The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-10
/ only he-Adnlts. 25 cents. children. l

ant lace behind the windows OF the chief
mansion of the village was that of old
Squire Gabriel Dent, for half a century
the dominant spirit of the hamlet that
bore his name; a man of iron will, stern
as the granite hills above MIN and as in
flexible in the principles of his puritanic
creed as the immutable tenets OF the hard
Mosaic law
Within the same room sat Aunt Mar
tha," his wife. tender as her husband was
unylelding and grim, bore down by some
grief and atfiiction, and with that timor-
GUS, appealing look in her face betoken-
ing the life of endless seryility and abne-
CATION she had led.
just inside the doorway was hatless,
bullet-headed, withered being, whose
mingled smothered snufilings and growls
proceeded, when he spoke, from the
huge folds OF a wooden comforter, as
through ragged sieve. His beady eyes
furtively followed the ford figures of
the ingram carpet and his two cracked
and horny hands rested on the knob of
a savage club. This was "Old Gabe
DENTS handy man." as he was called in
the village, the Dentville Constable, Reu-
ben Screws.
The latter had just entered the room
and Aunt Martha had raised the corner
OF her apron to her eyes as If from long
habit to check the gathering tears.
the old Squire roughly from his man.
"Ali sarved, slick and span," was the
mut1led answer.
HAS tavern-keeper Gibbs got every
thing locked up tight from that pack O.
tramps?'
'Everything's cleaned out often 'em,
though It didn't pear T. me as how Gibbs
jess liked it. Said twas pity t. be 100
tarnal rough on 'em.''
did, did hep"
THAT'S about it, Squire"
Rube?''
Last night when they got back t. th'
tavern after tn show"
Not given 'em a mouthful since,
Rube?''
Nary bite, save th' head un, who's
down with sunth'n. Gin him some
chicken broth t'-day noon. Wouldn't a
done that, Gibbs wouldn't, arter tn
word you sent him, 'ceptin' he's afraid
the head un's goner."
"Oh, taJherW exclaimed Aunt Martha
in tears behind her huttering apron, IRE
member the words we've been "a listenin'
to all along through these revival meet
in's th' last four weeks. DON'T be too
hard on the poor creeturs. Oh, Gabriel,
DON'T Mebby, somewhere in the wide
VIDE world, our Letty's in sorrow am
trlbulation, this very minute, borne
down to the earth with need an want an
grief. Remember"
Remember! Amt L remembering?
Eye for eye, tooth for toothi That's
Scriptur', an mighty good Scriptur', too!
Didn't them cursed play actors steal our
Lefty from US? Didn't them cursed play
actors ruin our home? Didn't l swear
the girl never should come back, and I'd
red Dentville Of the vermin forever?
Martha, you best remember this town
has had great awakeningv'
'A great awaLenin',n Wheezed Reuben
Screws.
THE sword and the spirit have de-
scended."
Has descended" echoed the blinking
Constable.
Root and branch, the devil must be
driven from among us!"
Root and branch!" suuffled Reuben
Screws.
to be religious townv' Numbered the
excited Squire.
Religious town." came the voice from
the WOODEN comforter.
"Oh, husband" sobbed Aunt Martha,
'pd rather have the touch of poor Letty's
hand, dead or alive, than all the hard
cold things that can be twisted and
turned IN religions holy name! What If
that very woman you're helpin' starve at
the tavern. was our own Lefty? It's her
name. Oh, it's our own Letty's name!D
Then I'd drive her into the storm for
an unrepentant child OF Satan. Pd-"
But his wife, with soDs and stiiied
screams, had fed from the room aghast at
the dire threats she knew were yelling
from his implacable and angry heart.
"Rube. what's that ?"
The Constable wriggled quickly to the
old 'Squire's SIDE, and the two gazed with
something akin to fascinated asLonish-
ment at tall, commanding figure. well
clad against The furious storm, that had
moved slowly down the village street.
entered the postofflce, attached beneath
the Grand Star Combination's poster a
generous placard, ana returning from his
errand, had given hasty glance at the
tavern window, from which the white
and hopeless face had instantly disap-
peared.
Three EXPLANATIONS followed this ap-
parently trihing incident.
That womau-hearted parsons med
ding, RUDE! :" was the impatient out
burst in the window OF the mansion.
''Oh, how like him is that noble tear
lessness in duty! But it is too late-too
late ~ came from the lips OF the white
face in the tavern window.
1T is right" said the man in the street:
land whoever questions or cavils over it
has not the love OF the merciful Christ in
his nedrt.
This little incident had it's origin in the
village parsonage, III its cosy sitting
room, dining room, parior and pastor 5
study combined.
Here, before a CHEEKY blaze of maple
knots, had sat ali the stormy afternoon,
Mother Marden'-
y Martha with a Mary's sanity eyes.
and mother true to all the sore hearts OF
Dentvllle Village. with Ruth Marden.
sweet and loving daughter, now woman
grown, busted at her needle-Work; while
Philip Marden, son, brother and village
pastor, had dejectedly sat before his desk,
pacing the glowing room uneasily as his
mother ana Ruth now and then look ed
up with kindly and loving smiles. or
stood at the lattieed window, gazing with
sad and thoughtful face at the windows
OF the Red Lion in the street below.
Nv hat Is worrying you, Philip" at
last atfectionateIy inquired Mother Mar
den.
Two things" he answered without
turning from the window. lone is the
almost hopelessness of reaching and
melting q few stony hearts here in Dent
VILE"
But the revival meetings have won
over great many to the church," broke
in Ruth encouragingly.
Yes, many. But that has been the
easiest task. The obdurate. puritanic.
stony. self-justified souls within the
church are those most needing saving
grace"