Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-06-07

attend the annual conference at Lam
caster on April 4tA, his salary was
fully five hundred dollars in arrears.
Mrs. Williams stayed at home to
care for her family, in some faint hope
that they would not be sent to an
other circuit, since they had but re-
Gently moved into the new parsonage.
These hopes were short-lived.
On the evening of the seventh q
letter from Williams informed his
wife that she must again pack their
household goods. ''But we have not
far to move this time" he added. "It
is only five miles, They are going to
send me to Marston, down at the foot
Of the lake. But the church there
has no parsonage" he added, "and
suppose that we shall rent house
until go ahead and build one, as
did at the Mills"
1t would be difficult for any one,
except an itineraat minister's wife, to
realize the bitterness of soul which
, fell on Mrs. Rosy Williams as she re-
folded her husbands letter. But as
calmly as possible she explained to
Dolly, aged fifteen, and Jackson, Jr.,
ageJ thirteen, that they must stay at
home from school on the next day
to help her in packing.
Dolly burst forth in lamentations.
"Our new, pretty house that papa
madel Have we got to leave it,
mother?" she cried.
"Yes," replied the mother, sadly,
Sand leave the most of your father
salary, too, fear"
''And live in some old dirty place
down at Marston, as we did year
ago at Simontonr' cried the little girl.
ST don't carel L think it is too bad!
think this house belongs to us-or
ought to!"
Mrs. Williams thought so, too.
Something of her girlish spirit sud-
denly revived. and it bore fruit that
evening in an exploit which will not
soon be forgotten in that part of the
State.
The weather was still very cold.
Snow lay on the ground, aud the two
feet or more of ice on the lake had
not as yet been broken up, or thawed
perceptibly. Just across the lake
from Links Mills, q crew of loggers
with their teams were "browing"
spruce logs. Atsunset they were not
little surprised to see the minister's
wife approaching on the ice. Her
errand was soon made known. She
wished to hire them to draw the new
parsonage to Marston, and she want
ed to have the job done before six
o'clock on the following morning!
The foreman of the crew laughed,
and returned an evasive answer. Find
ing that the men could not be induced
to attempt such queer and doubtful
job, merely for hire, Mrs. Williams
then told the whole story, AID ap-
pealed to them 10 help her through
with her project. This appeal put a
different complexion on the affair. 1t
tickled the humor and, no doubt,
touched the hearts of the lumbermen.
"We'll do it, ma'am!" exclaimed the
foreman, grinning broadly. "You get
your crockery down ofr'n the shelves
and your stovepipe cool. Well be
over by nine or ten, and fetch chains
and skids and couple of logs for
shoes to haul it on"
The church at Links Mill stands q
little apart from the village proper,
and is separated from the rest Of the
place by pine grove where there is a
cemetery. The new parsonage stood
. few rods beyond the church. II
passers along the road saw teams az
irving there late in the evening, they
paid little attention. Loggers' teams
often passed.
The loggers worked quietly and
quickly. Before eleven o'clock the
little new parsonage, with the minis
ter's wife, family and household goods
still IN it, started on its singular jour.
ney-tirst down to the lake shore, then
out on the ice, and so onward to Mars
ton, where the people were greatly
astonished and mystitied next morn
ing to see it,set close to their weather
beaten meeting house, and making il
look like an old soldier who has sud
denly married very young wife!
Smoke was rising blithely from the
chimney, and all curious inquirers a
the door were met by Mrs. Williams
in person, who cheerily informed
them that she was their new minister
: wife, and brought her parsonage
along with her!
, The people of Marston could fine
| no fault with such a windfall, but the
people of Links Mills were great,
| agitated.
A member OF the church, farmer
driving into the village with vegetable
= next morning, was the first to motto
g the absence of the parsonage.
l oval, I'll be planted and hoedl
: he gaspad. "What's missin'?"