I mean ma am. I've no doubt
YOU can preach rs well as half the
men. We know what is going on in
the world. if we do live good ways
out of it; only there never did happen
to be a woman preacher anywhere
about here. so it took me by surprise.
We believe in giving women a fair
chance, here in Scragg End, l can tell
YOU
81 was afraid you might have OBJ
jections,' said the young lady. a smile
chasing the WEAKNESS out of her face.
"Oh, we shall think everything of
yov, I've no doubt after a while. You
don't know what it is to be without
regular preaching as long as we have.
Come right in and get rested. and have
a cup of tea, for | expect you've had a
hard journey
Before escorting her guest to her
room Mrs. Hewitt managed to slip up
stairs and Slyly abstract Lysander S new
shaving set from the toilette table,
where she had placed it for the con-
yenicnce of the new" minister.
II is undeniable that at the first re-
ceipt of the news a general dismay over
spread Scragg End. The older people
were disposed to consider that a trick
had been played upon them, and were
angry accordingly. some even going so
far rs to wish to have Miss Barton told
that her services could be dispensed
with. But nobody seemed willing to
tell her, and there was a great curiosity
to hear her preach. There were a few
courageous spirits who openly avowed
that they saw no reason why 4 woman
should not preach, and were glad to
have one for minister. Many COM
planned of Miss Barton youth, but ac-
knowledged that they would not have
of twenty-siX or twenty-seven, which
was her age.
There were some who thought she
was too handsome for minister, and
others who thought that since she was
going to set herself up for everybody to
look at, it was pity that she was not
handSomer; some who thought women
ought not to preach at all, and others
who thought some women might be al
lowed to, but that Miss Barton was not
of the right kind. 1t was tacitly agreed
that she should be given hearing. but
4 woman minister as a stated supply
was not what was wanted.
But in two Sundays Miss Barton con-
quered Scragg End, except a few of the
most prejudiced. who would never own
themselves conquered. She was so
simple, so earnest, SO sympathetic.
There We're no long words, no far
fetched analogies. such as Mr.. Ericsson
used; there was no rafting of the dry
bones of theology; she touched the
chords that yibrated in their everyday
life.
"She comes right home to you. that
fact said Joshua Ring. ''She's
Scriptooral, too, and she makes as feel
in prayer as ever l heard. / dom
like to see woman in the pulpit, and |
amt a-goin' to say do, but she's edi-
fyin', and no mistake"
II never went TO meetin' before when
didn't have terrible hard work to keep
from noddin', but somehow her talk is
kind of plain and sensible, and keeps
me awake said Luke Pettingill. who
was wont to disturb the congregation
by audible breathing.
People tlocked to Scragg End from far
and near to hear the new minister. ut
first with much the same curiosity that