The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-07-25
TILE. INCEToN7 UNION: THURsDAY JUIY s.. l,o1
"Why, dear me, you amt forgotten

why, dear me, you amt forgotten
that, have you? 1t was the very same
day he come out from town bringin his
tail coat. I'll never forget that! He
was precious careful to keep that ri
| dic'lous thing out Of my sight, an when
| he spoke about the pants he blushed
like boy. He says to me: Martha,
some time when you've got a fatiron
on 1 wish you'd press out my gray
pants an leave 'em creased before an
behind. Folks say nowadays it keeps
'em from wearin out so quick 1 al
most gave him a piece of my mind
right then an there. says: Joel Bird
sell! An at your time in life too He
didn't say another word, but went off
up stairs that ashamed-an that very
night was the first time in the 20 years
he staid out till after midnight!''
Deacon Birdsell clasped his long fin
gers around his bony knee and bowed
his head.
IF do say it, / watched him from
the window when he went out" Mrs
Birdseu earnestly continued, "an l
seen him tramp straight off toward the
tavern. 'Twasn't the last time I've
seen him either.'
The deacon suddenly started up and
thumped his fist hard upon the table.
''Them Lowdens will get to prison
yet!' he burst out with Indignation
"'Twould be true religious act to set
their cussed dram shop on fire! I'd do
it, too, if'-
Mrs. Birdsell reached across the ia
BILE to place a restraining hand upon
her husbands arm, but the tips of her
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. HE 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 your The deacon threw his
whole available fund of sarcasm into
the words.
"Gaiters, l mean," corrected Mrs.
Birdsell quickly. can that's another
thing. Just to think Of a man takin to
CATERS after boots has been good
enough for him for so years. It's a
sure sign, William"
eyes, mother, that's the long an the
short Of it. Caters may be a. small
thing in themselves, but in JoeFs case
they help powerful to show what fast
Twin an strong drink will do once a
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 alb
stractedly for his handkerchief, which
he finally produced from the armhole
of his vest.
Joel Birdsell filled the place of a son
not only in the hearts but in the home
of the deacon and his wife. Back in
the f1fties, 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 a young wife and his
own grit to aid him. Then Michigan
was not the farmers Ell Dorado it 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 a helping
hand in the running of the farm.
And Joel, be was a shining example
of New England stagnation. Never in
clined to marry, always content with
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 it off any
longer. Suppose we call Joel down now
this very night-an point out to him
like-tel him-that is to say, ask
him. She hesitated The task SEEM
ed greater when framed in words.
"Sh!' 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:
I dreamt that dwelt in marble halls