Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-03
6QUEEZED THROUGH.
The Parson Tells Story About . Man with
Conscience.


The Parson Tells Story About Man with
= conscience.
THAT reminds me, said the par
son, as he took another handful of
crackers from the barrel and cut
slice from the cheese on the counter,
while the proprietor OF the store
moved uneasly in his seat, ''that re-
minds me of the experience of a men,
Der of the church of which was the
pastor up in Oregon one spring. The
story was told me BY Brother Jones
himself while in 1t Of remOrse.
'Parson,' he said to me; 'Parson,
do you remember the time that you
asked every member Of the church to
contribute a quarter for the. purpose
OF paying for the hymn-b0oks
which had just been bought for the
Sunday-school?'
EYES, l said. Brother Jones. l
remember the time very we'll
well, parson,' he continued. 4
sat there in my seat watching that
contribution box 20 around and see
ing nearly everybody drop in a quar-
ter. When it came to Brother Smith
he put in half dollar, and don't
know why it was, unless Satan had
me in his clutches, but said to nJg-&
self: "There, now, he has put in
enough to make up for mine." and l
felt of the quarter in nv pocket. Just
then the box came to Widow Frank
lin and she did not-put in anything.
"There." said !, ''now I'll have to
put in my quarter, il times are hard,
and the children do need shoes, and
the prospects for crops are not good
this year."
"'While l was thinking this way
Elder Bennett passed the box to
Brother Brown and he put in anoth-
or half. Satan got me again and
seemed to whisper in my ear. There,
hats for you," and so when the box
reached me next l just looked the
other way and Elder Rennett passed
along to the next pew, after giving
the box a shake to attract my atten-
ton, but I pretended not to notice it.
"Well, you know, l had nearly
seven miles to walk home When
got half way and was going through
the woods it began to rain hard and
it grew dark much sooner than l had
counted on. remembered hollow
tree just big enough for me to.
squeeze into, which stood a little
further on. SO hurried and reached
it before got very wet The rain
began to pour down now, SO l decided
to remain in the tree until it stopped.
knowing that the folks would not
worry. because I often remained in
town overnight when I went to
church Sundays made myself as
comfortable as possible in that tree,
and somehow or other fell asleep
and never woke up until daylight the
lext morning. When l did open my
ayes l found that the water had
soaked that tree and swelled it up SO
the crack through which l had
crawled myself was not more than an
inch wide. I was a prisoner, sure
enough, and I might as well have
tried to make Flint, my landlord,
knock off some of the rent of nv
farm in a bad year as to try and open
that crack any I had on my best
clothes and l had left even my jack
knife at home
"'Well, you know, parson, that it
rains sometimes three days, some
times week, and often a month up
In this country when it gets a good
start looked out OF the crack and
there did not seem to be any chance
of its stopping. Then l began to
mink: Suppose should be con-
lined here until I starve to death?"
With this thought came recollections
u my past life thought Of every
Thing which I had done which was
not according to the Ten Command
nents. of the unkind words l had
spoken to my wife and children, and
then felt in my pocket and nv
1and touched the.quarter which had
Kept the day before instead of nut
Ting it on the plate
" Would you believe it, parson.
when l thought of that l felt so
small that l passed out through that
rack without the slightest din.
,ulty"
Then the store door opened and
'losed softly, while the lounpers
'aught their breath. There was
cold blast from without
ma the parson was gone. New York
BarefOOted Amoun D...,