Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-07-18


my dear old friend, they would fight
st. Peter. l speak simply the truth. "
ITO justify self. we sometimes APP
proach dangerous ground" wrote back
DR.. Strong, with very black lines under
the words; but he added, kindly: al
have sent your name to Sandy Creek,
q most desirable settlement, and also to
Annex"
Sandy Creek was determined to call
ID. ID. Plenty was to be had cheap.
Ephraim. therefore, never received so
much as postal card from that COM
mittee. But Annex, being oppressed
by big debt and the failure of one of
its principal givers (known vaguely as
"a speculator") }, called him at twelve
hundred dollars-eight hundred less
than the last they had ever before
given pastor. Annex prices were ex-
orbitant But Ephraim was ignorant
of this fact, and believing this call "a
leading of Providence" rs no doubt 1t
was, accepted it. The church member
ship was very like n panorama. Fam
lilies moved in from Zoar, staid year,
then, tired of living "ten miles from a
lemon" returned. 1t was very neces-
sary that the Annex pastor should be
drawing man, the permanent residents
said, to persuade newcomers of means
to remain. He must, of course, be
social man, and know the gossip of
Zoar. His wife, too must be
lsxAl p..I A., tk..
ton. With weedy whskers, mild gray
eyes, and red hands, Ephraim could
no more be stylish than he could fly. But
good clothes, could he have afforded
them, would have improved his looks,
and horse and buggy would have
greatly facilitated his sociability; for
Annex was in the hands of real estate
men, and though small in numbers,
was vast in distances. The late pastor
had received ten hundred dollars per
annum more. His wife, too, had
private fortune, and he had been able
to go about in n neat coupe, in excel
lent broadcloth, and. most pleasing of
all, at his own expense Then, too, he
had been to Europe, and had a stand
ard by which to make critical sug-
gestions. But the end would not have
come so soon could Mr. Downey have
brought himself to preach without a
manuscript. The pastor of the largest
and most fashionable church of Annex
stood up before his people like a pres
tidigitator who wishes to convince his
audience there is nothing up his sleeves,
and breaches without visible note.
His sermons were good, too. and the
ease with which he delivered them
went far to prove the assertion made
by the unthinking part of his congre-
CATION, viz. that they were eXtempore.
81 write my sermon out and commit
Them" admitted DR.. Bland, when Mr..
Downey, after hectoring dcacon's
meeting, questioned him on the sub
ject. at Is nervous business. l
positively must not be disturbed while
am at work-for nothing less than
death or the house alire. Fan time is,
too, very trying to me; and l never 60
into tho pulpit without a nervous chill,
lest restless child be in the audi
ence."
Yielding to the persistent nagging
kept up by his deacors, Ephraim went
one Sunday into his pulpit without his
manuscript. Ali, what wretchcd
week it cost! DR.. Bland had no chill
dren. The little Downeys had romped
and cried twice rs much as usual.
Looking about, in his turn for n rest
less child, Ephraim Mt once found one,
and nearly lost his wits in consequence.
But his effort was u success, and his
congregation congratulated him warm
| ly. But he would not repeat the per-
formance--for performance il was to
him, since his was not the gift to speak
without that preparatory memorizing.
The church was mover in so prosperous
u condition. Poor people were crowd
ing into it To hear the good news. P"
But these things did not "fill the
ticket" rs tho fat dca con said, and he
was asked to resign. That week his
fathcr-in-law died. and bequeathed
only the memory OF unfailing love to
his heirs. In eight months Ephraim
was as far from q settlement as on the
day he resigned. and he had just twelve
dollars. His oldest child was dropsical
from scarlet fever, and Ruth would
SOON add fifth to the group. Mother
Foster, deaf ard childish, was to come
to live with them. 1t was the Begin
ming of winter, and In ten days a
months rent would fall due Worst Of
all, his late charge were angry that he
did not leave town. They had new
preacher, who reeited his sermons even
more glibly than DR. Bland, and his
black sidc-whiskers gave him most
stylish appearance. lie was, too, in
vesting In corner lots. Ii was cmbar-
RAISING to have Mr. Downcy going
about secdy and sorrowful.
II s'pose you'll go home pretty
soonP" said Deacon Padgctt, that fate
full morning. II think myself you
can't go too SOON"
IL have no home to go to-" said
Ephraim. thinking with swelling
heart of the little house at Smyrnc,
now closed to him forever.
"Thcn you ought to have some place
you call homc." said the deacon, wrath
fully.
When evening came, feeling the
house was too small to hold him. cum
bercd rs he was with worries, Ephraim
went out for walk. He was soon
striding along In the open country, but
what to do was rs impossible to decide
as ever The strident rustlng OF the
dry leaves nccented the mournful si0h-