Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-12-16
SEEIN I lie.
EIE.PI'EI4A!Nl
By M. QUAD ri {. 5.5i,]
BY M. !. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lit
~ 97'1 erary Press. *; :, : =.

EfaSS-rd "a al y 1ASSo. stE4. !, .,1V Ill
! Deacon Silas Goodhue was good
man. You may say that all deacons
are good men, and such is the case up
to certain point. =, e .s@}
The good deacon lived two miles
from the village and his church, but
every Sunday he was. there. Some
deacons wouldn't have set out for that
drive in a blizzard or a thunderstorm,
but Deacon Goodhue never missed a
Sunday. - %a;1E+ y
On this particular occasion, however,
much to his sorrow, the deacon found
himself interested in the circus bills
posted up on the highway barns. He
resented his interest. He tried to chase
1t away. He wrestled with it as: he
hoed corn. He could have got the bet
ter Of it but for one thing. The COM
ing circus had on exhibition an Afri-
can elephant weighing two tons. He
had lost an eye and one tusk, he had
killed five keepers, and it was expect
ed he would kill the sixth within d
month. There was something in this
statement to appeal and interest.
'What I want" he said, lis to see
that elephant. I want to look him
over for about half an hour, and then
I shall be willing to drive back home. !"
"Brother Goodhue," replied the min
lister, las understand it, there are
two tents. One is for the menagerie
and the other for the circus"
Eyes, that's So" =
"One ticket admits to both.''
ut does"
''And the menagerie is the first tent
you enter.' -
II guess SOL
'1Well, the case seems to be right
here. Can you enter the first tent and
gaze on the elephant and not long to
enter the second, where the circus is9
It is surely no sin to gaze ON an ele-
plant, but when it comes to a circus
performance. deacon, that is different,
you know. You must fight this out
alone. You are a strong man, but the
two ringed circus is an awful tempta-
tion."s T.
he had a week to think it over.
Sometimes he was strong In his self
confidence and again his knees wab-
bled. Why pay so cents to see the
elephant alone when it would admit
30 all? Was it worth that sum to gaze
on even an elephant that had killed
0ve men? 1t was decision and indeci-
saon for a week, and then the minister
inquired If his mind was made up:
Not skassly,,"' was the reply.
-'eYon doubt yonr, strengthen" s.;$s:
"@That's It. 7 do want see the ele-
plant, and I don't want to see them
gals in >spangles. and I'm sweating
over it." "a ia
tThen wouldn't it be wiser to give
up the idea?" :. Y,
The deacon went home and wrestled
another day and then decided not to
60 near the behemoth. The circus
came, and his neighbors went, and IA
peddler came along the road and told
him that twas the grandest aggrega-
ton on the face Of the known world,
and the words brought lonely feel.
ing. !.
The good mans reward was at band,
however. Just at shutdown he heard
great yelling down the road, and lie
looked to see great cloud Of dust. "A
haystack on wheels was coming his
way. pursued by men and dogs. The
deacon was at the barnyard gate with
milk pail ON his arm. As the hay.
stack came nearer he murmured to
himself: ' =
"B'gosh, it's an elephant, and he's
broke away from the circus! He's the
very one I wanted to see, and now
there won't be no temptation about
it."
Yes, the two tonner had broker
loose and was looking for summer
board. He was hiking straight aheat
when he caught sight of the deacon
and the open gate and the cows in til,
barnyard. He swerved aside and but
ted in. Brother Goodhue did not un
derstand the situation until two sec
onds too late. He was seized AMI
thrown twenty feet high to come dow
on the wagon shed with a broken leg
Then the four cows were picked III
and toyed with. They were tossed owe
into the road or slammed against tn
barn, and the deacon on the roof for
got his pain as he gazed. His wagol
was smashed to bits and his hayracl
pulled apart, and the behemoth playe.
ball with plow or two. / e
f. OF course the circus men were ate
him all the time, but the two tonne
was out for fun, and he didn't sub
NIT to bondage until he had had III
His last act was to burst through til
fence and walk up to the zkitchel
Of the farmhouse and pick up the wei
curb and the old oaken bucket an,
send them sky high among the limb
pf3a cherry tree. Then be gave iii an,
was led away looking as innocent as
lamb. The circus proprietors agree
to pay all damages, but as d matter 8
fact not "a cent was ever had fror
them. During his three months il
aha1 Tao mn u, 4 -, :, - =.