The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-12
THE EVENING STORY
Deacon Hopes Performances.

con was a farmer. living about a mile
outside the village. His reputation
was that of a level-headed man. ana
he stood well with his church and all
his neighbors.
one day. a year after his wife's
death, he appeared at the house OF the
widow Sargent, in town. He was
dressed up and his boots creased. He
and the widow had known each other
for five years, and she had been one OF
the attendants at his wife's funeral.
1t was not a bit strange that he should
call, but Lis attitude and actions after
sitting few minutes were rather puz-
zling Deacon Hope began to sigh He
also hitched around in his chair, ana
now and then the sigh became long
drawn groan. The widow waited and
wondered for fifteen minutes and then
asked:
Deacon have you been eating raw
''N-o-o-o!" he groaned.
'AToo much pork and beans for din
ner?"
"N-o-o-o!"
''Weu, if you haven't got a case of
collie then I never saw one 1 haven t t
got any remedy in the house, ana
you'd better go to Doctor Green. You
ought to remember that your wife was
took off all of a sudden"
Eyes, I guess I'd better see the doc
tor" he answered.
house. But he didn't call on Doctor
Green. His team was around the cor
ner, and he climbed into his wagon
and drove home. He had no more
collie than a hitching post. but his
face wore a frightened look. When he
reached home his oldest girl asked:
Father, where's the new mother
you said we were going to have?"
The deacon waited to unhitch the
horses before replying, and then what
he said WIS:
Cynthia, you mind your own busi-
nessi'
-Four days later he made another
call on the widow. She had worried
considerably about that collie, being
a sympathetic woman, and was glad
it hadn't turned out fatally. For five
minutes tbs deacon spoke of the
weather and the crops, and then he
began to hitch his chair along He
hitched and hitched, until he was
across the room and back, and then
the widow held up her hands and ex-
claimed:
For the lands sake, Deacon Hope,
but what afls you! Have you got what
is called the hitches?' If you have
I want to tell you that it takes per
son off mighty sudden. They hitch
and hitch until they hitch into their
graves!"
"Oh, I guess it amt nothing" was
the reply; and the hitcher ceased
hitching and began to study the toes
of his boots. When he had been silent
for a while he was asked:
''Did you have any errand here to-
day, Deacon?"
sYes-no-yes-no That isis
that is, I didn't" He rubbed his hands
together, looked at her in a helpless
way, and his eyes went back to his
toes.
''Wen, I never!" calculated the
widow "If my John had ever acted
the way you do should have believed
he had been bitten by mad dog!
You must surely see a doctor!"
"Yes=no-yes-I think I must" He
rose up and made for the door as If
he expected a kick.
An hour later the Widow Sargent
called in DR.. Green as he was passing
and described the Deacon's symptoms
and asked what allied him.
"You can't always tell in these
cases" sagely replied the physician.
eft may be a nervous breakdown, or
he may be going insane over the death
Of his wife. We must wait until the
symptoms develop further"
In four or five days there were more
symptoms At o'clock in the after
noon the widow happened to look out
of her front door, and she found the
deacon sitting on the steps with his
back bumped up.
''Why-why, it's you, is it?" she ex-
claimed
'Yes-no-yes! That is, I've been
sitting here for an hourI"
But what for? ?"
II dunno! That is. thought
thought-"
Eyes. you thought So do Il Dea-
con Hope, you are going out of your
mindl 1 don't know why, but If you
keep on this way you'll be as crazy as
a bedbug in two weeks more. You
wait It'll get my bonnet on and I'll
take you to see DR.. Green"
'Yes, yes, wait. but"
But he didn't wait AS soon as she
entered the house he made off He
had such a scared look on his face that
the merchant of whom he bought five
pounds of sugar before going home
asked him if he had been chased by a
bull.
'sFather, you are dressing up and
his daughter Cynthia when he reached
home.
''Didn't I tell you to mind your busi-
ness he almost shouted at her in re-
ply as he went of to the barnyard.
Three evenings later the widow Sar-
gent went out to the woodpile at 9
O'Clock to bring in an armful of wood
for the morning fire. She bumped up
against a man and fell back with a
scream.
''It's only me. widow" said the voice
of Deacon Hope.
''OnIy you'll And what's got into
your noodle nowi Deacon Hope your
brain is goingl You'll be in the insane |
asylum within MONTH What brought ]
you here at this hour?"
II wanted to borrow your hoe!"
MY hoe2 Are you going to hoe