The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-01-19

dren as sweet and pure as may DloSSoms'
Two were playing on the floor and the
babe slept in the cradle, which was drawn
30 close to the mother that she could touch
the rocker, if needed, with her foot. She
was sewing on a shirt for her husband.
Four ladies made up the committee
formidable number. Mr.. Newton was
away, attending the funeral of poor la,
borer's child--so the coast was clear, and
the culprit in our power. :.
With an easy grace the minister's wife
received lis and after we were seated she
stepped to the door and spoke to her girl,
who was in the kitchen. A smart, tidy
looking domestic came forward, and Mrs.
Newton said to her with kindness OF
manner that could not help noticing:
stake Aggy and George into the gar
den, Jane, and keep them till / call you"
"Yes ma'am." The girl spoke cheer
fully.
The two children sprung up instantly
from the floor, and bounding from the
room left lis alone with Mrs. Newton and
her sleeping baby.
A grave silence followed. The COM
mittee was embarrassed, but the minis
ter's wife was entirely at her ease.
awe have come" said Miss Lane, af-
ter snndry preliminary throat-clearings
and bridling motions Of her head peculiar
to herself, "to have a little conversation
with you about our church matters"
hadn't you better talk on that sub
ject with my husbandl" was answered
with the utmost self composure. THAT
is his particular province"
"No ma'am," said Miss Lane, her voice
gaining emphasis; we have no fault to
find with Mr.. Newton. He does his part
entirely TO our satisfaction"
"Oh! | understand" Mrs. Newton
spoke as il light were breaking into her
mind.
Yes ma'am," Miss Lane went on, ait
is your duty in the church that we have
come to talk about, not your husbands;
and hope you will not take it i'll of us
if we speak out plainly"
"Not by any MEANS" replied Mrs.
Newton. NOTICED slight CULVER in her
voice, slight flushing of her cheeks, and
Frightening of her soft hazel eyes. But
il was plain that she was fully self-pos-
sessed, and in no way inundated by this
unexpected citation to answer for dclin-
quencies.
Not by any. MEANS" she repeated
"Speak out plainly, and if in any thing
] have been derilect, / will confess my
fault, and do all l can To lead better
life."
"Plain speaking is always best" said
our mouth-piece, cracularly. $50 we will
speak plainly. The fact is, Mrs. Newton,
you have failed almost entirely TO meet
the expectations of our people,
Indeed! / am grieved to learn this"
Mrs. Newton spoke seriously, but with
no sign of disturbance. 81 was not be-
fore aware that the people had any spe-
cial claim upon me-"
"What do you expect Of mel 2" calmly
inquired Mrs. Newton.
ave have already intimated our ex-
pectations in various ways. There is the
girls senior class in Sunday school; that,
Of course, we expected you TO take. And
you are wanted on the Visiting Commit
tee and in our Missionary Society. I'm
less our minister's wife takes the lead in
the temporalities Of the church nothing
will prosper"
"Then," said Mrs. Newton, it is I'M
derstood that while my husbands duties
relate mainly to the spiritualities of the
church, mine have special regard to its
temporalitiesT
Certainly, ma'am You have expressed
the difference of relation exactly" replied
Miss Lane, led on by the peculiar way in
which Mrs. Newton put the question to
admit the existence of very wide range
Of duties as required Of that lady by the
congregation OF st. Charity.
"This is all new TO me, ladies" said the
ministers wife. 81 was not aware be-
fore that any one in the congregation re-
garded me as having failed in duty"
"Every one so regards you." Our
spokes-woman was parsonage who used
great plainness of speech.
"This should have been stated in the
beginning" said Mrs. Newton. "How
was / TO know your views in the matter
l saw my husbands correspondence, but
not a word was said about his wife, or the
parish requirements in her case. Now it
appears that her range of duties is almost
as wide as his. i ought to have known
this before came here, ladies'; and l re-
ally think the complaint of duty is against
you instead Of me. Let me ask, so as to