The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1857-01-22
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THE MINISTER'S WIFE.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.
CHAPTER I.

News, mother! News, Sophia J ex-
claimed Thomas Wise, as he entered the
parlor.
What, Tom?' asked Sophia, turning
her languid gaze upon her brother.
Mr.. Marsh is going to be married next
week.
Gracious! You don't say SOL replied
Mrs. Wise, with glance of melancholy
interest at her daughter.
Fact! All the stories are true. You
have wasted your powder for nothing, So
ply
what do you mean by that, Tom!'
Mean? Oh, nothing
of course you don't
'Mr. Marsh is an ungrateful fellow
eh, sis?'
IF you have got anything to say, Tom,
why don't you say it, and not keep hint
ing?'
i haven't got anything to say an
'swered Tom.
But the mischief that lurked in his
eyes was quite enough to convict him of
having something to say; at least of hav-
ing something very roguish or very fun
ny in his heart.
The, Rev Mr.. Marsh was young cler-
gyman, who had been settled in Freelawn
a year before. Young ministers are gen
orally pale, cadaverous looking fellows,
who have used up some of the best years
of their lives over the musty tones of a
dry theology; and it makes them look We
ry pale, and very gloomy-which is not
much to be wondered at. We sometimes
wonder that ministers will waste their
time, and destroy their compilations over
such a dry study as theology.
Whether Mr.. Marsh had studied the
ology or not | cannot say. If he had, it
did not produce the usual effect, for his
form was well filled out, and his cheeks
were as rosy as plough-boy's He was
the picture of health, bodily; and there
was sunshine in his heart, for he could
laugh as merrily, enjoy joke as heartily
do any LIdu III rI0SidWnD oO OHoI ~ was
certain that, if he had studied theology,
be had not permitted it to sour his tem-
per, or change this beautiful world which
God has created into great tomb. where,
in should be nothing but weeping and
wailing. .;<,,f
About month afte4 Mr.; " IN
siallation, a certainv Major wainwright
had bought a cottage and moved into Free
lawn Nom, tie Major hated theology,
and fully believed that it was an inyen-
tion Of the devil to sour'the faces of cler-
gyHen, and thus cause the people to be
disgusted withreligion. Perhaps the Ma
jor judged theology by its effect, by what
it seemed to be to him, rather than by
what it actually was. He had no respect
for ministers, never went to church, and
claimed to take his religion directly from
nature and the Bible.
Ny private opinion is that the Major
was in the wrong in respect to theology,
the church, and religion itself; but he
was very clever man, good neighbor.
l think theology, ministers and the church,
as the true instrumentalities of religion
itself, would have made him wiser and
better; and in the course of events, the
Major came to think so himself
The Major had wife and one daugbt-
or. AS our business is wholly with the
latter, we will not meddle with the old
ady. Margaret Wainwright was not the
prettiest girl in the world, though she
was we'll built, had pleasing counten-
lnce, very graceful carriage. She had
been well educated, was accomplished
lot only in the ornamental branches, but,
n the real and substantial, She could
cad Latin, talk French like native of
Paris, knew that the Green mountains
we're not in Greenland, that the sun was
bigger than the moon, however much ap-
might sometimes indicate the
contrary, and a great many other things
which the reader would not tbank,me Cor
Her conversation was bril- +
liant, witty, and fascinating; and her
augli seemed like the key note Of para
lise, it was so sweet and melodious. il
Margaret was misc
vaysfull Of fun, COZ
pughing. even on y