Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-04-01
TIE RECOGNITION
OF JESSE BADLEIGIi
BY h. II. GREEN

pose | might properly be regarded
as one, though l passed through this
section several times before there
was village here, Are you Mr.. John
Armstrong;"
mo, sir, that is Mr.. Armstrong,
answered Petrie nodding his head
toward the merchant who was stand
ing behind the counter talking to his
boy Shockey.
Mr.. Armstrong;" said the visitor.
leaving his place at the stove and ap-
preaching that gentleman, Can |
have a word with you in private?"
My name is Grayling, Henry Ell
sham Grayling, l am an itinerant
preacher, sent here by the presiding
elder, to take the place of Brother
Wolveridge, who was obliged to give
up this field because of the demands
on his strength which were too great
for his debilitated body enfeebled
through excessive labors and un-
healthy malarial influences
II am glad You have come to us
brother Crawling we certainly need
you here in DEBORAH. / have been a
member of the Methodist church
from my boyhood, and l have never
known a more needy, or more
promising field for live, thorough
going virile minister than this. 1t
will require all the time and strength
iiyou may be able to bestow upon it,
IF / could give my entire time to
DEBORAH, the problem would be COM
paratively simple, but the fact is this
is only one point on the circuit,
which, at the present time includes
all of Winneshiek, Howard, ALBANIA
kee and part of Chickasaw counties
You see, brother Armstrong, l am a
travelling preacher" said Mr.. Gray
ling with emphasis on the word trav-
cling. 1t will not be possible for
me to be here oftener than about ev-
cry third Sabbath, and then for only
one service, as l must be at other
nearby places for the rest of the day,
that is afternoon and night, while
every week evening | must be at
some other point on the circuit How
ever, l will do the best / can for De-
corah."
II feel sure you, will do that" re-
piled John Armstrong, '.Why!, bless
me, had forgotten to enquire-have
you had your supper? and where is
your horse?"
my horse is at the Winneshiek
barn, have had my supper at the
tavern. l am to stay there tonight. "
Indeed you are not. Hiram run
down to the house and tell Mrs.
Armstrong that there is a gentleman
at the store who is to be our guest
/ tonight" The boy was soon follow
ed by the store-keeper himself who
conducted the minister to his home.
And after making him acquainted
with Mrs. Armstrong and Frances,
returned to the store where he found
the loungers engaged in a discussion
of the person and mission of the
preacher who had so suddenly and
Unexpectedly appeared among them.
In addition to the regular habitues
Of the place, mention has been made
Of two other men who had dropped
in for the evening.
These two were quite as chummy
with each other as were Petrie and
Pettus. Ezra Finch was a man Of
average height, rather thickset,
bright Of eye, full bearded, of play
full disposition, and in every way a
genial companion whose society was
much sought after by people of like
mind with himself His chum, Jas
per Grimes was, in physical form
quite the reverse of his friend Finch;
tall and lank, large of bone but thin
In flesh he was looked upon as a
prime representative of the typical
Uncle Sam, barring the trivial draw
back that his upper lip was adorned
with a mustache of no particular
color, in lieu of the inevitable chin
whiskers with which the cartoonist
embellishes that distinguished per-
sonage. Indeed it was the compla-
cent boast Of Mr.. Grimes that among
| all his fellow-citizens, he was ever
the one selected to personate Uncle
Sam at entertainments given by his
church or other organizations of
which he might be member.
well! WE'LL" said this gentle
man, replying to a remark of Pet
rie's which had been broken in upon
by the return of the proprietor
can't agree with you Stephen, in all
you say about the value of a preach
er to community: there can't be
any question about the value Of a set
tied ministry, no town could thrive
without 1t, because there are few
people who would care to live in a
! town and raise q family of hove and