The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-08-06
WEIGHED THE BALANCE

LEOl LII.
WEIGHED INTHE BALANCE
Il don't see no reason why you
shouldn't stay in and 90 to meeting this
evening. We've been having some good
meetings all along. They'll be big
turnout tonight. It's going to be clear,
and there's Il moon. You better stay in
and GO"
Il don't think | better. l don't think
Johnd want me to-
81 guess he could get his own supper
for once; and while you're here you might
as well stay in and so.n
ut amt his getting his supper. He's
done that enough times, and he don't
mind doing it; but / don't think he'd
want me to stay tonight
You don't mean to say he's SO set
against religion that he wants TO keep you
from going to meeting, do you? He al
ways seemed sensible to me, and that
amt sensible, We can take you home
just as we'll after meeting as before
Mrs. Hewett had been spending the day
with Mrs. McCallis,er. She had come
over from the farm with Mr.. Hewett in
the morning. lie had brought over a
load of corn. Mrs. McCallister had
promised to take her home toward night
If she would stay and spend the day with
her. Mrs. McCallister's husband kept the
one store in Elk Falls. The two women
sat in the little sitting room back of The
store. They were sewing. 1t was a
warm day, and the door was opened on a
porch The porch was covered with
morning glory vines, bright with bios
SONS.
Mrs Hewett got up and went over to
the door, with the pretense of getting
nearer the light to thread her needle.
She was a plump little woman. Her pale
red hair was combed straight back from
her face, and coiled loosely in her neck.
Her fair skin was flushed. The bright
calico dress that she wore, covered with
| little brown sprays, was over starched
and ratified as she walked across the
room.
John never said much about it, but l
know he's against these revival meetings
We used to come to church sometimes to
preaching, you know She bent her head
over her work. John never has to say
much for me to understand what he
MEANS
Mrs. McCallister looked up quickly at
her visitor. Her face would have had a
look of horror if it had not been overbal-
inced by u look of curiosity.
give heard people say John Hewett
was an intdel, but | never believed 1t. |
always told them So I've said, many's
the time, John iewett may not have got
religion yet, but he's no more intidel than
| you and me- That's what I've always
aid" She drew the needle through the
cloth in quick, short stitches, and waited
minute for reply. "a man as tender
hearted as John Hewett couldn't be an in
ddel"
Mrs. Hewett came back to her chair and
,at down. She buried her face in the
cloth she was sewing on. ale is" she
said in half whisper
Il don't believe it," Mrs McCallister
neld her work tightly in her hands-"I
iont believe it!
He is. I've always known it,"
You don't mean to tell me he don't be-
Iieve there's any God?"
Mrs. Hewett bowed her head. There
vas silence of several minutes. Then
Mrs. McCallister stood up.
"l'm going to get supper, and you're
going to stay and go to meeting with us.
If | was in your place I'd make stand,
md 90 right along. Now you're going
TO stay, SO just settle yourself on that"
Mrs. McCallster went out into the
kitchen, and Mrs. Hewett went ON with
ner sewing, the tears falling on her work.
She felt that she had already taken the
stand against her husband in the confess
on she mad made She louged to be at
ZONE getting supper for him. She
hought of the cold lunch he had had in
place of his usual hot dinner, and remem-
,ered that she had planned making bis
cults for supper.
There was no church in Elk Falls. The
oundation had been laid, and the people
we're hoping to build a church in the fall.
1t present services were held in the
chool-house. The school-house had
been placed for the convenience of all IN
.ne center of the district, and was nearly
mile from the village. The village was
IN the banks of the Elk river but the
schoOl-house stood out on the unbroken
prairie. Ii was large one story wooden
Iuiiding, painted white. An implanted,
| hree- board fence surrounded 1t.
The prairie was bright with moonlight.
| On the south it stretched away to the
wooded banks of the Elk river and the
lights of the town glimmerng among the
| rets. Owing to the clearness OF the
night, and the great interest that had
been shown at the previous meetings, the
tendance was TO be unusually large.
People were stll coming, the heavy wsg-
ons rafting over the hard prairie roads.
| The horses were hitChed to the fence
| around the school house.
When Mr. and Mrs. McCallister drove
up In their light spring wagon with Mrs
Hewett, IL was with difficulty that Mr..
tcG.lltat.r fpuui rnpm "A hitch his horse
The lights from the open doors and win
lows shune out, and the people were
singing
IT'S too bad we have to miss any OF it,
Mrs. McCallister whispered to Mrs. Hew-
EFT.
BY the time they had reached their seat
The singing had stopped. There was the
usual buzz of whispering and general rus
tie of people getting settled, and then the
minister began to pray. 1t was long
pray err. and Mrs. Hewett, with her bowed
mead resting on the desk In front OF her,
wondered what her husband was doing al
that minute-if he had guessed why she
had not returned. She remembered the
one time she had spoken to him of the ir-
religious life she felt they led, and had
asked him to take her regularly to church.
Before that time they had occasionally
gone to morning service, but this was the
first time since that talk that she had been
TO service of any kind. Her checks
burned, and her heart throbbed painfully.
No one could understand how bitterly
he would be opposed to her being there.
She planned guilty to keep from him the
know ledge of her having been at the
meeting.
Tue prayer ended abruptly and the min
lister began singing. Not many knew the
piece. Three or four women sang with
their frightened voices through the first
verse and then stopped. The minister
sang on through the remaining verses of
the hymn. He sat behind the teachers
desk on the platform, and when he had
finished singing he put down the book
and stood up. He was an old man and
very tall. His gray hair was rather long,
and hung loosely on his head. His face
was clean shaver, with heavy cheek
bones, and a large, weak mouth. His
eyes were gray and limpid. After looking
over his audience for q minute, he began
speaking in earnest, half-sobbing tones Of
the cruchxion.
In few minutes women we're crying
softly all over the room. They suffered
physically, so wildly had been pictured
TO them the anguish and suffering of the
scene.
Mrs. Hewett sobbed aloud, hiding her
face In her handkerchief. Mrs. McCallis.