Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-02-14
CHAPTER XII.
The Connie Problem.

The Connie Problem.
Mr. Starr was getting ready to go to
conference, and the girls lowered about
him with anxious eyes. This was their
fifth conference since coming to Mount
Mark-the time limit for Methodist
ministers was five years. Tile STAIRS,
therefore, would be transferred, and
where? Small wonder that the girls fol-
lowed him around the house and spoke
in soft voices and looked with tender
eyes at the old parsonage and the wide
lawn. They would be leaving next
week. Already the curtains were down,
were filed, the books were boxed. Yes,
they were leaving, but whittier were
they bound2
"Get your ecclesiastical dander up,
father" Carol urged, don't let them
give US a church fight, or a twenty
thousand-dollar debt on a thousand
dollar congregation"
eve don't care for big salary or
stylish congregation" Lark added, 'but
we don't want to go back to washpans
and kerosene lamps again."
The conference was held In Fairfield,
and he informed the girls casually that
he would be home on the fret train
after the assignments were made. He
said 1t casually, for he did not wish
them to know how perturbed he was
over the coming change. During the
conference he tried in many and devil
Gus ways to learn the will of the au-
thorities regarding his future, but he
found no clue. And at home the girls
were discussing the matter very little,
but thinking of nothing else. They
we're determined to be pleased about
1t.
Just the same, on Wednesday eve
ming, the girls sat silent, with intense
Iy flushed faces and painfully shining
eyes, watching the clock, listening for
the footstep. They had deliberately
remained away from the station. They
thought they could face 1t better with
in the friendly walls Of the parsonage.
It was all settled now, father knew
where they were going. oh, why hadn't
he wired? 1t must be terribly bad
then, he evidently wanted to break 1t
to them gently.
Maybe It was circuit There was
the whistle now! Only a few minutes
now. Suppose his salary were cut
down-good-by to silk stockings and
kid gloves-cheap, but kid, just the
samel Suppose the parsonage would
be old-fashioned Suppose there wasn't
any parsonage at all, and they would
have to pay remit Sup Then the
door slammed.
Carol and Lark picked up their darn
ing, and Connie bent earnestly over hel
magazine. Aunt Grace covered yawr
with her slender fingers and looked
out of the window.
"Hellop
"Why, hello. papa! Back already"
They dropped darning and magazine
and flew to welcome him home.
"Come and sit DOWN. my, 1
seemed a long timer eve had lot
of fun, father" "Was it nice confer
encel" "Mr. james sent us two bush
els of potatoesw "We're going to hav,
chicken tOmOrrow-the Ladies' Alder
sent 1t with their farewell love.
"WasHt IL Il uanuy udy
"Well, it's all settled"
"Yes, we supposed 1t would be. Wa
/ the conference good? We read &C
/ counts of 1t every day, and acted stuck
up when 1t said nice things about you.
t eve are to"
ADJUST a minute, father" inteI
r rupted Connie anxlously. ave don
q care a snap whore 81 L honestly W
!. don't. We're just crazy about /
wherever It is. We've got 1t all settled
o You needn't be afraid to tell u.s."
e Afraid to tell usr' Knocked tn
s twins Indignantly. "What kind Of slav'
u drivers do you think we are2"
I "gather knows we're all right. G
II on, daddy, who's TO be our next flock
! 1--WE haven't any, we"
h The girls faces paled. sHaven't an,
n You mean"
II mean we're to stay in Moul
y Mark"
y "stay in whatr
4 "Mount Mark. They"