Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-06
is interminable.'' u

VNGfs@ that this journe,
is interminable.
''Slow train-bad road" said my
new-made friend, throwing his higl
hat on tho back of his head.
1 Ipressed my face against the win
dow and peered out into the disma
country through which we were run
ming. Now we were plunging through
lonely stretches of dark woods; now
running across wide reaches of newly
cleared fields, with here and there {
log house rising above the waste o
fallen trees, just visible in the hal
light of the moon which was rising
above the mountains few mile!
away. Following us as we spun along
was awhite, smooth road that gIistenet
in the moonlight close to the track.
Once in while we lost it in the dark
ness of the woods, but as quickly a:
we emerged into the more open coun
try we could see it at our side again,
hugging us close, which, reflected,
was but natural in such dreary land.
"Fine country, eh?" said DR..
Buckle, 81 don't think, as my third
son, clever lad, if there ever was one,
says. 1t just happens that I knew this
region pretty well. There! Did you
see that place where the road crossed
a creek on wooden, bridge. That
was where they dropped me-"
dropped you?" 1 ventured inquir.
ingly.
"Pardon me. Thought that had
been telling you about it," returned
the minister, fitting his tile still fur
ther back on his head. "What memo.
ries the sight of that place engenders
You see, sir, some ten years ago / had
a charge in this very locality-at Pole.
vile, five miles down the road. There
were two churches, one at the village
and the other back in the country
some six miles, and 1 alternated be.
tween them. The charge was indeed
q poor one, but l was struggling
young divine then, with wife and
four little ones to support, and / was
glad enough to have snug parsonage,
a salary of $500 per year and an aver.
age of three donation parties per an
mum. 1t was the salary question that
eventually drove me away from the
place-a change for the better, to be
sure, as have now splendid church
in Punkington. By the by, I wish il
you ever stop there you would give us
call and see our new pulpit furni-
ture."
"But your story" 1 interrupted, for
I saw that he was promo to wander
from the subject of his discourse.
"Ah there I was forgetting my
tale to speak of pulpit trapping. Your
pardon. The trouble was that fully
four-fifths of my salary was paid by
two families, both wealthy farmers,
the Bunders and the Springhouses. I'm
fortunately for me these families had
been at odds for years over a matter
of line fence. In the West there
would have been some lead exchanged,
but this is a peaceable country, go
they contented themselves by quarrel
ing in court and never passing u word
elsewhere. To therule, however, there
was one exception-Henry Bunder and
Kate Springhouse."
The Doctor was evincing such gar
rulity that l felt little uneasy and
broke again the thread of his history.
"!5ee here, l think I know the rest.
They sang in the same choir; they
loved; you married them clandestine.
ly; salary cut off; left you d parson-
age, 5000 per year and three donation
parties.
"True, true" said the divine, strok-
ing his long beard, "but that was not
what L was going to tell you abopt.
proposed to relate tho events as they
affected me and not the young couple ;
to tell you how the wedding ended
where the road crossed tho bridge.
May go on?"
"By all means. Your pardon; l be-
lieved that I had OWNED your tale"
SIN general, yes in detail, no. But
to continue, L was not aware of this
exception until one October night
just about ten years ago, when loud
banging at the parsonage door awak-
ened my wife and me from our sleep.
At my request Mrs. Buckle went down
stairs to see what it was.
"'Who is there?'she called through
the keyhole.
"John Bunder,' came the answer,
'and he wants Preacher Buckle pretty
quick, too
believing it matter of impor-
tance. my wife rashly called me down
stairs to attend to the matter in hand,
while she retired. And still more
rashly, 1 opened the door crack and
demanded to know what was wanted
at such au hour.
"It's John Bunder and Kate Spring
house wants you to marry 'em, Preach
er, said the big fellow whom 1 saw
stamping to and fro on the porch.
'And you'll have to do it quick
Indeed, says l, and this is a nice
hour to wake an honest preacher for
such purpose.