The Portland daily press., 1863-11-28
saturday Morning, November as, 1863.
Wriften for the Press.
A Story for Sunday.
BY IDA PERLEY.
"But what went ye out for to see p

"But what went ye out for to seeg''
"What a lovely morning" soiloquized AL
ice Ray, as she stood before her mirror pre-
pairing for church. "a propitious omen for
our new minister, and by the way, for us too |:
as we can afford to wear our best when the
sun shines. | am glad that Rachel finished
my new silk last night, ii she did have to sit
up till past twelve. dare say | shall be the
envy of twenty girls to-day, for this new suit
Is becoming, to say the least. All here comes
Mary and Lucy. Good morning, girls. You
are just In time for coy chat before the bell
rings"
"Yes;" said Lucy, seating herself: "we
thought you would like to see MS - and our
new bonnets especially. How do you like the
style? --latest from New York, assure YOU"
''Oh, very much. What lovely flowers!
Just the thing for your complexion | sup
pose Clarence Howe and his fashionable Sis
tiers will be there. He is very observing, they
say, and is sure to remember which lady is the
best dressed"
'Why, thought he was near sighted. He
always carries glass"
Yes, know; only token OF gentity,
though: He can see as far as any one, dare
say. There, girls; do l look like fright?n
just then lady, who had been a quiet
spectator Of what had passed, arose from her
seat and came nearer TO the young people
"Oh, Alicew she said with much earnest
ness; 81 am afraid you scarcely realize that
the house of God is dedicated TO His worship
onty,-that he has expressly declared, Thou
shalt have no other Gods before me- And
yet you 60 into his sanctuary with your heart
so full OF pride and vanity that the great Giyer
OF all that makes your life pleasant and beau
tiful is nearly If not quite forgotten. NV dear
girl, as you each have an immortal soul to
save, is this right?"
mo, Aunt Hannah, it is all very wrong,
suppose" said Alice. 'Still, it is but natural
that we should desire to look as well as 9th
ers; and TO do that, we must not only study
the fashions, but follow them. But the bell is
ringing
"Come in few minutes. girls said Alice
alter service, as they stood at her door.
want to know how you like the new minister
Handsome, isn't he? And so eloquent and
graceful. But did you see Anna Hastings ?-
"No; what of her?n
"Oh, not much. 1t was fun though to see
her put on airs. just as if we didn't know
how poor she nsed to be, and not SO very long
agoeither."
Do you remember" said aunt Hannah
taking her bible, "What and where the text
wa1Alce?"
somewhere in Matthew or Luke ] believe,
In the ner Testament L am qnite certain.
AT any rate, it was something about the mira
Gle OF loaves and fishes" was the ineligible
reply.
Il am afraid you thought more of the man
ner oil The speaker than the matter of the SER
mon, Alice. Do you remember Lucy?n
mo, Aunt Hannah; / always forget the
text, but liked the sermon,-that is, what /
heard of it,
"Can you tell me, Mary?" }
1T was in Matthew think, but / cannot
recall the chapter aud verse. l will be more
attentive next time"
Now girls" said aunt Hannah, 81 am not
going to give you moral lecture as Won
term it; but will tell you what saw to-day
that grieved me more than words can express
Three young ladies-each of whom has been
blessed with an abundance of the good things
OF this world, each, rarely endowed with tai
ent that rightly employed, would be con-
tlnual source Of pleasure and profit to them
selves and to all around them, accompanied
me to church this morning, not from pure and
holy motives, but vain desire to see and be
seen by the fashionable world. And not only
this, was deeply panied to hear the light
conversation between you and the young
people we met. 1t was no place to indulge i'm
nncharitable criticism upon the dress and de-
pertinent OF those who went there to worship
God. You will think this plain talk So it is !:
but cannot see you persist In such course
without remonstrance. And now, let me i'm
plore you as you will one day render an ac-
count to your Maker, to begin now to lay up
Tor yourselves treasures in Heaven that the
world with all its pomp and vanity cannot
take away. .No,c is the accepted time; no,o
is the day of your salvation; and when the
Lord OF Gethsemene shall gather his children
beside the still waters may you never hear
his pleading cry-'What, could We not watch
with me one hour?