The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-11-18

of the children, you lost kiss from your
father by not being lin the house when he got home
this afternoon from the lower village, and
got it,.
Mr.. Haven denied ever having kissed the
GIRL and suggested that the deacons should
write to Fanny, who was teaching school a.
bout twenty miles distant and get ar the truth
| Of the matter
The deacons did. They stepped into the min
ister's study and wrote. In few days there
came the reply
| 'You ask me if on one occasion Rev. Mr..
| Haven gave ire a kiSs-where we were, and
who were present. In answer / state Rev
M Haven, did one afternoon, while l was
staying at his house, and in the sitting room,
give me kiss. no persons but ourselves
were present
Deacon Johnson was e!ated, and immediate
| ly wrote TO his wife's cousin, young candi-
date, that there would soon be vacant parish
where he, no doubt would receive a call.
Deacon Brown was thunderstruck and dis
appointed, Fanny Lawton's word was not TO
| be doubted-it was so plain nlatter that there
could be no mistake. Mr.. Haven, after all
was a wolf in sleeps clothing Still the min
lister denied the charge He could not do such
a thing without being aware of it, and knew
that he had never kissed the girl, or any other
girl but his wife, before marriage or since, in
his life
Deacon Johnson brought the entire matter
before the church. He was excellent on snch
cases, The charge contained two distinct ale
cations:
l. Rev Thornton Haven had been guilty
of n great impropricty, rendering it expedent
that he should be dismissed from the pastorate.
? He had lied about the matter
/ Fanny Lawton was sent for, and the church
called together. Rev Solon Dickinson, the
pastor Of a neighborng church, was present to
moderate the meeting. The meeting house was
filed Every member Of the church, but old
bed-ridden Polly Stears, was present. The tav-
ern was we'll represented All the scoFers and
scorners, within half score Of miles, who
could get there, were in attendance.
! The church meeting was duly opened Dea-
cor Johnson then brought forward his charg-
es
/ Fancy was called to testify. Her testimony
was
':One afternoon-I think it must have been
early in March-three Of Mr.. Haven's chill
dren and myself were ,alone in the sitting
room their mother had gone to the sewing
circle Mr. Haven came into the house from
tile other village the children met him at the
door which opens from the sitting-room into The
hall; as he came in they went out, and he gave
each as they met him, kiss-then coming in,
gave me one.
! A painful silence followed Miss Lawton's
testimony. At length Deacon johnson pu.
| the question
"Did he cloze the door before coming into
the sitiingr1om7
The answer was:
| I think he did,
Had a pin fallen on lhec carpet, It would have
been heard in any part Of our large and beau
tiful sanctuary.
| Then Mr.. Haven rose up and said:
Miss Lavton what did you do with that
| kiss gave you? ?"
Here it is said Fanny, holding up a speci-
men Of confectionery sometimes called kiss,
! Then there was another pause, and silence
that was oppressive. All were too much anna
zed, and either gratifed or mortified and dsap-
pointed, TO move. Most OF those present held
their breaths. Fanny said our blessed min
lister, ''did I ever kiss you7'
''No never. never said you did"
| So ended our minister's trial,
Mr.. LINcoINs CuoTcE READINGs.-Ancieni
| philosophers used to say, that the best indica-
| tons of mans inward feelings was to be found
in the choice of his readings, and in the COM
munion of the soul With tho writers of the age.
do not believe that this reflection has lost
anything of its accuracy for being old Mr..
Lincoln, who tries to regulate his life upon
the model of the great statesmen of Rome and
Greece, and, who to that effect has lived in
close intimacy with Montague for the last three
months, adds by his example a new weight to
the authority of the old sayes He reads the
old French writer with delight, and says he is
the greatest thinker France, and perhaps the
world. mas produced Ills reauingS are not, un-
fortunately for US, confined to that book. Others
of more dangerous character occupy, also,
/ his leisure5. Ho has recently added to his pri-
vate library the ''History of Cromwells Pro
tectorate," the "Return of Napoleon the first
from Egypt" the ''Coup d'Etat of Napoleon
the Third These three books, which might
be called 'sTreaties on the Art of Usurpation,"
are now his subjects Of meditation. He reads
them by day and by night, and puts them url-
der his pillow case when ne goes to bed, so as