The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-03-05
THE NEW JERUSALEM.
BY SOPHIA SWEET.


II hain't got no patience with them
Millerites, with their everlastin' david.
lin round, leavin' their work all undone,
because they're agoin' up next Sunday.
'Keepin' their lights aburnin', they call
it, but I call it clear, sheer shiftlessness,
and it amt nothin' else. Look at Enus
Sinkley, now; there amt no such sile as
that farm of his nowhere round, and moi
80 much as q potato or mite of garden
sass planted, and him with his store
clothes, and Miss Sinkley with her bes,
ruffled night-gown all laid out, ready to
slip on at moments warnin' when
they git notice to 60 up. Folks used to
think Enus Sinklcy was consid' able of a
man, and his heart was SO sot on world
ly prosperity that he wouldn't let his
daughter marry a good, stiddy, likely
young man, because he was poor"
lit wasn't altogether that" replied
Mis- Deacon Spettigue, "Pritcharls is
Pritchards; they don't amount to but
dretful little, rich or poor. Judith Sink.
ley had ought to do better than to hev
Frank Pritchard."
It'll end in that poor infatuated ia.
ther of hern tryin' to make her marry
DR.. Peleg," said Mis- Sanders. "But
when anybody makes Judith Sinkley dc
that Ill give in that that the world is
comm to an end. She's kerried her
head too high, and somehow or moth CT
she's got to get her come-upance, folks
always does; but it won't be that way
.'She's terrible smart, Judith is, and
she's got talkin' way with her. Oul
minister says that half the Millerite cx,
element, here in Saltwater, is OWN to
Judith Sinkley's singin' at the mcctins.
They say she don't hev no sympathy
with the kerrys-on, but she sings to
please her father, and her voice is terri.
ble kind of movin. There it is now,
and If it don't sound like the Day ol
Judgement, never heard nothing that
die"
On the still night air came floating s
full, clear soprano voice, with an indie
scribably mild and mournful cadence:
'tIn the last watch of the night
You'll hear the trumpet blow,
Then keep your lamps aburning,
And be ready to go"
A multitude of voices took up the re.
train:
''Then keep your lamps aburning,
And be ready to CO."
A little later and girl and her com.
panion came along. The moonlight re.
yealed a tnll shapely figure, with a
bright handsome face; perfect face So
far as feature and coloring 60. But il
did not correspond with the voice.
There was childish weakness about it.
There could scarcely have been an odd.
er contrast to her beauty than the figure
beside her presented at first sight. A
misshappen man, his head half buried
between his shoulders, meagre and in.
adequate legs supporting bulky body.
The face was the only redeeming point
"a fine, sensitive face, with delicate
clear-cut features, and q kind of poet
ical beauty about it that made many
people say that DR.. Pelcg had 1.-THE face
of an angel"
''Meetin's consid' ably lively, hain't
thcy?' pursued Mis- Sanders. The
girls brow contracted little.
"Yes, the people are very excitable.
And they believe it so firmly. can't.
I'm afraid don't quite wish to. The
thought terriiies me. like this world,
and i want it to last
'.I'm afraid most folks does-poor sin
full creturs that we be-" said Mis- San
dcrs. .And agoin' to work and settin'
day when you've got to give it up
don't make no great difterence-besides
bein' vain imagnations.
Mis- Sanders addressed this remark in
. very aggressive manner, to DR.. Pcleg,
but the hunchback's face was gently inl-
passive. rs if he had not heard her.
1.-THE Deacon lie thinks DIR. Peleg ism
such fool after all,'' said Mis- Spetti-
quo. He thinks he's got the wisdom
Of the serpent along with the harmless
ness of the dove. He amt got book
learning to be sure. but he's terrible
knowledgable about roots and YARDS,
and he cured Uncle Daniel Spettigue' y
rheumatic, when the doctors had give
him up. He's one Of those that's born
with u better undcrstandin' of nater's
works than others. The Deacon says
ne b u ISdl CIllJu Ul IlttSE.
HE amt child of grace or he
wouldn't be shoutin' Millerite, that's
certain" said Mis- Sanders. sharply.
"Well, l don't know. Some Of them
do really seem to be real Godly-given,' 81
said Mis- Spettigue. ''And it would be
kind of queer, now. wouldn't it, if the
world should come to an end? 'Twould
surprise consid' able many"
In the meantime the young woman
and her companion had reached large
farmhouse on the outskirts of the
town. Even in the uncertain light Of
tho moon the place had n neglected as.
pect; the gate hung, half-unhinged, the
garden paths were growing plentiful
crop Of weeds, the unframed vines ran
riot over everything. and switched their
long tendrils in the face of those who
venturcd to enter. with the air of reck.
less triumph which nature always has
when she is having her own way again,
In a place where man has, for time,
subtlucd her.
Eneas Sinclair-c0rrupted by Still,
water dialect to Enus Sinkley-had
been one of Stillwater's most prosper.
OILS farmers, until he became Miller.
ite. Since then he had done nothing
but wait on the sound of the last trump.
Even his hair and beard were left I'm.
shorn; everything that it was necessary
to do to support existence was left I'M
done, in his zeal to be found WAITING
for his Lord; A fear was growing
among his friends and neighbors not ol
the faith, that he was becoming insane
But were not all the Millerites more OF