The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-01
and What vas It you Just said?

and what vas II you Just said
Il don't b'lieVe I heard it right"
i said that daughter of yours, OF
niece. or whatever she Is, this Grace
Van Horne, has been meeting young
Eliery, our minister. in Peters's grove
been meeting him and walking with
MIN, and kissing hun. She's met him
IN those pines every Sunday afternoon
Tor long time. She was seen there
with him this afternoon"
"Who-who saw herr"
Never mind. The one that did1l
never tell-unless it's necessary. They
are fixing to be married, and"
Married! She marry a Reg'lar
minister! OH"
Hush! Listen! They amt married
yet. We can stop 'em, you and |, II
we get right to work. It isn't too late.
Will you help"
VIII II Go on! tell me more!"
We can stop 'em. know ii would
be good catch for her, the sneaking,
can't be. 1t shant be. You've got to
tell her so, Hammond. We folks Of
| the Regular church have pride in IT
| society; we won't have 1t disgraced
And we have been proud Of our minis
ter, the young, rattle-headed fool!
Wen save him if we can. II We
can't'-the speakers teeth grated
then We'll send him to eternal
smash or die trying"
But | can't believe it's true. It's
mistake; some other girl and not
Oracle. Why, she don't even know
him. She wouldn't But she has
been out every Sunday afternoon for
weeks. Il it should be-"
The chair creaked. Evidently, Cap
tain Eben was rising slowly to his
feet.
"Well?" repeated Elkanah.
"Elkanah Daniels" said Eben slow
ly, his voice shaking from nervous ex-
haustion and weakness, but with a fine
ring of determination in every word,
"Elkanah Daniels, you listen TO
me. I've heard you through. If
your yarn is true, then my heart is
broke. and | wish | might have died
afore | heard 1t. But | didn't die and
| have heard it. Now listen to me. |
love that girl of mine better'n the
whole wide world and yet I'd ruther
see her dead afore me than married
to a Regular minister. Disgrace to
him! Disgrace to your miserable
church! What about the disgrace to
mine? And the disgrace 70 her? Ruin
to your minister! Ruin to my girl
here and hereafter is what I'm think
in of; that and my people who wor-
ship God with me. I'll talk to Grace.
III talk to her. But not of what1l
happen to him or you-or any of your
cantin', lip-servin' crew. I'll tell her
to choose between him and me- And
If she chooses him, I'll send her out
Of that door. I'll do my duty and read
her out Of my congregation. And I'll
know she's gone to everlastin' hell, |
and that's worse'n the poorhouse |
That's all tonight, Elkanah. Now you
better CO."
The lock turned; the door opened |
and closed. Grace, clinging to the bal |
listers. heard Captain Hammond cross |
the room, slowly and feebly. She !
heard him enter the sitting room. By |
and by, pale, but more composed, and |
with her mind made up, she came |
down into the hall. Drawing a long
breath, she turned into the sitting
room to face her uncle. By the light
shining through the dining-room door
she saw him on his knees by the hair
cloth sofa. She spoke his name. He
did not answer nor look up. At her
touch his arm slid from the couch and |
he fell gently over upon his side on
The carpet.