Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1907 — The New Minister [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The New Minister

By FranK. H. Sweet

“V VE’S come,” said old Herkamer I" I as he came into the kitchen I I and began to unload himself A A of the packages which he had brought from the trading post ten miles away, “an’ now I reckon the next thing will be for him to go. We ain’t waited five years for a meetin’ house jest to carry it on as a nursery now we’ve got it. I don't see what Dr. Brown was thinkin’ on.” “Is he very young?” asked Mrs. Herkamer, transferring the packages to a small cupboard fastened against the logs of the cabin wall. “Young!” and old Herkamer’s grim face seemed yet grimmer as it peered out through the small triangle formed by his down drawn cap and big, upturned collar. “He’s younger’n our Seth, an’ he couldn’t speak ten words to folks lookin’ at him to save his life. What we want is a tough, hard headed man who knows our ways an’ can put up with ’em. This feller’s >tore ujade an’ soft. I could see that soon’s the doctor introduced him. I wouldn’t be s’prised if he shaved every day, an’ cleaned his nails an’ ba-th-ed,” drawing out the word derisively. “Huh! What Can a feller like that do with our young men ? S’pose he had to tramp ten miles through a Dakota blizzard to say pra’rs over a remains; s’pose he’d meet a flghtln’ grizzly in the forest; s’pose some of our high speerited boys got to chaffin’ him in their b’ar cub way! Say, what’d he do then ?” And without waiting for what he thought an impossible answer to his comments old Herkamer turned back to care for his team and to hasten his evening chores in anticipation of a gathering storm. When he again appeared and had emerged from the depths of his greatcoat his mind still seemed to be harking back to his day’s discontent, for he went on: “Ain’t old’s our. Seth, no; an’ ain't more’n five feet four an’ has hands soft’s a ba-by. Huh! Our old minister where we come from had hands like the bark of an old hlck’ry an' could chaw terbaccy an’ wrestle with a grizzly an’ pitch a man through a winder when he got sassed. That’s the sort we need here. Hoss sense comes ’fore book sense, an’ hard hands ’fore p’Uteness. That’s my idee.” He drew a stool to the flreplace and spread his bands out over the blaze with thawing satisfaction. One by one the grim lines of his face softened and mellowed under the fire’s influence, and presently he turned half round toward his wife, who was preparing supper. “Of course we needn’t say anything like this outside,” he observed, half apologetically. “The boy ain’t to blame for what he is, an’ the doctor got him here. An’ furder,” still mellowing, “we won’t be hard on the doctor either. He’s our nearest neighbor an’ gener’ly does things pretty sensible. We can pass over a slip now an’ then. An’ that reminds me,” turning entirely round, “the doctor said he'd bring him over this evenin’ if It didn’t" storm too hard, an’ if it did they’d likely be round tomorrer. The boy seemed spry an’ good natered an’ said he wanted to visit everybody an’ get acquainted. We’ll treat him right’s we can, for he won’t be here many days. Poor little feller! He don’t realize how soon the boys’ll run him out. You might save the wild turkey I shot yesterday, Liza, an’ that’s plenty of venison. We’ll treat him right." Outside they could hear the sounds of the approaching storm, and Herkamer went to the windows and door and fastened them more securely. “The doctor won’t bring him out tonight,” he said as he resumed his stool by the Are, “an’ I don’t reckon Seth an’ the half breed will come in either. Leastway, I hope not. It’ll be safer In the gulch than finding one’s way through this snow." But he was mistaken, for presently there came a tramping and stamping outside, and as the cabin door was thrown open a tall, white haired old man stepped In, accompanied by a boyish figure of slight but compact build. The old man was Dr. Brown, the neighborhood autocrat, and in his companion

Herkamer recognized the new minister. But he was no longer the fashionably dressed figure which had alighted from the train at Minot, but rather a trim frontiersman in appropriate costume. Old Herkamer’s eyes darkened a little as they rested, upon him. He did not approve of ministers in masquerade. “I hardly thought you’d get over tonight,” he said rather shortly, “the storm”— “That’s just why we came,” the doctor interrupted genially. “The storifi is likely to be a long one, and we can get back before it becomes severe. By tomorrow even the mile between our homes may be difficult to make. You are one of our prominent members,” frankly, “and I wanted you to see more of Mr. Irwin before hearing him in the pulpit. We are apt to be prejudiced against strangers.” Herkamer’s grimness Increased. He was not prejudiced, he told himself, only conservative and steadfast. The man was all right, of course, but he was In the wrong place. It was a manifest duty to discountenance the mistake. And yet there was something in the clear, earnest gaze of the young minister, in his frank smile and warm, sympathetic eyes that somehow thrilled the cynical old heart. If only the boy had been content with his professional costume, well, who knew but In time— But this outfit, so ridiculously new! Probably the boy had never had on such clothes before In his life. It was masquerading, trying to appear what he was not. At this moment came a stumbling outside and an Ineffectual groping for the latch string, tfien an “Open de do’! 1 sa-say, open de do’!” Herkamer sprang forward to comply, and as the door swunfj, back a short, squatty figure half fell Into the room. “The half breed!” ejaculated Herkamer, forgetting to shut the door In his consternation. “What’s up, Baptiste? Where’s Seth?” “Busted,” responded Baptiste, throwing out bls arms dramatically. “Tree fall on shanty, break t’rou. Seth busted, me— Ba’tiste—busted too. Come for help, med’eine—rub on.” “Not dead!” gasped Mrs. Herkamer, her face whitening. “Seth ain’t dead?” This brought the half breed to his senses.

“Non, on’y jes’ busted,” he reassured her. “Leg hurt so can’t walk. Me— Ba’tlste—busted, too; finger broke. Come for med’clne—rub on. Ain’t busted bad, non.” With trembling hands Mrs. Herkamer produced some bottles and band* ages from the cupboard; her husband reached for his greatcoat. “We must hurry back to him,” he cried. “If his leg’s broke It must be attended to at once. You’ll have to excuse me,” to his guests. Baptiste raised his squatty figure to Its full height. “No good you go," he declared sturdily, “bad way t’rou’ ravine. Fo’teen'Hille me come, all time failin’ an’ climbin*; take five, six hour. You no strong like young man. Better me go ’lone. Go two time quick. Leg broke, want look out for sooth Me fix him, den we stay two free day an’ come home all right. Bas’ way.”

“The half breed’s right?' said Dr. Brown. “If the leg’s broken it needs looking after at once, and Baptiste is just as good at that work as I am. Two old fellows like us, Herkamer, would only be a drag on Baptiste’s progress.” But old Herkamer paid not the least notice. He was resolutely humping his shoulders into his greatcoat when he felt a light touch upon his arm. “You had better stay here, Mr. Herkamer," the young minister said quietly. “Your son is in need of help which should reach him just as speedily as possible. I am used to this sort of thing and am young and strong; besides I have some little knowledge of medicine. Mr. Baptiste and I can do all that is necessary.” He buttoned his coat and turned to the half breed, who had been listening with open derision. But somehow, when Baptiste met the straight gaze of this young fellow, the contempt faded from his face. Like those who live close to nature, he was accustomed to look into eyes, and these eyes were strangely legible. “Well, I guess-mebbe you go ’long,” he acquiesced graciously, “dat is, if you t’ink you good for tough job.” Old Herkamer stared. That soft handed boy "used to this sort of thing,” and Baptiste accepting him in preference to himself. What wa# the world coming to? “Why, the boy can’t get through that ravine to save his life,” he blurted out. “Ain’t go t’rou’ ravine,” Baptiste declared stolidly; “go roun’ by hill dis time. Take two time longer, but mo’ safe. Go in ravine, find snow t’ick, mebbe no get t’rou’. Bes’ go safe. But no time wait for old peoples.” Herkamer snorted, but slowly removed his coat. “Well, young feller,” ignoring Baptiste and speaking to the minister, “you’d better put on my big coat an’ all the other warm stuff we can scare up. Better freeze comfortable long’s you’re bound to freeze. An’ don’t let that half breed push you on too fast. We don’t want no remains on our hands even If Seth has broke his leg.” The young minister smiled. “This costume is all I need, thank you, Mr. Herkamer,” he said reassuringly. “I had It made especially for this sort of work, and it is warm. I do not like heavy wraps for hard walking; the exercise is better. If the wind is hard or the cold becomes very severe I have a hood which I can draw over my head and shoulders. Now, Baptiste, about the route. Is this ravine you speak of a plain trail? Would a greenhorn like me be likely to lose his way?” “Non; it be narrow, an’ dere be rocks high on bot’ sides, an’ de camp be right in de middle. It can’t be miss if one go dat fur. But we ain’t goin’ in de ravine, non. We go roun’ by de hilL De ravine no let us out, mebbe, an’ him berry dark now.” “Well, we must remember that a man is waiting in urgent need of help and that a barrier is liable to block any trail. We must take no chances. You go round by the hill, and I will take the .ravine with a lantern. I am used to climbing and can probably get through without any trouble.” Baptiste raised bis hands as though to protest, but no words came from his lips. Those straight glances were controlling him, and his hands fell to his side. The minister was a leader; he was to obey. When they turned toward the door the rest accompanied them. Baptiste bent his head,to the storm and plunged stolidly away to the hill route; the minister waited for a few directions from Herkamer, then he strode out into the gathering darkness toward the ravine. “Do you think there’s any chance at all of his making it?" asked Herkamer in a troubled voice as they turned back Into the cabin. “Chance,” echoed the doctor, with a curious ring in his voice, “of course I do. That young fellow is small only in size. Why, he’s climbed half the mountains in Europe and likes nothing better than a tough wrestle like this to help somebody. It’s the best job I ever did for the neighborhood, getting him here. I was afraid I couldn’t, for be has plenty of money and only took to the ministry through love for the work. I thought he’d want a softer place; but, no, he actually seemed pleased when I asked him to come out to our wild country. Of course he’ll make It.” And he did, but with a sheer force of will that made It linger for many a long year about the neighborhood firesides as a story of pluck and endurance, and when he stood in the pulpit the next Sabbath, with one arm in a sling and his face still pale from the journey, there w*as not one In the rough audience but listened with respectful and earnest attention. And later, when they crowded about him to shake hands after service. It was not an effeminate, boyish figure, they saw, but a brave, strong man to whom all were more than pleased to pay homage.

He strode out into the gathering darkness.