from the lower slopes of the cedar hills issued many wide wooded ravines. of these none were prettier than spring coulee which even in winter retained its attractiveness, having a goodly sprinkling of evergreen trees among the poplars and cottonwoods lining its sides. a grassy level formed the bottom of the coulee. through the centre of this a little crystal-clear stream, rising in the hills behind and swelled by an occasional spring which gushed from the sides of the ravine, danced over its pebbly bed to join berry creek a mile away.
the coulee was a sheltered nook when bitter winds swept the higher grounds above; it was cool when scorching heat yellowed the grasses of the plain.
so a little church had been built there. the four walls of peeled logs carefully chinked with plaster were now grey and weathered. inside of the building the red-draped altar, pulpit and reading-desk occupied at least one-third of the available space. there were pews to seat a score of people and behind these was a large heater. the uneven walls were whitewashed. in the windows, three on each side, were alternate blue and white panes of glass.
mr. wells the clergyman was of english birth, very conservative and inclined to be shy. he was unusually tall with broad shoulders. mrs. wopp once said of him, “when mr. wells gits his gownd on, he’s the hull lan’scape.” the deeply pious lady seldom criticized things ecclesiastical; but she had “feelin’s that ef ebenezer wopp bed of took to larnin’ like his mar wished, he’d of looked amazin’ well in that pulpit, better nor mr. wells.”
one brilliant sunday mr. wells paced up and down in the sunshine before his little church. an ardent lover of nature he was admiring the beautiful shades of the foliage on either hand and the gorgeous masses of golden-rod that lifted feathery heads to the sun. presently seeing two or three vehicles approaching he retired into the church.
down the road came a democrat. in the front seat sat mr. and mrs. wopp resplendent in sunday attire and both wearing bouquets of bright nasturtiums. behind them sat moses and betty also dressed in their best. moses was cogitating, “its a blessin’ betty’s eyebrows hev growed out. she cut an orful figger without them.” keeping pace with the democrat; but roving here and there in search of gophers ran jethro enjoying himself mightily.
not far behind the democrat came a light buggy drawn by a team of greys. howard eliot and nell gordon sat therein.
next followed a buckboard gaily painted red. mrs. mifsud and her daughter maria aged fourteen who had taken a “quarter” of music lessons and was now the organist of the church, were occupants. between them was wedged the pet of the family st. elmo mifsud a child of four. st. elmo wore long chestnut curls and an angelic expression. clarence egerton crump, mrs. mifsud’s nephew who was visiting his aunt and cousins, accompanied the family on his wheel.
behind the mifsuds followed a few other parishioners.
the service began and was proceeding with its accustomed smoothness and decorum when a most unseemly interruption occurred. maria mifsud had long entertained suspicions that all was not well with the interior of the organ. lately a few of the notes had refused to make a sound, and to-day there seemed to be more of these delinquents than ever. while mr. bliggins was collecting the offering maria began to play a voluntary carefully practised beforehand. she had fairly launched into “one sweetly solemn thought” when suddenly she discerned peering curiously at her through one of the round holes which adorn the front of the instrument the small bright eye of a mouse. the intruder was apparently quite calm and self-possessed. not so maria. with a piercing shriek she jumped from the organ stool and rushing to the back of the church leaped wildly to the seat beside her scandalized and uncomprehending mother. almost at the same moment the offending mouse scampered down the internal anatomy of the organ and gained freedom through an exit beside the pedals. mr. wells turned crimson and stood on one foot. most of the ladies of the congregation drew their feet up on the seat beside them. the mouse ran furiously along the sacred aisles of the church.
in the meantime, affairs outside were in a more lethargic condition. the wopp’s steady-going brown team josh and jake tied to a wheel of the democrat stood enjoying a small pile of hay on the ground before them. beneath the democrat sat jethro watching with eager gaze for the reappearance of his friends. occasionally he administered chastisement to an impertinent fly which after buzzing around in a tantalizing manner ventured to settle on his nose or ear. after an hour of intense boredom he rose, stretched himself, yawned; then began to walk sedately towards the church. he intended to find out what was going on anyway. he had been told to watch the democrat; but there were limits to even canine patience. he reached the church door just in time to see a small, badly-frightened mouse running madly up the aisle. quick as a flash he gave chase, uttering short, excited yelps as he ran. the mouse redoubled its speed. so did jethro. round and round the church they raced. in his excitement and mad haste jethro, intent only on his immediate task, ran violently against mr. bliggins who stood transfixed in the aisle, his work only half completed. though he managed to retain his balance the collection plate was jolted from his hand and in its clattering descent was accompanied by the tinkling of a small shower of silver coins which rolled here and there over the floor of the church.
“by heck!” ejaculated mr. wopp who sat in the front seat beside his wife and betty. then he glanced hastily around to see if anyone had noticed his irreverent outburst. but no one had. they were all too intent on other matters.
after several rounds the mouse, at last seeing the open door, darted through it to freedom. jethro a short distance behind assayed to follow; but taking a short cut under the back seat on which huddled the mifsud family he unexpectedly encountered his ancient enemy snappy the mifsud’s collie. snappy, who had been roused from his slumbers under the buckboard by the commotion in the church, had crept in unnoticed and had been an interested spectator of the proceedings. jethro’s always superabundant energies were now turned in a new direction. snarls and snaps and the fiercest growls testified to the bitterness of the feud.
moses wopp, sitting with clarence crump on a bench near the door had hitherto been enjoying himself hugely. now fearing injury to his beloved dog he rushed boldly to the rescue. clarence followed more slowly. it was but the work of a few moments to separate the combatants and remove them from the church. jethro borne away to a safe distance in the arms of moses still uttered occasional rumbling growls, each individual hair on his spine standing erect. clarence kept a firm hold on snappy’s collar.
“jeth could whip your ole mongrel; but i don’t warnt him bit up,” called moses over his shoulder as he walked away. to this taunt clarence replied only with a hideous grimace.
inside the church matters were beginning to resume a normal condition. but mr. wells still badly shaken and feeling unable to proceed announced, “my friends we will conclude our service with a hymn. will some one suggest a suitable one.”
“the strife is o’er, the battle done,” recommended mrs. wopp without hesitation. as maria could not be persuaded to approach the organ the singing was lustily led by mrs. wopp and under her able leadership maintained the most vigorous proportions.
