Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-03-22

When Carson Vaughn took charge
of Trinity church and of it's congre-
CATION he did not dream of the rocks
that lay in his apparently smooth path.
In fact, the rocks did not develop un-
til after the Christmas holidays. The
trouble began in a small difference of
opinion concerning Christmas decora-
lions. Some wicked girls bent upon
shocking the more sedate members
mixed mistletoe with the moss that
was twined around the altar. Rev
Carson Vaughn had sided with the
sedate ones and the mistletoe was Sc.
aside. Everybody had treated the mat
ter as joke, that is everybody save
the ringleader of the wicked ones.
pretty young society reporter She
took the matter not only seriously
but vengefully, and forthwith proceed
ed to make the Rev. Carson's life
burden to him. Taking down his ser
mons in shorthand and criticising his
English afterward in open scorn, was
one of the favorite vents for her dis
pleasure, but there were others.
Vaughn felt himself sighted and ridi-
culed at every turn. He was a reso-
lutte man and held steadily on his way
but he could not help knowing that
Mable Anderson was at the bottom of
all his trouble and he would have had
more mildness than the average strong
man possesses if he had not once or
twice heartily wished her out of his
parish. For instance, when Mable per-
suaded the young people to boycott the
fair he held for the benefit of the Old
Woman's Home. The sedate ones sym
pathized with the harassed preacher.
but as they were chiefly business men
and mothers of families they could be
of little practical assistance. Sym
pathy alone will not get up fair. The
home was relieved by subscription and
the war waxed warmer. The climax
came when , in the beginning
of lent Vaughn preached from
the text: Little children love
one another" Those who were
unprejudiced declared it the best
sermon he had ever preached, but
Mable bit off the end OF her report
ing pencil and left the church. After
that her pew knew her no more, and
when any one attempted to sound her
on the subject she would respond with
eloquent disdain:
Don't mention him.
carson was relieved. He could
write a sermon now without concen-
trating his whole attention upon it's
grammatical construction and he could
deliver IL without feeling that he was
watched by eyes keen to criticise. He
would perhaps not have said openly
with his lips that he was glad to have
shaken off one member of his congre-
cation but he was, and there were
more than enough to notice his free
dom from restraint.
Il do believe, Nab, he is actually
glad to get rid of you," one of her girl
chums confided sweetly
mo doubt he is, my DEAR Nab re-
piled smoothly but he can't be half
as glad to get rid of me as 1 am to
get rid of him. Still the hit hurt, as
the girl chum knew it would, and Miss
Anderson began to feel that her dig
nifty demanded demonstration
The very next Sunday morning found
her wheeling out toward Trout creek
with basket and rod. To an old gentle
man who piled her with inquiries she
explained that she was going fishing.
But on Sunday, my dear young
1adyi Why, what will your preacher
say to your"
''Oh, my preacher doesn't care what
do SO long as I do not come to
church." she replied gayly.
OF course poor Carson heard all
about it before the week was two
days older and Saturday evening
found him sitting over his study fire
feeling that he ought to do something
desperate, and unable to decide what
the something should be. Gradually,
however, resolution took shape, and
with shiver of reluctance he pulled
on his heavy coat and went out into
the cold February night.
Miss Anderson was at home. She