Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-06-05

teryiewed Aunt Rhoda, but they found
out nothing; their hints and indirect
questions were alike unavailing, and not
one Of them dared ask her directly what
she had brought her carpet bag for. To
tell the truth they began to suspect
that Aunt Rhoda's troubles had affected
her mind, and they lad, naturally, a
little deiicacy aboa. asking her If she
were crazy.
When she sat composedly down again
beside her carpet bag, after the after.
noon service, their was a eommotion.
People collected around the church
doors and talked the matter over. Some
thing ought to be done, they agreed.
So they stopped the minister and con-
suited him, and finally he went back to
speak to Aunt Rhoda.
well, Mrs Carpenter" he said,
when he reached the pew where she sat,
her black straw with its purple roses
tipped back at an angle OF defiance.
"how do you do?"
Aunt Rhoda cautiously reached out
her hand in its wrinkly glove to meet his
preferred one. Nicely, thanky," re-
piled she.
1--WE been meaning to come and see
Won all last week" the minister went
on, and | thought to myself, when 1
looked around and saw you still seated
here. that / would come back and speak
to you, and then we could walk home
together"
III amt goin' home, " said Aunt Rhoda.
She set her thin lips, and her ~spectaeles
glared defiantiy.
"Not going home, " repeated the min
lister in helpless amazement.
"No, j amt got any home to go to.
As for my livin' any longer In a home
that amt mine, | won't; but this pew is
mine, an my husband bought an paid
for it, an here I'm goin' to set
"But, dear Mrs. Carpenter, how car
You? How long"
"I'm a-goin' TO set here till my crack
ers an cheese give out that carpet-bags
pretty heal full Of EN-, an by that time
/ think the Lord will send me deliver
ance. I'm goin' to set right here in
this house an pray for it. think He'll
send Annie Carpenter Mather."
"But you can't stay here all alone;
why, you'll be afraidl' cried Mr..
Wilson desperately. He was a young,
inexperienced minister, all unprepared
for such a contingency as this. He
was utterly bewildered. At one time
he would think Aunt Rhoda crazy, and
at another time not in fact, he did not
know what to think, but he did want
TO do his duty al a clergyman.
Afraid in the Lords housei" replied
Aunt Rhoda j''why, I'll feel safer here
than I ever did in my own. No, it amt
no use talking Tn a-goin' to set right
here in my own pew
She drew the carpet-bag closer to
her side, and sat up sitter than ever.
Poor Mr.. Wilson was entirely at a loss.
He wanted to do his duty, but what
was his duty? Words we're clearly Of
no avail, and he could not drag this
eccentric old lady out of her pew and
home by main force. He finally left
her temporarily mistress of the situa-
ton, and hurried to the house of Dea-
con Harris, one of the pillars of the
church, and his right-hand man.
When the deacon had the feets of the
case statedt TO him. he laughedimmoder-
hitAN. MI NIlsOu NAllllttl lltttG wv.
Before this only the perplexities of the
situation had presented themselves to
him.
wall, I'll tell You what l think, said
the deacon, when he could get his breath ;
''Ithink If the old lady wants TO set there
we'd better let her, till she gets sick oft.
She'll be glad enough to get out Of it
in a sew days. She'll be as safe there
as alone in her own house, and safer;
and it's hot weather, so there won't be
any trouble about her getting cold. I'll
speak to my wife, an theregl be some
hot ~victuals carried in, I'll warrant.
Sine cant come to any harm there that
| can see. An nothin' else will pacify her
if she's got set about it. / know Aunt
Rhoda Carpenter. I'd have her come
right in here this minute, but nothin'
SHIRT of main force could bring her IN,
there amt any mortal reason why she
shouldn't go to her own home but il she
won't she won't. / know her. She amt
crazy. but il she sets out to do a thing
shes goin' to carry it through. No; If the
old lady wonts TO set in her pew / think
we'd better let her; and the deacon
laughed till the tears ran down his
checks.
SO Aunt Rhoda was triumphant. She
sat in her pew thenext week like a queen
on her throne. The news of her queer
freak spread everywhere, and exited at
once mirth and compassion. She had
every attention. People brought her in
breakfasts and dinners and suppers.
She had her hot tea with every meal.
They brought her pillows and blankets
to turn her pew into a bed. The sexton
looked in every night, to see il every
thing was all right, and Aunt Rhoda was
really living very comfortably in her
pew.
Butthis could not last forever 1T would
do for a few days, but something differ
ent would have TO be done soon. Peo-
Pile wondered what. They hoped Aunt
Rhoda would soon abandon her Thim,
and they would try and arrange matters
with her and provide for her in some
way.
There began to he u deal os active
pity abroad for the poor old lady togeth-
er with the mirth which her conduct
excited. The next Sunday Mr.. Wilson
had q congregation such as he never
remembered before. Some of the
surrounding towns had got wind of the
old lady in Camden who had taken to
living in her pew, and the church was
packed. Beyond a placid old woman
in a cashmere shawl and a black straw
bonnet with purple roses, they saw
nothing, however. The carpet had !
been tucked into an anteroom before |
the service began, and all other traces
of her habitation removed. When ten
days from the one Of her taking up her
abode in the church had elapsed, and
Aunt Rhoda still showed no signs OF
getting tired Of the situation, folks |
began TO feel uneasy. They
could not let an old lady live
in her church pew all summer, and
now they were actually aiding her in
her Wild freak still, they could not LET
her want comforts. That very night
there was a meeting appointed at Dea-
con Harris's to talk the matter over;
but in the six o'clock train there came a
couple Of strangers TO town, a pretty,
stylish lady, and a finelooking gentle
man, who put a new aspect on the face
OF affairs. They walked directly up TO
Aunt Rhoda's house, which was a short
distance from the depot. When they
diecnvered that there was M npa a.