The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-12-04

reproachfnl look at her husband. how
can you speak SO onrespectful Of Mr..
Garner? lie says he's real prophet.
app'inted by God. and that the angel
told him TO warn his neighbors. 30
that they could repent of their sins.
Besides. he proves all he says by reve-
lation. He's pious man. Mr.. Gar
Ter is. and don't want his friends to be
hurled into eternity onprepared. But
we won't quarrel about anything when
we're SO closte to the end Of our days"
Course we won't" cheerfully assent
ed her husband. Wen jest eat a
good hearty supper, and not worry
about the future Where's John?
Didn't he come in a spell ago."
Mrs. Potter glanced out OF the open
door. her brows contracting with an
noyance.
II declare" she exclaimed with as
perity, the earthquake for the moment
forgotten, If there amt the boy
John was 29) over to Rogers again,
spoonin' with that shif'less Mary The
idea of his being so sot on a girl that
reads Shakespeare, and can't make
good salt risin' bread. let alone hop
east, But John shan't never marry
the mink SO longs I'm on earth"
(Which won't be long. 'cordin' to
your tell. mother" said Mr.. Potter.
helping himself TO another generous
dish OF apple sauce still, we may
not move out quite so sudden, after all;
and yon know that vot, uromi cad Iobp
TO give your consent to his marrying
Mary. If the world want swallowed up
on the 27th."
Mrs. Potter said nothing, but gazed
scornfully in the direction Of the Rog
ers cottage. Johns love for Mary
Rogers had been a sore trial to his
mother. Not that the good woman
did not want her son to marry; 1t was
simply because she did not like the
girl. Any Of the other manageable
maidens of the place would have been
satisfactory TO her as daughter-in-
law, but Mary Rogers-never. She
didn't like Mary simply because she
was unlike the other girls. the diff
ference being merely that Mary had
the energy to get little education.
Mary was a pleasant, modest girl. and
did not parade her knowledge of
grammar and sech stuff" as Mrs.
Potter contemptuously put IL. IL Is
said that some good generally comes
from the greatest disaster, and since
the FORMULATION of the dire
prophecy" the good woman had been
able to CLEAN one atom of comfort
the earthquake would prevent Johns
marriage to an educated" girl. Learn
ing is seldom popular in the rural dis
tricts.
And Marys certainly good girl"
resumed Mr.. Potter IF I'm any
Judge. she's the most energetic girl in
the place. If she don't care for dances
and such. where's the harm? P'r'aps
she can't cook jest like you experienced
housekeepers. but she'll learn. She
and John could get along first rate. |
know. | do hope Jabe Gamers made
some mistake in his callations." Mr..
Potters whimsical smile was lost on
his wife, who was intently watching
Ter son as he slowly came up the street
from the Rogers cottage.
There won't be no mistake" re-
turned Mrs. Potter. 1T does seem
strange that some people will refuse
to heed the warnin's of inspired
prophets She gave sniff, and just
then John entered the kitchen and
took his place at the table.
Pass up your cup. John" said his
mother, land have some tea. It's
about cold. and so is the meat and the
potatoes. But | don't s'pose 1t mat
tcrs." she said, relapsing into her for
mer apathetic condition. ''for the things
of earth is almost passed away, and
we won't need no more food"
Not till tomorrow morning, ma,
replied John cheerfully, mot till to-
morrow morning. Then We'll have a
good breakfast, such as you always
get"
His mother gave him look Of min
gled sorrow and reproach.
II hope you men don't expect me to
get any breakfast tomorrow morning,
and the town and perhaps the whole
earth to be destroyed at eight o'clock
There won't be no more time than
we'll need to prepare ourselves for the
other world"
Her son changed the subject. Got
all the wheat in the west field in" he
said. "and after supper I'm going to
fix up your nasturtiums. They re
sprawling all over the ground
Ills mother vouchsafed no reply. but
arose from the table, and went de-
jectedly out upon the stoop.
The morrow dawned clear and beau
tiful. In the soft morning breeze and
the blue sky there were no indications
Of approaching doom. Mr.. Potter and
John we're up betimes, as usual, and
we're mending hayrack, seeming not
at all depressed by any fear of coming
disaster. At breakfast time they en-
tered the kitchen. but no meal was in
sight. Mrs. Potter vas feverishly pc
rusing her Bible. She implored her
husband and her son to think onto
eternity and to remain near her They
promised TO do both, and said that they
we're not going farther away than the
barn.
Never mind the breakfast, John"