The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-01-20
4 RAvENNA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1859


Occasionally she accepted an invitation to
take tea and SPEND an evening abroad bu,
in most cages dstliaed these pleasant enter:
tslnmsnts, and though over hree months bad
passed there had yet been no tsa-drinking at
the ParsOnage. Mr.. Newton on the other
hand, mingled very freely With Els conEre-l
gdtion--sat with them at their tables, andt
joined them, 10 their social gatherings. Or
course, the absence'of Mrs. Newton on these
occasions always formedu subject Of remark,
and /, was generally voted that her failure to
accompany her husband seriously marred
the pleasures Of the evening. aa.
"Ah, If his wife were only like him"
This was invariably the sigaing ejacuia-
ton Of Miss PhpSe Lane, or some one other
party. i.e s@ E2S-i~~3 sE ".. a
At last the matter assumed SO serious
shape in the minds of certain leading ladies
In the parish that !. was determined to wait
upon Mrs. Newton and demonstrate with her
on the cop.se Of conduct she wss pursuing
Ia course Of conduct" urged Miss Lane,
"that is working untold injury to our church.
Ever since she came here change for the
worse has been going on in the congrega-
ton. Members are growing cold or indif.
ferent. Our sewing circles are losing their
interest, the monthly concerts of prayer are
badly attended, and the Sabbath School is
dwndling away. The social sphere, always
so warm and attractive under the genial in
duerce of good Mrs. Wharton, is fast losing
i it's power--and all from this strange conduct
on the part of our minister's wife. She
must be talked to on the subject. II she
doesn't know her duty she must be taught
+ it. IF she won'thear her husband, she must
hear the congregation"
4 A committee Of ladies-Nliss Lane at the
head OF them, and voluntary spokeswoman-
finally undertook to set Mrs. Newton righ,
, in regard to her duties to the parish Of st,
Charity, and formally waited upon her fol
that purpose. Curiosity prompted me to ac'
+ cept an offered membership in that commit
! lee. Let me picture the istervew with Mrs
Newton. .-
} We found her sitting in her orderly ar
ranged little paror, her person us neOl al
| everything around her, and her three chill
: dren as sweet and pure as May blossoms
t Two were playing on the floor, and the 6ab
I GIept in the cradle, that was drawn 70 clos
to tie mother that she could touch the rock
> er, If neededj with her,fopt. She was sew
ing at shit for her tusband. -Four ladie
+, made up the committee-a a Formidable mum
bor. Mr.. Newton was AWAY attending tb
!, funeral OF poor laborer's chi!d-su III
t. coast was clear, and the culprit in our pow
or. :.
With an easy grace the ministers vii
y. received Us, and after we were oil seated sh
j. stepped 10 iFis door and spoke to her gr
r. who was in the ktch IN. A smart, tidy lool
Z ing domestic came forward, and Mrs. New
@ ton sud to her with kntness Of manne
II that could not help noticing. s.' a..
."Fate Agey anc George into the garder
" Jane, and keep them till Gull YOU"
b, ayes, ma'am.' The girl spoke vel
g ehees fully. The two children sPrang up il
II stan,ly from the floor, and bounding from Il
- room left US alone with Mrs. Newton al
IT, her sleeping babe: l...-, ...,..
st A grave silence followed. The comm
he tee was embarrassed, but the minister
be wife was entirely at her case.
i. 1--WE have come," said Miss Lane, aft
ol suhdry preliminary throat clearings a'
at bridling motions of her head peculiar TO he
We self, "to have little conversation with y
- about our church matters"
an "Hadn't you better talk On that subje
he with my husband :" YVES answered with I
,or utmost self-composure. at is his particu
er, province" es e"1
ne. "No, ma'am," said Miss Lane, her vol
a. gaining emphasis "we have no fault to Fl
in. with Mr.. Newton. He does his part enti
ly to our satisfaction" "..
"Oh! / understand" Mrs. Newton epo
,oh as if light were breaking into her mind.
dd. ayes, na'am," Miss lane went on, "i
BILE your duty in the church that we have co
we 10 talk about, not your husbands an
hope you will not take it i'll OF US If
rch speak out plainly" =, ,.
ur. "Not by any means'" replied Mrs, Ne
".
his ton. I noticed slight culver in her vol
nly a slight flushing of her cheeks, and brig
in. ening of her soft hazel eyes. But it '
,w. plain that she was fully self-possessed, I
on. in no way intimidated by this unexPec
ne. citation to answer for delinquencies.
to "Not by any MEANS" she repeated
as E"Speak out plainly, and If in any thin
de- have been derelict, l will confess my t.
rour and do all ? can to lead better life. y"
uld "Plain speakingi is always best" said
tic moutbpiece, oracularly. $50 we will sp
j. to plainly. Thefact is. Mrs. Newton, you b
can failed almost entirely to meet the exps'
nv ,ious of our people," s@e5a .@naa '1
i. or "Indeed an grieved to learn this.
ttle Mrs. Newton spoke seriously, but with
in, sign of disturbance. II was not be-
not aware that,he people had any sPecia!cia
her upon me."' p ,sas4.-r.s 3. 4 ,f1gas
asl "What do you expect Of me !" calmly