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£ the P A R S O N A G E
( H o b b s M e r r il l . C o p y r ig h t , 191 « )
girl in Mount Mark has turned you
down n’remly.”
In this new serial of ot:rs we
But the Methodist minister, gazing
have the story of a small-town
away down the track, where a thin
minister’s family and Its strug
curl of smoke announced the coming
gles with poverty, with hard-
of No. 11 and Prudence— heard nothing
headed— and fat-headed— church
of this conversation. lie wus not a
officers, with temptations of flesh
handsome man. Ills hair was gray at
and spirit.
We have, too, a
the temples. Ids face was earnest, only
picture of its joys, its inspira
saved from severity by the little clus
tions, its ambitions— yes, and its
ters of lines at his eyes and mouth
love affairs. Miss Hueston, the
which proclaimed that he laughed
author, writes with perfect sym
often and with relish.
pathy: she is a small-town min
“ Train going ea st!”
ister’s daughter; and this tale
The minister stood hack from the
is dedicated to her mother, who
crowd, but when the train came pound
"devoted her life to rearing a
ing In a brightness leaped into his
whole houseful of young Meth
eyes. A slender girl stood in the vesti
odists.” We feel sure you will
bule, waving wildly at him a small
enjoy "Prudence.”
gloved hand. When the train stopped
THE EDITOR.
she leaped lightly from the steps.
“ Father!” she cried excitedly, and.
small and slight ns she was, she el
CH APTER I.
bowed her way sw iftly through the
gaping crowd. “ Oh, fath er!” And she
Introducing Her.
Hung her arms about him Joyously, un
None but the residents consider conscious of admiring eyes. Her father
Mount Mark, Iowa, much of a town, kissed her warmly. “ Where Is your
and the very most patriotic of them baggage?” he asked, a hand held out
all has no word of praise for the ugly to relieve her.
“ H ere!” And with a rndlnnt smile
little red C. 1!. & Q. railway station.
Mount Mark is anything but proud of she thrust upon him a box of candy
the little station. At the same time It and a gaudy-covered magazine.
certainly does owe the railroad and the
“ Your suitcase." he explained pa
state a debt of gratitude for its pres tiently.
ence there. It is the favorite social
“ O h !” she gasped.
“ Itun. father
rendezvous for the community 1 The run! I left it on the train !”
arrival o f a passenger train In Mount
Father did run. but Prudence, fleeter-
M irk Is an event— something In the footed, outdistanced him uud clum-
nature o f a C. B. St Q. “ at home.” and bered on board, panting.
is always attended by a large and en
When she rejoined her father her
thusiastic gathering of "our best face was flushed. “ Oh. father,” she
people.” All that Is lacking are the said quite snnppily, “ isn't thut Just like
proverbinl “ light refreshments!”
me?"
So it happened that one sultry morn
“ Y es, very like,” he agreed, and he
ing, late in the month of August, there smiled.
was the usual flutter o f excitement and
"And so this Is Mount M ark! Isn’t
confusion on the platform and In the It a funny name, father? Why do they
waiting room of the station. The ha call it Mount Mark?"
bitues were there in force. Conspicu
" I don’t know. I hadn’t thought to
ous among them were four gayly Inquire. W e turn here. Prudence. This
dressed young men, smoking cigarettes is Main street. The city part o f the
and gazing with lack-luster eyes upon town— the business part— Is to the
the animated scene, which evidently south.”
bored them.
“ It’s a pretty street. Isn’t It?” she
The Daily News reporter, in a well- cried. “ Such nice big maples, and such
creased. light gray suit and tan shoes, shady, porchy houses. I love houses
and with eyeglasses scientifically bal with porches, don't you? Has the par
anced on his aquiline nose, was making sonage a porch?”
I>ointed inquiries into the private plans
“ Yes, a big one on the south, and a
! of the travelers. The young woman tiny one in front. W e have the house
going to Burlington to spend the week fixed up pretty well. Prudence, but of
end was surrounded with about fifteen course you'll have to go over It your
other young women who had come to self and arrange It as you like. I must
“ see her off.” Mount Mark Is a very go to a trustees’ meeting at two
respectable town, be it understood, and o’clock, but we can get a good deal
girls do not go to the station without done before then. Mrs. Adams Is com
: an excuse!
ing to help you this afternoon. She
A man In a black business suit stood ? Is one o f our Ladles, and very kind.
■done on the platform, his hands in ■ There, that is the parsonage!”
his pockets, his eyes wandering from
Prudence gazed In silence. Many
one to another of the strange faces
would
not have considered It n beautl-
about him. His plain white ready-made
i ful dwelling, but to Prudence It was
tie proclaimed his calling.
“ It’s the new Methodist minister,” , heavenly. Fortunately the wide, grnssy,
volunteered the baggage master, cross- shaded lawn greeted one first. Great,
spreading maples bordered the street,
and clustering rosebushes lined the
walk leading up to the house. The par
sonage, to Prudence’s gratified eyes,
looked homey, and big, and Inviting.
There were many windows, nnd the
well-known lace curtains looked down
upon Prudence tripping happily up the
' little board walk— or so it seemed to
her.
“ Two whole stories, and an attic be
sides ! Not to mention the bathroom t
Oh, father, the night after you wrote
there was a bathroom, Constance
1 thanked God for It when she said her
prayers. And a furnace, too!
And
electric lights! Oh, we have waited
a long time for It, and we’ve been very
I patient indeed, hut, between you nnd
ine, father, I am most mightily glad
I we’ve hit the luxury land at last. I'm
sure we’ll all feel much more religious
in a parsonage that has a bathroom
and electric lights! Oh, father I"
He had thrown open the door, and
Prudence stood upon the threshold of
her new home. Together she nml her
i rather went from room to room, up-
l stairs and down, moving a table to the
left, a bed to the right— according to
her own good pleasure.
Afterward
they had u cozy luncheon for two In
, the “ dining room.”
“ Oh, It Is so elegant to have a din
ing room,” breathed Prudence hnpplly.
! " I always pretended it was rather fun,
“ Run, Father, Run!’’
J and a great saving o f work, to eat and
I know him. He’s 1 cook nnd study nnd live In one room,
lng the platform,
\ but Inwardly the idea always outraged
not a bad sort.”
“ They say he's got five kids, nnd ’ me. Is that the school over there?”
"Yes, that’s where Connie will jfo.
most o f ’em girls,” responded the Ad
ams express man. “ I want to be on There Is only one high school In Mount
hand when they get here, to pick out a Mark, so the twins will have to go to
the other side of town— a long walk,
«in.”
“ Y a h !” mocked the telegraph opera but In good weather they can come
tor, bobbing his head through the win home for dinner.”
dow, “ you need to. They tell me every
“ Oh, that’s a lovely place over there.
“This Is n flue chance for tin to get
acquainted," said the good woman with
eagerness.
Now, If the truth must be told, there
hud been some III feeling In the I»adlee'
Aid society concerning the reception of
Prudence. After the session of con
ference. when Itev. Mr. Starr wan as
signed to Mount Mark, the l.udles of
the church had felt great Interest In
the man and Ills family. They Inquired
on every hand, and Icurned several In
teresting Items. The mother had been
By ETHEL HUESTON
taken from the family five year» Ins
fore, after a long Illness, and Prudente,
the eldest daughter, had taken c lin ic
of the household. There were five cMl-
dren. So much was known, and being
fa th er!" exclaimed Prudeuee. looking women, they looked forward with
from the living room windows toward eager curiosity to the coming of Pru
dence. the young mistress of the par
tin* south. “ Isn’t It beautiful?”
“ Yes. The Avery family lives there. sonage.
Mr. Starr had arrived at Mount Mark
The parents are very old and feeble,
and the daughters are all--elderly— a week uheinl of Ills family. Prudence
and all schoolteachers. There are four and the other children had spent the
of them, and the youngest is forty-six. week visiting lit Ine home of their
Dear me. It la two o’clock already, nnd aunt, nnd Prudence had come on a day
I must go at once. Mrs. Adams will In advance of the others to “ wind ev
be here In a few minutes, ami you will erything up." as she had expressed It.
not be lonely.”
But when Mrs. Adams arrived at the
parsonage she knocked repeatedly, nnd
Do you think that Impulsive,
In vain. Finally she gathered her robes
lovable Prudence will make a
hit with the saintly (but gos
sipy) members of the Ladles’
A i d society?
IF KIDNEYS ACT
BAD TAKE SAITS
Says Buckaclic is hì ^ ii you have
been ealilltf too mueli
meat.
When you wake up with Mu karim
and dull misery In the kidney region
: it generally means you hnve been eat
ing too much meat, says a well kpown
authority.
M»*at form« uric , arid
which overworks the kidneys In their
effort to filter It from tho blood uml
they become sort of paralysed and
leggy. When your kidneys get slug
glsli and clog you must relieve them,
like you relieve your bowels; remov
ing all the body's urinous waste, else
you liuve backache, sick headache,
dizzy spells; your stomach sours,
tongue Is coated, and when the wea
(her Is hud you have rheumatic
twinges. The urine Is cloudy, full of
sediment, channels often get sore, wa
ter scalds and you are obliged t»i seek
relief two or three times »luring the
night.
Klttmr consult a good, reliable phy
sician at once or get from your phar
macist ubout four ouncea o f Jail Halts:
take a tablespoonful 111 a glass of
water before breakfast for a few days
nnd your kidneys will then act fine.
This fumous salts Is made from the
»TU HK CONTINUED.)
arid of grapes and lemon Juice, com
bined with llthla, and has been used
MAN’S WAR ON WILD THINGS fur generations to clean uml stimulate
sluggish kidneys, also to lieulri»ll/.e
Trifles Seemingly of Small Significance adds In the urine so It no longer Irri
tates, thus ending bladder weakness.
Have Power to Cause Much
Jad Halts Is a life saver for regular
Irritation.
meat eaters. It Is Inexpensive, can
not Injure and makes a delightful, of-
There are awful little things be fervescent llthla water drink.
t w e e n two people.
Here lire some of
them:
M43. When tlre»l, the wife ban n
peculiar yuwn, roughly: “ Hoo-hoo!
Iloo-lnx»!" The husband hears It com
ing and sometimes curdles within
T i n f i l ' L u t « t i l i e t i *»■>) OintfUflt Atldl k r * i w l
: nlm.
ukujJ’ y H -i*«
lu h itg AD<1 bur i d - g « i d
M98. livery morning In Ids hutli the fu4 a r e Jfouf
» a il* I r c l f o i l «»<•! ( n f l i l o r U U «
w%f I I I> m I
husband slugs, “ There Is a fountain At l* « t . W o ii't y+m I f * flic C «»y
r r i c i l <1 • r ■ ! MW 1.11 r. a i> ^ ' '» l* *
I fill'll with blisal drawn from Ktonmn- lltm e .' S »»1*1 t/y a !l
fit ft. /■ 7\
I uel's veins” — always the sumo.
MUM. The w ife buys shoes n quar
ter size too small and ulwnys slips
them off under the table at dinner.
Then she loses them anil develops
grout agitation. This fills her hus
band with an unaccountable rage.
MG8. The w ife Is afflicted with the
cliche habit anil can generally sum
up a situation by phrases such us:
"A ll is not gold that glitters.”
Or,
"Such Is life," or “ Well, well, It'a a
E E « ’ ‘ ■ ■ V Ä S iT 0
weary world." The husband cun hear
TV. r « t u « f u r i peer •*.» a s w l
them coming.
There are scores o f these little cruel
A Different Atmosphere.
things which wear away love ns sure
" I ’m looking for employment, sir.
ly as trickling water will wear nway a
1*11 be frank with you. I’vo Just been
stone.— W. L. George, In Atluntlc.
released from prison.”
"Ahem ! One of the model prisons?”
Plants That Give Heat.
" Y ch . sir."
W e do not. us u rule, think of plants
"W ell, I’m willing to give you a
ns giving out heat, yet at certain tiroes chance, but every man we cjmploy Is
some flowers show an astonishing rise expected to hustle
If you think you
of temperature. Most remarkable In can get down to hard work and long
this respect are certain kinds o f arum. hours after the life o f elegant leisure
Just at the opening o f the flower. In you have doubtless enjoyed In prison.
I'll tnnk»1 a place for you."— Kxchange.
tlies»1 cases, there Is a great liberation
of bent; this Is due to the fact that the
respiration, or breathing, is ut such
times very vigorous. Home very lnt«*r-
estirig experiments have been carrlisl
out in connection with these arums by
iiii-aiis of placing a thermometer just
Inside the split he. One o f the most re
markable cases was that of species
growing on the Mediterranean const,
nnd known us arum Itallcuin. The
temiiernture of the air was (10 degrees
at the time o f the experiment. That
Glass of hot water each morn
Inside the spnthe was 110 degrees! At
*
ing helps us look and feci
-
that time the blossoms, which when
Clean, sweet, fresh.
expanded ure practically scentless,'
gave out a fragrance suggestive of
wine. It Is said that plants of this
Happy, bright, alert— vigorous and
type are practically common In Mexico. vivacious—a good clear skin; a nat
ural, rosy complexion and freedom
— St. Nicholas,
from Illness are assured only by clean,
healthy blood. If only every womuri
Acquiring Good Speaking Voice.
and likewise every man could realize
The formation of u good or a hud the wonders of the morning Inside
speaking voice Is a question o f habit.' hath, what a gratifying change would
But In order to acquire that Imlilt eus- take place.
lly the child must heur nicely modiilat-1 Instead of the thousands of sickly,
<>d voices about him. If your own nnaemlciooklng men, women and girls
voice Is harsh or nasal y»>ur child may with pasty or muddy complexions;
unconsciously Imitate your mode of Instead of the multitudes of “ nerve
wreoks,” "rundowns,” “ brain fags”
speaking.
<>r If companions talk and pessimists we should see a virile,
“ through the nose" he may assimilate optimistic throng of rosy-cho.eked peo
their way of talking.
ple everywhere.
Try your best to keep y»mr voice in
An ltiHlde bath Is had by drinking,
the proper pitch while your children each morning before breakfast, a
are about, and keep a watchful »air on ' glass of real hot water with a tea
their voices. If you hear one word spoonful of limestone phosphate In It
spoken In a nasal twang correct It nt ' to wash from the stomach, liver, kid
once, so that Lite child will know the | neys and ten yards o f bowels the pre
vious clay’s Indigestible waste, sour
difference between the right uud the 1
fermentations
and
poisons,
thus
wrong ways.
cleansing, sweetening and freshening
the entire alimentary -anal before put
Economical Combination.
ting more food into the stomach.
A quart of oysters contains less than
Those subject to sick headache, bil
twice as much nourishment as a quart iousness, nasty breath, rheumatism,
o f skim milk, and yet It often costs colds; and particularly those who have
several times as much. Both are use a pallid, sallow complexion ami who
ful, wholesome foods, and In the oys are constipated very often, are urged
ter one has a sp«>clnl flavor. A cojn- i to obtain a quarter pound o f limestone
phosphate at the drug store which
hlnntlon o f the two In oyster st**w or will cost hut a trifle but Is sufficient
c r e a m e d oysters Is an economical way
to demonstrate the quick and remark
o f using the oysters, since It makes a able change In both health and ap
given quantity “ go further."
pcarance awaiting those who practice
internal sanitation. We must remem
Mental Steering Goar Goes Wrong.
ber that inside cleanliness is more Im
Helcnce has nt Inst explained why au portant than outside, hecausa the skin
tomobiles skid, bnt the police cowrta does not absorb Impurities to contam
have had a good working theory fcp laata the blood, while the pores In the
thirty feet e f bevels i s
so ae time.— Wash In« too Poet.
Try this easy way
to heal your skin
GRIPPE
In the Barn of All Places.
about her and went Into the hack yard.
She peered Into the woodshed, nml saw
no one. She went Into the barn lot,
and found it empty. In despair, she
plunged Into the barn— and stop|x-d
abruptly.
In u shadowy corner was a slender
figure kneeling beside tin overturned
nutlkeg, her face buried In her hands.
Kvhlently this was Prudence engaged
In prayer— nnd in the barn, o f all places
In the w orld !
" A — a— a— hem !” stammered Mrs.
Adams Inquiringly.
“ Am en!”
This was spoken aloud
anil hurriedly, nnd Prudence leaped
to her feet. Her fair hnlr clung about
her face In damp, babyish tendrils, and
her face was flushed and dusty, but
alight with friendly Interest. She ran
forward eagerly, thrusting forth u slim
and grimy hand.
"You are Mrs. Adams, aren't you? I
am Prudence Starr. It is so kind of
you to come the very first day,” she
cried. "It makes me love you right at
the start.”
“ Ye— yes, I am Mrs. Adams.” Mrs.
Adams was embarrassed. She could
not banish from her mental vision that
kneeling figure by the nallkeg. Inter
rogation was written ull over her
ample face, and Prudence promptly
read It and hastened to reply.
“ I do not generally say my prayers
In the barn, Mrs. Adams, I assure you.
But— well, when I found this grand,
old, rambling barn, I was so thankful
I couldn’t resist praying about It."
"But u barn!” ejaculated the per
plexed “ member.” “ Do you cal! that
a blessing?”
“ Yes, Indeed I do," declared Pru
dence. Then she explained patiently:
“ Oh, It Is on the children's account,
you know. They have always longed
for a big. romantic barn to piny in.
That’s why I couldn’t resist saying my
prayers— I was so happy I couldn't
hold In.”
As they walked slowly toward the
house. Mrs. Adams looked ut this par
sonage girl In frank curiosity and some
dismay, which she strongly endeavored
to conceal from the bright-eyed Pru
dence. The Ladles had said It would
he so nice to have n grown girl In the
parsonage!
Prudence was nineteen
from all account, but she looked like n
child, and- well, it wns not exactly
grown-up to give thanks for a ham,
to say the very least 1 Yet this girl
had full charge of four younger chil
dren, and was further burdened with
the entire care of a minister-father I
Well, well 1 Mrs. Adams sighed n
lhtle.
“ You nre tired,” said Prudence sym
pathetically.
" It ’s so hot walking.
Isn’t It? Let’s sit on the porch until
you are nlcoly rested.”
ß
Hopes Women Will
Adopt This Habit
As Well As Men
:
i