Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-16

drunken ways instanter or, by the
Lord, he'll never stay another day un-
der my roof!
Mrs. Birdsell was fairly struck dumb
before her husbands awful denuncia-
ton. It was the first time in her mar
ried life that he had 80 ruthlessly
broken the third commandment and
she laid herself down to broken sleep
and troubled dreams.
The first CLEAN of the rising sun was
already painting gold and purple hues
in the eastern sky when the deacon
slowly reused to the troubles Of new
day. Quickly throwing on his working
clothes, he hastened to the foot of the
stairs.
"Joel," he called to the upper cham
Der. "Joel, be stirrin! The suns more'n
an hour high. We've oversight scan
d'lous"
| No answer came from above.
"Joelp' This time there was an an
cry ring In the word.
And still no answer.
The deacon did not call again, but
started briskly for the stables, his
heavy boot heels making dark half
circles in the light frost that covered
the ground. He was surprised again
| to find the heavy doors thrown wide
open to the morning breezes. Sounds
were issuing from within, and as he
paused he heard his, brother Joers
voice lifted In song, the rhythm punctu-
ated by the steady Swish" Of milk
against the bottom and sides Of the
tin milk can.
The absolute unexpectedness Of the
situation caused the deacon to hesitate
In doubt a moment on the threshold.
Bending slightly forward and listening
attentively. he managed to catch the
words:
Bet my money on the old bay mare,
Somebody bet on the gray.
The doggerel had only one meaning
| to the deacon. 1t was a shameless de-
fense of horse racing, an unhOly pas
| time into which he had gained some in
sight through the innocent medium Of
| country fairs.
"Mornin. WilliamW The greeting
was fresh and cheery-surely not spo-
ken with the languor that is supposed
| to follow q night Of debauchery. "Guess
you kind of overslep'. Must be you an
mother kept late hours"
"There's one way you might Of know
ed how late hours mother an me kept"
The deacon's answer bristled with
harsh insinuation, but 1t was all lost
on the erring one. Whistling softly
to himself, he picked up the milk pals
again and started for the house. while
the deacon, mystified and angered,
clambered up the perpendicular ladder
to the hayloft. He threw down a
generous quantity Of sweet smelling
clover to the neighing. impatient
horses below and then leaned medi-
tatively upon the fork handle to ar
range in his mind the admonitory talk
which he was more certain than ever
alone interviewed between his brother
and irredeemable damnation.
The morning meal In the little farm
house was not as comfortable as usual,
particularly for the farmer and his
wife. 1t might have been noticed that
the deacon fingered long and fervently
over the thanks which he Invariably
offered up from his board. 1t might
have been noticed also that appended
| to those fervent thanks was an earnest
supplication that Divine Providence in
his all seeing wisdom might not Judge
harshly the weaknesses Of his erring
children, all Of which was lost on Joel,
| inasmuch as 1t was well known to be
| q part of the deacon's religious philOs-
ophy to regard all earthly beings as
weak and sinful In the eyes Of the
Lord. AS for the deacon, he was sur
prised to note that Joers appetite
seemed even better than usual.
The meal finished. Mrs. Birdsell arose
question Joel made no immediate an,
swer. He seemed to be actually reck-
oning up the costs. After meditating
| quietly for q little while he composed
ly replied: ,
"Well, suppose it does cost a little
more? guess it's worth the differ
ence."
The calm reduction Of moral deprav-
ity to a matter of dollars and cents
brought the deacon to his feet with an
impatient start.
'"An your friends, your new friends!'
he exclaimed. "What do you suppose
they'll do when your moneys gonei
Are they goin to stand by you then"
"Come, William, you talk as If l was
goin to commit crime instead OF just
followin out a mans natural way
There amt much danger Of starvin
anyhow" Joel's impatience, too, was
beginning to show itself. "lf you're
goin to 60 back on me now, well,
suppose there's other places can &c
to. I wasn't eXpectin to stay In the
old house much longer anyhow. Bu,
II didn't think this of you, William. L,
amt deserved for you to get mad"
"Tryin to play reproachful, eh? JUS
look back over the last 80 years ol
more. Amt 1 always been all broth
er could be? Amt Martha been more'r
flesh an blood sister could be? Al
how about your home? Amt 1t beer
all a reasonable man could want"
The deacon's voice trembled LITTLE
as he rapidly summed up the list o.
unappreciated kindnesses.
"Well, william, I amt forgettin al
that, not a bit of 1t. But what II
man after awhile gets tired Of liviI
day in an day out in a rut? What i
he wants to get out into a bigger, bet
ter life? l suppose wouldn't though
of 1t II the railroad hadn't been pu
through. got to goin there frs
when they was layin the tracks. Well
that was all right enough, an then
"Thatll do! Enough Of that! won
hear 1t from your lips"
"An them
"stop, man! 1 say stop, in the nam
! of what little regard for decency youv
got left! won't hear from you!
, didn't come out here to listen to you
boastin an plumin yourself about you
reckless, senseless goin on"
! The deacon's bloodless lips tremble
, "a he fairly thundered the comman