The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-11-15
DEACON HASTINGS FIDDLE.

lCopyrirht. isol by the 8. 8. Mcclure
 companyl
 It was a well known fact when Abel Bastings R..s elected one Of the dea' ,ous of his church that be not only owned a fiddle. but played on 1t. He bad been censured for this act of worldlncss. but as it was bis only weakness and as be was eminently ht- ted to ra a deaconship his brethren wcot ahead and took chances It might 5e lust possible. argued the majority that man could fiddle and not bring ihe church Into diSrepute. But at he same time he was expected Go play sothlng 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 a barn. A brother deacon caught him red handed and lectured him for an hour on the enormity Of bis ofense. The transgressor promised better things.
 But. To. when the circus arrived he permitted bis daughter Minnie to at- tend ln company with young Ike Har- perl Ills excuse that young people had a curiosity to see Hons, tigers, bears aud kangaroos didn't SO down, and be was warned that any more triding would be a serious matter
 The deacon was penitent but it wasn't four weeks before be bought a piano for his daughter. At an informal meeting of the other deacons, the pew openers and the box passers it was de- clded that a piano could not be classed under the head of naturally wicked The question was. Could the deacon live ln the same house with a hddle and @ piano and maintain his religious Integrity?
 The deaco1's critics were watching and waiting. when they caught hlm tripping in another direction. His barn faced the road, and when an agent for a stomach bitters came along and o1er- ed hun S25 for the use of the roof for a year the good man pOcketed the cash. A mighty sign soon appeared on the roof. and the last letter wns hardly finished before Deacon Hastings was In trouble lt was the opinion Of the majority that all stomach bltters were three -fourths whisky and that the dea- con had sold himself to the cause of lntenperance and ought to be disci- Dliued. He vas going like a lamb to che slaughter when the agent hired a man to drink four bottles of the bitters at once and proved that there was nothing ln it to lift a mans heels or the ground. The object lesson couldn't be denied. but yet no one was uaushed. He realized this fact and didn't dare give a cornhusking or an apple pairing that fall.
 Nemesis was close on the deacon g heels. however Ills daughter Minnie was a general fayorite, and one winter night a lot Of young people appeared as surprise party. He couldn't turn them away. and be reluctantly brought out his fiddle
 The fiddle and the plano started out with Sweet By and By uccompa- nled by an who could sing. and how they ever switched or on to ragtime the deacon could never explain to him self It was Ike a dream to bim next day. When told that the young folks had formed in sets and danced to his first four forward and back-iadies chauge-gents to the left-an prone nade.9 he studied over it and sighed.
 Before noon next day it was known far and wide that Deacon Hastnga had fddled for a dance. That be would be churched was regarded as matter Of course. and it was determined that bis fellow deacons investigate before be could run away from the scene Of bis crime. Accordingly, at o'clock on the evening after the party, they dled Into his parlor to put him on the rack.
 Brethren. ] halu't got much to say began the cuIprit "If there was dance. and ] guess there was, then tht hddle sort Of got away with me"
 But you also called out the dgurei to be danced. didn't youT' asked one.
 "Mebbe I did. When the music got tc goln'. felt that I had to mix in. Durin my sinful days ! used to so to every dance within ten miles"
 There can be no doubt brethren said the same deacon. "that lt was sin ful music and that there was dancing but we must not be too impetuous Deacon Hopkins, will you let us heal the strains given last nightY
 The deacon called hls daughter down and got out his fiddle While be was tuning up three Of AIinnle's girl friend' arrived and were ushered into the room. When the music was ready, the dereIct said:
 "l will show you as nigh as ] can re member just how it was. Deacon Jones. you stand here with my wife. You Oth. CTS stand up with these girls. Now you are an ready Salute your partners Ladies to the right-gents to the left All salute. Promenade half way round half way home! An balance and swing your partners"
 The deacons had stood up reluctant ly. They had hung back at the first call It was only for a minute, how. ever. A warm wave swept them from head to heels and back. and they went through the figures with vim.
 That's the way lt was" said Deacon Hastings as the music stOpped-"Ouly