The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-06-15

find two yu-ng men in possession OF
his sir.ing-room- One, with long,
pale face, was leaning back in the
rocking-chair, with his feet cooked
upon the stove. The other, a bull
neclzed youth with coarse. bloated fea-
lures. was standing in front of the
window with his hands in his pockets,
whistling a popular hymn Both OF
them nodded to Ferrier as he entered.
and the one in the rocking-chair COM
smenced the conversation.
Maybe you don't know u.s. he said.
This here is the son of Elder Drebber,
-eled with you in the desert when the
Lord stretched out His hand and gath
cred you into the true fold"
''As He will all the nations in His
own good time said the other, in a
nasal voice; He grindeth slowly but
exceeding small"
John Terrier bowed coldly. He had
guessed who his visitors were.
I'VE have come" continued Stanger-
son, lat the advice OF our fathers, to
solicit the hand of your daughter for
"a Us SCCL SOO0 W yOG
and to her. As have but four wives
and Brother Drebber here has seven. it
appears to me that my claim is the
stronger one"
Nay, nav, Brother Stangerson,"
cried the other; 1.-The question is not
how many wives we have, but how
many we can keep. My father has
now given over his mills to me, and
am the richer man"
But my prospects are better" said
the other, warmly. when the Lord
removes my father, 1 shall have his
tanning-yard and his leather factory.
Then I am your elder, and am higher
in the church"
1T will be for the maiden to decide"
srejoined young Drebber, Sinking at
his own reflection in the glass We
will leave it all to her decision"
During this dialogue, John Ferrier
had stood Tuning in the doorway,
hardly able to keep his riding-whip
from the backs of his two visitors.
Look here" he said at last. strid-
ing up to them, when my daughter
summons you, you can come; but until
then. don't want 70 see your faces
again"
The two young Mormons stared at
him in amazement- In their eyes this
competition between them for the
maiden. hand was the highest of
honors both to her and her father.
There are two ways out of the
roon,' cried Terrier: there is the door,
and there is the window. Which do
you ee-s to use?7
His brown face looked so savage, and
his gaunt hands so threatening, that
his visitors spraBg to their feet and
beat hurried retreat The old farmer
followed them to the door.
Let me know when you have
settled which 1t Is to be- he said
saFdonieaIly.
You shall smart for this Stanger-
son cried. white with rage You
have Gefed the prophet and the coun-
scil of four. You shall rue It to the end
Of Jour days"
'.Ths hand of the Lord shall be
heavy upon you" cried young Dreb-
Der, He viii arise and smite YOU"
Then III start the shifting ex-
claimed Ferrier furiously, and would
have rushed upstairs for his gun had
not Lucy seized him by the arm and
restrained him. Before he could
escape from her. the clatter of horses
7hoofs told him that they were beyond
his reach
The young canting rascals. he ex-
claimed wiping the perspiration from
his forehead Il would sooner see you
in your grave, NY girl, than the wife Of
either of them"
t'And so should /, father she an
severed with spirit; but Jefferson
viii soon be here"
Yes 1t VIII not be long before he
comes The sooner the better, for we
do not know what their next move
may BE-"
It was. indeed. high time that some
one capable Of giving advice and help
should come to the aid of the sturdy |
old farmer and his adopted daughter. !
In the whole history of the settlement |
there had never been such ease of |
rank disobedienee to the authority of |
the elders If minor errors were pun
ished 50 sterulT. what would be the