Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-07-09
FROST BITTEN.

' VINO WY UdNllUi s = llt MAS
not accustomed 10 smiles from pretty young
women; he had felt dimly that they were
usually inclined TO laugh at him. He nery-
ously caressed the flaxen whjsker on his pink
cheek. and, after opening and closing his
mouth once or twice in an Intellectual effort
TO reply, succeeded In stammering: Tenor,
hs%ually-that is, sometimes. Do you have a
ba-bass, Miss Frost?'
Miss Frost had stopped TO regain the hymn
book fallen on tho floor, and one of the half
dozen girls who constituted the choir an
swered for her: 'Mr. Harris used TO sing
bass"
''The first hymn Is the 2O0th," announced
the organist, and leading the singing herself
with a light, pretty soprano, which the new
tenor presently joined, showing himself pos
sessed of an excellent voice, the rehearsal
proceeded.
At its close the girls drew on the numerous
wraps made necessary by the keen. biting
air of a Northern winter. and saving 'Goad-
night" left Miss Frost locking the organ and
Mr.. LiscOmbe standing irresolutely in the
aisle.
do you think you will like Bluff City?"
She asked.
"Well-really Ives I--hopc So" lie was
so painfully embarrassed that the girl quite
pitied him.
You have n beautiful voice. she said
gently; II am so glad you are going 10 sing
WIN US, raising her eyes with q radiant
smile To his face, and then mOdestly looking
10 the floor. The warmth of her glance
seemed to peryade his entire being. He did
not think OF moving, nor of n word 10 say,
but gaZed steadfastly at the creator Of this
new-fOund delight until she said: won't
you stand by the door, please, while | put
out the lights? | know il is wicked, but |
am always afraid TO be alone in the church
In the dark"
lie moved mechanically to the door as she
cxtinguished the kerosene lamps. Itdid not
occur to him TO assist her; he was occupied
with q more momentous thought. Should he
dare he ask TO see her home? Would she
not think him too bold on 50 short an ac-
~quaintance? He had never in his life escort
cd a lady, except his mother, anywhere.
isn't it cOld?' said Miss Frost, closing
the door: the church was never locked. "Ilow
bright the northern lights are tonight"
Bashful Mr.. Liscombe could scarcely believe
his happiness. She had placed her little nit
ten in his arm quite as a matter of course,
and he was actually walking up the street
with that pretty head nearly touching his
shoulder.
81 am SO much obliged 10 You for taking
the trouble TO see me home" she said at her
fathers gate. Hasn't this been a pleasant
choir-meeting! You must come and see us
some time. Goodnight" and she had van
ished.
The little Wisconsin town lay in a curve
OF the range OF bluffs that guard the eastern
bank ofthe Mississippi. Twenty years ago
no railroad passed through the village, aud
the river steamers In summer, the stage lines
in winter, gave it communication with the
rest of the world.
Mr.. Liscombe, assistant rector and teacher
of the parish school, had been In the place
but one week. He was engaged to take the
place of Mr.. Harris, lately discovered TO be D.
particularly fierce young wolf in the Sleeps
clothing of divinity student, who, until the
disclosures so ~derogatOry 10 his good repute
were made, had very successfully conducted
the school. lie had ut first made a most fa-
vorable impression both on DIR. Webster, the
rector, and the tOwnspeople generally. But
when his landlady discovered on his book
shelves books of such Il character that she
was really ashamed 10 read a page, and In
his table @rswcr cigars and q eucher-deck,
the citizens seethcd with indignation that
their children had been exposed to the per-
niciOus influence OF such q dissOlute deceiyer.
They were narTow-minded people, and in a
town where the Methodists and BaptistS eX-
PEELED from their churches such giddy young
members as would join in a quadrille, q man
preparing himself for the sacred Office of a
clergyman must stand without shadow of re-
proach before them.
On the day folloSvinS hio lendlady', diS-
coyeries only fifteen Of his forty pupils took
their seats. lie dismissed them, went to the
rectory, and resigned his situation. DIR.
Webster Thought thCt that apparent necess-
ity might be avoided.
IF you would give up smoking, and give
me your cards aud translations OF George
Sand" he urged, so that / could explain TO
these people that you care nothing for them
and hadhNnded them over TO me, | think
they would become reconciled TO you in q
short time"
mo, sir" said the young man; II do not
care to be dictated to in my personal habits
by the people of Bluff City,"
IF you become a clergyman, John, you
viii find much more trying sacrifices before
YOU than Telinquishing French novels and
cigars" the rector said rather YEARLY.
: Il have decided not to enter the ministry"
said John. you know how 1t happened
that l ever thought of doing So"
Yes, the doctor knew it had been his dying
mothers request, reluctantly complied with
from a loving sense of duty to her wishes.
The next morning saw Mr.. Harris embark
ed on the so~uthern-bound stage. DIR. Webster,
when interviewed, believed he had gone 10
Dubuque, and soon after announced that the
school would reopen under the direction OF
the Rev. Theodore LiscOmbe, whose coming,
the rector hoped, would prove a blessing to
the school and the parish"
The Sunday following his eventful attend
ance at choir meeting Mr.. Liscombe's mind
and eyes rebelliously turned themselves from
the service and prayer-book; his glances con-
stantly wandered 10 the little organ standing
below the chancel. And his thoughts! Would
he have courage TO ask 10 walk home with
her after evening church? And il he did, in
what language should he elothe the request?
But when, In overcoat and muller, hat in
hand, he emerged from the yestry there was
pretty Matte smiling, almost as IL she eX-
pected him, and saying, Wont you lock
the organ for me, please, Mr.. Liscombe? The
key turns so hard. / guess something must
be broken" lie did not have to task" he
walked out by her side as If he belonged
there, driaking in every word of her delicious
conversation about how difficult it was to
keep the girls In the choir, and what a lovely
book-mark Kate st. John had made for the
Bible on the reading-tesk. As they APP
preached her home his heart sank, for he
thought that he must leave her, but she said,
Wont You come In q little while? Father
VIII be so glad to see you"
Capt. Frost sat by the fire scolding his gem
tle-faced wife. He was an habitual scolder
unless strangers were present; but he never
found fault with his daughter. She filed
the one soft spot in his heart. He had earn
ed his title on the river steamers. Matte
could remember when they lived on the boat
all summer and boarded at st. Louis hotels
In winter; and Mrs. Frostrecalled every day
VI her life the dreary winter before Matte
was 2 years old, when the Captain had been
caught at St Paul by an early closing IN of
tho river, and they had kept house for five
long months In the boat frozen into the ice
at the foot OF the st. Paul levee. And the
Captain had stormed day and night at the
weather, at the town. at the boat. the boats