Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
Deacon Hastings Fiddle.

Deacon Hastings Fiddle.
Copyright, 1902. by the S. s. Mcclure
Company
1t was a well known fact when Abel
Hastings was elected one of the dea-
cons of his church that he not only
owned Il fiddle. but played on it. He
had been cenSured for this act OF
wOrldliness, but as it was his only
weakness and as he was eminently 1T
ted to fill q deaconship his brethren
went ahead and took chances. 1t might
be just possible. argued the majority,
that man could fiddle and not bring
the church into disrepute. But at the
same time lie was expected to play
nothing but the most solemn airs.
The first move on the part of Satan
was to induce the new pillar" to stop
and gaze at some circus bills posted on
u barn. a brother deacon caught him
red handed and lectured him for an
hour on the enormity ofshis offense. The
transgressor promised better things.
But, 10. when the circus arrived he
permitted his daughter Minnie to at
tend in company with young Ike Har-
peri His excuse that young people had
curiosity TO see lions. tigers, bears
and kangaroos didn't go down, and he
was warned that any more tritling
would be Il serious matter.
The deacon was penitept, but il
wasn't four weeks before he bought a
piano for his daughter. AT an informal
meeting of the other deacons. the pew
openers and the box passers it was de-
cided that piano could not be classed
under the head of naturally wicked.
The question was. Could the deacon
live in the same house with a fiddle
and Il piano and maintain his religious
integrity?
The deacon's critics We're watching
and waiting. when they caught him
tripping in another direction. His barn
faced the road, and when an agent for
stomach bitters came along and offer
ed him $50 for the use of the roof for a
year the good man pocketed the cash.
\ mighty sign soon appeared on the
roof. and the last letter was hardly
finished before Deacon Hastings was
in trouble. 1t was the opinion of the
majority that all stomach bitterS were
threefourths whisky and that the dea
con had sold himself to the cause of
intemperance and ought to be disci
plined. He was going like lamb to
the slaughter when the agent hired
man to drink four bottles of the bitterS
at once and proved that there was
nothing in it to lift mans heels off
the ground. The object lesson couldn't
be denied. but yet no, one was satisfied.
He realized this fact and didn't dare
give d cornhusking or an apple pairing
| that fall. -f
Nemesis was close on the deacon's
heels. however. His daughter Minnie
was a general favorite, and one winter
| night a lot of young people appeared
as a surprise party. He couldn't turn
them away. and he reluctantly brought
out his fiddle.
The fiddle and the piano started out
with Sweet by and By" accompa-
MED by all who could sing, and how
they ever switched off on to ragtime
the deacon could never explain to him.
! self 1t was like dream to him next
day. When told that the young folks
had formed in sets and danced to his
first four forward and back-ladies
change-gents to the left-an prone
made he studied over it and sighed.
Before noon next day it was known
| Idr ana WlUe JldJ DEACON I1dSlluSS
| had fiddled for n dance. That he would
be churched was regarded as matter
of course. and it was determined that
his fellow deacons Investigate before
he could run away from the scene of
his crime. Accordingly, at Z o'clock on
the evening after the party, they filed
into his parlor to put him on the rack.
Brethren, hain't got much to say"
began the culprit. IF there was
dance, and 1 guess there was, then the
fiddle sort of got away with me-
| but you also called out the figures
to be danced didn't your asked one.
"Mebbe did. When the music got to
| goin'. felt that l had to mix in. Durin'
my sinful days l used to go to every
| dance within ten miles,
There can be no doubt, brethren"
said the same deacon, that it was sin
full music and that there was dancing,
but we must not be too impetuous.
Deacon Hopkins, will you let us hear
the strains given last night?''
The deacon called his daughter down
and got out his fiddle. While he was
| tuning up three of Minnie's girl friends