The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-10
HIS WEDDING FEE


pennsylvania. OF course they gave some.
thing to the preacher for his trouble.
Inc consequence was that all the
preachers on the Maryland side of the
line became as lean as geese, and the
preachers across the line in Pennsylvania
grew as lat as turkey gobbers. But there
was one preacher near Waynesboro who
did not grow fat Garrick Howton, who
did the largest business, became leanel
and leaner the faster he married people.
lie was too mean, the people said, to en-.
Joy lite like good Methodist itinerant OF
a rubicund priest. No chicken coops
were agitated at his approach. No little
pigs squealed and got under their anxiou.
mammas when Garrick leaned over the
sty and surveyed them.
Nobody knew just what sect or church
Garnck belonged TO there, where every.
body was his own theologian.
lie called his church the Zionskites and
was the only one of 1.-THE Bishop, in
deed-except his son, Wesley Howton.
whom he called the deacon"
All people, far or near, understood that
the Howtons would marry ANYBODY. the
ucllNery oil The certificate being conditional
on the payment OF the fee; and pains
were taken to impress strangers that in
the Zlonskites' discipline the certificate
was part OF the ceremony ITSELF
"A story was started and grew that old
Howton married children for the sake of
his fees.
As time advanced Bishop Howton be-
came widower, and his mind was set on
marrying again.
1t may have been the example of marry
ing children under age, torn from their
parents by their own disobedient impulses
or the powerful sinister influence OF man.
or IT may have been the childish beauty
oil Eunlce Howton, his distant relative,
which doomed her TO become the Bishop's
wife when she should be old enough TO
receive his orders and not bring the laws
OF Pennsylvania down upon his head.
The Bishop bided his time.
Eunice was hardly fifteen. a slender.
gray eyed blonde, whose feet. touch the
ground as they would, turned into lines of
grace, and music seemed TO be PLAYING as
she walked or moved, TO such harmonies
did she bend; while in the action of her
head upon her delicate neck and even IN
the motion OF her lips there appeared 10 be
violin music whistled by her spirit as the
upland zephyrs played upon il and her
heart desired TO dance.
The country people said that this was
because her mother had been an actress
and dancer.
Somewhere back in the undIcerned
past vagueness OF large world Il was said
That Bishop Howlon had been ashow man.
ager, and that his orphan cousin had mar.
nei n French dancer who was in his
strolllng company.
The cousin had been leitto Garrick. who
had kept him down and nearly starved
him, REFRESHING his spirit by an avarice
and superstition which lay across each
other, and finally retired from Garrick
from the show business n complete failure.
while his wand, set free by ma,rimonv'
made nice little fortune keeping dane
ing academy.
When the parents died something of the
husbands inherited tenets caused him 10
repent, though he had never done any.
thing bad, and in the weakness of diving
he gave his child 10 his relative 10 be her
trustee and the trustee OF a respectable
little fortune.
The poor dancing teacher thought the
word bishop covered regcnerated
heart.
The Bishop was merely capitalist in
fees.
This IL considered reasonable humility.
Some OF the schOolboys called him Old
fokciinoki, because he yoked 80 many
couples.
What education he had picked IN ava
rice aud illitcate association has chased
out OF his head; like an old country Dutch.
man, he spell joisls for his barn Joyce and
talk about the brccchman of his horse
when he meant breeching.
As time advanced Garrick grew deeply
In love with Eunice, and forgot TO give
spiritual restraint TO his son.
"At seventeen sharp, old Garrick How.
ton often repeated 10 himself. looking NJ
Eunice with the threefold passions OF love.
nyarice and superstition.
Often when an old man falls In love n |
seems to him like holiness, when il is only |
IOolishncss.
In that way Garrick threw himself back |
INTO his natural state before he became an |
avaricious scoundrel or n self-friahted |
hypocrite. lie got to believing in the re. |
igion he practiced upon. lie feared night |,
solitude aud ghosts. lie believed that his |
nonslrous passion was a sacrifice ON his |
part for the sake OF securing Eunice's soul.
II should be the devils prize without
her, unused Garfick Howlon. "The /
children | have tied in wedlock Of des.
pair, the uniformed souls / have mana
lied TO selfish 6cnds, the hcadsirong
schoolgirls have made the legal slaves
II hideous skinilints, and who have In n
cw months awakened 90 everlasting NJ.
pontance and horror, would troop into my
0ncly home among these mountains anu |
iriyo me crazy with their curses. Ishould
20 madl But Eunicc, she will guard my
loor and warm my heart and bring other
lngels like her from heaven TO my relief
md comfort"
II was plain that tho bypocritical old
'entleman was becoming slightly hyslori-
nj.
Wcasley llowton had been notified by
lis ialher that he NUT 20 West and esinb.
.sh his own congregation Of the peculiar
lOnskiies.
lie was sent TO the garrett 10 study disci.
Hoe and thoroughly contemplate tho
Criptures.
One day Eunicc stole up into the garrett.
ihile the Bishop was marrying onr-cycd
nan OF sixty aud maid OF eighteen, and
he met different scene there from the
onance and prayer she had expected.
Neaslcy wis rugged out in suit OF
leairical clothes taken from Eunice's
arcnts' trunks. and was executing wild
nd fantastic jig.
The Bishop had told Eunico that in the
Nd trunks was the devils wardrobe. I
&c young people locked the door and I
the wardrobe thoroughly.
What places are gurrets for rain and
vel How Il drops upon the roof How