The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-03-11
The Minister'S Wife

Suiu SdLc upon Hti UlO+ItE.
'Mr. Marsh is going to be married next week
/ Gracious! You don't say SO, replied Mrs
Wise, with glance of melancholy interest al
her daughter. 4-7s- =-. ....-.-.a
Fact! All the stories are true You have
wasted your powder for nothing, Sophy.'.
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 hinting?'
Ihav'nt got anything to say, answered Tom
But the mischief that lurked in his eyes was
quite enough to convict him of having some
thing to say; at least of having something very
roguish or very funny in his heart.
The reverend Mr.. Marsh was a Young cler-
gvman, who had been settled in Freelawn wear
before. Young ministers are generally pale,
cadaverous looking fellows, who have used up
some of the best years Of their lives over the
musty tones of dry theology; and it makes
them look very pale, and very gIoomy-which
is not much to be wondered at We sometimes
wonder that ministers will waste their time, and
destroy their compilations over such dry stu
dy as theology.
Whether Mr. Marsh had studied theology or
not cannot say. If he had, it did not pro
duce the usual effect, for his form was well fill
ed out, and his checks were as rosy as plough
boys. He was the picture Of health, bodily;
and there was sunshine in bis heart, for he could
laugh as merrily, enjoy joke as heartily as any
man in Freelawn, so that it was certain that if
he had studied theology, he had not permitted
it to sour his temper, or change this beautiful
world, which God has created, into great tomb,
wherein should be nothing but weeping and
waIing.
About month after Mr. MarSh's installa-
ton, a certain major Wainwright had bought a
major hated theology, and fully believed that
it was an invention of the devil to sour the faces
Of clergymen, and thus cause the people to be
Disguised with religion. Perhaps the major
judged theology by its effect, by what it seem
ed to be to him, rather than by what it actual
y was. He had no respect for ministers. new
er went to church, and claimed to take his re-
Iigion 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.
a good neighbor. I think theology, ministers
and the church, as the true instrumentaties Of
religion itself, would have made himwiser and
better; and, in the course of events the major
came to think so himself.
The major had wife and one daughter As
our business is wholly with the latter, we will
not meddle with the old lady. Margaret Vain
wright was not the prettiest girl in the world
though she was well built, had pleasing coun-
tenance, a very graceful carriage. She had been
well educated, was accomplished not only in
the ornamental branches, but, in the real and
substantial. She could read Latin, talk French
like a native of Paris, knew that the Green
were not in Greenland, that the sun
was bigger than the moon, however much ap-
pearances might sometimes indicate the con
trary, and great many other things which the
reader would not thank me for Mentioning
Her conversation was brilliant witty and faaci-
mating, and her laugh seemed like the keynote
Of paradise, it was so sweet and melodious
Margaret was mischievous GIRL always full
Of fun, could not refrain from laughing, even
on Sunday and in the presence of the parson-
for, notwithstanding the majors dangerous pro-
cvilies his wife and daughter were regular
attendants upon public worship.
Possibly the fair girls temperament had been
in some measure modified by her fathers views
and daily life She was before the minister
Just what she was before anybody else-She
before the minister's face Why should she
not laugh? Her laugh was the sunshine of her
heart. The sun shines on Sunday, why should
1ot her heart shine on Sunday?
Margaret went into society in Freelawn-
hat is, she went to the sewing circle, and took
ga with her neighbors; but it is quite certain
hat, on none Of these occasions did she gossip
with her neighbors. If she heard a bad story
about any person, she took no p pleasure in re-
oeating it; 50 the old ladies never could get any
news" out of her.
In spite of her good qualities, Margaret had
earned 1ad name in the village. Old ladies
;ad she was too forward Old men said she
aughed on Sunday, and even in the meeting
nouse, and young men said she was so crazy
hey could not get within twenty feet Of her
Ill very serious objections.
II chanced that Mr.. Marsh, the young min
ster, boarded opposite the ma jor's cottage, and
hough it was Sunday-and though Margaret
would laugh, the young divine not unfrequent
y found himself walking home from church by
he side of Mrs. and Margaret Wainwright. 1t
lad been noticed that he left his pulpit with una
eemly haste after the benedction, and that lie
walked very rapidly till he overlook the parties
Mentioned. 1t was still further noticed that he
generally placed himself by the side of Marga
ct in preference to her mother. All the as
ounding facts were duly commented upon in
he sewing circle
But news in regard to Mr.. Marsh and Mar |
,aret was scarce article. They lived so near
oyether and were SO circumspect that the pre-
Use relation between them could not be defined |
t was supposed, and very many believed, that
he minister was courting MargarctW Wanwright. /
fet the evidence was not complete, and the for I
ytbree young unmarried ladies, who had s.set
heir caps for Mr. Marsh did not relax one
OF or tittle in their efforts to catch him.
Vague stories had been whispered through .
'reelawn. Thirteen ofthe forty y-three were dis
outraged when they heard the whisper that
omethng was about to happen. Soon after,
'om Wise announced the astounding fact we
ave set forth in the first part of this chapter
Tom looked mischievousy at his sister So
hia, and Mrs Wise looked pityingly at her
laughter Sophia. Mr.. Marsh was going TO be
narred to Margaret Wainwright. Tom kept
ilent as long as he could but the mischief in
f<f two, j