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

II to the right, past the old
i..-..,.....,.,,: Quaker meeting house,
and, to the left, through
the worldly and ubiquitous village call
ed into existence only year before by
the coming of the new railroad.
This little cluster of houses, a mush-
room growth of implanted boards, in
Guided, besides blacksmith shop and
general store, both welcome enough in
their way, a tavern conducted on wide
open principles under the name of
Lowden's Halfway House, which had
speedily brought the locality into gen.
eral disrepute. No one had discovered
toward what goal 1t marked the half
way point, unless it was that goal of
torment which is the ending of every
career of Incorporate profligacy.
In the dining room, which served like
wise MS a sitting room, the deacon was
carefully cleaning stray scraps of wis
dom from the columns of the Michigan
Agriculturist, the silence of the house
disturbed only by the loud ticking of
the farm clock on the shelf in the cor
ner and the busy click of the knitting
needles in the deft fingers of Mrs
Birdsell. 1t was characteristic of the
deacon that he always postponed his
study Of The Agriculturist until after
the harvest, when the information he
might gain was sure to be of least
value to him.
Presently the clock tolled the hour
of 8, lingering long, it seemed, upon
the final stroke. Deacon Birdsell
started suddenly.
"Aother," he said, don't you know
it's gettin pretty late?"
Mrs. Birdsell paused in surprise and
dropped the half finished sock in her
lap.
Eight and after, an it's high time
folks was abed," said the deacon. "Di(
you shut down the back window ar
bolt the kitchen door? An Joel-ol
course Joels in"
AS If in answer to the deacon's ques
ton, the Quavering, uncertain notes Of
a song sifted through the ceiling from
the chamber above.
"Shv' Mrs. Birdsell said, holding VI
her finger in warning.
The song from the chamber above
| gradually became more distinct until ;
word could be understood here ant
there in its uncertain rhythm. 1t Dor,
distant resemblance to one of the pop
ular songs of the day heard with grea
frequency in the neighboring town, blu
justly abhorred for its worldly insinua
tions in the peaceful Quaker churcl
neighborhood.
1 "William," exclaimed Mrs. Birdsell II
a trembling voice, "somethin must b.
done right away. It's gettin just awful
It's been weighin on my mind unit
sometimes get that nervous"
The deacon gathered his shaggy gra.
brows and strolked his angular unshay
en- chin in silence for q moment.
hate to think 1t of JOEL" he observe,
thoughtfully, "but l guess it must b
true. Have you been noticin anythin
else lately, Martha?" The deacon SCI
dom addressed his wife by her give
name except on occasions of great SO
lemnity.
Anything! Good land alivew Mrs
Birdsell swept her hands around he
head as If she was warding off swarr
of impending evil. Its gettin worse
an worser every day." she exclaimed
with great earnestness, "an the wors
part of it all is he's gettin that braze
about ito think, too, William, tina
he's your own brother!" The song be
Il pnn npniD in tbn chamber obovn thi
time accompanied by the unmistakabl
sound of shuflling feet.
"Just listen to that now," she wen
! on, with mournful emphasis. II CUES
you can hear it for yourself!
Eyes, mother, you're right" prt
nounced the deacon reflectively, slowl
nodding his head in the affirmativ,