The Lemmon herald. (Lemmon, Perkins County, S.D.) 1912-1917, 1912-12-27
!: the MAGIC CARPET
A Thanksgiving Story.
ey clARlSSA MAcklE.

| The committee on repairs walked
down the aisle ard wagged disarrro~
al at each Pew.
| ut never struck me before bow m
tasteful II was 70 have every pew ar
peted different" whee7cd Miss Lee i'm
portantlv They look iust like folke'
houses, jeremiah Little's IL rot pie,e
Of his parlor carpet spread on 1t, aud
all 1t needs is basket of waY towers
to make you think you're sitting in his
| front room at funeral"
| The other members OF the committee
cast surrertitious glances at their sew.
eral pews, each with Its Hsylv covered
door and fat carpeted hassocke Then
they looked AZ Sarah Lees own pow.
with its neat red door covering that
exactly matched the carpet In the aisle
I'VE amt oil agents for carpet
store" remarked Hannah Smith dryly
| Miss Lee redeemed That's neither
here nor there, she said hurrlcdly
| 1The facts are these Daniel Merton
has sent us 81 100 for the church ra.
pairs. nr, Long says $500 vii, 10
needed Tor repairs to the building and
belfry. The other $500 Is tn he used
BY the ladies Of the committee to re-
Il decorate the inside and for a new car
pet to cover all the pews."
| She looked narrowly at serena Webb
In the background
/ nil
Serena calmly.
| The committee drew unanimous
breath Of dismay
'Thst's the old Merton pow" pro,
tested Miss Lee
| II know IT," replied Serena
| II should think that when man
cares enough for the old church he
was baptized In to send 1000 for re
pairs II would he p delicate attention
on the part of the committee to rc
furnish his old family pew" said pr.
Longs wife bitterly,
perhaps Mr. Merton would prefer
to see the old church restored rather
than redeCorated lie must have ten
der recollectious OF the old pew with
his mothers carpet on the door and
the same old hnssocks he knelt on
i when a boy. I am sure he would
rather SOC the chancei restored tn its
oldttmc beauty rather than done over
In the latest fashion said Serena
i Webb eagerly
Rubbish sneered Sarah Lee "a
man ss smart as Dan Mertop-a man
who left Redhush q poor young man
and II today . millionaire must he mp
to date He ain't no hhck number, =
she ended. with q triumphant relapse
into slang He'd admire n soc his
moneys been put to some good pnr.
pose"
The other ladies' nodded approval of
this statement. all save Serena Webb,
| who was gazing ~istfrllv at the dim
and fnded frcscoes In the chancel
$50. you see. Niss Webb. Dan Mcr
ton would he pleased enough to have
bis old family pow done over new
Were planning IN have II all done hv
| Thanksgiving and then invite him
down and hare regular thanksgiv-
ing DNSt 'He HIi mug. sshi hl-S tfA~
pers1asively
MY pew viii remain na II L." ssid
Serena drmiv "a she turned toward
the door Il have paid for H."
Very well" returned the other bit
ingEv Il shall take care to let Dan
Merton know that stranger has come
10 Redbush who amt grateful enough
for his generosity to try tn please him
shall let him know
Serena Webb merely bowed politely
end passed through the door
Once within the gate ~ her quiet
old fashioned garden her straight. aim
fgBre relaxed into a rustic scat ahe
claspcd her white hands behind her
sunny brown head and surveyed the
| low ivy covered house with contnmpa
tive eyes
| The Merton homestead nd the Mer
ton pew are the possessions ~ an o.
centric spinster," she muscd hims
callY First Daniel Merton. president
Of the cordage trust. writes and com
snds that | sell him his old home for
an shsurd|r high price. which refused
because the house Just suits me, snd I
en- tired Of wandering Again. he
sends gift TO his church, and they
| demand that tear out the charming.
old fashioned furniture Of fhe Merton
pc. and trsnaform II for him, am
/ selfish enough IN like II as II is-and n
! believe he will like IN best too Rut /
am afraid of that Daniel Merton. a
| man who haz risen to such pn1lnepce
as he must possess a strength ~ pur
pose that will at last prevail upon ne
70 part with this charming place"
With little signing laugh she went
! Into the house the quiet house which
she occupied with her servants and her
| pets Her kinsfnk were awaiting her
In another distant cnUntrT serena
! gas Young yet She vas thirty ~
and she was lonely
+
/ FOR weeks after that Sentemhrr daF
I the Redhush hureh raS closed for r.
/ pairs. Heavy canvas covered the ID
! Merton pew and protectnS It from