Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-06-21
The New
Minister
BY Frank II. StDeef
BY Frank II. .StOeef
Copyright, 1905. by Frank II. Sweet

away, "an' now reckon the next thing
will be for him to go. We aln't waited
five years for meetin' house jest to
carry II on as a nursery now we've got
It. / don't see what DR.. Brown was
thinkin' on"
'Is he very young?" asked Mrs. Her
kamer, transferring the packages TO a
small cupboard fastened against the
logs OF the cabin wall.
Young and oil Herkamer's grim
face seemed yet grimmer as 1t peered
out through the small triangle formed
by his down drawn cap and big, up
turned collar Hes younger'n our
Seth, an he couldn't speak ten words
10 folks lookln' at him to save his life.
What we want is tough, hard headed
man who knows our ways an can put
up with 'em. This feller's store made
an soft. | could see that soon's the
doctor introduced him. / wouldn't be
s'prised If he shaved every day, an
cleaned his nails an ba-th-ed," drawing
out the word derlslvely. Huh! What
thh iihN iAiuN w WIN Oui gOhhb
men? S'pose he had to tramp ten miles
through a Dakota blizzard to say pra'rs
over remains; s'pose he'd meet a
flghtin' grizzly in the forest; s'pose
some Of our high speerited boys got to
chafiin' him In their bar cub way! Say,
whatd he do thenY And without walt
ing for what he thought an impossible
answer to his comments old Herkamer
turned back to care for his team and
to hasten his evening chores In antici.
patton Of gathering storm.
When he again appeared and had
emerged from the depths of his great
coat his mind still seemed to be hark-
Ing back to his days discomfort, for
he went on:
"Aln't old's our Seth, no; an amt
more'n fve feet four an has hands
softs baby. Huh! Our old minis
ter where we come from had hands
like the bark OF an old hick'ry an
could chaw terbaecy an wrestle with a
grizzly an pitch man through a win
der when he got sassed. That's the
sort we need here. Hoss sense comes
fore book sense. an hard hands fore
p'liteness. That's my ides."
He drew q stool TO the fireplace and
spread his hands out over the blaze
with thawing satisfaction. One by one
the grim lines Of his face softened and
mellowed under the fre's influence, and
presently he turned half round toward
his wife, who was preparing supper.
''Of course we needn't say anything
like this outside" he observed, half
apologetically. The boy amt 10 blame
for what he is, an the doctor got him
here. An furder." still mellowing,
1--WE won't be hard on the doctor ell
ther. He's our nearest neighbor an
gener'ly does things pretty sensible.
We can pass over slip now an then.
An that reminds me" turning entirely
round, "the doctor said he'd bring him
over this evenin' II II didn't storm too
hard, an II II did they'd likely be
round tomorrer. The boy seemed spry
an good natered an said he wanted
TO visit everybody an get acquainted.
Wen treat him rights we can. FOR he
won't be here many days. Poor little
fellerl He don't realize how soon the
boysll run him out. You might save
the wild turkey | shot yesterday, Liza,
an thar's plenty Of venlson. Wen
treat him right"
Outside they could hear the sounds
of the approaching storm, and Her
knmer went TO the windows and door
and fastened them more securely,
"rhe doctor won't bring him out to-
night ne said as he resumed his stool
by the fre IAN don't reckon Seth an
the half breed will come in either.
Leastway, hope not It'n be safer
In the gulch than finding ones way
through this snow"
But he was mistaken, for presently
there came q tramping and stamping
outside, and as the cabin door was
thrown open tall. white haired old
man stepped In, accompanied 10y a boy
Sh figure Of slight but compact build.
The old man was Dr Brown. the neigh
horhood autoCrat and In his companion
Hcrkamcr recognized the w minister
But lie was no longer the fashlonObly
dressed figure which had olighted from
the train at Mluot. hut rather Q trim
frontlersman In appropriate costume.
Old Herkamer's eyes darkened little
Ns they rested upon him He did not
approve OF ministers in masquerade.
"I hardly thought you'd get over to
night" he said rather shortly. "the
storm
THAT'S Just why we came" the doc
tor interrupted gcnially. The storm
is likely TO be u long one, and we can
get back before Il becomes severe. Ry
tomorrow even the mile between our
homes may be dlmcult to make. You
are one ot our prominent members"
frankly, "and wanted you 10 see more
OF Mr. Irwin before hearing him In the
pulpit We are apt to be prejudiced
against strangers"
Hcrkamer'S crlmucss Increased He
was not preJudiced Dc told himself
only conservative and stcadrast The
man was on right - course but he /
was 10 the wror- ''oce Il was a /
manifest duty 90 1.couuteuance the /
mistake
And r.t .'.... u... s,,,...,t.... u. Al.