Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-09-18

without homes. Race suicide would
end in state of barbarism. For good
reasons Of her own, he supposed, she
had neglected this great duty, but he
hoped and trusted that those reasons
would soon be removed. He himself
was still single, but he was happy to
state
Before he could make his statement
the old maid was in his arms, or would
have been if he had not quickly IL
creased the distance between them.
She made 1t pretty plain that she was
| willing to be his'n and would do her
best to make life happy for him. When
he closed the conversation by saying
| that he was engaged to lady In the
west he was almost turned out of
doors, and Miss Lee started three or
| four new stories about him.
The pastor felt sure that he had
| week or two later he was writing
letter to an acquaintance in his former
parish. The man he wrote to was not
a church member. He was an old
bachelor who paid pew rent, contrib
uted to the heather, attended Sunday
school picnics and let it go at that
The pastor had once talked with him
| on the subject Of matrimony and had
been given to understand that there
had been no marriage because the right
woman had not been found.
Referring to a subject once dis
cussed between u.s." wrote the Rev.
Bates, 'let me say that there is a
| young woman resident here who seems
to have many of the qualifications to
| fit her for wifehood-that is, she has
the best of health, is worth several
| thousand dollars, and she has assured
me that she would do her best to make
| a husband happy. Were you to pay
| me visit and meet her she might
| prove to be the one you long have
sought. Did you not know my radical
ideas on the subject of race suicide
should not have mentioned this matter
| to you. While / mentioned that the
lady had money, it was only incidental
| ly, and that fact will have no undue
| influence, / trust"
4 L
peared in Harpersville as an old ac-
| quaintance and the guest of the clergy
| man. The Rev. Bates did not boast of
being hustler, but within twenty -four
hours he had introduced his guest to
| Miss Lee Mr.. Perkins had no reputa-
| ton as hustler, but within forty-eight
hours he was speaking words of fat
L 49,. <Iaz IL L.
| June day. She couldn't forego what
she had come to believe was her priv
ilege, however. She told Mrs. Jack
| son, and Mrs. Jackson told Mrs. Tay-
lor, and Mrs. Taylor told Mrs. Beebe
| and the rest of the town that she be-
lieved Mr.. Perkins had had two wives
| and killed them both by smothering
| them with a pillow. The story reach
| ed the parsonage and the ears of the
| guest within day, and the guest was
wroth, but the good pastor sat down
| with him and argued.
James, the gossip Of women is as
the breeze that bloweth. Give it no
heed. incidentally learned today that
the exact amount of wealth possessed
by Miss Lee is about $4,000, and all
In bonds drawing fair interest / am
also assured that she is great worker
In her own house, has no extravagant
habits and that she would have no OBJ
lection to a home In the great and
boundless west Perhaps l should not
have mentioned the exact sum of mon
ey, but l know you will receive it as
only incidental, James-only incidental.
| If there is marriage hope and trust
| it may be founded on love alone. /
shall be busy with my sermon tonight,
and should you desire to call on Miss
Lee shall not miss you for a couple
of hours
There was no hustling on the part of
the Rev. Bates or James Perkins, but
two weeks after his arrival in Harpers-
Vile Mr.. Perkins entered the minister's
study one evening with bland smile
and an extended hand and said:
my dear old friend, congratulate
me. am the happiest man In the state"
"Has-has something happened"
Something has. Sarah has promised
to be mine, and she haA set the mar
riage day for only six weeks ahead.
How can ever thank you for bringing
us together"
Something like smile appeared at
the corners of the pastors mouth; but,
| of course, he let it spread no further.
| When he found that the happy couple
were to go west to live he rendered his
hearty congratulations and likewise Of
fered up his thanks mentally. The
| marriage came of, the old maid be-
came wife, and Harpersville knew
her no more. Then the calm that set
tied down was indeed blessed-no more
| gossip, no SANDER, no lying; In place
Of them, peace, harmony and content
ment. And II the conscience Of the
Rev. Bates ever pricked him he had
| but to say to himself:
"Isn't 1t better to marry on one old
maid than to have thousand people
made unhappy
The voIley Over the Grave.
| Tho Aripn % unIIov hv cnIItarc