The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-10-27
THE MINISTER'S COAT.
Its Instrumentality in Makinga Love Mi

Its Instrumentality in Makinga Love Match
II shall be glad when conference is
over" exclaimed Hetty Darrell with q
look of despair, ''if there isn't father
bringing home another minister tonight!
1 told him this morning that / thought
we had entertained our share. And
George comes this evening, too," she
added with still more vexation, as she
came down staits in answer to her fathers
call.
"This is Mr.. Compton, Hetty," said her
father, "and he will spend the night with
US. My daughter and my housekeeper,
Mr.. Compton"
Mr.. Compton looked at the trim
figure and bright face of the
young housekeeper, and reioiced that the
fates had led him into her domain. Hetty,
however, hardly spoke to him and follow
ed her father out of the room.
"Oh, father" she said, "why did you do
il again! II keeps me working every
minute"
"Sho, puss," said easy Mr.. Darrel, don't
fuss for him; give him auything you've
got in the house, crackers and cheese, If
you like"
"Youiknow can't" pouted Hetty, "min-
listers always expect the very best, and
they know what is good, too"
'He don't / guess" said Mr.. Darrel;
''he has been working his way while he
studied, and keeping himself, aud gaess
most anything will seem all right to
him."
"Oh!ihe ia one of that kind" said Hetty
~ wish, il must have them, you would
bring home somebody with good clotSss
and plenty of money for change"
This one is smart, anyway" said her
father; "there is a big church awaiting
him somewhere. I heard that one of the
Middle.own churches want him up
there"
swell, su ppose he can't starve," said
Hetty, and With toss of her head, ex-
pressing many things, she began to get
the supper. It was certainly very IN
fortunate that he should have como on
one of Georges evenings.
But as Hetty set the kettle TO boil she
began to feel a little compunction for
her inhospitality, and she remembered
that the young minister, just from It's
studies, had been "keepiug himself" she
began to feel enough pity for him to
stir herself into ooncooting a dish of
cream toast, such az only she knew how
to make. This neces STATED going down
cellar after cream, and taking her skim
mer, che descended into the lower re-
gious.
It chanced that the door of the cellar
way was furnished with spring latch.
and Hetty, forgetting to fasten it back
before she went down, found herself when
she would return, a prisoner.
"Father!" she screamed, but Mr.. Oar
rel was making his toilet in an upper
room and could not possibly hear.
Poor Hetty called until hoarse, and
then paused in despair. At the same
time she saw pair of black brosdcloth
legs passing by the cellar window. With
frantic rush, Hetty sprang toward this
straw Of hope, and putting her blooming
face close to the bavs, shrieked again:
"Father! father" after the retreating
limbs.
They hesisated, stopped, and finally re-
turned.
as any one in trouble :" asked strange
voice, far above Hetty's vision.
Eyes," said Hetty, ~ am in the cellar
and want to get OUT"
The kue0s bent, and n face confronted
Hetty from the other side of the wiA6ow
bars. 1t was, as she had guessed, the
young minister.
"How can I get you out!" asked the
face outside.
"Ycu will have TO 90 into the passage
within. They were exceedingly red and
dainty lips, as they spoke from between
tho bare, (Hetty had her face pressed
close to the irony, and the young man
may be pardoned for prolonging the in
terview for a few moments"
"What spring." said he.
"The spring on the door," said the
prettp lips impatiently.
"Ah! What door,"
"Good gracious! The cellar door,"
''Yes! Where is its"
"Meroy me! In tho kitchenp cried the
lips.
The young man rose slowly and took a
few steps toward tho apartment men
toned. but somehow he paused again.
Some way those lips behind the bars re-
minded him unaccountably of kissing
child between the banisters, and the mo-
ment he opened the door he would never
see them in that position again.
II his had been a secular Office, l might
have had to record a most unworthy act;
as it was he went into the kitchen, found
the cellar door and opened it. Hetty
came out flushed ard breathless, aud be-
gan to hurry her supper. The young man
fingered.
Had you been a prisoner many min
utssr he inquired.
"No," said Hetty, "and gracious didn'
bring up the cream after all. | never
shall get supper ready"
"Lst me bring up the cream for yon,'
said the minister quickly. "i used to
help any mother, and l am the one that Is
making all the trouble"
In moment he had appeared with the
forgotten bowl, and was inquiring, cant
toast that bread!"
Hetty hardly knew how it was, but ia
few moments Mr.. Compton seemed to be
as much at home in the kitchen and din
ing room as herself, and the two cooks
we're on the best of terms.
Hetty decided that Mr.. Compton had
very fine eyes, and Mr.. Compton had dis
covered some time before that Miss Oar
rel had o beautiful mouth.
"One would think you had been cook
all your life," said Hetty, when the toass
was at last piled in the dish, and she