Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-09
CHAPTER XIX.
Eoiledl

SOuSOS
II was late in the forenoon before
the train came to the end of its iron
furrow across that fertile space be-
tween two of the worlds greatest riv-
ers, which the Indians called Iowa"
nobody knows exactly why. In con-
trast with the palisades Of the Missis-
sippi, the Missouri twists like great
brown dragon wallowing in congenial
mud. The water itself, as Bob Bur-
dette said, is so muddy that the wind
blowing across 1t raises cloud Of
dust.
A sonorous bridge led the way into
Nebraska, and the train came to a
halt at Omaha. Mallory and Marjorie
got out to stretch their legs and their
dog. If they had only known that the
train was to stop there the quarter Of
an hour, and IL they had only known
some preacher there and had had him
to the station, the ceremony could have
been contaminated then and there.
The horizon was fairly saw-toothed
with church spires. There were
preachers, preachers everywhere, and
not dominic to do their deed.
I. After they had strolled up and down
the platform, and up and down, and
up and down till they were fain Of
their cramped quarters, again, Mar
jorie suddenly dug her nails into Nal.
lory's arm.
Honey! look-look!"
their very eyes stood as clerical a
looking person as ever announced
strawberry festival.
I Mallory stared and stared, till Mar.
jorie said:
Don't you see? stupid! it's a
preacher! preacher!"
1T looks like one," was as far as
Mallory would commit himself, and he
was turning away. He had about come
to the belief that anything that looked
like parson was something else. But
Marjorie whirled him round again,
with shrill whisper to listen. And
he overheard in tones addicted to the
pulpit:
Eyes. deacon, I trust that the har.
vest will be plentiful at my new
church. It grieves me to leave the
dear brothers and sisters in the Lord
in Omaha, but felt called to wider
pastures"
And q lady who was evidently Mrs.
Deacon spoke up:
We'll miss you terrible. We all
say you are the best pastor our church
ever had"
Mallory prepared to spring on his
prey and drag him to his lair, but
Marjorie held him back.
Hes taking our train, Lord bless
his dear old SOUL"
And Mallory could have Rugged him.
But he kept close. watch. To the rap
ture Of the wedding-hungry twain. the
preacher shook hands with such Of his
flock as had followed him to the sta
ton, picked up his valise and walked
up to the porter, extending his ticket.
But the porter said-and Mallory
coud have throttled him for saying it:
"Scuse me. poison, but that's yo'
train ova yonda. You beta move right
smaht, for it's gettin' ready to pull
out"
With a little shrek of dismay, the
parson clutched his valise and set of
at run. Mallory dashed after him
and Marjorie after Mallory. They
shouted as they ran, but the conductor
of the east-bound train seng out "All
aboard!" and swung on.
The parson made a sprint and
caught the ultimate rail of the moving
train. Mallory made frantic leap at
q flying coat-tail and missed. AS he
and Marjorie stood gazing reproach.
fully at the train which was giving a
beautiful illustration of the laws of re-
perspective, they heard wild
bowls Of Hi! hit" and clay! hay!"
and turned to see their own train in
motion, and the porter dancing .
Zulu step alongside,