Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-02-05

upon his cushioned desk TO pray The heads Of
the more reverend part Of the congregation were
bowed while Rug Rafes cntertained the rest He
pulled line from his pocket. discngnged a fish
hook from his vest. and attaching it TO the line. be-
qan to lower it towards the sofa in the pulpit Peo
pie stared and smiled for it was scarce to be en-
pected that Ruiz Rnillrs would make n good fish
err of men" But this was not his object. After
he had anged for some time on the sofa, his eye
suddenly Frightened the corners of his mouth re-
treated towards his cars and with nod and wave
Of triumph which very nearly convulscd the wait
inc congregation with laughter, suddenly brought
his prize to light. He had managed TO catch his
hook upon thread, and the Rev Mr.. Lawsley's
sermon was fast approaching the gallery. An in
voluntary litter caused deacon Palmer and several
others to raise their heads; but Rug Raffles was
carefully coming his notes. and the cause OF the
untimely mrth undiscovcrabc. The prayer
ended, another hymn was sung and the preacher
began TO look about him for his sermon. lie thrust
his h'nds first in pocket and then IN the other
examined the contents of his at. turned over the
leaves of his bible with irrevercnt haste, again
rnmm1ge1 his pockets. looked upon the floor and
then piuse to wipe the heavy persplration from
his brow little dronrninu That his lost manuscript
was far above his heed. But if he had turned an
evr upwards he would have seen nothing but Rug
Rnfllos gnzng down inqurlnrly upon him. as tho
wondering if the impunufhnhc p1rson LDwscy
had really gone mad. As for the congregation,
somc were enjoying he Joke without conjunction,
while others according to their different DISPOSE
tons had thc' symp1hics enlisted in behalf OF the
distressed clergyman. But both cllss found 1t
difficult 10 rcsfrnin their laughter. At last the
preacher in evident despair opened his bible, turn
ed over the leaves hqnlr after handful, and final
", in state of nervous eXcitement paused as tho
to calm his thoughts Rur Raflles spread the scr
mon before him. donned plir Of horn-mouned
spectaces with the glasses out, and began to look
and Rug Rafllrs nodded arprobalivclv. The
preacher commenced his eXordiun and Rug nod
dcd aTain with u pltronizing air which said as
plainly words, good boy good boy he has hls
lesson nicely" namoment however, the preach
or began 10 cXtomp rrize, and Rug trowned and
shook his head violently. 1t was too much for the
gravity Of the irrlacd part Of The audience and
there was n half smothcrcd burst of laughter which
started even themselves and put p1rson Lawslry to
the torture. He was not accustomed to speaking
eytemporincous'v aud he f.ncied he hld excited
the laugh by his awkwardncss The preacher
went on hcsitntIngly and trembngy; Rug Rnilies
rowned and 'ook his head, now and then giving
quick nod of Hpprobltion; and the audience was
Almost rreverentv smiling onr. At last the strange
seruo ended. AMI the preacher leaned over ms
desk to pray. Immediately Rug Rallies common
ccd operations again. He drew piece of Irvine
from his pocket and tying it loosely around the phi
tered sermon, begnn lowering it toward the sofa.
Down. down, slowly and carefully it came; then
there was sudden jerk, and the disengi ged line
was gathered up and slowed away in the pocket
of the Jester. The cerrvmln ended his prayer
and turned to the sofa. There lay his lost sormon
in the very spot where he had placed it, He start
ed backward with Hslonishncut, and unfortunately
being nearer The side thln he had Imagined, lost
his balance on the top stair and turned a somerset
to the bottom That plrson Lawsley had surely
gone mad was the general Impression and the con.
frrsa,r - IN, la,
vesbue chucking over the success OF his te 1T
After this every body took occasion to tack smile
to the name of parson Lawslcy whenever it was
'"""ti"ned and ia els "'"ntho ti'n. on" do"r old
parson was re installed in his office, and we have
never welred of him since When deacon Palm
er first heard the truth Of the Llwsley story, he
gave Rug Rallies serious reprimand and pre-
Scnled him with a new coat! This was an era in
Rugs life. His seedy thread-bure hibllments had
tried severely the affection between warp and wool,
and though he never weary of caressng the
friends that had stood by him through veal and wo
he was far from heart broken at the thought Of Il
separation from them.
But the deacon had not thought of one thing
that the new coat would need shOpeliness and
Rug was quite above carrying about with him such
Understandable things dollars and cents Be
sides there was not a tailor in AlderbrOok who
would trust HIM. Nothing daunted, however, our
hero shouldered his cloth and marched to every
uOOr. IL was OF no use: every Sliop was over
stocked with work, and poor Rug in a quanda-
ry. Butat lasta bright thought came. lie wouldn't
have his coat made by a clumsy awkward man, not
he. Women's delicate fingers were far nlnhler ;
and there was not prettler woman wl'mn hty
miles of Aide brook than the pale, sweet creature,
who occupied the tiny cottage at the foot OF the
hill near the toll gate.
Beautiful indeed, was young Nelly Tlnsey
more beautiful now than when decked in the gay.
est fne,y the shops Of Alderbrook afforded she
moved among us wthunt shldOw IN her brow. -
Now sld thought hid drawn lines upon her tace
pIniuily in,elligible; the blue VEINS crossed her
temples with unusual dlstnCtnCss; her eyes were
dmmed with Light watching, an her small hand
had crown thin and half transparent How had
the blilhc, lu3dy daughter Of farmer Bly, changed
Nelly Bly, hd been Il bright, iin-lovng girl, who
was petted and INDUCED until she grew wIIllnl aud
spujnpd every rein but that of lOVc. She yielded
to her f.ther because shc loved him; but when a
stronger love to her he rt she forgot her ODE
dence to the first. Young Arthur Tl!sley sno TIL
ed back her hair. and told her how dear was every
golden thread to him; pressed her pretty hand be-
tween his own; lookcd into her eyes until they
grew dreamy ms his; kissed the smile from her
right lip, and finally mlocHed II fountain OF deli
ciuus tears which had till now sumbered deep down
in ler nature. VINO would not grow familiar with
tears must never love; who would not love mus
barter all the wealth of the measureless depths 81
the human heart Tor The huODle winch ounces ol
, It's surface The bubble went from Ne.lys heart
the glitter from her lip and up gushing from the
rich depths below came a fount IN never more tC
be sealed. not even in eternity. Love made The
spirit of Nelly BLY, meek, but 1t made il strong too
So when the stubborn old farmer told her that !
she became the wife of the beggary artist Tins
ley, his door should be forever closed against her
she turned, and with touching, beautiful faith
/ added her hand to her hearts gift. What holy
tHUp il tlit love which cIpsluU The utOn
bdliau future, turns to owlincss and clouds, nnC
whispers TO the beloved one, only thee and iieav
u en!' | know there are men OF cold theories, wh'
WOULD prove to me that Nelly BY acted far from
\ right, and | should be speechleess before them
1 but when they are away with their arguments
cannot remember what they have sad and so hnt
q myself pronouncIng the love OF our meek eyed
white proved ncghbor, beautiful and a holy thing
Farmer bly, had no other child, and so after Mel
lua nnlrril lln mrnnI ILrn.Lnusn heclmn n desn