Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1906-07-05

with a secure position. told him that
you would consider his offer favor.
ably"
"Well, won't. And why did he do
this just now, so that he could tighhem
my chains before everybody ct the pio-.
mic? won't CO."
"Yes, you will" And she did.
An hour later the clergyman in Quas-
ton came to the house. and Margarse
was obliged to see him. He appeared
to consider the engagement o foregone
conclusion, but had the grace 10 asAm
her IL she would be his helpmeet. Mar
garet listened in silence while the cleAr
gyman took her limp hand and placed
fine diamond ring upon It. He bent
and kissed the pale brow, and IL was
over. He never asked Margaret IL she
loved him or said that he loved her.
His abounding self esteem never al
lowed him to raise the question. Ot
course she did. How could she halp lt2
He was pastor of a large church cn
Broad street, and this day OF 1ndo-
pendence the Sunday school children
were to have grand picnic up the Wis
sahickon, In Fairmount park. It IL safe
to say that had the children had any
voice in this matter they would have
preferred to spend the day in town, for
firecrackers were forbidden and tor
pedoes were tabooed and toy pistols re-
garded as too dangerous. No amount
OF ice cream, lemonade or cakes could
reconcile them for the loss Of q whOl6
day.
The Rev. Azariah Loomis did not ap-
prove of noise.
The discontented Sunday schocl chill
dren were dropped from the carriages
into a grove OF trees along the bank or
the Wissahickon In view Of the failms
and turned loose to enjoy themselves.
A few OF the teachers really did try to
make them happy with games and
swings. but 1t was hot, and far in the
distance they could hear fireworks and
were correspondingly miserable. Mar
garet alone succeeded in making the
children gay and happy. She fairly
wore herself out, but she had the af-
| fection of the children, and all went
well until the clergyman came near.
Then all interest dropped, and every
piping voice was stilled. He was ex-
ceedingly proud of this mark Of their
reverent esteem, as he understood their
sudden silence.
Among the guests at the picnic were
number Of young girls and lads Of
the Bible class. These big boys seemed
to be so out Of their element that they
| did not know what to do, and I'm their
awkward bashfulness they began to
tease the girls. No matter what group
these boys approached, whether chill
dren or grown people. no one appeared
glad to have them, so finally they went
of together and began to pelt the
swans and ducks and smoke cigarettes
and act in a most reprehensible man.
ner considering that this was church
| picnic. Margaret noticed them and
thought:
'No one seems to care for those boys.
They are too big to play with the chill
dren and too rude to go among the
young girls, and the grown people don't
want them will speak to Mr.. LoomiS
about it."
So when the long day began to de-
cline the party prepared to return.
Margaret had come In landau with
two of her sisters and Mr.. Loomis.
While waiting for the children to be put
into the proper care, Margaret found
that her betrothed was standing by
her. The young boys, dissatisfied with
such tame manner Of spending the
glorious Fourth, were indulging in
horseplay. Margaret raised her sweet
blue eyes to Mr.. Loomis and said:
when we are settled / should like
to take up line of work which have
often thought of. / think it would bo
the means OF doing real good. You
see those big boys down there. Well,
no one seems to want boys around. /
have noticed it In homes and else
where, and here today I have thought
that much good might be done"-
I'm what way may I askl" said he,
his face growing hard and becoming
squarer In outline at once.
We'll, would give little reception
every fortnight to this kind Of boys
and some girls know and your Bible
class, and In that way they would
learn to enjoy themselves In a proper
way and keep of the streets and out
Of bad company"
I have listened to you patiently, but
would wish to state, and most emphat-
lcally. that entirely disapprove OF any
such plan. That is the duty OF par
ents. Young people are too noisy. Be-
sides, shall require you to assist me-
IN hunting up notes and references
and looking up authorities and also to
typewrite my sermons In duplicate for
the reportar1"