tmas party, Captain Crowell laughed
goodhumoredly and told them to dance as much as they pleased, cheerfully
adding that he would get them out of any trouble they got into. Knowing
my friendship for him, and that I even owed my church appointment to
him, the Free Religious people were certain that I would never take
issue with him on dancing or on any other point. They made all their
preparations for the dance, therefore, with entire confidence, and
boasted that the affair would be the gayest they had ever arranged. My
people began to look at me with sympathy, and for a time I felt very
sorry for myself. It seemed sufficiently clear that "the gal" was to
have more trouble.

On the night of the party things went badly from the first. There was
an evident intention among the worst of the Free Religious Group to
embarrass us at every turn. We opened the exercises with the Lord's
Prayer, which this element loudly applauded. A live kitten was hung
high on the Christmas tree, where it squalled mournfully beyond reach of
rescue, and the young men of the outside group threw cake at one another
across the hall. Finally tiring of these innocent diversions, they began
to prepare for their dance, and I protested. The spokesman of the group
waved me to one side.

"Captain Crowell said we could," he remarked, airily.

"Captain Crowell," I replied, "has no authority whatever in this matter.
The church trustees have decided that you cannot dance here, and I
intend to enforce their ruling."

It was interesting to observe how rapidly the men of my congregation
disappeared from that hall. Like shadows they crept along the walls
and vanished through the doors. But the preparations for the dance went
merrily on. I walked to the middle of the room and raised my voice.
I was always listened to, for my hearers always had the hope, usually
realized, that I was about to get into more trouble.

"You are determined to dance," I began. "I cannot keep you from doing
so. But I can and will make you regret that you have done so. The law
of the State of Massachusetts is very definite in regard to religious
meetings and religious gatherings. This hall was engaged and paid for
by the Wesleyan Methodist Church, of which I am pastor, and we have full
control of it to-night. Every man and woman who interrupts our exercises
by attempting to dance, or by creating a disturbance of any kind, will
be arrested to-morrow morning."

Surprise at first, then c