The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-05

though it is hard to confess that q
mans ideal comes>short of his expecta-
itions when put to the trial. / am free
to confess that although ne enjoyed il
! all. attending crops or lis sheep, or
haggling with his fellow farmers over
fat beasts in Skipton market he had
gone back to one of his more practiced
tastes-if one call it a taste-the ctSlti-
walton of religion.
The farm stood bleak and lonely on
the slope of hillside, and on both
TANKS of the dale were other lonely
farms as far as the eye could see. There
was no village. The nearest place OF
worship was four miles away. But in
the valley was a small gray stone
chapel Kettle got this into his con-
troll.
He was by no means rich man. The
row of houses in Birkenhead were for
the most part tenanted by the wives
of mercantile marine engineers ard
officers, who were chemically laggard
with their rent, and whom esprit de
corps forbade him to press; and so
what with this deficit, and repairs, and
taxes. and one thing and another. it
was rarely that half his projected $500
year found its way into his banking
account. But a 1.-THE of whatever ac-
crued to him was Scrupulously set aside
for the maintenance of the chapel.
He imported there the grim, narrow
creed he had learned in South Shields,
and threw open the door for congre-
cations. He was entirely in earnest
over it all, and vastly serious. Failing
another minister, he himself took the
services. and though on occasion some
other brother was induced to preach.
1t was he himself who usually mounted
the pulpit beneath the sounding board.
He purchased an American organ. and
rr.f l. II Il Ill.
take lessons in Skipton till she could
play it. And Mrs. Kettle herself led
the singing.
Still further, the chapel has its own
collection OF hymns. specially written,
printed and dedicated to its service.
The book is Captain Kettles first pub
lished effort. Heaven and Its author
alone know under what wild circum-
stances most of those hymns were
written.
The chapel started its new span of
life with congregation that was mea-
gre enough, but Sunday by Sunday the
number grew. Some came once and
were not seen again. Others came and
returned. They felt that this was the
loneliest of all modern creeds; indeed.
Kettle preached as much; and one can
take a melancholy pride in splendid
isolation.
1 am not sure that Captain Kettle
does not find the restfulness of his
present life a trifie too accumulated at
times, though this is only inevitable
for one who has been so much man of
action. But he never makes complaint.
He is strong man, and he governs
himself. even as he governs his family
and the chapel circle, with a strong,
Just hand. The farm is Il model of |
neatness and order; paint is lavished !
in way that makes dalesmen lift their |
eyebrows; and the routine of the house 7
hold is as strict as that of a ship.
The house is unique, too, in Wharfe- |
dale. for the variety of its contents. |
Desperately poor though Kettle might |
be, on many of his returns from his /
ventures. he never came |
back to his wife without some present |
from a foreign cline as a tangible /
proof of his remembrance. But one
night turn the house upside down /
without finding so carnal an instru-
nent as revolver. and when L sug-
yested to Kettle once that we might go
outside and have little pistol practice. I
he glared at me. and l thought he
would have sworn. He let me know,
,tiffly enough, that whatever circum-
stances might have made him at sea,
lie had always been very different
nan ashore in England; and there the
natter dropped.
But, speaking of mementoes. there is
me link with the past that Mrs. Ket-
lie. poor lady, never ceases TO regret
he loss of. such a beautiful gold
vatch.'' she says it was. too, with the
.mperor's and the captains names en-
,raved together on the back, and just
nice mention of the Grosser Carl.
As it happened. / saw the letter with
which it was returned. Kettle re-
urned il, refusing to accept present
rom one he had talked about.