isa-normaladvance-1914-00064

Description:	64THE NORMAL ADVANCEl%e Beacons RomanceTHOMAS R. JOHNSON44 T T ELLO DEACON, sang . out HiramHJackson in a voice filled with a mix¬ ture of sorrow and anger, as he paused from his labors of straightening the broken and bent stalks of corn in his prized truck patch.Good morning Hiram, Deacon Smith re¬ plied in a pacifying tone for he at once noticed the difference in Hirams usually cheerful greet¬ ing. Crossing the end of the village street, the Deacon looked over the board fence and discern¬ ed at a glance the cause of the changed tone of the perspiring laborer.The indignant villager started in, Yes sir! that old cow of Widow Harris was loose again last night and I found her in this very patch this mornin when I got up. All this good corn is spoiled, cabbage heads are partly et or pulled out, and tomato plants broken off. All this was said in a breath and to the outburst of pent-up feelings, the Deacon could only re¬ ply, Too bad, too bad, or It is a downright shame, as he nodded his head sympathetically ancl surveyed the ruins.As a concluding remark, the irate Hiram said, By George, tii3 Widow will have to settle for the damage her old cow done.With this, the peace-loving Deacon resumed his walk toward the village postoffice. He had passed only a few houses when a womans voice sounded, Oh, Deacon Smith. He stopped and faced about. Here again a look of destruction overhung a back lot garden and he listened kindly to the tale of woe. The woman knew it was Widow Harris cow that was in her gard¬ en, because hadnt she seen the old critter run- nin down the street that mornin. The usually peaceful state enjoyed by the Deacon was verymuch disturbed when he heard a similar story two doors down the street.As he walked slowly along, the Deacon be¬ gan to feel rather disagreeable because he had surmised that he would be requested to call on the Widow and obtain a peaceful settlement, as she had lived in the town only a short time. Then, too, such tasks had fallen to him before and he felt very sure that he would be called on again. His thoughts were found to be cor¬ rect when the three neighbors appeared at his home and asked him to visit the newcomer and settle for them. This the Deacon consented to do.The following afternoon, intent only on his mission, he started on his way to the Widows home. Scarcely had he knocked on the screen door of the modest little cottage, when the comely widow appeared. The screen was thrown wide open and in response to a cheery Come in, the Deacon strode into the room. The sweet smile given at the door had completely unnerved him. He had framed up his little speech while walking to the Widows house, but now it seemed as if all of it had left him. He was even more at a loss when the trim little widow pulled her biggest rocking chair into the breeze for him and another smile darted his way.Expecting to lead up to the object of his visit diplomatically, the Deacon first remarked, Well! this is .fine weather weve been having. The timeworn topic of weather was reviewed back to the last big snow, and even farther. A glass of cool lemonade helped to soothe the Dea¬ cons unstrung nerves, and talk ranged from the weather to the crop outlook church work, and to nearly everything that this conservative
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/32508
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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