Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-10

fingers barely touched his shirt sleeve.
"William," she said in a more COM
posed tone, eve mustn't get excited.
What we must do is to tend to Joels
case. The Lord that judges between
the righteous an the unrighteous will
tend to the Lowdens himself"
Before such an undeniable exposition
of truth the farmers anger slowly sub
sided.
you know the time Joel washed the
buggy an went to town. Mrs. Birdsell
went on. "Hc didn't get back that
night till quarter past -, an he took
his boots off before he come into the
house. know all about it because he
clean forgot 'em an left 'em on the
porch"
"You wouldn't call them things boots,
would you:' The deacon threw his
whole available fund of sarcasm into
the words.
"Gaiters, mean," corrected Mrs.
| Birdsell quickly. AN that's another
thing. Just to think of a man takin to
CATERS after boots has been good
enough for him for 30 years! It's n
sure sign, William"
Eyes, mother, that's the long an the
short of ii. Caters may be small
thing in themselves, but in Joel's case
they help powerful to show what fast
livin an strong drink will do once q
man gets goin in the wrong way"
The deacon started suddenly at the
meaning of his own words. A spade
had finally been called spade. Mrs.
Birdsell straightway began to sob au-
dibly, while her husband searched abb
stractedly for his handkerchief, which
he finally produced from the armhole
of his vest.
l Joel Birdsell filed the place Of q son
not only in the hearts but in the home
of the deacon and his wife. Back in
the fifties, when heavy timber still COW
cred what is now the rich, rolling farm
land of lower Michigan, William Bird
sell had gone forth from the circum-
scribed acres of the homestead in YER
mont to win place for himself in the
world with only young wife and his
4 own grit to aid him. Then Michigan
was not the farmers El Dorado 1t aft
erward came to be. But the house In
which he still lived was built, and then
Joel, the next younger by three years,
was sent for to share the increasing
fortunes, incidentally to lend helping
hand in the running of the farm.
And Joel, he was shining example
OF New England stagnation. Never in
clined to marry, always content with q
kind or helpless dependence upon his
brother and sister, whose home had not
been frightened by the advent of chill
dren, he grew more and more to be the
object of parental solicitude to the
. farmer and his wife as the years
passed by. He was satisfied with his
unique position, and gradually the hori-
zon Of his life came to be bounded by
: the views and wishes Of his foster par
/ ents.
Mrs. Birdsell was the first to break
/ the oppressive silence. WILLIAM" she
said, there's no use putin 1t off any
longer. Suppose we call Joel down now
this very night-an point out to him
like-tell him-that is to say, ask
him. She hesitated. The task seem
ed greater when framed in words.
"Shl" The exclamation escaped the
pair at the same instant.
In the chamber above the song began
again. This time the words were loud
: and distinct, although the tune was
still doubtful. Silently the couple fol
: lowed the lines:
drcamt that ! dwelt in marble halls
Not word was uttered until the
verse ended. Mrs. Birdsell was busy
making mental analysis of the mean
ing of the words. Their import seemed
!, beyond doubt.
cts real gamblin house tune" she
: pronounced, with assurance born Of
conviction, although there was trem
: bling in her voice. 1--WE heard al
about the internal places; all marble al
glass an electric lights an polished
woodwork"
:. The squeaking, heavy footsteps grew
louder. The culprit was certainly com
ing down the stairs. Next the doc
:. opened, and he walked into the dining
room. Mrs Birdsell looked straight ii
: front of her The deacon hastily snatch
ed The Agriculturist from the table.
Joel appeared surprised to find tn
rest of the family keeping late hours
"Still settin up?" he asked Innocent,
enough, but in the ears of the other
the words had guilty ring.
From the corners of her eyes Mrs
Birdsell was taking a quiet inventor.
of discriminating evidence. There wa
the red necktie encircling the stand III
collar that sagged out in tired fashion
at the front. The long tailed coat wa
also conspicuous. She wished she hat
had the forethought to put on he
spectacles, for she knew that prope
scrutiny would detect faint creases ii
front of the bagging gray pants. Al
for the shoes, the noise on the stair
had already told its own story.
"Well, guess I'll walk out for lit
] tie bit" he went on, taking no notic
> Of the unusual restraint. 1.-THE sky
as clear as a bell, an it seems jus
, shameful to stay in. Won't have man,
, more nights like this"
= cts time honest folks was abed al
:, asleep" The deacon's voice crate,
harshly, although he tried his best t,
be natural
"That's just one of your notions
William" Joel answered, with fain
laugh. Come now, nights just a
good as day, amt it? Don't fret abou
). me. Just leave the key to the dinil
room door under the stone by tn
,, steps, IN I'll get in all right"
: There was no reply.
: "An that reminds me-" the culprl
went on, "the next time go to tow
/. Pm goin to take that key along Will
me an have one made like it. No us
, talkin, a man ought to have latch
key"
: This last worldly whim, more signifl
cant than anything else, worse evel
than the reckless get up Of the cos
tune, fell with astounding weight OF
, the farmer and his wife. 1t was moth
ing less than the limit of moral de
n wifi In JIa,, - IL.