Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-06
4 air of Sinners

the boys are going, and never, ncvc.
saw circus in all my born days!''
Little Mats face was tremulous Will
eagerness, and even Aunt Nabby'!
stout old heart weakened before thu
/ pleading in those big brown eyes.
/ I'm take my own money and II
be Just as good!" pursued Nat.
1 lit isn't. the money, Matte begar
! Aunt Nabby, slowly; I'D just as soor
as not let you have It -. but you see
you're the minister's boy, and the
minister's family has to set an ex
ample
! l"Rut every one else's boy is going
persisted Nat. All the deacons chill
dren. Why can't minister's boy go?'
/ Its different" replied Aunt Nabby
But why?" urged Nat. If it's
wicked for minister's boy to go, why
isn't it for deacon's boy?"
/ ut isn't exactly wicked" went on
Aunt Nahby, fits just worldly, and a
minister's family must not be con
formed to the world"
But don't want to-" walled Nat.
Its just hard 'nuff tryin' to be good.
/ want to go to the circus like every
one else. dol" !
Its no use talking" said Aunt
Nabby, firmly
Nat was silent for a moment, then
said persuasively: Aunt Nabby,
couldn't sin just this time? I'd just
as coon have whipping, or go to bed
without my supper, or pile wood, or
anything il can only 90 to the
circus"
Nathaniel Dean!" exclaimed Aunt
Nabby, almost explosively, you just
stop teasin'. What can't be can't be.
You can see the procession come
into town all the lions, elephants.
and tigers = but you can't go to the
circus"
II don't want to see the animals
walled Nat. Eve seen 'em once. and
the lion looks like an old door-mat.
/ want to see the ladies walk on the
wire and ride bareback and jump
the hoops, do! want to
see the Queen of the East attended
by her band Of Beauteous and Re-
Dancing Girls"
stop jest there" interrupted Aunt
Nabby, sternly. "A minister's son
talkin' about dancin'! You can't go
and don't you bother your pa askin'.
for it won't be any use"
Aunt Nabbys tones were fiercer
than her feelings. Down deep she
could not help deploring the fact that
even seven-year-old mite of min
ster's son must set an example for
sodly living.
Nat ran away to the barn and hid
n his favorite nook in the loft, where J
he first ingathering of scented hay !,
vas softly piled and the summer !
,reeze came pleasantly through the
great upper door. There he cried and
.ried until his poor little head ached
,ain in his heart was greater. He was
ure he didn't want any other father
tut the thoughtful-eyed one in the
tudy below, busy with the Sundays
ermon But he did dare wish that
hat same father hadn't felt called i
pon to preach the gospel. T.
The sound of the supper awoke the
title man from the eieep which had
ollowed the tempest of tears. He
down the ladder and en-
cred the house, to be captured by
lunt Nabby /,
Brother Mason's come to spend a
.w days" she said. IAN you Jest put {
n clean blouse ard let me comb
nat curly wig an Re sure you wash i
p clean"
Aunt Nabby's tones were energetic.
ut there was certain rough kind
ess which made itself felt. Perhaps r
err down-deep feelings had been trou- g
lesome during the afternoon Clean /
Cup"
Mats heart was lighter, for he v
wed Brother Mason" and looked for G
ard to his visits. The Rev. James \
ason was superannuated minister q
nearly eighty, who still went about s
! his Fathers business, preaching in
'untry schools and farm houses, and ~
ling service, as occasion and n
rength permitted. where other min
ters were too busy or Indifferent to =,
}. He had mild, beautiful old face 9.
owned with silvery hair. Nat =,
ought he must be like the apostles,
I'd his child heart always opened to n
e dear old saints loving ways. So ~
ran eagerly into the parlor and o.,
gged Brother Mason almost as hap. % .,
ly as If no circus existed. .,
The next morning nearly all Down. h,
g rose with the sun and trudged ct