The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-10-03
RACHEL.

|KAOHEl.
cvOHN LINDSAY was the richest
man in Hilton. He had begun ut
lDN the bottom, hut by perseverance,
w hard work and natural bent
for amasSing money, he was now
al the top of the social and commercial
ladder. He possessed several large
farms of the fertile bottom land, count
less hocks and herds, wife and
daughter. His wife was one of those
| light hearted, faded, discouraged look
ing women and was seldom counted
among his possessions.
But the daughter was of far different
material. She was tall and 1.-the with
Il supple grace that made people know
ing her birth wonder whence it came,
while she was not lacking in mental
strength. Her face was somewhat oval,
but with u very firm mouth and she
rejoiced in II crop of short, brown curls
and large, clear, truthful, gray eyes.
OF late, though, cloud had been
very often on the smooth brow and the
clear, gray eyes, often shadOwed with
Il vague unrest.
The cause was this.
Rachel, that was the daughters
name, in addition to heing the sole or
nament of the family, was obliged to
supply the religion.
Her mother, il is true, was q 'sprO-
fessOr," hut being such weak, watery
creature that counted for but little. In
her younger days travelling reviyalist
had visited Hilton, one of those
"shepherds' who believe in the
''cheerful doctrine of total depravity,"
and had scared Rachel nearly out of
her wits with his cheerful, ut any rate
warm, descriptions of the hell that was
yawning before her unregenerate soul.
She was scared into profession of
faith and from that time forth so
effective was the good mans preaching,
lived in constant terror of the God she
should have loved. At this time,
though, the health of the preacher who
had ministered to the little congrega-
ton gave out and he was forced to sus-
pend operations for awhile, and new
pastor was procured, young man,
Edward Marshall by name, who had
been reared in II totally different school
of theology, and preached the love of
God as well as his wrath.
For the first time in many years
Rachel could breathe easy at the men,
tion of her Maker, and presumably out
of gratitude to the cause of this change
proceeded to fall in love with the new
preacher.
Naturally II was not in him to resist
the charms of so fair an admirer, with
so much of this worlds goods in pros
pect, not that | would insinuate for q
moment that her fathers money had
anything to do with it, but then it is so
much easier to love someone that has
some money.
Now in addition to his riches, John
Lindsay was the wickedest, profanest
man in Hilton, and had an undying
hatred of preachers. lie literally
had no use whatever for them and
would almost as soon have wrnng his
daughters pretty neck as to have seen
her the wife of one.
These little prejudices on the part of
parents count for hut little, though,
and their wooing prospered and they
were happy, although Rachel some
times grew silent and distrait when she
thought of her father.
Unfortunately, though, people al
ways have such an antipathy to waiting
= wear or two i'm such eases. Why on
earth they have such consuming
desire to plunge into the troubled
waters of the sea of matrimony, heaven
only knows, hut il is always the case.
Accordingly, one morning, when
Rachel was going down In the village,
while going through the strip of
woods, between her homo and the
town, she met Marshall. He had Il
very determined look on his face and
was walking with the tread of sol
der.
! His pretty flancee scented the battle
from afar. She stopped him and
questioned him. She learned that he
was going to tell her father of their
engagement, and that nothing wonld
move him from his purpose. She cried
and eXpOstulated, but in vain. So at
last she gave in. II is always so. They
always do in the end, You know. So
he continued on his way and she sat
down to wait until he should return.
He pursued his way valiantly, but
though he would not have acknOwl-
edged it for worlds, his heart was beat
ing tumultuously. Arriving at his
destination, he found the ..stern parent
seated on one af the broad piazZas,
reading the county newspaper. lie
made his way up tho steps with con,
siderable inward fear and trembling,
It must be confessed, but Outwardly
calm and self-possessed. After saint
ing each other and making the custom.
ary remarks upon the weather, which
happened at the time In he all that
could be desired, Marshall paused
The old mau eyed him suspiciously
True, he had greeted him with the
greatest respect, and agreed with hin
that storm might he expected ut any
moment, when there was not cloud
to be seen, hut still he was suspicious
| AtttI u ltiSIStil toil'
cluded that plain, straightforward
statement of the case would be best,
and, accordingly, told him of his and
his daughters Intentions.
The old man glared at him. All the
blood in his body was boiling to think
that an .upstart preacher, one of the
set that he had always despised, pre-
sumed; to think, even, of such thing
was uncomfortable.
"Want' to marry my daughter, dc
you? Well I'll he Id if you do
Then he raved and swore, and ended
it all by ordering Marshall ont of the
house, never to return, which he was
very glad to do, in order to free him.
self from the odOr of birthstone. liz
sought his love in the wood and told
her all that had happened. They talk,
ed long, and she tearfully, and nj las,
they parted.
When Rachel arrived at home she
was told by her father to see Marshal
no more, told in language that was moi
Of the choicest, and, as she made nc
reply, her father was probably under
the impression that she would obey
Girls are wilful creatures, though.
| 'Ehus n,attnrS Stnnh IN Monday