The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-10

which will be held tomorrow evening. weather
permitting. PHILIP MARDEN.
In few minutes more old Gable Dents
little ferret was tracing with his horny
finger these words against the window
panes in his masters house. writing,
while reading aloud, with minutest par
tlcularity this the most astounding notice
which had ever been posted in DentvilIe.
Reuben Screws" said the old ESQUIRE
sternly when the former had finished,
THAT was in Pastor Marden's handWrit-
ing. word for word?"
Writ by Philip Marden, posted by
Philip Marden, letter Tor letter and word
for word !"
The old man fairly gasped for a mo-
ment, as his lowering looks took in the
postoffice, the Red Lion tavern and the
street toward the parsonage little dis
lance beyond.
Them" he said with lips so tightly
drawn that they were bloodless and white
across his almost chattering teeth, ''all
I've got TO say is that preachers an apoS-
tate, and Gabriel DenPl take a hand at
the powers of Satan in this here town."
powers O Satan in this ERE town."
mumbled the Constable, his bea@y eyes
J blinking like an excited OWLS from con-
lectures of possible consequences.
mo wonder religions dead ~ thun-
dered the Squire, crashing a list into the
palm of his other hand.
IN o wonderi" WAS sieved through the
Constables wooden neck comforter.
Its got to be lifted up in Dentville ~
almost screamed old Gabriel Dent, as he
plunged about the room.
Right upm wheezed the Constable.
following him as ii to be ready for in
slant action.
The old Squire wheeled and stopped
suddenly.
They're paupers before the law
they've 10 visible means of support
| They're on the town this minute !
Rube," he added with almost childish
glee. lis the poor house full?''
"A leetle crowded; leetle, Squire"
pulled ready Reuben, but OF Beetles
top me last week they'd been 'carryin'
out few. Guess we might find room
fur hali-dozen er SO; a half-doZen er
So" he repeated with leer which set
his face TO working hideously.
"Get-get the books!" demanded Ga
briel Dent tuning with inpatience. "The
books-and a light, Rubev'
a light was at once brought, and the
Constable 1iuttered it back and forth
along the dusty shelves.
"Ih'-th' statoOts, Squire ?"
''1es, yes! The revised statutes
Quick, now, Rube! If it's as it ought to
be, Dentville III be safe from the yipers'
iangs yet, yet this night, Reuben
Screws!"
The old Squire pOred over the pages of
the statutes Tor a few minutes, as though
lives depended upon the result: while
great veins sprang upon his forehead and
were lost in the silvery hair of his head,
1t is seldom IN these later days, thank
heaven! that religion is essayed to be
lifted up, that ferver in even a supersti-
tloUsIy holy cause, that an awakening To
mans duty to his creed and his fellow
men, IS begun and carried out with such
appalling intensity and zeal, as here in
this ancient mansion beneath this flick
erlng light, where the two old heads, so
near the eternal silences. crowded close
and fiercely over the wise provisions of
the law; but with cry of delight from
the Squire and a hoarSe gur0Ie of salts
faction from the Constable, the sought-
for sentences were found, read as a
starved dog Will crunch a tootbsome
bone, and the statutes then clapped to-
gether and Rugged to the 'Squire's side
like some priceless gift of efficacy and
power
"Quick, now, RubeW he exclaimed.
springing from the table. Harness the
double team to the lumber wagon. Get
it around to the tavern the quickest Way
you ever moved III all your natural life.
Wen have 'em ready. Gibbs and Pll
make short work of 'em, now. Put a
little straw-not much, mind-in the bot
tom Of the wagon box, for the-the
strumpet women, il they don't deserve it,
Rube. Hurry, now! Gibbs and I'lI root
'em out, tooth and nail, bag and baggage"
But Reuben Screws was already puff
ing and wheeling in the barn at his mas
ter's bidding, and when old Gabriel Dent
discovered he was railing at empty walls
he FASTENED from the warmth OF his fire
side with the alacrity of eager youth out
into the tearsome night.
When certain quality of religion and
certain quality of law are conformity
utilized In eIevating the morals and ami
hilating the evils of community, hu-
man lives are as bits Of chaff between
the upper and neither millstones of expe-
diencY.
a village Justice court, complaint
under oath, a hasty examination. where
the facts and the law were as plain as the
parsons notice in the post-ofiice window.
q hastily -scrawled commitment in the
hands OF Constable Screws, the bundling
of the daZed, stricken and half-crazed
actors into the wagon-boX, a rattle and
clatter of wheels and prancing of sprawl
ing, brutally-urged horses along the icy
road, were the evangelizing work for a
very brief time this evening in Dentville;
when all that was left of the Ponsonby
Addington Grand Star Combination was
Gathering, sliding and whirling on it's
pitiless way to the Dentville poorhCuse,
Jbo1 DOh1tAA hIO pASIOY hSSAAlASL dIlOuS VIC
stony hills.
old Gabriel Dent now pushed his way
stoutly against the storm back past the
little postotnce, where he halted an in
slant beside its dim window. Here he
slowly and rumlnatively read and reread
his pastors notice. He again started for
ward, but paused again, turned, and
shaking his fist at the placard, vindict-
lively muttered:
Ihe genuine awakening in DentVille
is just begun, Philip Marden! Next to
actor lmps of Satan apostate preachers
come L don't know but they come first,
Philip Marden," as he resumed his
sturdy walk up the hill. 81 don't know
but they come first. Fn think it over,
Philip Marden.n
he entered his home with the calm face
OF one exalted with the sense of duty
done. He found Aunt Martha awaiting
him patiently beside the tea table. His
repast was untouched until he had said
accustomed grace by repeating the Lords
Prayer.
Then he began upon his food with
nearly relish and Zest, but his bent little
wlIe-was it from the subtle instinct of the
mothers unaccounJable forebodings and
measureless compassion ?-stealthily and
many times lifted that comforting apron
corner to her dim old eyes during the
single evening meal.
Despair is oftener dumb than frenzied
but it is often BOTH
The haggard woman, holding to her
heart her stricken husband as they were
sped away from the Red Lion in the
Jolting wagon, might have had some swift
consciousness of the light cleaning from
the great house upon the hill; of the
merciless hand which had signed their
commitment; of the tender homo lights
leaping across countless shining objects
and burning into her desolate desperate
heart; for the infinite God can only meas
ure punishments and moments such as