Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-05-19

asider yourself put here only to stay up his
ntls as Aaron and Hur did those of Moses,
e more you will please them He will sit
his pulpit on Sunday, and of course you
Ill ask him to make the longest prayer"
"All of them, all of them," Halsey ex
aimed, eagerly. He had not before consid-
red the contingency of being obliged to ad
lress the Supreme Being in mock devotion,
aud he was glad to be relieved from this act
of hypocrisy.
81 suppose you've not been ordained yet"
the deacon continued, "and it will be the doc
tors part to pronounce the benediction. Any
other little attentions which you can show
! him will better your chance with this
congregation" The deacon seemed to
take it for granted that Halsoy's su-
preme aim in life was to settle
down as assistant preacher in this obscure
town, and the young man laughed inwardly,
seornfully reviling the notion, while he re-
piled with the utmost Difference, II will en-
denvor to bear your advice in mind "
They passed scattering farms, and on one
of these the deacon pointed out man clad in
russell blue overalls, faded blue shirt and flap
ping straw hat, who was engaged in breaking
yoke Of oxen, as an important magnate i'll
the church. "That," said he, sis Brother
Slocumbe He was a Methodist before he
joined our communion, and there's nothing
now that he likes better than a rousing
camp meeting. He's hard worker, and gen.
orally sleeps through the morning service,
but he gets considerably refreshed in mind by
evening" and he can be depended upon to oc-
cupy the time if he's wanted. He's fond of
pretty lively kind Of preaching, with good
deal of thrashing around. The doctors get
ting too weak lunged for him He likes to
have minister come out strong on everlast-
ing punishment and the danger of falling
from grace, and when a man breaches he
wants him to preach all over"
Halsey made a. mental memorandum to
give to Brother Slocumbe one of the strong
est sermons he could find the next evening,
and he listened eagerly for further sugges-
tions
"We've a sprinkling," said the deacon,
''rm thankful to say it's only sprinkling,
of folks who think more of culture than they
do of religion. The Pearce girls rather lead
here on matters of education They read
German and attend the summer school of
philosophy at Concord. When they don't
find fault with the minister we all take it for
granted that he's some 1t would be grand
thing if you could show them that you know
as much as they do, but you don't look as If
you were equal to it, and you needn't put
yourself out for them. There are the Rogerses,
who used to be Episcopalians; they'll be
bothering you about responsive exercise,
but don't you give in; we've fit that for five
I years, it would cost too much to get 1t
printed, it's too much trouble to get used to,
and it looks like going over to Rome"
Halsey rubbed his forehead thoughtfully.
Should he give the Misses Pearce one OF
Felix Adler's lectures before the Society of
Ethical Culture or one of Joseph Cooks dis
QUESTIONS? If the Rogers family held the
traditions of Mother Church he thought he
could slip in selection from Cardinal Nc
Closkey which would please them.
Their ride was over, and the deacon's wife
greeted them cordially and welcomed them
to a hot supper of fried chicken, ''riz" bis
cult and green tea. At the close of the re
past the deacon remarked, "Theres prayer
meeting appointed for tonight at our house.
1t isn't very well attended generally, but
curiosity may bring some few out to see
you"
"a prayer meeting! CONSERVATION" was
Halsey's thought. "What shall l do"
What he said was: 81 suppose the doctor
will come and lead the meeting"
1.-THE DOCTORS a-coming," the deacon re-
piled; "that's his buggy coming up the hill" ="
A well worn and dusty chaise stopped
at the gate, a venerable man alighted,
accompanied by sprightly young lady, who
sprang nimbly to the ground, making only a
good natured pretense Of accepting the assist
ance of the courteous old gentleman. Halsey
was introduced at the door and received the
good minister's rather formal and priestly
! 4 fz1l II ,i-a
that of shame He turned for relief to the
young lady, to whom the doctor motioned
him with a wave of the hand and the rather
unsatisfactory introduction, my niece,
| Orient" What was he to call her? Nothing
for the present, since they were not upon a
footing which would permit the use of her
Christian name; but as he glanced at her
bright attractive face with its mischievous
smile, he felt that an intimacy which such a
form of address would indicate with be-
witching little parsonage like this would dc
much to reconcile a man to even this desert
solitude. She had bright, intelligent coun-
tenance, made piquant remarks, was quick
at repartee, and was as completely at home
and unembarassed in his society as city
BELLE In chatting with her he quite forgot
to prepare his thoughts for the coming ordeal
of the prayer meeting The people began tc
gather. The deacon introduced Brother
Slocumbe-who had exchanged the overall:
! for his store clothes, but about whose fresh
tallowed cowhide boots the scent of the
stable still fingered. The Pearce girls camt
attended by lantern and dog. They wert
very plain, and not at all young. Halsey
thought diseourteously that If the Lantern
famed brightly enough to display their faces
the protection of the dog was entirely un
necessary. The deacon's wife brought IL
lamps and few well thumbed hymn books
The deacon reused Halsoy from his pleasant
chat with the remark, ~ guess all S come
that IS coming" and the doctor, handing hin
Bible insisted that he should take charg'
of the meeting.
'Will some one select a hymn" he asked il
fear and trembling, and one of the Misse
Pearce started Sweet Hour of Prayer" A
its close he read chapter from the Gospel
chosen quite at random. Having closed tn
Bible he called upon the doctor to lead in pray
er, and endeavored during its slow progres
to evolve some train of thought suitable t.
the occasion Suddenly the story of Blinc
! RortimaauS which ha had inst read SuUpaStpt