Tensas gazette., 1911-11-03

A-c AOoo up anu made Tor the door
as If he expected kick
Ap hour later the Widow Sargent
called in Doctor Green as he was pass
Ing and described the deacon's symp-
toms and asked what allied him.
You can't always tell In these
cases" sagely replied the physician.
1t may be nervous breakdown. Or
he may be going insane over the
death Of his wife. We must wait
until the symptoms develop further"
In four OF i've days there were
more symptoms. At three O'Clock In
the afternoon 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
exclaimed
"Yes-no-yesl That is. I've been
sitting here for an houri"
But what for?"
IL dunno! That is. I thought
thought"
Yes. you thought So do I! Dea-
con Hope. you are going out of your
mindl ! don't know why. but II you
keep on this way you'll be as crazy
as a bedbug in two weeks more.
You wait till / get my bonnet on and
I'll take you to see Doctor Green"
Yes. yes. I'll wait. but"
But he didn't wait. AS soon as
she entered the house he made on.
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 II he had been
chased by bull
Father you are dressing up and
going to town pretty often" observed
his daughter Cynthia when he
reached home.
Didn't l tell you to mind your
business" he almost shouted at her
In reply as he went OF to the barn
yard.
Three evenings later the widow
Sargent was out to the woodpile at
nine 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.
ITS only me. widowl" said the
voice Of Deacon Hope.
Only you'll And what's got into
your noodle nowl Deacon Hope, your
brain is goingl You'll be In the In
sane asylum within a MONTH What
brought you here at this hour?"
IL wanted to borrow your hoe!"
MY hoe? Are you going to hoe
potatoes on as dark a night as thisl"
"Yes-no. That isis"
Deacon. you go home! I'll have
something done for you before sun
down tomorrow Hunting around
my woodpile at nine o'clock on a
dark night to borrow my hoe! Did
any one ever hear the likei"
The deacon went. but instead OF
going by the gate he tramped over an
onion bed. burst through the currant
bushes and climbed a fence Early
the next forenoon the widow went TO
the minister and asked II he had
noticed anything queer about Deacon
Hope lately. He hadn't Then she
told of his queer performances. and
when they had been detailed she
added:
'T tell you. parson, the man has
gone daft over the loss of his wife"
Il hardly think So was talking
with him last Sunday. and he ap-
peared to be as sane as any one. On
Tuesday as l was driving past his
house also passed a few words with
him. No. shouldn't say he was los
ing his mind-not in a general way"
well. can't make It out"
Il think can. happened to hear
some time ago that the deacon acted
in the same queer way when-when
he was courting his wife,"
You don't .sayl"
Il heard that he hitched around
and performed in other ways"
"And-and he's counting me. is
he?" she asked with q blush.
Il should find out" was the quiet
reply.
Il wifi"
Three days later she found Deacon
Hope hanging over her gate. and she
went out and took him by the ear
and led him In and then demanded:
Deacon. are you counting met"
/ "Yes-no-yesi"
do you want me to marry your"
Yes. by gosh!"
Then my answer is yes, and II
you don't quit playing the idiot from
this minute on I'll take the broom
handle to you'll Lordl Lordl but
think of the time you've wastedl"
Pastor Painted His Church.