The daily Alaskan., 1905-10-20
She Stopped Over"
IOrlgInal.l

sation eyerywheres. He's a-comin' to preach in the brick church at Four Corners. They say he's powerful elo- queut."
 Do they?"
 Yes. And when he breaches people git so affected they weep"
 Nick yawned.
 I'm goiu' to the Corners to hear him."
 'What q y want to hear him fOr?
 What for? Why, list think O bein' under the spell O the elOQuence of d man that has moved thousands to tears. How proud his wife must be of him, if he has one. She must worship the ground he walks ou."
 I'm thinktn' she'd better worship God"
 Cinderella looked offended. She with drew her hand and said cOldly:
 Sometimes l think I'm maxim a mistake in marvin farmer. I'd be list in my element as a minister's wife. I should so love to see my husban' moviu' people to throw their burdens on the Lord"
 If he didn't git more pay than most of 'em he'd be thrOwln' his burden on you"
 This practical view of the case was repugnaut to Cinderella. She turned her back on her lover.
 T don't reckon, CIndy," he went on, you'd make much of wife for a minister. My Idee of a minister's wife is one that kin keep the wlmmcn of the congregation from pesterin' her husband; woman full of axle grease that the hull church kin keep turnin on. It's list like politics. There's allus them that wants to keep the minister in and them as wants to git him out The minister's wife should be so smooth with the outs that they can't bear to do the job, and so popular with the fns' that they won't let 'em do 1t If they want to. You hadn't got grease enough In y fer that"
 Nick was q hard headed fellow with a good deal of horse sense, while Cindy was romantic and inclined to gush. But Cindy was a good girl, and there was every prospect that, once married, Nick could keep her from shopping oYer," as he called 1t.
 The Rev. Mir. Ketchem was duly announced to preach at the Four Cor ners, and Nick, in order to humor his betrothed, agreed to drive her over to hear him, 1t being stipulated that Nick need not go Inside the church, but be at liberty to sit on the fence during service and whlttle. The day was fine and the air braclng. Cindy was en- raptured with the beautiful Sunday morning. which she said even without church bells didn't seem like a com mon week day. As the distance be tween her and the church lessened she grew excited at the near prospect ot coming under the spell of a man who was accustomed to wiring repentant tears from sinners.
 "Oh, Nick" she said, T hope I won't make a goose of myself"
 "I hope you won't" said the matter of fact Nick.
 You're not sympathetic" she re- piled tartly.
 Not with 'sloppln' Over."
 "I don't call repentance 'sloppin over.'"
 What y been doin' to repent of?"
 'Nothln'," she snapped.
 Well, then, what's the use of re pentin'?"
 You don't understand such things. You amt never been convicted
 'I haln't been indicted yit."
 At that moment the wagon went over a rut and something cracked, The result was that they were obliged to walk the horse the rest of the way, and when they reached the church the sermon had begun. Nick let Cindy out at the door and then drove to the shed. Nick was joined on the fence by several acQuaintances, who whittled and talked crops and stock. Through them Nick learned something pertain ing to what was going on in the church that interested him. He got down off the fence and sauntered to the door. Looking in, there in one of the rear seats be saw CIndy. She was leaning forward, her eyes fairly glued to the man In the pulpit. It was evi- dent that she was drinking in all he said. As he warmed to his subject she trembled with emotion. Nick looked over the congregation and saw that no one else was giving way to the eloquence of the preacher, which was very ordinary. We love our Ideals for their transcendent qualities and our realities for their faults. Nick wished to save his beloved from mak- Ing herself ridiculous. He kept an eye on her till the preacher brought his fist down on the pulpit mildly, when he saw her bury her face in her handkerchief and burst Into tears. Nick slipped behind her and whls. pered:
 "Cindy, you're barkln' up the wrong tree. That red headed young feller haln't MT. Ketchem. He's a student from the seminary"
 CIndy kept her head down and her