Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-05-01


that I may disappoint you and not
come up to the standardP" he said.
laughingly-"and you be ashamed OF
your preacher son, my dear, good. am
bilious motherp Perhaps you will have
occasion 10 thank the Lord devou.ly
that he sent rain upon the thirsty earth
this particular morning"
When the first bell began to send
forth it's music the clouds really
seemed to be moving off. II the wind
could only be coaxed to shift into the
northwest it would be sure to be clear.
But the obstinate weathercock on top
Of the barn. with his proud head, would
not be induced as much as to look
sideways toward the point of compass
sure to indicate q clear up.
When the second bell rang it was
raining hard. Mrs. Graves put on her
second best dress and her everyday
bonnet, and told the deacon she felt as
if she had had cold water poured over
her. But the Pllsburys 8, and the Kents,
and the city boarders, and even Miss
Catlin came in, one after another, with
dripping umbrellas and wet gossamers.
Every body wanted to hear Deacon
Graves son John preach his first ser
mon in the old Westinghouse. The
girls, who had known him all his life,
had decorated the church with flowers.
and the choir had Leen drilling all the
preceding week.
Rev. John Graves seemed perfectly
self-possessed in the pulpit, beneath
whose droppings he %soothingly slept
on his mothers arm when a child, and
later heard his name read of among
those who were to join on the ''pro-
fession of their faith" The good old
silver-haired pastor had introduced the
new disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ as
zone of our children of the covenant"
The sermon was far beyond what
the people who had always known
John had given him credit for. So
often did the loving mother find her
self thinking of the temporal glory. in
stead of the spiritual, that she offered
up q silent prayer that she might be
kept from spiritual pride, and receive
this mark of Gods kindness to her in
an humble manner. But her eyes
would stray to the corner of the pew
in which Miss Catlin sat. She watched
that young lady's face; she noted the
interest with which she listened. For
Mrs. Graves had only arrived at one
of the heights of her ambition; al
though she would scarcely acknowl-
edge it to herself, she had another am
bition to which, as yet, she had not
attained unto. She wanted John to
marry Miss Catlin. Miss Catlin was
just her idea of a minister's wife. She
had tact to get along with all the diff
forent kind of members. Mrs. Graves
firmly believed that if a minister got a
good wife it was half the battle won.
She was going to invite Miss Catlin,
with some other friends, to tel the very
next day-she was sorry such thoughts
would intrude themselves during meet
ing, and when her son John was
preaching, too. And she leaned her
head down in the closing prayer and
begged the Lord to forgive her for
them. The spirit was willing, but the
flesh was SO weak. While John Graves
was pronouncing the be%nediction, just
as he was saying. 1.-The Lord make
peace" a ray of sunshine suddenly
came through the window and rested
upon his young face.
Hasn't mistaken his calling. that
son of yours. deacon" whispered the
old farmer in the back pew. ''Promis-
ing young preacher" said q city gen.
tleman, so near Mrs. Graves second
best bonnet that tho words penetrated
tn ough it. Everybody who knew him
in his young days crowded around the
pulpit stairs to give him q welcome.
Every body congratulated the deacon
and his wife, and Miss Catlin with
them.
When the family arrived home the
proud, fond mother put her arms
around her sons neck and, kissing him
over and over ogain, said: ''My dear
John. this is the happiest moment OF
my life. Make yourself worthy IF the
Master who has called you;" and John
replied, Dear mother. that shall be
the aim Of my life"
After Mr.. and Mrs. Graves had been
left alone in the evening, Johns
mother said:
deacon, don't you think Miss Cat
lin will make a good wife for our
Johnp"
Il don't know: l never thought Of
it, wife. You can't always arrange
such matters according to your own
ideas. Probably John'll want to select
his own wife"
John won't have much time to