Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-01-31
Copyright, by the Bobbs- Merrill Company


obbs-Merrill Company
The Methodist minister laughed boy
SHY, and placing his hands OF the
fence post, he vaulted lightly over.
md reached the house with his daugh-
!ers. Then the Misses Avery, school
teachers and elderly, looked at one an
other.
did you ever?" gasped the oldest
Miss Avery, and the others slowly
shook their heads.
Now, think Did you ever see rec
tor jumping a three-wire fence, and
running full speed across his front
gard in pursuit of a flying family? 1t
nay possibly have occurred-we have
never seen it. Neither had the three
Misses Avery. Nor did they ever ex-
oect to. And if they had seen it, it
S quite likely they would have joined
he backsliders at that instant.
But without wasting much time on
his gruesome thought, they hurried
If the parsonage, and raised it. Then
hey clustered behind the curtains, and
watched and listened. There was
plenty to hear! From the parsonage
windows came the sound of scamper-
ng feet and banging doors. Once there
vas the unmistakable clatter of chair
! overturned. With it all there was a
constant chorus of ''Oh, look !" "Oh!
! Dbl" ooh, how sweet ~ "Oh, papa !"
oh. Prudence!" "Look, Larkie, look
At this!
Then the eldest Miss Avery closed
he window overlooking the parsonage
and confronted her sisters.
"We must.sust make the best of it."
She said quietly.
But next door the gray old parson-
lge was full to overlooking with salts
faction and happiness and love. Every
one has experienced the ecstatic, creepy
sensation Of sleeping in a brand-new
nome. The parsonage girls reveled in
The memory Of that first night for many
lays. cit may be haunted for all we
Know" cried Carol deliciously. "Just
hink, Connie, there may be seven
ghosts calnped on the head of your bed,
waiting"
"Carol ~
When the family gathered for wor-
ship on that first Sabbath morning,
Mr.. Starr said, as he turned the leaves
Of his well-worn Bible, 81 think it
would be well for you to help with the
morning worship now. When I finish
reading the chapter, Connie, you will
make the first prayer. Just pray for
whatever you wish as you do at night
FOR yourself. I will follow you.''
Comics eyes were wide with respon-
-ibility during the reading Of the chap
Ter. but When she began to speak her
voice did not falter Connie had nine
years Of good Methodist experience
back Of her!
':Our Father, who art in heaven, we
DOW ourselves before thy footstool in
humility and reverence. Thou art our
God, our Creator, our Savior. Bless us
this day, and cause thy face to shine
upon us. Blot out our transgressions,
pardon our trespasses. Wash us, that
we may be whittier than snow. Hide
not thy face from the eyes of thy
children, turn not upon us in wrath
Pity us, Lord, as we kneel here pros
trate before thy majesty and glory.
Let the words of our mouths and the
meditations of our hearts be accept.
able in thy sight, o Lord, our strength
and our Redeemer. And finally save
| for
throne in heaven, for Jesus sake
Amen"
This was followed by an electric 81.
!ence. Prudence was biting her Inns
painfully, and counting by tens as fast
as she could. Fairy was mentally go.
ing over the prayer, sentence by sen.
tence and attributing each petition
to the individual member in the old
church at Exminster to whom it be-
longed. The twins were little
amazed, and quite proud. Connie was
an honor to the parsonage-but they
were concerned lest they themselves
should not do quite so well when their
days came.
But in less than a moment the min.
lster-father began his prayer. WheD
he said "Amen," Prudence was on her
feet and halfway upstairs before the
others were fairly risen. Fairy stood
gazing intently out of the window for
a moment, and then went out to the
barn to see if the horse was through
eating. Mr.. Starr walked gravely and
soberly out the front door, and around
the house. He ran into Fairy coming
out the kitchen door, and they glanced
quickly at each other.
Hurry, papa" she whispered; "you
can't hold in much longer! Neither
can II"
And together, choking with laugh.
ter, they hurried into the barn and
gave full vent to their feelings.
So it was that the twins and Connie
were alone for while.
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