The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-15

illness, ana croOncd doelul urges over nm al
ter his departure, prophesyng that he was
going to his death directly were the loudest
to echo the good news, with the chorus
Didn't we say SOL Nothing else would
have brought him around, you may be sure !"
He had gone from Us in the carly autumn.
When the buds of the beach-trees began to
swell with the sap of another spring we heard
that he was coming home again. Vague sorts
of rumors hoated to us in company with this
gratifying report, hardly referable to any GER
tain source Somebody--nobody knew who
had said that it had been reported that our
minister had been very much courted in tho
circles of the Southern city where he had been
sojourning; that his preaching had drawn
great crowds; and that he in return, had
been drawn from his seolusion, to miugle freely
with his hospitable friends. But all these
whispers were soon swallowed up by tornado
Of a report, which came near Oyersetting the
equanimity of the parish. Let me preface A
little, however, before let it loose upon you
The head woman Of our parish, after the
deceased Mrs. Young, was the Widow
Ray or, as she Was panctilious in calling
herself Mrs. Ray. She was tall, dark featured,
and critical kind to her inferiors-owning
none rs superior-and merciless to her equals,
wherever they CHANGED to cross her track of
man1uvring. She had prided herself on being
the minister's chief adviser indeed, she did
not seem to feel that anybody had right to
advise him, but hcs,self and the mysterious
air and low tone with which she always spoke
of him, after his departure, had given some
reason for the conclusion to which half the
villagers had come--that she was to be his
adviser for life.
Into this ladys house rushed, one evening,
in hottest haste, the greatest gossip of the
country about-one Of those birds forever
on the wing, whose chief business it is TO scar
ry matter" far and wide No carrier dore
was " Aunt 'Liph," las she was styled, from
the Christian name OF her quiet spouse, Eliph-
alet Brown Yet this time she bore mes
sage of love- though not to loving ears.
"Look We here, Miss Ray!' she screamed,
almost breathlessly, before she had half opened
the sitting-room door" look We here It's
the wondrousest turn-up that ever you did see
What dye think! Our Parson Young has been
and got married away OF down there ~
Mrs. Ray gave slight galyanc start, drew
up both elbows, and drew down both eye.
brows, involuptarily, while her forehead flush
cd purple for al instant She was herself
again the next moment. But she was not a
little puzzled how to receive the news; espe.
cially as there was another visiter in the room
into whose kindly credulous ears she had been
pouring hints of her influence over and init
macy with, the good man himself This Wis
tier, Miss Polly Little, was one of the kindesi
creatures that ever wore the name of old
maid" She always believed everything that
every one told her-at least if it was to the
advantage Of any being; and if statements
would sometimes conflict with each other, the
most that she would say was
"Well, it's very queer ! can't see through
that!n
"You don't tell NO ~ she exclaimed, with
the broadcast of believing smiles, the instant
after Aunt Liph had ended her say "Why
we'll, we'll it's queer world, and queer folks
in it Now, had kind of thinking he wa,
looking over his way--eh, Mrs. Ray" ant
she looked good-humoredly at her hostess fol
her assent to this very unwelcome home
thrust
Mrs. Ray repaid her by vinegar glance
scarcely sugared by, common politcness. Sh,
had resumed her neessle-work, Tor moment in
| terrupted; and now she said, with more dig
nifty than ever
II should like to know what authority yo
have for that report Mrs Brown 90
"Why it's fact, ! tell you, AZ sure rs your
living, Wilder Ray" replied the astonishe
gossip-monger.
WHO told you!" interrupted Mrs. Ra,
looking up CURLY, in spite of herself
| "Wby, | was just now down to Deaco
Johnson's-you know, Polly, her child EMS ju.
over the whooping-cough, and ] was fetclin
La. t,.Il Of 10, Il
they're the sovereignest cure for the hanging
on hack of "A cough! Well, as was saying
| went down there, being out O sewing work
and down ] sits, to be a bit sociable. Says b
Deacon Johnson, Well what's the news, Dea
CONF Says he, You mind me that I hahn
been to fetch any news yet; it's Office day ;
and 30 of he goes"
Mrs. Ray had laid down her work, and wa
listening attentively.
30 there sat with Miss johnson. n waitin.
for him to come back and Miss Johnson, "a VI
shen-
Never mind Mrs Johnson, What was -
That's just what I'm going to tell you
Miss Johnson, says she, It's getting spring
like Yes says ]. suppose our minister II
be thinking so pretty soon, may be. When do
you expect him for, you know. the Deacon
has the keys Of the house and barn. 4 don't
know, says she; | guess likely the Deacon
will get letter to-day And sure enough,
five minutes after, he came trudgng up the
steps with Il letter open in his hand. His face
was in kind Of Il pucker and down he sat,
with his hat on, to read it, Now it's my opn-
ion Deacon Johnson amt much Of n scholar.
larnt man -
Mrs Ray frowned and hemmed impatiently
but there was no hndering the depression.
Because, though don't set up for much
extra learning myself was always brought
up 10 read writing; that I was You cant
stump me on the crookedcst word and Mr..
Young writes a readable hand, for sure. For
all that, got tired waiting for the Deacon TO
finish and no wipes his specs and fuses his
foreflngcr along the lines like snail, till at
last gets out Of patience; and says J. Bless
me, Deacon, he might have writ three while
you've been reading the one Here let's help
you along bitp Up jumps, and makes
catch ut the letter Deacon Johnson looks up
over his specs; then i,s takes them of kind Of
slowly, and let's go the letter, with, We'll, |
dare say--its no pr-privacyp (you know how he
sticks IN his words) So ! read il with my
own good eyes--they are as good ~ they we're
" sxteel, tIiis uuy, "tho"t spocs, anu tiere
it was, in black and white J" she exclaimed,
trumpbantly.
"And he said Inc was going TO get mar
ried?" put in Mis- Polly, who had been pla-
eddy and patiently listening to this long, shall
low flow OF words
SCOT married, tell you done-for-fxed-
clear finished up the business in hurry, too,
Pm thinking! Il puts me out. of breath TO think
ont Why, there's his blessed wife that was.
hasn't laid still in her coffin more than a year !!
And be must take bout after new one--and
a furriner at that y
"a foreigner - repeated Mrs. Ray, quickly
and sharply. "What do you mean ?"
"Why, it's furrin TO as, 10 DO sure, away
down South there, whore they live among the
niggers! don't mean she amt III English