Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-09-23

happily over, amid mucn klSSlHS,
hand-shaking and laughter, the florid
Julius very CALAMITY, though limping
a little, conducted the bride into the
dining-room where a savory collection
was spread. Mrs. Popp followed upon
the arm of Absalom, and the guests
being comfortably settled on either
side of the long table, or rather three
tables in a continuous train. Julius
presided with a great flow of utterance
at the head.
..It being the slick and brilliant oc-
casion of our daughters bestowal in
marriage" he was saying; "of herself
collectively and separately, to-wit;
nothing would afford me more pleasure,
sir, than to have your unreserved opin-
ion, Mr.. Cuttleton, of the relative
weight and value of feminine women
in the present condition Of our social
environment
Mr.. Cuttleton looked little stunned
and confused by the sudden impact,
but CHANGING toward Mrs. Whitney he
murmured, ..that he thought women's
sphere wide one and her influence
well-nigh measureless.
Exactly" responded Julius, with
animation, passing the chicken to
Mr.. Butler, the baker, exactly; right
you are; slick and brilliant thy name
is, woman! Have some of this currant
jell with your tongue. Mrs. Whitney.
Slick and brilliant thy name is, woman!
yes, indeed! nothing could express the
fact more clearly, sir, than the state
ment that woman's weight Is measure
less. In point of fact. sir, nothing in
my opinion contributes more to the
continuity of purity among mankind
than the fact that he draws his first
sustenance from his mother, sir.
The Reverend Cuttleton looked i'm
pressed, Joel looked bored, and Absa-
lom was saying to Ether, THAT he
wished he cOuid 60 out and run awhile,
when Julius broke out afresh: land,
further" said he, when man gets so
evil-disposed that his wife can no
longer endure him, usually no one else
can either. An axiom, sir, not to be
ignored when considering woman s
sickness, purity and brilliancy- Also
the further fact, sir, that every male
man, regardless of age, size, sex or
previous condition of servitude, sir,
stands ready and willing to die in de-
Tending every woman goes unre-
servedly and overwhelmingly to
demonstrate mans NERVOUSNESS and
woman's most emphatic ldlosyn-
Grassy to be" but Absalom, no
longer able to bear the strain upon his
nerves, sprang up and shot out OF the
door with a yen, and the supper came
to . confused and untimefy close.
Joel was still shaking with laughter
when he and Mrs. Whitney arrived at
their gate that night, and an occasional
wave of humor shook his spacious per-
son, when, on the morrow, he went
with many others to the early train to
see Absalom Heater take his unexpec-
ted departure. Exactly what intiu-
ence or influences actuated Absalom
in this departure it were quite impos-
sible to determine. That it was patriot
ism, pure and simple. though that be-
came ruling passion with him further
on, could hardly be admitted, since the
| right or wrong or peril to the Nation s
life, had scarcely won his notice till
| the gathering tempest broke. 1t might
have been the understandable energy OF
his legs, led by some occult principle
of attraction toward that great whirl-
pool of action which beat and battered
| million men to pieces ere it spent its
| course, that carried him so swiftly to
| decision. At any rate, when remon-
strated with upon his seemingly pre-
mature intent, Absalom invariably said
| LII see the boss. The boss knows
what he's dom. He'll set me to work
| quick enough" and other like ex-
pressions of confidence in the great
heart and head of him who had on his
shoulders the chief cares of the Nation.
| This was doubtless attributable in most
part to the remem brance Absalom had
of standing a few years before with
multitude of people about platform
in the square of Openstone, and listen
ing with open mouth and thrilling
nerves as an exceedingly tall and
swarthy individual from the platform
eloquently poured out his heart before
them. That Absalom had thus listened
| to MIR. Lincoln may have been the hid
den but active agent, working In con-
junction with the natural vigor of his
legs, that impelled him to so sudden
an espousal of the Nations course; fol
though he had not carried from the
memorable event much that was cleaI
to his untutored faculties, yet certain
indefinable charm had been worked
upon him which remained. Little,
however, could be said to Absalom fol
| the reason tlldI He cOul'h hob oo Soh
strained to stand still long enough tc
be intelligently talked to, though in
deed many others were well nigh as
rudely rocked about with excitement
as he Julius Popp was one of these
and the quantity of language that es
capped him, together with the number
of angles assumed by his hat during
the half hour spent in waiting for the
train, would well nigh defy computa,
ton Joel was of cool and jocunC
mood, however, cracking not override
licious Jokes with those about him
and now and then setting afioat bi
of chaff at Absalom's expense. Blu
his face fell into straighter lines wher
the train sped away with Absalon
standing upon the rear platform, ant
there was something like mist be
fore him when the train receded ant
Absalom waved his hand and turned
with a last look and entered the coach
and Ether broke away with wailins
cry and went blindly along the wall
with her hands pressed against he
eyes. Many another eye, too, was dim
and some tender-hearted women wh'
were present wept, and not few
strong careless fellows scuffed TIL
ground with foot and looked away
for Openstone had sent her first son t.
the war.
CHAPTER VIII.
With the flight of few weeks cam
a letter from Absalom recording in la
comic language the chief items of hi
, interview with Mr. Lincoln. The hos