DEC 8 
THE RURAL MEW-YOBKER. 
THE DRUM LAKE EASTER SERVICE. 
A story of the Michigan Pine Woods. 
BY HERBERT W. COLLING WOOD. 
Copyrighted by the Rural New-Yorker. 
(all rights reserved.) 
And the fool stepped back for a last look at 
his Easter decorations! 
Now it is barely possible that this sentence 
needs trimming up a bit. Fools do not, as a 
general thing, spend much time over Easter 
decorations, and after all'‘fool” is a pretty 
hard name to throw at anybody. My desire 
is to write a logical and probable story in 
which every character shall have all that 
justly belongs to it. Of course, “ fool ” was 
not his real name, though in the opinion of 
Drum Lake, it was the most appropriate 
name he could have had. As some of my 
readers may not live in Drum Lake, I will 
give all sides of the question, so that each njay 
decide for himself. 
He had another name, round and sonorous 
as one could wish. You will find it written 
at the end of his Easter sermon. At the risk 
of prolonging this story to a most unnatural 
length, I propose to give the name in full. 
I shall not use it in the story, however, for 
obvious reasons. It is too long, and then 
again, I am a Drum Laker, so I shall, with all 
the necessary apologies, simply call him “fool,” 
when we are fairly started.—“Henry Augus¬ 
tus Skinner Grayling, A. B., Rector of St. 
Paul’s Church, Drum Lake, Michigan 0 ’— 
There it is, but after all,—“what’s in a name?” 
Now then, let us start again. The Rev. H. 
A. S. Grayling, etc., stepped back to look at 
his Easter decorations. Now I presume the 
average reader will say at once “What if he 
did?” What is there remarkable about that? 
Tell us something new! Surely, in this coun¬ 
try, where “ a cat can look at a king,” a man, 
or even a fool, has a perfect right to step back 
as far as he can and look at decorations of 
any kind, particularly when these same deco¬ 
rations are confessedly his own. If the Rev. 
II. A. S. Grayling was at all li ke other 
clergymen of our acquaintance, he^SWRtT 
doing his duty in inspecting the decorations, 
to make sure that they were in good taste, and 
complete. This is all perfectly right, and yet 
could these same wise people have seen the 
Rev. Mr. Grayling and his decorations, they 
would have been willing to wait in patience 
to hear whatever I saw fit to say about them. 
Have you ever tried to make a picture in 
your mind of some person or character that 
you have never seen? It is pleasant'some¬ 
times to build up such an imaginary person¬ 
age, and then to see how our conception differs 
from the original. I have no doubt some of 
you have been trying this very thing with 
the Rev. H. A. S. Grayling. I presume some 
of you have the whole scene in your minds. 
The pretty little church, the great clusters 
and wreaths of evergreen, the motto and the 
cross over the altar, the beautiful flowers, 
and the Rev. Mr. Grayling himself standing 
in the middle of the church, happy and satis¬ 
fied, running over the opening sentences of 
his Easter sermon. 
Now I am very sorry indeed to cast a gloom 
over such bright imaginings, but the truth 
must be spoken at all times, you know, and 
particularly at Easter. There was no church 
at all! The roof of St. Paul’s Church had 
fallen in six months before. The snow now 
lay in great drifts all along the pews, and 
in a large high heap over the altar. The 
only decorations were the long, gleaming 
icicles that hung down the walls. The “Rec¬ 
tor” and his decorations formed a most forlorn- 
looking group in the long, unfurnished room 
on the upper floor of Mrs. McKelvey’s board¬ 
ing-house, which now served as a place of 
worship for the Rev. Mr. Grayling’s flock. 
There was a certain resemblance between 
the two if it is possible for a man to resemble 
a system of decorations. The Rev. Mr. Gray¬ 
ling was a little, thin, melancholy man about 
as unlike the ideal minister as can be imag¬ 
ined. He wore the most desolate-looking hat 
ever seen. The rim hung hopelessly down 
over his face, ak though too utterly heart¬ 
broken to stand up as a respectable hat- 
rim should. His near-sighted eyes were aided 
by a pair of large, gold-rimmed spectacles. 
His nose seemed to have started out bravely 
enough, but towards the middle of itself, had 
become discouraged, for the end hung hope¬ 
lessly down to his mouth. It was the same 
way with his chin. Tnat member had given 
up the struggle early in the day. It receded 
at a most violent angle, seeming to carry 
with it the strength and determination that 
should have been in the face. His cheeks 
were thin and sallow, and a pair of doleful 
side-whiskers peeping from under the melan¬ 
choly hat served as a species of frame for the 
whole countenance. They hung languidly 
down before the prominent ears as if simply 
remaining in the field because the face needed 
them. 
The minister’s coat had evidently been made 
for a much larger man. It hung aimlessly 
down about his legs as if feeling that it must 
go somewhere, and that it did not care much 
after all what its destination might be. 
The little man had a habit of thrusting his 
head forward, and rubbing his hands together. 
He stood in the twilight, witfi a candle in his 
hand, peering through the great spectacles at 
the decorations. 
Such was the Rev. H. A. S. Grayling, A 
B., a poor, little insignificant man, feebly, 
and patiently working his way through life. 
The decorations were, as the audience re¬ 
marked next day, “ a good mate for him.” A 
dwarf pine that the “Rector” with his feeble 
strength had cut and dragged in over the 
snow for an altar. An ingenious arrange¬ 
ment of pine boughs and evergreens in one 
corner formed a bower from which the choir 
was expected to sing. Two appropriate mot¬ 
toes had been laboriously traced in ground 
pine on the wall back of the altar. The min¬ 
ister read them over as he stood there:— 
“ Glory to God in the Highest,” “ Christ 
is Risen From the Dead.” 
Festoons of evergreens and red berries were 
hung over the windows. 
This was all; but it seemed better to the 
Rev. Mr. Grayling than it does to you or me. 
He had arranged it all himself, and, slight as 
it was, it expressed something of his love for 
the beautiful holiday. So he looked at his 
decorations with some little satisfaction. His 
inspection over, he turned and walked to the 
window. Drum Lake, or rather all that was 
left of that city, lay spread out before him. 
Drum Lake had evidently seen its best days. 
Years before it had been a lively and prosper¬ 
ous village. The great, deserted mill that the 
“fool’’saw across the road, had once been 
filled with men and machinery. All was 
bustle and excitement in those old days. The 
new railroad would very soon make Drum 
Lake the great city of northern Michigan. 
But the Drum Lake upon which the “fool” 
looked out, had changed materially. The 
lumber had long since been cut away. The 
railroad had gone fifteen miles to the east, 
and Frenchtown had reaped the harvest for 
which Drum Lake had sharpened its sickle. 
The village had given up its dream of great¬ 
ness. Most of the former inhabitants had 
moved away, seeking more exciting scenes 
than the dull, decaying town could offer them. 
Not half the buildings were occupied. The 
empty houses stood along the deserted streets, 
a most melancholy evidence of former splen¬ 
dor. Only one poor shingle-mill was left to 
represent the manufacturing interest, and 
Cobb’s store was all that remained of the vast 
mercantile centre that the more imaginative 
Drum Lakers had pictured. 
TO BE CONTINUED. 
LITERARY NOTES. 
Lee & Shepard, Boston, Mass., send us the 
following books: 
Chapters From Jane Au&ten.— This is a 
volume of some 350 pages, compiled by Oscar 
Fay Adams. There are many who consider 
Jane Austen one of the greatest novelists— 
far superior to our modern authors. Such 
persons will be greatly pleased with the vol¬ 
ume that Mr. Adams has prepared. Any 
lover of good English and elegant diction will 
thoroughly enjoy reading this book. Price, 
75 cents. 
The Stories Mother [Nature Told Her 
Children. —By Jane Andrews. This is a 
sort of companion volume to “The Seven 
Little Sisters.” Parents who like to have their 
children absorb the elements of science from 
pleasant little stories will want this book. 
Price, SLOO 
Travellers and Outlaws. —By Thomas 
W. Higgmson. This is a collection of nine 
essays originally published in Harper’s and 
other similar publications. All who know of 
the author will be sure to enjoy this volume. 
Novels.— Selected by Albert F. Blaisdell, 
A. M. This is a most admirable volume for 
young people. The selections are all in ad¬ 
mirable taste and are explained so carefully 
that the reader is sure to be imbued with a 
desire to read Scott carefully. Is it not wise 
to cultivate such a desire in the minds of 
children? Older people who have read and 
re-read the Waverly novels will be surprised 
to see how many of their favorite passages 
have been put into this volume. Price 75 
1 cents. 
Milch Cows and Dairy Farming —By 
Charles L* Flint. For years this has been 
recognized as a standard dairy text-book. 
This edition is enlarged, revised and improved 
so that it will be found just as timely and 
valuable as at any time. Dairymen and 
farmers will find this volume a real help. 
A. 8125 
Top Buggy 
FOR $65.00. 
Other Buggies, Car¬ 
riages, Sleighs, Har¬ 
ness, and a thousand 
useful articles in the 
same proportion. Send 
for Illustrated Price- 
Lists. CHICAGO SCAI.B 
COMPANY, Chicago, 111 
Rheumatism 
Wo doubt if there is, or can be, a specific 
remedy for rheumatism; but thousands who 
have suffered its pains have been greatly ben¬ 
efited by Hood’s Sarsaparilla. If you have failed 
to find relief, try this great remedy. It correct: 
the acidity of the blood which is the cause of tli« 
disease, and builds up the whole system. 
“ I was afflicted with rheumatism twenty years. 
Previous to 1883 I found no relief, but grew worse, 
until I was almost helpless. Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
did me more good than all the other medicine 
I ever had.” II. T. Balcon, Shirley Village, Mass. 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Sold by all druggists. SI; six for $5. Made 
only by C. I. HOOD & CO., Lowell, Mass. 
IOO Doses One Dollar 
STEAM ENGINES. 
Portable, Agricultural, Stationary. 
ALSO 
Four-Driver Traction Engines 
Manufactured by 
Wood, Taber & Morse, 
Eaton, Madison Co., N. Y. 
Catalogues and Prices sent on application. 
WARRANTED 
the tower, and that our 
Geared Wind Mill, 
have double the power 
of all other mills. 
Mfrs.ofTanks.Wiuv ^ 
Mill supplies, and 
the Celebrated 
CHALLENGE 
Feed Grinders, 
HORSEPOWERS, 
CORN SHELLERS, 
PUMPS and 
BRASS 
CYLINDERS 
and 0 ™/, 0 ' 9 ™ BUY the ETES 
IVASTEl ).i 
CHALLENGE WIND MILL «fe FEED MILL CO 
BATAVIA. KANE CO.. ILL. 
Buggies— extension tops. Surries, Buck Hoards, 
Davtous and Express Wagons. Road Carts—Id 
different styles. S>lelgli8— Swells Portland and other 
styles. Harness— Oak Tan for 85, 87, 89, 811. and 
over. Do yov want a Buggy.Wagon Road Cart 
Sleigh, or Harness at A GREAT 
BARGAIN? The first persoi 
from any P. O. answering this adv. and enclos¬ 
ing 6 cts. in postage stamps, will get it. Write 1 
Union Machine Co. Philadelphia, Pa. 
CATALOGUE FREE. 
BARNEY & BERRY SPRINGFIELD,MASS 
Hold Your June Butter for a Januar Price. 
It positively prevents Butter trom ever 
becoming Rancid, and causes it to retain its fresh¬ 
ness. aroma, and Hue flavor for months—even when 
exposed to atmospheric influences for a long time. 
Endorsed by the leading agricultural papers. Also 
by Creameries, Dairymen, and others throughout the 
country-. Send for Circular. 
Butter Preservative Salt Co.. 
Footoi West 11th Htrcet. New York City. 
YOU CAN WIN! 
$4,000 
IN CASH PRIZES TO BE AWARDED BY THE 
IDEAL FEED MILL 
AND POWER COMBINED (IMPROVED). 
Grinds all kinds of Shelled Grain and Ear Corn, 
ives Feed Cutters, Wood Saws. Etc. Lightest 
aft, strongest and best, fully warranted. Send 
r catalogue showing full line of Feed Mills, 1 wo 
d Four-Horse Powers. Wood Saws, etc. * 
“ Stands the Severest Winter.” 
The Buck-Thorn is the coming fence. It 
has given universal satisfaction in this neigh¬ 
borhood, and when a man uses it once he 
always wants it again. It is plainly seen by 
stock, and will stand the severest winter we 
have without breaking. We regard it as the 
best fencing in the market. J. E. Dodsworth 
& Bro., Cold Spring, Ky. 
The Buck-Thorn is the handsomest barb 
fence made. Write to The Buck-Thorn 
Between this time and the 1st of May, 1889. 
$3,000 
to be given for the 
THREE BEST SERIAL STORIES 
as follows: 
81,000 - - - - For the Rest Story. 
8900 - - For the Second Best Story. 
8500 - For the Third Rest Story. 
These are the Largest Cash Oilers ever made 
by any journal in the country for literary competition. 
But The Free Press dots not intend to yield Its 
place in the first rank of representative American 
newspapers, and makes this great offer in order to 
give its readers the benefit of the very best talent 
the country affords. 
$ 1,000 
Awa'ded to those sending in the largest number 
ol subscribers between November 36, 1888, and 
March 31, 1889 : 
8400 lor the Largest List. 
8200 tor Second Largest List. 
8150 lor Third l argest List. 
SlOo lor Fourth Largest List. 
875 tor Filth Largest List. 
850 tor Sixtli Largest List. 
825 lor Seventh Largest List. 
If you make the attempt, you are as liable to get one 
of the prizes as your neighbor. 
Do not give up because someone else is working. 
WORK HARDER YOURSELF! 
Bear in mind that whether or not you win one of 
the large prizes, you have the regular cash commis¬ 
sions and premiums given for the clubs of sub 
scribers, just, the same. 
GET TO WORK WITHOUT DELAY. 
Send for rules of the contest, blanks and sample 
copies sent on application- A more attractive Prem¬ 
ium List thau ever has just been issued. Send for it! 
Fence Co., Trenton, N. J. for (Samples and 
Circulars. 
LIGHTNING WELL-8INKINQ 
MACHINE MAKERS. 
Well-sinking and prospecting tools sent 
on trial. 529 teet has been sunk in 8 
hours. Instructions for beginners. An 
Encyclopdia of 800 Engravir®* of -well 
‘ and prospectors tools, pumps, 
,wind andBteam engines. Atrea- 
i on gas and oil. Book 
free, mailing charges 
5 cts.each. 
rhe American 
WellWorks. 
! AURORA, ILLS., 
u. S. A. 
A RARE OPPORTUNITY 
Offered to the readers of the Rural New-Yorker. 
The Detroit Free Press 
-AND- 
The Rural New-Yorker, 
The two most popular home journals in the country’ 
will be sent to any address, for one year, for 
Order at once. Address 
THE FREE PRESS CO., 
DETROIT, MICH. 
