The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-01-23
WOLF HOWLS.

| A brown stone church stood on corner.
The fool went in and took seat. He
was not alone There were others. They
sat uneasily in their seats. They were
uncomfortable. They looked at the,
choir. The choir wore pretty hats and
fine raiments and looked angelic. The.
choir belonged to swelldom. Hence
part of the audience admired, part en-,
vied-but all looked. Other people
came in. Those present turned in their
seats and craned their necks. Perhaps
they wished to see who came in. The
were elegant. One wore a sealskin
sacque. She walked the full length of
the aisle and took seat in the front
pew. She had come to church to show
her sacque. She was sac-religious. The
ladies we're surveyed from head to foot.
Some women who sat near the fool said:
Perhaps they meant their neighbours
raiment-perhaps they were thinking of
the pavement on streets Of New Jeru
salem.
The choir felt of their collars and
their coiffures. They whispered to each
other: els it on straight" and rose.
Sang an anthem. At least the preacher
said they would and they straigbtway
sang something. OF course no one heard
the words but it was nice. Athens
are always nice. The angels sang an
anthem many years ago and the shep-
herds heard the words. But angels sang
more distinctly then than now and all
angel didn't sing. 81 want man" l.
81 want man" while the base angel
Numbered, "-sion in the Skies" but
all sang the same thing at the same
time. The alto didn't make flying,
switch and sidetrack three or four times.
from the middle of the anthem and
leave them for the tenor to come along
and pick up. Anthems are not what
they were when the earth was young
and slim waists were yet unborn. Then
anthems We're poured forth from heart;
now they come from the lungs. The
bigger the lungs the louder the anthem.
But the choir sang and the people look
ed pleased. OF course they didn't
know whether the choir was singing
"White Wings" with variations Or
| "O'Grady's Goat" but they smiled
approval and the singers redoubled
their efforts. And the roof rose and
fell in gentle undulations like blanket
on clothes line and the preacher list
lessly turned the leaves of his hymn
book.
The anthem ceased with spasmodic
| jerk and the organist sank back among
the singers with self-satisfed smile.
The roof settled to its former position
and the preacher arose. He advanced
to the pulpit and surveyed the audience
over his gold-rimmed spectacles. He
was nice man. He had silk had.
He had q, broadcloth coat. His shirt
front and tie were immaculate. He hat
a gold watch and chain. He also had
a bible. His salary for month was
more than many poor devils of the city
had to spend for food in year. He
announced hymn. There was few
good old brethren and sisters present.
They did not know one note from the
other. They sang from their hearts.
The choir looked bored. Then the
preacher prayed sterotyped prayer
and told the Lord how it happened and
what it was best to do under the clrcum-
stances. 1t was nice prayer. 1t tram
pied upon nobody's corns 1t is great
art to pray in public. People are so
critical. One must have his English
perfectly correct. The sentences must
J be tongued and groyed to fit and make
} a symmetrical whole. All harshness
must be eliminated and all rough cor
ners rounded off. It's best to write
your prayer and learn it. Then your
diction will be elegant and you will get
credit for being good prayer. Soft
J words not only turn away wrath, but
also suspicion. If you can make a nice
Is karat prayer you don't need to be
} good. People will think you are good
anyway. Prayer covers multitude Of
/ sins-from the eyes of your neighbor.
1t takes tact to pray in public and
keep everything running smoothly. The
preacher knew this and he prayed a
: very pleasant prayer. His congregation
must have been very fastidious for he
addressed his prayer TO them in beauti-
full language. 1t was twentieth CEN
: fury prayer-strictly up-to.date. 1t had
been groomed and plumed and polished
up till it was smooth asa calf's nose
and inoffensive as a school boys mus
tache. There was nothing in it to hurt
any ones feelings-not even satan's.
The people bowed their head, whispered
to each other and it all looked very