Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-15

esteemed friend. Mrs. Bean His wife never
said word, but the Sheriff thought she
blus he'd, and then her mother called her. and
she left the room, and did not again appear.
Now enquired Mrs Jones, 4 leave it to
you, if it don't look little singular, that he
should be owing this money to a woman! /
never am suspicious, but declare when facts
como right before me, must judge-and l
ask You to help explain to me, Why this debt
was incurredH'
length suggested, { it might be a debt he con
tracted while he was getting his education
But that would not have been due to a
woman of course. No, no. I'm inclined to
think we may not know all about our talented
young minister after all-he is terrible smooth
faced you know"
Mrs. Broadway was in the act of twirlng
spool of cotton into inch pieces, when the
| reverend gentleman entered the room, and
the conversation was interrupted
1t was noticeable how kindly all the ladies
enquired for Mrs Spicer2 was she quite well,
and did she get homo safely from their late
| gathering, and they did all so regret her ina
bility to be present this afternoon while at
the same time they secretly wished her in the
| Red Sea-for had not these managing moth
ers beautiful daughters, whom they would
have delighted to call Mrs. SpicerF
By and by, old Mrs Bently sidled up gairst
Mrs Jones, and inquired eff her what private
experience she had been relating to Mrs.
Broadway-addirg, now 1 am free mason,
/ TOO, and can keep secret, so you need not
! fear to entrust to me what you have said. and
| after most rigid promise " never to speak Of
! 1t to any living SOUL" she narrated what she
, had said to Mrs. Broadway.
MS. Bently always fel. that there was no
| herm in telling her husband what she had
| promised to keep secret and so she b rely men
toned it, forgetting to tell him not to circulate
] -
! ior to Captain Ray, and before q weeks time
poor innocent parson Spicer was looked upon
with quite suspicious eye. Still they had
gone so far abopt tie movement TO send him
abroad, that the paper for signatures was
handed busily around.
The proposed sum to be raised was a thou
sand dollars, and although few leG1ing mem
bers gave more than half that SUN, yet il
lacked nearly two hundred to complete the
amount, and this was Immediately added by
, those who proposed the plan Those, how
ever who gave the smallest sums seemed most
reluctant TO DO go not few adding many un-
timely remarks sueh as "they should like TO
be sent abroad at others expense, toO;" 'when
a man was paid fair salary they saw 10 rea-
son why it should be doubled 10 give him a
fashionable tour" while the more pious Ia
mcnted that this would take away the present
healthy condition OF the church, and not a
few elderly people fairly believed I" f1axseed
tea swestened with honey would remove
h,arseness II much cheaper form"
The following Sabbath, however, carried
out TO church the largest congregation that
had ever been present since Spencer's settle
@ent His hoarseness had all vanished, and
in ringing voice he announced his text from
the words, "heholi how great matter n little
FIRE kindleth." OF course, they all anticipa-
ted pungent discourse upon tic proper man
"ss nent Of the tongue; but before he had half
finished his sermon, the Major gave a wink
over to the Captains pew, and Mrs Broad
ways face was all cIimsOned, while Mrs.
Jones ratified her fan as il a thous Id mOsa aui-
toes besieged her Old Mrs Bcrkely snapped
her black eyes, and whispered to Sally Slack,
"thank Heaven / don't take his meaning"
Mrs Bellows said she admired practical SER
mons, but she declared there was such thing
as being too PERSONAL"
Not person went down to the aisles of the
church that day alone but the clergyman's
wite-tbey were in low whispers each with
the other, and finally /. was concluded to let
the rebuke pass unheeded-since as Deacon
Bly, remarked "by making it personal affair,
We shall thereby show our guilt"
1t was thought however aggrieved the pastor
might feel for what he had heard, it would be
all atoned for by the present and a request to
travel for the next six months The greater
part of tue week was devoted TO asccrtaining
who first propagated the scandal; but this i'm
piicated so many who ''did not mean any
harm" - who only mentioned what they had
heard, that il was wisely concluded to drop
the nc after at once
The letter was therefore sent, enclosing q
check for thousand dollars, begging the rev.
erend gentleman's acceptance of the same,
thereby giving him leave of absence for the
next six months, and ended by a prayer for
his restoration, with happy sojOurn abroad
and safo return TO the devoted flock" who
severally appended their names to the note in
behalf of themselves and others, who were
too numerous 10 add their signatures.
Mr. Spiccr, We have said, was a whole man,
consequently he was not to be brbed OF bought
in this manner. lie understood his people,
many thought, far better than they under
stood themselves After few days pre- II cd
itation he thefore returned the following let
ter, addressed to those whose generous contri-
buttons he begged leave to declined and as
the communication served SO good a purpose
we may as well insert il for the benefit Of
others
"My Kind Friends and PariSkiORers
was gre tly moved by the demonstration of
your benevolent regard toward me, which you
signifed by letter on the 10Th instant. Now,
with all frankness desire to reply and state
to you the reason why must decline the free
gift
"In the first place, my health does not re-
toral duties; and in the second place, am
not willing to entrust my flock to the care of
another while they are thus spiritually dis
eased Brethren and sisters l have a great
work for you to do. and faithful discharge Of
my duty prompts me to improve its perform
ance A watch must be set to the door of
your lips, for scandal and gossip, and a lying
spirit is among US will implicate no one
personally, but will ask for what purpose do
we assemble together? At recent gather
ing of the sewing circle, was animadverted
upon both unjustly and cruelty. Allow me to
explain myself to the ladies.
s'Iwell recolect the circumstances Of Sheriff
Buffers payment of my salary, and adding
the remark respecting part of the money
being appropriated to the payment of Mrs
Bean. She is the lady with whom boarded
during the last years of my studies prepare.
tory to the ministry, and she generously al
lowed me time to liquidate the debt. Is this
any cause for ceusure yet hear that gar
bled statement is rife in my parish, and that
am criminated as if guilty of some overt act.