The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-12

'Ob, that's too bad, was the regretful chorus
(which followed my announcement.
{ / list wish the parson had kept away till q
got my quilt marked, Jerushy,' said Thankful
Turner, pretty girl Of twenty, whose face re-
Elected her mothers, softened and tinted with
bloom.
L wish so, too rejoined Jerusha, the corners
of her pretty mouth deepening into pout.
WED list got goin' nicely with these shells,
and meant to have got round the quilt before
sundown and now l must leave it. l wonder,
for my part, why the parson didn't see far enough
to keep away this pertickelar afternoon,a at least
It's right down provoking to think OF, added
Thankful Turner
Girls! girls y interrupted Mrs Strong, with
an oburgatory shake of the head; { can't al
low minister of the gospel to be talked OF IN
that ERE fashion
I was havin' such good time said Jerusha
as she tied on her bonnet, and tried to keep the
tears of vexation out of her blue eyes And
now I've got to go home and sit before parspn
Willetts, as prim and starch as though it was
an awful sin to smile, and laugh outright was
too dreadful thing to be thought OF. | never
could get on with ministers, anyhow
This was scarcely surprising, for the few
gray haired, acknowledged representatives OF
the profession who visited our house were not
likely to enlist the very warm sympathies or
admiration of a young girl impulsive and ever
flowing with life and spirits, like my sister, Je-
rusha Cummings.
'Jerushy, I'm afeard if your heart was in jist
the right place you wouldn't be so set agin min
listers, added Mrs. Turner, and 1 must say it,
sorry as | am to have yoa leave HIS at such a
time.
And the little woman was right and Jerusha
lived TO see it-lved to separate the outward
conventional sanctimoniousness from the inward
heart and spirit, and then she found in those old
Puritan ministers the elements of truehonest
strong manhood she felt the spirit OF submits
sion to God and love, which was the one grand
ruling purpose of their lives-she understood
their self sacrifice, their devotion ; she honored
the steadtast zeal, which counted all things but
loss for the knowledge and the approval OF him
whom they served, as being invisible; while all
honors, potentates and powers, all fashions OF
this world, faded into insignifcance before that
mightiest message, viii III they believed the
King of Kings had ordained them 10 deliver un-
to men.
Jerusha and I hardly spoke to each other on
our way home. My sympathy in her disappoint-
ment by no means increased my stock of good
will for the minister, but l obtruded my share
of our mutual trial on her attention, though l
presume it sank into very small proportions by
the side of her own gigantic trouble.
Il shan't get my field cleared now afore faith
er comes home I'd just got heap all blazin'
when mother called to kill a chicken, atore l
started for you
DO you hush up, Nathan exclaimed Jeru-
sha, in tones one would hardly have recognized
| I'm too exasperated to speak about it,
WALL Jerusha, it's amaZin' the time you've
took to get here, began mother, as she met US
at the kitchen door, with very red face, and
a very ffurried manner; I've jist been in per-
| feet fever for the last hour
Jerusha did not condescend to make reply
She walked into the room next the parlor
with look of settled resignation on her fair face
aud removed her bonnet, and then helped set
out the table.
Then mother hustled into the room. = want
you to get down the pink cheeny and rub up the
old silver cream pot she said; l must have
some CT my best preserves on the table-them
in the va Ter lar, did up in oafsugar last fall
Why,w hat ais you Jerusha, for, looking up
our mother saw the cloud which dalkened the
fair face of her child.
Then Jerusha's pent up disappointment ana
yexatlon broke out, unable longer to control
themselves.
Il should think there was matter enough, She
exclaimed, as she shook out the folds of the lin
en- table cloth my mother had spun before her
marriage when I'm sent tor, as though it was
matter of life and death, to get supper for
-
to keep from bothering folks lives out. I'm free
to say haven't got spark of patience left
| I'd like to know how Thankful Turner's to get
along with her quilt, for nobody else knows the
round shell pattern, and the whole thing'n be
| spoiled and the the quiltin''s coming off to-mor
row, and she to be married week later, and l
to be bridesmaid. l s'pose, though, parsons
supper's Of so much more account than common
folks guiltin's and weddin'S that they're not to
be mentioned in the same day
Jerushy Jerushy = said mother, in a tone
! of solemn warning.
L can't help it, bestowing the pink china
cups on the waiter It's the most aggrayatin'
thing that ever happened in my born days. I'm
bound not to sleep this night afore I've got that
double border of shells on Thankful Turner's
quilt But l must say that | never knew min
ister that didn't come at jist the wrong time It's
faculty they have, and bein' deaccns daugh-
! ter, | can speak from experience.
'Jerushy, interrupted mother Il never heard
you go on 80 in my born days What would
your father say to hear you talk in that style? 1t
| isn't week since he told me that it was one of
the strongest desires Of his heart to see you the
wife of a parson!
Catch me = exclaimed Jerusha, with d toss
of her pretty head, and a fresh bloom in the car
nations of her round checks I'll live and die
an old maid first
| Our mother gave a groan at this exhibition
of her daughters obduracy, but loud sputter-
ing from the spider III the kitchen where the
chicken was frying, took her suddenly off, and
Jelusha turned to me saying Nathan, you jist
go to the best room closet and bring me the yal-
er jar on the second shelf, and mind you don't
break it. Boys are always so clumsy
| There was only a small front entry separa-
ting the room in which my sister was preparing
tea and one which was only used on state occa-
sions and, as / entered the latter, | was almost
parazed by seeing young man sitting in the
great arm chair by the window, one cheek rest
ing on his hand, while an amused smile was hi
ding itself about his mouth, combined with an
expression OF some annoyance. He was tall and
slight and his thin thoughtful, handsome face
suited the figure. His eyes and hair were dark
brown, and he must have been several years
this side of thirty.
1t flashed into my mind like lightning that
this was the young parson, and he must have
heard every word my sister had spoken, for her
voice was raised, and the doors Of both rooms
were ajar.
1 stood STILL too overwhelmed to utter word,
or move hand or foot but the young minister
came straight forward and took my hand, and
said with a smile, which gave a new beauty to
the pale, handsome face am very glad to
see you, my boy. / came down stairs abou:
five minutes ago, and hope l am not intruding
here
Il l attempted to answer Parson Willetts, but
the words died in my throat. think be pitied
my confusion, understanding perfectly the cause
of it, for he asked Are you in quest of any
thing here?'
l want the yaller Jar in the closet l siam
mered.
He went towards it and opened the door
while followed like one in a dream; but the
shelf was too high, and at that moment my sis
ter's voice foated in TO me.
Nathan, are you staying to help yourself tC
the preserves p
/ Let me assist you, said the parson and he
reached down the small earthen jar and placed
it in my hands, and this time there was smile
on his lips, which his eyes repeated
/ hurried back to my sister, who was just dis
; posing the knives and forks around the table
: in more composed frame of mind after her eb