Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-07-29

l. WOulu De 1uStlHeu III refusing 10 per-
form that ceremony unless l got the
dollar in hand?"
His wife thoughts a moment. NO.
she said at length. You would only
be encouraging what is bad. You know
those mountain people-they're heath
ems, that's what they are. Joshuay,
go and do your duty by them, even
even if that silk dress, the first one i
have had i'll fourteen years, and the
first garment I've had in four, does go
back to New York and stays there. Go
and do your duty as Christian min
lister, and I'll make up my mind to
stand it.
But all this was spoken with ring
which the good man understood, and
which said only too plainly: "Get that
dollar or bust!" and that's about the
resolution which passed through the
clergyman's heart as he kissed his
spouse good-by, and made his way to
the barn
The mountain road from Beverly is
bad enough for horse, but when that
horse has to pull two-wheeled gig,
in which there is a goodly proportioned
reverend carrying the weight of dis
trict dignity and the history of hun
dreds besides, the way seems difficult
indeed. The youth piloted the man
of the cloth over the rocky sleeps and
through the terrible ravines without so
much as backward glance, and the
dominic was too much absorbed in the
fulness of the big round dollar to give
heed to the youngster. They arrived
at last at the mountaineer' domicile,
which was partially dug-out and
somewhat of commodious hut, whose
sloping roof met the mountain against
which it backed up for shelter, and
more to save the trouble and expense
of north wall to the habitation.
The guests were assembled, and a
motley crew it was. There were two
men to every woman, and the whole
party gave unmistakable evidence of
having been indulging i'll 'moonshine"
stock, for the ease with which whisky
trickles everywhere from inaccessible
fountains, i'll answer TO the magic rod,
is something that is miraculous, even
to such men of God us the dominic and
to the Government revenue officers as
well.
Every evidence of the indulgence
was gone, however, except, perhaps,
the redolence of the nectar through
the two-roomed shanty, which was
lined with guests in all degrees of un-
couth and unkempt neglige. Sup
pressed merriment of rather an uncivil-
lied kind was rife. 1t seemed as if
they were about ready to jump in for
IA Virginia reel or free fight, with pis-
hide bootlegs, and of the two amuse-
ments, preferred the latter. They had
evidently seen the dominic coming up
the mountain road, had taken the sig
nal of his pilot, and had secreted any
thing that might tend to bring down
the wrath of the good man upon them.
They wanted the ceremony over with,
and the man officiating to get right out
after the event as soon as possible, so
as not to disturb the harmony of their
playful gala day.
With that practised ease of the man
who Is ever Mt home in the cloth, the
reverend advanced into their midst and
shook hands with the bride, the groom,
the parents, and one or two others who
We're anxious to show their homage of
the shiny black broadcloth, ss"Will
you bring me the family Bible, please?"
said the good man.
Alas, every one looked at his or her
neighbor III CONSERVATION, If he had
said, Where is the family still?" he
might have received reply of some
kinda curse or n bullet, at least
but to this innocent query there was
no answering word. Then, diving in
to one of his own pockets, he drew
forth little testament which had done
service over many grave, but was
rarely called out where the family
Bible was more fitting, and made the
unsteady groom and the rather sheep
ish bride stand up before him, joining
hands. The service was very short
and the answers to his official ques-
tions abrupt and thick, The company
| maintained fespect1ul silence, and
when prayer followed the blessing
there were one or two 'Amens'-aD
assumption of godliness that was too
evidently everywhere lacking, Then
came congratulations and some rather
heavy banter, and one or two of the
diplomatic ones engaged the clergy
man in conversation which led to
horses and desire to get the worthy
opinion on dappled mare tethered in
the thicket hard by. 1t was clearly q
put-up job to get the clergyman out OF
the house, so that the feast might be
prepared and the jollification renewed
but the dominic did not bulge. He
knew that if he went from the house
he would never be able to re-enter and
make his claims, so he stayed right
there till things grew very embarras
sing,
At last, when the diplomatist shool
his head ut the groom as much as tc
announce that it was ''no Co." the
ID