Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-01-13
From s1is Boston I rue Flag.
THE MINISTERS WIFE.
Ri In OPTIC,
CHAPTER I.

Yariof
What, Tpln.' asked Sophia, turning
her languid gaze upon her brother.
Mr. Marsh is going to be married
next week.
Gracious! You don't say so' replied
Mrs Wise, with glance of melancholy
interest nj her daughter
Fact, All the stories are true. You
have wasted your powder fer nothing, So
ply
What 60 you mean by that, TONG
Mean o, nothing.
OF course you don't
Dir. Marsh j. an ungrateful fellow
ii, sis.'
If you have got anything to say, Tom,
why don't you say II, and not keep hint
Ing!'
1 haven't got anything 10 say, answer
el Tom.
But the mischief that lurked in his
yes, was quite enough TO convict him Of
having something to say; at least, Of hav-
Iag something very roUgIsh OF very fun
~ in his heart.
The Rev 1Ir Marsh was a young
clergyman who had settled IN Freelawn
= year before. Young ministers are gen
rally pale, cadayerous looking fellows,
who have used up some of the best years
& their lives over the musty stories Of
" theology; and makes them look very
,ae, and very gloomy is not much
#, be wondered at. We sometimes won
Ter that ministers will waste their time
aad destroy their colnplexions over such
Try study as theology.
Whether G[r. Marsh had studied the
.,lpcy or not, | cannot say. Il lie had, 1t
lid not produce the usual effect, for his
artn was wei filed out, and his cheeks
we're as rosy rs plough-boy's. lie was
The picture of health, bodily; and there
VAS sunshine In his heart; for he could
laugh as merrily, enjoy a joke as hearth
~ as any man in Freelawn; 50 that it was
certain that if he had studied theology,
he had not permitted it to sour his tenn
per, or change this beautiful world which
Cod has created, into a great tomb, where
IN should be nothing but weeping and
vGiiing.
About month qfJer Mr.. 1Iarsh's in
staIation, certain Major WainEight had
bought a cottage and moved into Free
lawn. Now, the major hated theology,
and fully believed that it was an inyen-
tion Of the devil to sour the faces Of the
cIergymen, and thus cause the people to
be disguised with religion. Perhaps the
Major Judged theology by It's effect, by
what It seemed to be to him, rather than
By what ii actually was He had no re-
spect for ministers, never went TO church,
and claimed to take his religion directly
from Nature and the Bible.
My private opinion IS that the NiaJol
vas IN the wrong III respect 10 theology,
the church, and religion itself; but he was
4 very clever man, good neighbor. |
think theology, ministers and the church,
- the true InstrEmeutalltIes Of religion
tself, would have made HIM wiser and
etter; and In the course OF events, the
major came to think 50 himself
The major bad wife and one daugh-
lis. As our business j. wholly with the
after, we will not NEEDLE with the old
lady. Margaret wainwright was not the
prettiest girl in the world, though she was
well built, had pleasing countenance.
4ad 4 very graceful carriage. She had
heen well educated. was accomplished not
sly i'll the ornamental branches, hut i'll
ne real AMI substantial. She could read
attn. talk French ike native Of Paris,
knew that the Green Mountains were not
II Greenland, that the sun was bigger
IAN tho moon however much aqpearan-
might sometimes indicate 10 the contrary.
md 4 great many other things which the
reader would not thank me for mention
lag Her conversation was brilEan', wit
" and fascinating; and her laugh seemed
Ike the key note Of paradise, II was 50
sweet and 50 meicdIous.
Margaret was 4 mischievous girl, a.
ways fell Of fun, could not refrain from
laughing even Oh Sunday, and in pres
ence of the rarson-for, notwithstanding
The ma or's dangerous proC.syilies, his
wife and daughter were regular attend
ants upon public worship.
Possibly the fair girls temperament
had been IN some measure modified hy
her fathers views and daily life. She
was, before the minister, Just what she
was before ANYBODY clsa-she was her
self She laughed on Sunday. even be-
fore the minister's face. Why should She
not laugh? Her laugh was the sunshine
of her heart. The sun shines on Sunday
Why should not her heart shine en- sun
day2
Margaret went into society in Free
lawn-that is, she went to the sewing cir
Gle. and took tea with her ne5ghbors: but
Ii Is quite certain that on none Of these
occasions, did she gossip with her neigh
bors. Ii she heard bad story about any
person, she took no pleasure il repeating
II; 50 that the old ladies never could get
any news out Of her.
IN spite of all her good qualities, Mar
saret had earned 4 bad name in the VII
lage. Old ladies SAID she was too for
ward. Old men said she laughed on sun
day, and even III the meeung-house; and
young men said she was 50 crazy they
could not get within twenty feet OF her
al very serious objections.
L CHANGED that Mr.. Marsh. the young
minister, boarded opposite the majors
cottage; and though j. was Sunday-aad
though Margaret would laugh. the Young
divine not UnfreqUentIy found himself
ff-Tr9r- E,,>,sa .-1-- J.,