Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-09-05
THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY.
Father Discovers Why He Was Asked
to Go to the May Services.

to Go to the May Services.
One evening at dinner in the latter
part of May, said Mr.. Parokeyal, to
New York Sun writer, the wife
asked me if wouldn't like to go to the
May services at church that evening
with her, of course. / caught her
exchanging a glance across the table
with our eldest boy, a tyke of 10,
when she made that suggestion to me.
therefore said l to myself right away
1t was put-up job.
But there l was. No way to get
out OF it. l thought a bit aggrievedly
OF the comfortable, lolling smokes I'd
miss If went and l experienced Just
teenchy touch of resentment over
the rather smooth and serene way !
was being chiseled out of 'em. But
there was no way out.
Why, certainly, mother, I'll 60
glad to-" said l, as hearty as I cou1d
make it, and then again caught that
significant exchange of glances be-
tween the boy and his mother, Just as
II they'd achieved some kind OF
victory Or other.
Well, the boy executed his usua1
disappearance soon after dinner, and
then, allowing me to burn Up just one
cigar, by wife began to hustle and
oustle me around and presently we
were on our way to the May services
l mad to grin bit sheepishly as We
drew nigh the portal.
Fine work for you, little LADY,
SAID | to the boys mother. DO Won
AnoW now many years it's been since
L attended May evening services?"
Please dont't tell me- said she
l don't want to hear. And don't ever
say anything like that before the
chlldren-you know how they notice
tnese chance remarks and with thar
we were inside the cool, Fragrant
church and on our way UP the center
aisle to the pew.
wen, well, what long stretch Of
years that fragrance took me back
across-that mingled fragrance of
roses and drifting incense. Noticed II
the minute I set foot within the
church-tirst, the smell of the roses
mat were heaped up on the main al
Tar and ON the side altar, and then
as we got inside that other aroma
OF the incense. l declare that those
TWO fused fragrances-and they 20
mighty we'll together, if you've ever
notlced-Just clean picked me I'D and
set me back on the road a good thirty
years, and good bit of that ROAD
right hard going, at that.
The wife and I sat down in the
pew, and I was listening to some nj
the old familiar May evening music,
rulI of dim "reminiscences. when the
mother gave me a slight nudge.
l turned and looked at her. and
her eyes were shining mighty bright,
sure enough. And she was nodding In
the direction of the altar. I thought
that she meant that she wanted me
TO stop looking around at the decora
lions and things and to pay attention
to what was going on at the altar. and
so [ followed her gaze.
W eli, then l understood the mean.
Ing OF that put-up Job between tire
boy and his mother
Tor there was the boy on the altar
in surplus and cassock, at the right
hand Of the Priest. at that I under
stood, all right.
When l turned to Der again be-
eyes were still shining away lfrc 81
If they d-but, when it comes to that.
l couldn't see her very we'll myself
for it all came a-romping back to me
III az instant that she looked just ex-
actly, for all the world, like my OWL
little mother had looked, away back,
yonder over the craggy path of the
years, when she'd seen me diked out
in cassock ard surplice for the first
tlme-for all the world and to life!
Same shining, starry eyes, same trem-
bling around the corner of the mouth.
same speaking pride of the features.
the joy of the mother-woman when
Chp 5000 ono Of hor nur, IN oouk