The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-14
A SM0KE-H0USE ROMANCE.
BY Mabel Grant.

The people of the town of Coopers-
vile could remember the exact date of
the quarrel between Deacons Spooner
and Hopkins. They lived opposite each
other on the outskirts of the town. and
one was Baptist and the other a
Methodist. That fact had made no
difference with them for years, except
that each secretly believed the other
was taking roundabout way to reach
heaven, but there came Sunday
when they walked home in company
after church service and something
was, said about Jonah and the whale
There wasn't doubt in the mind Of
either, that Jonah was swallowed, but
they differed as to particulars. Deacon
Spooner said'.it was plain case that
Jonah was cast directly into the whale
mouth from on ship-board, and that
without so much as getting his coat
tails wet, While Deacon Hopkins ag-
gressively held that Jonah had been
swimming about in the sea for some
time before he found a haven of rest
Two bad men, without any religion
at all, would have Tipped copper to
decide the question and then had a
drink OF hard cider to show that there
was no ill-feelings. but the two good
men, each with a church on his Shout
ders, couldn't afford to dismiss the
point so easily.g They argued and rea-
soned and protested and disputed, and
by the time they reached Deacon Hop
kins' gate they believed each other
fools and bigots and parted in anger.
That was the beginning of quarrel
that lasted for years and years. From
that time on they nodded stiffiy to each
other when they met. as also did their
wives, but there was no more neigh
boring or borrowing or lending.
when the trouble came to the two
deacons one had a son of sixteen, and
the other daughter a year younger
Boy and girl had walked to and fro
from school together and had strong
friendship, but the quarrel broke this
up, They were not forbidden In so
many words to speak to each other
but they soon understood how matters
were and tacitly avoided each other
though having no hard feelings
AT the end of two years Tom Hopkins
was sent off to school, and year later
Kate Spooner departed for the home of
an aunt in the East When they re-
turned to their parental homes Tom
was ready tosopen a law office and
Kate becoreSwhat the villagers called
"a regular young LADY," There had
been no making up between the dea-
| cons. Never again had they walked
to or fro from their respective churches
in company. Deacon Spooner had al
ways started from home four or five
minutes first, and Deacon Hopkins had
been careful not to ov6rtake him. In
returning, Deacon Hopkins had taken
the lead, and Deacon Spooner had let
him keep it,
Tom Hopkins came home with only
dim remembrance of the old misun-
derstanding, and the sight of Kate
Spooner in church on the first Sunday
of his arrival drove away the last
fragments of that. 1t was so with
Miss Kate. They greeted each other
in the most friendly and informal way
after the close of services, but they
were soon to understand that there
was gulf between them. On the way
home Deacon Hopkins said to his son:
Thomas, Deacon Spooner insists
that he Is right about Jonah while /. OF
course, refuse to yield one iota. You
will therefore realize that there can be
no social Intercourse between my son
and his daughter"
II don't realize anything of the kind.
dad responded the SON. you and
Deacon Spooner are the only two peo-
pie in all the world who care a con-
tinental how Jonah was swallowed, so
long as the whale got him down. and
l refuse to mix in. I'm going to call
OF Kate II he turns me slap out doors"
IF you do you will not only put
me in a painful position, but shall
have good reason for regarding you MS
thankless child. Thomas. you must
heed my wishes in this natter
i Tom didn't defy his father, but on
the other hand he wouldn't bind him
self by any promise. Forty rods be-
hind them were Deacon Spooned and
his daughter, and Deacon Spooner also
had something to say.
Daughter" he began as -he was
thinking to herself how good looking
and manly Tom Hopkins had grown.
Il saw you greet Deacon HOPKINS
son, Thomas. after church. and / was
not at all pleased. The Deacon Is still
stiff-necked about Jonah and the
whale"
What? Is that old quarrel still
alive?" she asked.
Very much SO, and 1t will never lie
unless the Deacon acknowledges his
error. You must be coldly polite to
young Thomas and no more"
but / was just hoping he would
call on me tonight"
IF he does I shall have to show him
the door. 1 cannot recede nor seem
to recede from my position that Jonah