Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-01-03
WHOLE NUMBER ga

lcuse, that "she hau heN''
ticle fit 10 be seen in her life." For the
latter charge there was still more deci-
,ive proof, as she had more than once
been heard TO say that she thought 'here
was no harm in occasionally dancing IN
ones own parlor, and that when at home
she and her brother frequently amused
themselves in this way between daylight
and dark. 49,.
This was enough for the BIlsses' ana
the next Sabbath their velvet cushionea
pew was again vacant, for they could ho'
in conscience listen to minister WHO
would marry woman that had no rei'-
gion. There must be something wrohs
in him, and suddenly they remembered
many things which they had seen, all oil
which proved that 'he was not "''a' ne
should be-" The Blisses were not with
out their influence, which ere long began
to manifest itself in the gradual dropping
off of the members Of MIR. Stan"oous
congregation, some Of whom went over
/ TO the Methodist, while others hetooS
themselves to the parlors of the mansion'
where every Sabbath an opposition meet
ing was held, the jealous Matilda usu-
ally leading, and praying loud and long
for victory over her enemies.
To sensitive nature like Mrs. Stan
woods, this state of things was exceed
/ ingy annoying, for she felt that in some
way she was the cause Of it, aud at length
her health, always delicate, began to fail.
| She was the last Of five beautiful sisters,
who one by one had fallen victims to that
great New England destroyer, consump-
ton. In her case, as in theirs, there
were no weary days and nights of watch
ing, but gradual undermining of the
we'll spring Of lille.
From the first Mr.. Stanwood had fore
seen the result. He knew there was
death in her veins, and that sooner or
later, bis firesde would be desolate, and
she would be gone; so that when the
storm without rolled its angry surges over
only shielded her from its force. But
this he could not Go, for she saw every
thing that was passing, and day by day
the light in her blue eyes grew brighter
and brighter, while the hectic bloom up
on her cheek took deeper hue.
And all this time she came among the
people as of old; not Sabbath was she
missed from The church, until one moring
in the Indian summer time there was
heard in Ellingwood the tolling of bell,
and when they counted seventeen they
wondered who had gone. Ilaf an hour
after there came to them the startling
news that Eva Stanwood was dead-that
she died in the night with no one near
but her husband. Il was true. Eva
was dead; and the next day, toward the
hour Of sunset, the stone church was fill.
ed TO its utmost capacity, and among those
present none sobbcd louder, or hung over
the lileless form more tenderly, than did
Matilda Bliss. Possibly remorse might
have touched her hard heart, but few had
charity enough 10 think so. The grief,
however, of the other members, who had
Strayed so far away, was more sincere,
and around Eva's coffin many who had
been es,ranged, g-asped the friendly hand
and mingled together their tears of sor-
row.
1t was terrible 10 witness the anguish OF
the pastor, which was not manifested in
any loud outbreak Of feeling. but WAS
visible in every lneament of his face
in the spasmodic quivering of bis white
lips, and in the low bitter moans of ago.
ny, which had in lEem the tones of bro
ken heart, as he bowed his manly head,
and wept over her he had called his for
the brief space Of year. They buried
her on sunny slope, and from her early
grave came more than one lesson Of good
to the inhabitants of Elingwood. AT
first they feared lest their pastor would
leave them, but "Eva's grave was there"
he said, "srd he would rather remain
So he stad, and from that time forth
scarcely one was missing from his congre-
CATION, and when he saw how united in
mind and heart they were, he felt that
through his Affections good had come 10
them, and that Eva had not died in vain.
A NEGRO PRAYER.-The editor of
the Montpelier Freeman has a letter
written by a gentleman in Port Royal,
from which he makes the following ex-
tract descriptive of ludicrous incident
in negro prayer meeting: IL attended
negro prayer meeting last night, and am
satisfied that the negroes crjoy religion.
They had sermon, prayer, and singing,
in a style peculiarly their own. They