Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-07-18

: that you might have the power as well a!
the wish to give yourself wholly up to the
spirit of prayer as did Rev. Mr.. Harvey
at was sin with this 'sinless child Of
earth to act and think contrary to her ideas
of right and wrong. 1t was sin to read
any other books than the Bible, Prayer
Book, and the Whole Duty of Man. She
was 4 great churchwoman, whose creed was
no salvation out of the church catholic
which is Protestant Episcopal. She had
never been to meeting house in her life,
but had always set under the preachings oi
those who could prove their descent from
the Apostles. Sidney Smith himself was
not more intolerant of Dissenters than was
Miss Lucinda Sharpe.
Providence Sharpe eschewcd being alto
gether a child of nature. She consented
to wear very brown braid, suggestive Of
perpetual youth, and adorned her person
rather more lavishly than her sister. She
was rather milder in her mode of speech
than Lucinda, but like her, equally despis-
cd the lords of creation. l well remember
the evening that Grace, the servant girl,
had an admirer. 1 was taking social
cup Of tea with the Misses Sharpe, at their
snug little mansion at the corner of the
street. We were gathered around the tea
table; the hospitable board was well spread;
mullins and tea smoked before us; the pre-
serves were of their own making; the beef
of their own drying. A fire burnt in gen
ial glow in the well polished CRATE. before
which lay two well-conditiOncd tabbies,
enjoying charming siesta.
"'Now this is what l call comfort, Miss
Providence l said, as looked around
and about at the charming prospect.
"'Yes, my dear she answered blandly.
and the greatest comfort of all is, there is
no man here to mar our enjoyment
"'Menp exclaimed Lucinda, raising up
the plate of mullins suddenly, and putting
them down again- They arc
"'Wretehes" put in Miss Providence.
"'Wretches? PROXY, don't mince your
language; they are demOns-arch fends.'
40, not all 1 interrupted, feeling So
licitOus about my brothers, and uncles, and
cousins
"'Yes, all! My dear, you don't know
them as we do. Ha! hal men, and Lucin-
da gave series of defiant, convulsiyc
shricks.
Mem echoed PROXY, 'ha! hal and she
picked up knife, and waved it about in
the air ike a bloody cut-throat thirsting
for his victim.
why, my dear, they are utterly des-
titute of religion, to begin with
"a set of atheists responded PROXY.
"'Dcistsy continued Lucinda.
Turks without their turbans,' ejacu-
lated Providence.
Then their morals! o, my dear, my
dearn and Miss Lucinda raised her hands
in mute expression Ofhorror. Just look
at some of the Popcs. Look at Henry the
Eighth, at Francis the Second, at Louis the
Fourteenth. Then in modern times look
at Byron-the butcher over the way-the
baker round the corner. Why, there is no
end to the disgraeeful catalogue God may
have made man in his own image, but now
he has fallen so low that he is not fit
TO wait on my dear Tabby Gray, H.
terruptcd Miss PROXY. Take another dish
of tea, Barbara, loyc?'
Il handed up my dish, that looked very
like emp, and Miss Lucinda remarked:
Mr.. Harvey is very partial to tea
"'Oh, is hc?.' L asked. You have him
to tea, then, though he is that biped, call
ed a man! l wish you had asked him to-
night
Miss Lucinda frowned, and said, draw
ing herself up-'As our pastor, he takes a
dish of tea with US by special invitation,
twice year; but We con6ne him entirely
to spiritual conversation. We do not suf-
fer him to roam in worldly pastures where
there is no food for the soul. Before part
ing, we always request him to read the
penitential psalms aloud
"'We do not invite him more frequent
ly,' observed Miss PROXY, for it might
have the effect of fattering his vanity {
Men, even the least worst of them, are so {
vain. "All is vanity about them, as the
wise king says. Ha! ha! men! men! echoed
Miss Lucinda; and these two highpriestes-
scs of Diana's temple kept up their 'hal ha!' |
and their 'non! men, until they scared ]
the two fat tabbies out of their slumbcrs /;
on the warm rug, and they began to stretch
their legs and open their sleepy eyes in
manner quite wonderful.
''At this juncture, the door opened, and s
Grace, the servant girl, said in tremulous !
tones:
Please, ma'am, may go to the cir :
'us to night?' +
1.-The circus, Grace? Coed heavens what '
/ sin," calculated Miss Lucinda. shut t
he door, girl, and come in" Grace obey /
d. What put the circus into your i
head?" asked Miss Lucinda. a
Nothing. ma'am, replied Grace, hash b
ully, twisting the corners of her apron. ?
'Put down your apron, and answer me c
properly. Nothing is no answer at all;- L
lcthing means nothing. Have you forgot h
en- your catcchism, girl?