The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-01-20
UNCLE GODFREY.
/. ToDMoHrEN REcToRY.

1t was the day before Christmas
day, and the Rev. Mr.. Latimer was
busy finishing his Christmas sermon,
or rather, if we must confess it, "heel.
tapping" an old one.
The reverend gentleman had just
settled the Coal club accounts, and
that excellent work of charity had
warmed his heart, and made him at
peace with all the world. The frost
was reathering the window panes; in
the ruts of the Todmorten lanes, the
ice lay like fragments Of shivered
plate glass: the twigs of the laurel
/ bushes at the IcCtory winuou were
furred with crystals; and the robin,
putting out his little crimson breast
till it looked like an aldcrman's waist
coat, on the standard rose tree at the
study window, watching, with in
terest, Mr.. Latimer as he put the new
piece into the old garment.
| The sermon completed, Mr.. Lati-
mer went headrorcmost into the Blan-
ket-club accounts and soon discover
ed the pleasing Tact, that there was an
overplus Of seven pounds ten. All
this conluced to make the worthy
Young rector extremely cheerful, and
in proper Christmas frame of mind.
lie hummed carol TO himself, and
prepared to 90 TO superinteDd the
clerk, who was busy decorating the
church with holly.
But young rectors with large FAM
lilies, ifthcy have thcirpleasures, have
also thor alloys. Tho mnnthly wash
had just begun, and large screen OF
stcaming sheets is 10y no means q
conductor of heat, especially when
placed between yourself and the fire:
nor does the necessity of turning these
square acres OF linen at fitting inter
walls. conduce to the concentration ol
mind that accounts require.
A cook must have unccasing pleas.
ure in the savoury chemistry of his
profession; but to watch a large
saucepan, and stir its contents every
quarter Of an hour, under pain OF yo'n
wlfe's indignation, is not consistent
with any steady mental labor. feI
all these small annoyances Rev. Fred.
erick Latimer bore like Il Christian
and lamb, for he was good kind
hearted, domestic man, who respected
the saving of the family wash, and
knew that the kitchen fire was fully
occupied, and that what he did was
mo work of supererogation.
That slapping and shaking noise
in the kitchen was he knew, Mrs
Latimer folding, and that sound por
tended n busy day, and in that busy
day he was willing to make himsel
useful
The children were out sliding
fiery red by tumbling on the backs o.
their heads, and performing tho
"cobbler's knock" On the village
pond. They had been busy cutting
holly boughs for tho church that
morning, and the sliding was theil
reward.
Jane, my dear cried the Rev. Mr.
Lattimer to his wife, as he put on his
great coat and hat and seized hi.
blackthorn stick, I'm just going &c
see old Martha Hacker, and then
shall stop at the church and see how
Payne gets on with the decorations
/ shall be back to lunch ut one,
Stop moment, Fred, cried Mrs
Latimer. Il want to speak TO you
before you 90 out
Mr.. Latimer was rufiled. well
now, what is it my dear? cannot
stop now; must be Off
Mrs. Latimcr appeared and re
monstrated. Why, Fred how I'M
patient you are. All I want to ash
} is, if you wrote your usual invitation
TO Uncle Godfrey for Christmas. O.
course he won't come, but still W.
ou9htn't TO forget him.
'Ics, | wrote on Monday. Did
ever forget to write to him--the ole
selfish hunks!-Good bye, darling
Send down tor the children, il the,
are not in, III half an hour; it is nov
just eleven.
1.-THE ELEVEN FORTY TRAIN.
Todmorten was pretty village il
Dorsetshire. 1t lay in n little valley
surrounded by wooded hills ant
sloping fields, and was intersected b,
railway. ttu
The eleven forty train Sided on
of the distance, and stopped wit
Dragging putls of smoke, at the Tod
morten Station. 1t took up its loa'
and slid off again with jerks Of whit
lvapor, and disappeared in the direc
ton of Poole. The station grey
again lonely, and the only sound
the rattling of the tight cords of Til
/ signal post, and the murmur of til
wind against the telegraph wires.
Ten minutes after the solitary al
tc;x,.l ~, olI (aal;%.nI .,,.a, MIA,