Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-02

WHY GRADDOGk DID NOT
GO TO CHURCH.
By w. j. Dawson


THE REASONS why Thomas Grad
dock did not go to church were,
like his supposed reasons for being un-
married, somewhat inscrutable to the
public, though no doubt suficing to
himself. When Nathaniel bring, who
had married this third wife, and had
been rendered presumptuous by that
circumstance, started out one fine
spring morning to convert Craddock
to the liberation of matrimony as
social institution of some Importance,
it was generally admitted that he got
the worst of the argument. For when
bring asserted with quite unnecessary
effusiveness that he had never had q
cross word with one of his three wives,
Craddock merely grunteds How
monotonous," and indicated by slight
smile, which seemed to confne itself
to the corners of his grim mouth, that
he regarded brings statement as a
cunningly devised fable.
mot as object to your marryin' as
many wives as you like" he added, by
way of Cancellation, though when q
man has 'ad three wives In seven years,
It's uncommon like polygamy."
But marriage is ordained for the
mutual help, society, and comfort the
one ought to have of the other" re-
torted bring, with sudden recollec-
ton of the terms of the marriage serv-
ice, with which his acquaintance was
intimate and unusual. You'd be deal
happier for woman to look arter
you"
NO doubt, no doubt" he replied,
with CLEAN in his gray eyes which
wiser persons than bring had long
ago recognized as dangerous. "But
s'pose she talked when WASH lonely,
what then-eh?"
There was always something pecul-
iarly irritating in the "eh," of Thomas
Craddock. 1t was something between
a malignant chuckle and the sharp
explosive click of secret spring,
which one could fancy was ingeniously
concealed in his lean throat. Grad
docks throat was one of his strong
points. When he spoke, what is called
an Adams apple shot up and down like
the weight on the machine for the trial
of the relative strength of mems fists
at fairs. 1t possessed dreadful fas-
cination for children, and in the minds
of older people was curiously asso-
ciated with ideas Of pugnacity.
There amt enough for US all, any
way, an ifyou take more'n your share,
1t stands to reason some O. we poor
chaps must go without. We starvin'
chaps do it jest to oblige you greedy
chaps-eh?"
When he had gone, Craddock ham
mered vigorously at the boot that lay
on his lap, and said to himself grimly:
"He've meekencd two on 'em; mis-
doubt that the third onell meeken him
before he's done WI her-eh?"
Craddock was a man who suffered
from an unsatisfed thirst for knowl-
edge, which accounted for the circum-
stance that on tn, wall of the dingy
room was conspicuously displayed q
map Of the world. When he was very
lonely he looked at the map, and was
straightway consoled with the sense
of the multitudinousness OF life; when
he was oppressed with the narrowness
of his career, he reflected on the i'm
mensity of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, and repeated the heights Of the
great mountains which were boldly
printed on the map. 1t caused him a
curious pleasure-or at least mega
ton of pain-to reflect on the number
of people reported to exist in London,
New York, or Chicago, a great many Of
whom were no better Off than himself.
Many efforts had been made to in
duce him to attend public worship on
the Sunday, but none had succeeded.
He was always ready to receive any
sort of embassy on the subject, but no
| amount Of argument made any differ
ence to his habits. Every Sunday
morning he shaved, put on a pre-
historic blue coat, then he lit short
pipe, and disappeared in the direction
OF the moors. For some years he had
been accompanied by an old retriever
dog, but when the dog died he never
got another. and henceforth went
alone.
The mystery of his proce edings was
enhanced by the circumstance that he
usually carried in his hand small
black book, not unlike Bible, care
fully wrapped in big red cotton hand
serchief. People who did not scruple
to discuss every sort of question with
Craddock had never quite ventured to
ask him what was the book he took
with him on his solitary Sabbath
walks. Perhaps it was because there
was certain something In Craddock's
grim mouth which warned them not
to go too far with him.
1t was not until Reckett, the new
curate, came. that Craddock's doings
attracted wide notice. Reckett was
an indefatigable little fellow, with
strong views on the Divine necessity
OF state churches. He was partly lame
In one foot, but his lameness did not
prevent him tramping up and down in
all weathers In heroic attempts to
shsphsrd = scattered and rscslcitrant