The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-07-25

marry MlS' COOE!"
| good man prided himself on the exer-
else OF a neat bit of strategy. Further
more, it removed the most remote dan
ger Of interruption.
For some time the deacon sat in 81
lence, bis cold eyes sharply fixed upon
his brothers face. Then, when the
suspense had begun to grow painful,
he cleared his throat with evident eff
fort and spoke, carefully weighing ev-
cry word.
"Joel," he said, give come down here
to talk to you man to man, an I'm in
| earnest. It's hard, but it's got to be
done. It's been on my mind for long
time"
Il hope there amt any trouble, Will
Ham," The shadow of an impending
calamity had gradually formed before
JoePs eyes, and his face wore a pale
and anxious look.
'Trouble? Yes. there is trouble an
plenty Of it. The truth is, I've been
mother an I've been - watchin you
now this last six months, an what
you've been doin is as clear to US as an
open book" -, ~ e.. 500. p.
Instantly a sheepish, self conscious
expression spread itself over Joel's face
and his eyes sought the floor in embar-
rassment. The deacon noted the quick
change, and his last lingering doubt in
stantly vanished. His course was now
clearly defined.
eyes, JOEL" be continued, with great
er earnestness, there's no use denyin
it now. Mother an me-
II amt denyin nothin, William"
/ The deacon started suddenly and bit
his lips with anger. The last thing he
had anticipated was frank acknowl-
edgment of guilt. 1t came so unex-
pectedly that he hardly knew how to 90
on, yet he realizedthat the best way to
approach the crisis was by successive
steps. The culprit exhibited no further
willingness to speak in self defense, so
the deacon plunged in again.
YES" he repeated; we've knowed
all about you right along. We suspi-
cicned you when you took to high fan
gled notions about stand up collars an
gay neckties. We was surer Of it when
you got to spendin your money on tail
coats an such, an then,' dropping his
voice to an insinuating whisper and
punctuating each word with a pause,
1--WE finally saw through the whole
thing when you took to goin out late
nights"
Before such an accumulation of evil
dence Joel hung his head His express
sion changed gradually from embar-
| raised confusion to guilty assurance,
while with the heel of his boot he un-
consciously drew parallel lines on the
dusty barn floor
"Well, what Of it, William" he ask
ed, with a faint smile. what if you
have?"
"What of it," The deacon repeated
the words, with angry surprise.
eyes; what of it? l don't see the
good of maxim a fuss about it, any
way"
The deacon swallowed something
that seemed to rise in his throat to
choke his words. "What Of it," he re-
peated again angrily. "Why, man, you
have gone clean mad. Can't you see
that If you keep on it's goin to make
your life regular hell on earth?''
Even the unpleasant prospect Of i'm
mediate earthly perdition seemed to
have no effect upon the culprit His
confusion did not diminish, but his
smile broadened to faint laugh. Then
he looked thoughtful and said:
II shouldn't hardly think you'd like
to say that, William"
''Say it, man alive! Why, don't l
know it? Do you think I've been Twin
all these years for nothin? Amt it al
ways that way?''
The deacon spoke the words in an
angry treble, accompanied by an i'm
patient and deprecating gestr: :, IAN
besides, Joel" he went on, his voice
rising to a stiH higher key, 'slook at it
this way, if it amt too late: You've
got little money put up in the saw
ms bank. How long do you suppose
it's goin to last If you keep on ~
To financial consideration of the