Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-02-02

rnly evil, full Of deadly poison"
Helen's listeners smiled at the arnest-
ness and vehemence with which s,e pro-
nounced the words. B.,
One would judge, Helen, thatyou had
just the experience necessary to reach an
effective sermon from that text" aid her
cousin Gustave.
And without similar expeience it
would be quite impossible for alo,her to
treat the subject in manner satisfactory
to you," added the rector. "A ru,h must
be self-presented to my mind, orI fail to
mark the length and breadth anddepth of
ii. never can speak upon anoher's sus-
gestion."
Well, then, i declare TO you, with the
solemn earnestness Of a Ress upon an
oath, that in order to have this truth full
ly presented to your mind, you have only
to attend social tea-party, the better, if
you can, in the character of your sister
or niece. as the tradition of sanctity per-
tanning to the ministerial person might pos
iibly act as check upon the free utter
ances of some of the assembly. If your
presence doesn't interfere with the free
movement of the machinery - if every
tongue runs gliby without curb or impedi-
ment, dare affirm you will come away
with the full ability to preach extempore
from the text have given you, aye, and
,oiH preach. though there be only the
stumps and stones to hear you,
"And you think, on such slight grounds,
| might conclude with you that the final
perfection Of creation is yet dream of
the infinite Creators" queried the rector,
smiling.
"Unless, suspect you 70 hold with our
brethren the Mussulmans, respecting the
feminine portion Of it," suggested Helena,
auntie looks at me reproviagly. She
thinks ] am illustrating the text. She
guesses that living example Of the truth
of it has come to visit you.'
The rector glanced pleasantly across the
room 10 the silver-haired, placid-faced little
woman in the low rocking chair, knitting
industriously in the slow gathering twi-
light.
She is only making calculation as to
, whether, if the feet of the parish poor con-
: tinue to increase in size and number at
/. the present alarming rate, she will be able
to keep them supplied with hosiery" be
) said, regarding her affeciiouately. :. The
4 look of severity you observed in her coun-
! tenance just now, was occasioned by a
growing doubt of her capacity. What do
you say, sister Sabrina?"
f That borrow no trouble on the score
E Of my inability to accomplish what is need
Q ful to be done, brother James, as / intend
f to press some of the thriftless hands about
e me into service when the labor becomes
{ too much for me" returned the industrious
\ lady. / was wondering, Lena dear, what
unpleasant circumstance could have trans.
d pired, or what topic Of conversation could
: have been introduced during your yisi
this afternoon to have SO embittered your
!" speech"
e "Nothing unusual, auntie, nothing / be
:, lieve, but what commonly occurs wher,
y two or three are gathered together in thu
name of friendship and sociability, the con
r versalion turning as on other such occasion
solely upon the affairs of our neighbor
At and acquaintances--their characters, pun
IN poses, prospects, domestic difficulties, an
is habits of living. Each member of ih
h company had ber little scrap of informs
p tion to give in relation to these matter
n and each seemed to strive to outdo th
ID other in the importance of her commun
e. cation. 1t is astonishing how little goo
a. can be said Of people who are not presen
lie l could not but regret that no more wer
W invited to tea with Mrs. Wilson to-day, {
r that peradventure, there might have bee
found ten righteous souls in Sodom. A
~ II was the CIdIdcieTS oI ali whose DOull
c. presence didn't interfere with the operi
is tion, had to undergo the process OF dissec
TO ion, and hidden frailties Of which the POI
I'd SCISSORS, probably, do not suspec: then
no selves. were triumphpntly brough: to ligh
e The folly, stupidity, and weakness of th
If one; the rashpess, recklessness. and e,
trayagancy of this other: the greedines
I'D parsimony, and absolute meanness of th'
IS one the indclicacy, improprieties, an
s. positively bad behavior of another; ii
'r- evil-mindedness, se-hsartedness, wron,
to headedness, and underhandedness of y,
lis another, were singly held up TO view, un
ly versally conceded to be facts, and unan
mously voted as things of which no perso
ne present would or could be guilty. Bits
nd scandal concerning people in high standn
IDS scraps of family history that it appeal
ms could only have been learned throue
,oo ;utaracftuo .taxx