The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-05-22

accused hrst come forward snA faee
them. Sernphiny struggled 70 her
fcet-her defiance all gone--and
dragged her trembling limbs past her
admirers 10 the chair placed for her.
Aunt Maria wept aloud, and Bar
bara Warren sympathetically kept
her company. A number Of other
matrons muttcrcd distressed run
mes!" but not few OF the younger
| spirits to whom scraphiny had been
an unconqucrable rival giggled ma
liciously. Brent Carter. Hiram Bad
Rctt and . half-dozen other beaux
looked somewhat disturbed. while
Clip Cummins, sitting in open
mouthed distress, would have served
rs model for n statue of misery
ave is found de young woman
guilty of willful theft" the spokcs-
man deacon said gravcly and inn
portantly, and proceeded to detail
the punishment to be meted out to
the delinquent. Ten dollars was to
be imposed ms a fine--one-half to be
paid TO the owners Of the confiscatcd
sap, the other half TO go into the
treasury Of the Big Rock church. In
! addition to paying the fine, the
offender was TO remain for the space
of six months away from any town
whatever, and II at the end OF the
time she could bring certificates Of
good behavior and proof Of having
remained away from any towns. ms
stipulated. she would be received
back into the church from which she
was now summarily turned out.
There was low murmur Of con-
versation like the buzzing OF bees,
which was silenced by the preacher
again rising.
"Bredderin' and sistuhs," he said
impressively, ''jestice, de Book say.
should be tempered wild mercy. De
offender is young-she il never been
guilty o a misdemeanor befo'. De
punishment is heavy-mos' too heavy
fuh huh shoulders. / wants tub axe
de cong'ation ef de willin' let some
body act CT huh substitute ef dat
somebody willin'?"
A vote was taken after some de-
murring, and the pastors propo-
sition agreed to. The preacher then
looked over the crowd.
"Who willin' teck de punishment
Std dis maiden?" he asked.
There was long silence. To pay
over ten hard-earned dollars (heavy
punishment itself. to stay away
from the delights Of town for six
months, to promise exemplary be
havior for that length of time-who
could do it? Hiram Badgett could
not, neither Brent Carter nor Elisha
Swope.
"Who willin' teck de punishment
Std dis maiden?" repeated the good
man. Then with a great shutting OF
feet Clip Cummins parted himself
from the crowd-Clip whom Seraph
my had wounded and mistreated q
thousand times-and came forward
with great beads of sweat on hi.
black forehead, his big hands tremb
ling.
; LAY de punishment on me. sistuh:
and hredderin, std o. on d.
woman he said humbly. us hui
[ substituted"
And thus it was settled. Seraphin,
went to church and town when sh'
| got ready. ard Clip stayed at hom'
; and worked and hoped.
; And when the six months were up
, one September day. in n north-bouns
Jim Crow car, going on a twenty-mil'
Journey. and wearing a chip hat Will
, daisies on it. and pink lawn dres'
. trimmed with black velvet ribbons
was young woman, bright-eyed an'
graceful-Seraphiny herself, with thu
added beauty of happiness sitting
upon her. With her was a darl
youth who walked with a shuttle
a youth whose long neck was envel
oped in tall celluloid collar, ant
. whose lanls form was clothed in
new suit of respondent blackness
, His wide mouth smiled continuousl,
in the exuberance of his JOY. CHI
Rad been promoted that day from
, the ,owly and uncomfortable posi-
ton of a substitute to the exaltes
nnd happy state Of husband.--N
, Y. Evening Post.