Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-08-16

sears always eXhorted and how natural i. wa
mat he should see the widow home and whc-
ne got to The door, how natural that he shoul,
step IN; aud when fairly in, how natural {,
! stay, dlSliking TO leave good COMPANY. Dcpenr
on 1t, then, matters were talked over bv some 81,
members, and some inferences were drawn
but then, curious enough, the Deacon had prom.
lsed Mrs. Sears, in the event of her death. he
would never marry again This promise was
eXorled before sundrv witnesses. and thcv were
all living, and ready to testify to the fact. The
Deacon was truthy man, and the parish yen.
orally thought him to be relied on. One per.
son went so far as to say 10 the widow Tomp-
kins, aside from this PROMISE she did believe
lie mad serious Intentions; whcreupon the wild
oow tainted, and was revived only bv salvolatle.
Here were two pledges made TO dead people :.
could they violate them7 Was there anv va
lldIty IN them? Grave questions were moocd
IN The public meetings, whether certain promi.
ses were obligatory ?-whother TIE dead took
cogniZancc of the actions Of the Gyinr and
whether the spirits of our deFar'ed friends were
hoverIng over us mortas? These topics led
to much metaphysical discussion but the Dea-
con always opposed the doctrine of personal re-
cognlion hereafter. We shall all be blessed
IN the mass, was his iavOrite theory. Still il
wore upon him. The widow grew more and
more attractive. Just so far as rcpclnr forces
dIVergcd IRON one CENTRE the power of pravita-
ton increased, and Mr.. Boneset was requested
10 deliver lecture upon moral obligations. 1t
was searching one-the divine took the
ground that all promises made in GOOD faith
we're strictly binding that death rather sealed
han annulIed them that the accusing spirit
night so torment a man who wilfuly broke
uch an engagement, as to be his pcrrctnal mis-. |
ry in future state, besides the dsGuie,udo
Incident TO existence here. This was a poser;
matters grew worse and worse and finally. ia
lng umbrage under that old maxim, that "a
'ad PROMISE is better broken than kept. Deacon
'eays ana the widow Iompkins C k advantage
# our new law, and were married.
And fih,' said Bddy the chamlarmaid
what is this | dlskivcr in the chimney? A
orse-sboe to keep off the witches And whose
!iPpers may be these, 50 strangely torn at the
Ide And what's my mistress SO worrrsofre-
Ike?
Alas, the Dcacon's fopt was too lir for MIR
'hompkins' slipper; the Dnacons bacl: was
70 broad Tor Mir. Tompkins' coat and they
urst Some things, superstitous people vii,
ave IT, give presen imcn' of others. The
hurch always looked rather suspjciousIv upon !,
lclr olllcer afterwards and it was hin,ed the r
eacon'. new wife was not Just what she ought +;
be. Mrs. Iompkns' nervous state returned 4,
pom her strange tances seized her, and the :,
oxen promise always haunted her. She tried i
'ery Nncdlent that money could devise. to be r,
'ppy' Change Of place, change Of society. :
i"rGe OF dict bu' all to no cilcct-tha troubled >,
deeper; she ought to have changed herself =
The Deacon prayed, and wept. aud monrucL =
r his first wife, he lad proved rrfachcrou., ~
ID MS children forsook him; bis vast estate i,