The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-15


work OF his address. He chose the pungent
text, There is death In the pot" for his
theme, and he sustained the allegation by
tistics
Then came the scattered chances fer
which Miss Lane had been peering; al
though their combination did not at first
suggest itself An old and faithful sister
OF the church. Miss Tabitha Potts by name,
VINO III, had for many years borne the ne heat
been a deaconess had that order been rec
ogniZed. died. Her benefactions had been
numerous and munifcent; from the gar
gOyles on the tower to the reredos OF the
altar, the name OF Potts, given, flashes
at the glance. 1t was also hoped that her
hence IL was conceded that her burial serv-
ices must attain the dignity Of obsequies,
since there was not only the assurance OF
dust to dust but the probability or dust
from dust The Rev. DR.. Muffin sent for
his assistant.
MY dear young friend" he announced,
Il fear you must cast yourself into this
breach. My spirit, as you know, is willing,
but my hesh-ah. 1 am a sad invalid but L
day, in the afternoon, / think. Prepare such
a memorial sermon as / would have pre-
pared in the days Of my activity. Won't you
with you.
The Rev Gedney Just, like the gallant
Christian soldier that he was, did cast him
self into the breach. For the next two
days he worked almost necessarily, and
when he mechanically performed such ex-
traneous details as eating and sleeping. his
intellect still kept fixed and absorbed on the
duties of the approaching Saturday.
great day it would be for him, since one
which would approve his usefulness. In the
morning the exercises of 1.-The Temperance
INSTRUMENTATION League" in the after
noon, the solemnities in memory of the
lamented Tabitha Potts. Mindful of the
bit Of original weakness which his father
had passed on to him. the young clergyman
frequently contemplated this order OF
events, until il became stationary and per-
manent in his mind.
Meanwhile Miss Lane. as president Of the
league, had issued invitations for the ami
VerSary exercises TO be held Saturday after
noon. Meantime the relatives of Miss
Potts. deceased, had notified DIT. Muffin
that friends and acquaintance were sum-
moned to attend with them the last sad
rites to be performed at the church Satur-
day morning.
1t was late Friday afternoon when Miss
Venetia Lane gathered these scattered
chances into an occasion. She was hasten
ing hOmeward from the final meeting of the
executive committee when she was Joined
by the Rev. Gedney Just, who had been
verifying some statistics at the free Ii
brary. He was pleased in his readiness for
the morrow. pleased that he had been able
TO sustain Of his keenest arguments
with numerical proof.
"Ah, Miss Lane he began, almost gayly
every detail in perfect adjustment for the
morning. We shall have a great, a note
worthy gathering from all | hear"
Il have striven to the utmost Of my fee
BILE powers with the address, continued the
clergyman, fervidly believe was
this portion of Scripture, taken from the
fortieth verse of the fourth chapter of Sec
ond Kings, There is death in the pot,
strike you as almost predestined in it's force
and patneSs?''
For tomorrow" again repeated Miss
Lane, and then intuition and experience
enthusiasm, the very thing. I'm sure your
words will convince many that there is
safety alone in total abstinence. But l fear
you will be so tired for the funeral in the
afternoon.
For shame. Miss venetia Lane, to thus
clinch the miscOnceptiOn of this wretched
young mani Think how overthrow and
ruined viii be his career of usefulness il,
before that decorouS assemblage of mourn
erS he should announce such an astounding
statement the theme of his eulogy.
Would the bereft ever doubt the fiendish
cunning and mischief Of that most unfortu-
nate play of words? Would the victim ever
recover his wits sufficiently TO attempt TO
elucidate the mystery? Explain. oh. ex-
PLAIN ere IT Is TOO late, the error of his
Wool gathering, and requite the disappOint-
ment of hopes by the consciousness of duty
done.
But no: the view was too clear, too felic-
itous Venetia could fOresee the confusion,
the bewilderment, the uproar, the surge of
the indignant audience, the retreat of the
all had turned away in anger and con-
tempt, she could see fair form bending
over him, a white hand stroking his fevered
hand.
Eyes. indeed. Mr. Just" she continued.
Tomorrow morning you Will do much for
the league"
They had reached the corner where their
ways separated and the clergyman was
standing with hat dotted in parting saluta-
ton when a man whom they both recog-
niZed as DR.. Mullins servant handed him a
letter. The Rev. Gedney thrust it alb
stractedly within the inner lining, of his
broadbrin, and Venetia gave a sigh of re-
lief. Doubtless that missive related to the
hour set for the funeral. Well, then. a di-
minutes Miss venetia Lane talked at q
rate which would have left the most ex-
| pert stenographer tripping over his SYM
Dols; and when at length the young man
| FASTENED home he was as oblivious of the
! contents OF his hat as that hat of the
head which it so decorously covered.
| Inc next morning was time of nervous
eXcitement for the. Rev. Gedney Just
! Many tritfeS annoyed him, and in so doing
| grew mountainous. Never before had ey-
cry article of dress so successfully secreted
| itself; never before had his tie been sc
unruly and his hair 50 refractory. Al
| Delng undone, he set forth, first thrust tins
his temperance sermon into his pocket anC
gaining therefrom solitary CLEAN of sat
! isfaction- That's all right, at any rate,
| he muttered.
As an incident of his ratified condition. Il
may be mentioned that he wore the Oldest
| or his old hats. Consequently, when Moral
| Barring noticed on the hall rack the seem
| ~ tile which he should have worn, certain
|
! superlunary gaze gained strength. But
| when loving examination led 10 the discov
/ cry OF the note, with seal yet unbroken
| concealed behind the band, then she real
| lied that her hero had gone forth to NEE
| the events of this great day without tht
! armOr of sslf-pOssession. What else Nigh
he not have left at home? She sped L
| the study; there on the desk lay a manu-
! script She opened it; it was the funera
! sermon which even now he ought to b,
| delivering. What, then, had he taken II
| its stead? What, then? Why, of course
the temperance address with which hi
head had been so full. Horrors unutter
| able, should he thus mix morality and NOR
! tally. it would not be total abstinence bu
! total extinction for him All, little mouse
| now is he hour for thy devotion. The lion
| needless and overcOn1ident, hath stepped
! full into the tolls. Haste and obey tn,
heart, for love is its Unerring monitor
Through the streets sped Norah Barring
! with the sermon within her breast. and al
! she sped she heard the solemn knell of ST
| SimOnS great bass bell. As she aD
| preached the church she saw the long lin
| OF carriages and the press of people ful
| filling the obligation of respect. Oh sh
| was too latei Through the windows cam
/ vibrations of a professional, a march I,
doom. OF which her poor, dear, innocen
! Gedney was the victim. How could sh,
reach him, surrounded as he was by IN
clergy and engrded by altar boys an,
| door. close to the steps leading up TO tn
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