Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-09-15
the merry crackle of the Goals.

49, " 0SAAN AAA0
Out that newly made conditions rais~d
obstacles that could not be surmount-
ed. First of all. the pathetic devo-
tion OF his uncle and aunt. They called
MIN their son. Then, the innate gen.
tleness of his own nature, which shranlk
from the desire to rob them of their
new estate-a strange wealth of con-
tentment and resignation. To tell them
now would be to destroy the only joy
left In life for them. Again the GU
rlous sense Of loyalty to Adam Carr.
He lost no time in looking up John
Payson. to whom an explanation was
due, and a plea for Mary's sake. Pay
son heard him through-a nervous.
disconnected statement it was-and
considerably assured him that he not
only understood the situation, but that
he would not have had Mary do other
wise thar she had done.
Tell her: Eric" he said. that I love
her more than ever. l can wait until
she is ready to send for me. Brace
up, old fellow. I understand"
But. though he said it fairly enough.
he did not understand. He was sorely
puzzled.
No word came from Adam Carr.
Sunday vas at hand. The Satur-
day Courier had announced the pro-
gram for the services at the First Con-
gregatfonal church There was to be
a solo in the morning by the popular
Miss Smith. with flute and cello OBJ
lfgato. More wonderful still, a cello
solo during the collection" by the ia
nous Professor Parker, of Boston. In
the evening a song service. with a
snort sermon by the minister, the Rev.
Mr.. King.
And all this in the First Congrega-
tional church of Corinth. Horace Blag-
den's church!
At 1880 o'clock Mr.. Blagdon put on
his tall hat, took up his gold headed
HQno ond oVrnNp~oAl 70 <h0 t~yo MIA
thornes that it was time to be off to
church. Mrs. Blagden was not up to
1t. SO they were leaving her behind.
The bell hasn't rung yet. Uncle
Horace" observed Eric, who had been
waiting for the r%esounding peals Of
That we'll o m of tho
faithful.
Mr.. Kings orders, my lear boy,''
said Horace as calmly as IL the silence
ing of that venerable and never fall
Ing bell was the most trivial thing in
the world. He pondered a moment and
then added. with a queer little shake
of his head: "Mr. King is really a hui
man sort of a Christian. A sensible
one, l might say. Come along. please.
We can't afford to be late after what
he said at the board meeting last week.
He seemed nervous and quite anx-
ious to be off.
You see, my dears, there's a very
sick child across the street from the
church. Assesses in the ears, I UNDER
stand. They've got tan bark along the
entire block. Last week I attended to
having III heavy teaming stopped on
that part Of the street. The child's
mother informed Mr.. King that the
frightful changing Of the church bell
almost set h little girl wild with pain.
So"-her he tool q long breath-"Mr.
King promised her that-er. ahem-it
should not ring until the little sufferer
was quite fully recovered. Most un-
usual. Most extraordinary. The bell
hasn't missed a service. morning or
night, in 60 years."
Good for Mr.. King cried Mary.
He Is h right kind of a Christian.
! don't see why the foolish old thing
has to ring. anyway"
Mr.. Blagden looked hurt. Really,
Mary. that isn't just the proper He
caught himself up with one Of his rare
smiles, albeit was rather a shame faced
effort. MIR. King did not put It in Just
that way, my dnar, but he was quite
convincing and-Mer, ahem-very posi-
tive. He said that II the members of
the First CONGREGATIONAL church did
not know the hours for service, 1t was
high time they were learning them. It
ISM necessary to ring a bell in order
to get the people to. the theater on time,
said he. so why bring them to church
In that way. Really, he was quite en-
phatic about it. Somehow. we agreed
with him. I believe it is his intention
to a note OF the tardy ones today.
fOr-er. ahem-missionary purposes. as
he put it to the board"
MI. Blagden looked at his watch, and
accelerated his speed quite noticeably.
Eric and Mary could scarcely credit
their senses. Truly. q wonderful thing
had happened In Corinth. A new gos-
pei had supplanted The old. A rock
bound. half-dead spirituality had been
shaken into life by q process Of en-.
~lightenment that was positively be-
widening. An up to date minister,
with an up to date gospel, had com.
pletely upset the religious calculations
OF $50 years, and Corinth was sur.
vtvtng the shock!
long 1t would be before one of the
great. progressive and covetous met
ropolitan congregations would extend
q call to this amazing Mr.. King-and
get him at q vastly increased salary.
with perhaps q pension for his wife
when he became too old to preach, or
It got tired Of him and wanted .
change.
The new Congregationalism had at
last forced Its way into Corinth. Il
had taken many years. / venture the
opinion that the First Congregational
church did more toward proving the
blindness Of faith when it called Mr..
King than anything that has been done
IN 3 name or the history OF religion.
fast q it, Ways could not have ac-
compliDhed Z transition 90 complete a.
this except by accident. Mr.. King was
truly m accident, quite a. much OF an
accident az the stroke Of lightning
which never strikes twice in the same
place. Il anyone had told the trustees
In advance that - was going to tweAk
II tRn ANtenNsm MNaA@ vsMAal - @naNnoA AvntSwny.