Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-09-11
THERE WAS a CONSPIRACY.
Father Discovers Why He Was Asked
to Go to the May Services.

rdther discovers why he Was Asked
to Go to the May Services.
One evening at dinner in the latter
part of May" said MIR. Parokeyal. to
New York Sun writer. the wife
asked me i'll wouldn't like to go to the
May services at church that evening
with her, of course. / eau bit her
exchanging a glance across the table
with our eldest boy, tyke of 10,
when she made that suggestion to me.
Therefore said l to myself right away
It was a put-up JOB.
But there l was. No way to get
out Of it. thought a bit aggrieyedly
OF the comfortable. lolling smokes I'd
miss If went and experienced Just
a teenchy touch cf resentment over
the rather smooth AID serene way I
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 | could
make it, and then again I caught that
slgnihcant exchange of CLAN ces be.
tween the boy and his mother. lust as
II they'd achieved some kind of a
victory or other.
wen, the boy executed his usual
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.
| had to grin bit sheepishly as we
drew nigh the portal.
Fine work for you, little lady
said to the boys mother. no vor
Know how many years it's been since
attended May evening services?"
Please dont't tell me- said she
1 don't want to hear. And don't ever
say anything like that before The
chlidren-you know how they notice
'nese chance remarks and with thar
we We're 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 bacl,
across that mingled fragrance or
roses and drifting incense. Noticed n
the minute l set foot within the
church-first, the smell of the roses
that We're heaped up on the main al.
TAR and ON the side altar. and thep
as We got inside that other aroma
OF the incense. l declare that those
TWO FUSED fragrances-and they 90
mighty well together, IL you've ever
noticed-just clean picked me IN 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 l sat down In the
pew, and I was listening to some Of
Inc old familiar May evening -nusic
ruil or dim "reminiscences, when the
mother gave me slight nudge.
turned and looked at her. and
her eyes We're shining mighty bright
sure enough. And she was nodding In
the direction of the altar. 7 thoneh,
that she meant that she wanted me
TO atop looking around at the decora
IONS and things and 10 pay attention
10 what was going on at the altar, and
so followed her gaze.
We'll, then understood the mean.
ing of that put-up job between the
boy and his mother.
For there was the boy on the altar.
in surplus and cassock, at the right
hand OF the priest, at that. under
stood, all right.
When I turned to her again her
eyes were still shining away like 40
If they'd-but. when it comes to that,
couldn't see her very well myself.
for ii all came a-romping back to me
in an instant that she looked just ex-
actly. for all the world, like my owA
little mother had looked, away back,
yonder over the craggy path of the
years, when she'd seen me diked out
in eassock ard surplice for the first
time-for all the world and to lifei
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
she sees one of her own taking part