The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-19

sweat that stood out upon his brow.
Joels flushed face turned pale at the
deacon's words. They cut him like a
sharp knife, and his brother knew it.
But quickly the scornful look returned
and he met the issue sQuarely half
way. Without a tremor, he stepped
close to his brother and, placing his
hand gently on the others shoulder,
exclaimed: William, William, if it
was the last thing on earth, L didn't
expect this of you! If it was anybody
else, I'd said he'd gone clean crazy.
You an mother never did circulate
much around among the neighbors,
but never once had an idea either of
you had anything against Miss Cook.
1 can't understand it. Her husband $
been dead for three years now, an
durin' that whole time she's hardly
been outside her dooryard- It's goin' 10
be hard to tell her that this is our
weddin' present from you an Martha,
but / can do it, an I will. One thing
has got to be settled between you an
me, howsomever''-here Joels words
became deliberate and foreboding-l
amt goin' to stand up an listen to
anybody throw miserable slurs on the
woman that's goin' to be my wife-not
even you, my own brother, an a dea-
con in the church, who ought to be
above such a thing. | want you to
understand that if the Lowden boys
did build their tavern across from her
house, she amt responsible nor the
worse for it, An as far as that place
is concerned, / hate it worse than you
do. 1t hurts her property scand' lousr
Wedding bells often ring out in I'M
expected places. Their notes are the
sweeter when they sound above the din
Of discord. In vain the deacon, per-
picked and confused, his excited mind
in a. whirl, tried to interrupt Joels
words. Then he gave up the attempt
and grasped weakly at the objects near
him for support. He could only gasp:
Miss Cook-you marry Miss Cook
the widow Cook at the crossin'-I-
you''-
We've been thinkin' it over ever
since the day the curcus was in town.
An last night we fixed it up an de-
cided to hitch"
Lord save US ALL Joel. p It was
strength deserted him. His knees bent
beneath his weight and his voice
dropped to an inaudible whisper. He
leaned upon the sleigh and rubbed his
eyes as if to bring back his scattered
senses. Then he suddenly found his
voice again. rs that the meanin' of 1T
all? Is that where you've been goin'
evenin' after evenin' when mother an
me thought you was at the Lowdens?
Say somethin' mani Are you struck
clean dumb?"
The scornful look had left JoePs face,
and the suggestion of a triumphant
smile played around the corners of his
mouth as he watched the successive
stages of his brothers collapse But
malice was not a part of Joel B1rdselI s
makeup. He answered the deacon's
question with a question: You amt
forgot, William" he asked seriously,
''the day you an me signed the pledge
back in Vermont? Well, I've kept my
share of it to this day. But 1 never
signed a pledge not to get married"
But you didn't tell us"
81 didn't have nothin' for sure to tell
till last night. You know how courtin'
is, William. a man don't like to speak
right OUT
Once aSain the deacon swallowed
something that seemed to choke his
words. God bless you BOTH" he said,
and his voice trembled as he spoke.
Then he added quickly: Perhaps
you'll forget the hard things l said.
You see''-
Its just the same as if you hadn't
ever spoke EN- Joel interrupted. An
now perhaps there's time yet to go
over to the creamery. Supposin' you
tell Martha about 1t While I'm gone.
The quavering notes of a song awak-
ened the deacon from a deep brown
study as he stood alone in the middle
of the store room floor. Listening, he
caught the words until they were lost
in the rattle of the wagon wheels:
Bet my money on the old bay mare,
Somebody bet on the gray.
The deacon did not stir until the
sound had died away in the distance.
Then he left the barn and slowly
walked up the path to the farm house.
AS he reached the porch he hesitated a
moment. Darn my fool Dieter," he
said to himself, 81 might have knowed
it! But it's a good joke on mother,
anyhow
Then he entered the kitchen, closing
the door behind him.
LOUIS VINCENT DE FOE.