Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-02-12

T. But only q few ladies in the, congregation
Ventured to approach her: In, the eyes o
many she was proud, ..and they We're mo-
"going to force themselves upon her notice.
The prejudice admitted into their minds by
| others made them. shun rather than court hel
acquaintance ?, OF, the few who did notic
her, some were attracted by affinity, and same
by desire to gain little reflected Importance
Others thought it but hospitable to show hel
attentions, as stranger among them, dand
acted accordingly; though the force.work ffai
apparent. Desiring to meet her and make hel
acquaintance, asked to be introduced, af6
was presented by friend. thought her re-
ception rather cold; and after passing q for
NAL word or two, moved pasther to speak d
an old acquaintance whom had not met foa
some time. .. -, ~, -, g
allow do you like our new ministers wife?'
was almost the first question: ra-i =
Il. g !" Can't say, 81 Must knoEA AdnaethiHg abd6
her FIRST l answered. .,r,, afIi g., ri o.
."She'll not do for us " said my FRIEND
| warmly: "She's not the women for St
Charity !"y ~ -lH r.'-ls :.l ota s.' Il q
WHATS the defect, >" Inquired. -
"Ifs all defect, was the weeping reply. -
Just look at her! A pretty thing for amin
lSIcE Wlc, lHutcO w uy SUo CdIIIcS ACA ScN
with the air Of a queen!" .-..; .'.-. q .
| "Mr. Newton" said l, "is charming
speaker, never heard q more beautiful ser.
mop." ,....-.- ...-.- ....-..-. ..-
"Oh, Mr.. Newton is splendid " replied my
acquaintance warmly. But his wife Oh,
dear its dreadful! What could have posses,
sed him to marry such a woman! Shell
never suit us in the world-never, never
Why don't believe she's even professor
She didn't stay to the communion on last
Sunday. Just think of that-and she the
minister's wife. It's been the talk of the con.
gregation ever since. We fully expected hel
to take class in the Sunday School-but no.
We invited her to be present at the sewing
circle-but no, she couldn't leave her children
A mere excuse, of course. Then we elected
her President of our Indian Missionary Socie.
ty; but she declined the honor, saying that
she had neither time nor taste for such public
duties that with her, charity, for the present,
must begin at home. Now isn't that a Chris
tan spirit for you. Our minister's wife to
talk of charity beginning at home. Why,
she's heathen !"
My church acquaintance waxed warm.
Some of our people were eager enough to
get rid of dear, good Mrs. Wharton" she
added '"She wasn't bright and fashionable,
enough for them; but rather think they've
got their dose now!"
l met, here and there, a lady of our church
who belonged to the home-duty mind your
own-business class, who did not join in this
hue and cry about Mrs. Newton; who thought
that if she had neither taste nor inclination
for Sabbath School teaching sewing circles or
missionary societies, the congregation should
not interfere with these peculiarities. She
had three little children, to whom she gave all
a mothers care: and as the slender income
which her husband derived from the parish
of st. Charity, (four hundred year and par
sonage) would warrant her to keep only a
single domestic, a large part Of her time, had,
necessarily, to be given to household duties
"No one can say" remarked one of these
ladies, in my hearing, " that she neglects her
children, or wastes her husbands income
The little parsonage has never looked so at
tractive inside or out as now. Mrs. Wharton
was not tidy, as we all know, and things
around her We're generally at skies and sevens.
And for her children they were always ne
elected. Many times have seen them play
ing in the dirt while their mother was at the
sewing circles, or somewhere else where she
had no business to be-" .....
But the ladies' who talked in this way be-
longed to the queer ones Of the congrega
ton. They were not Of the pious kind. So
all they said went for nothing with the many
Without "variableness or shadow Of turn
ing" as St. Paul says, did Mrs. Newton keep
on her way. Home was her parish, and she
was content to do her duty there Occasion
ally she accepted an invitation to take tea and
spend an evening abroad; but in most cases
declined these pleasant entertainments, and
though over three months had passed, there
yet been no tea-drinking at the parsonage
Mr.. Newton on the other hand, mingled freely
with lbs cnngregation-sat with them at their
tables, and joined them In their social gather
ings. Of course, the absence of Mrs Newton
on these occasions, always formed subject
of remark and it was generally voted that her
failure to accompany her husband seriously
marred the pleasures Of the evening
"Ah, # his wife were only like him."
This was invariably the signing ejaculation
of Miss Phoebe Lane or some one of her party
At last the matter assumed so serious
shape in the minds of certain leading ladies'
in the parish that it was determined to wait
upon Mrs. Newton, and demonstrate with her
upon the course of conduct she was pursuing
ia course of conduct" urged Miss Lane,
''that is working untold injury in Cur church.
Ever since she came here change for the
worse had been going on in the congregation
Members are growing cold or indifferent Our
sewing-circles are losing their interests, the
monthly concerts Of prayer are badly attend
ed, and the Sabbath school in dwindling away
The social sphere, always SO warm and at
tractive under the genial influence of good
Mrs. Wharton, is fast losing its power-and
all from this strange conduct on the part Of
the minister's wife. She must be talked to on
the subject! If she doesn't know her duty
she must be taught it. If she wont hear her
husband she must hear the congregation"
A committee of ladies-Miss Lane at the
head of them, and voluntary spokeswoman-
finally undertook to set Mrs. Newton right in
regard to her duties in the parish of st. Char
ity, and formally waited upon her for that
purpose, Curiosity prompted me to accept
an offered membership in that committee
Let me picture the interview with Mrs. New
ton. -s; .
We found her sitting in her orderly arrang-
ed little parlor, her person as neat as every
thing around her, and her three children as
sweet and pure as May blossoms. Two were
playing on the floor, and the babe slept in the
cradle that was drawn so close to the mother
that she could touch tine rocker, if needed,
with her foot. She was sewing on a shirt for
her husband. Four ladies made up the CON-
mittee-a formidable number. Mr.. Newton
was away attending the funeral of poor la
borers child-so the coast was clear, and the
culprit in our power.
With an easy grace, the minister's wife re-
ceived US, and after we were oil 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 which
l could not help noticing:
"Take Aggy and George into the garden,
Jane, and keep them till / cali you."
rYes ma'am." The girl spoke very cheer
fully. r. 49,. .....---. -...7s. .
The two children sprane up instantly from,