St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-06-07

Nat Acres would como in for his shar,
of her admiration.
Deacon Nat Acres was a wealth,
widower, rheumatic, and past labor. HI
lived with his son, or his son with hin
II never knew which Both generousl,
contributed to Aunt Patty's comforts
spiritual and temporal. 1t was not ar
uncommon event to see Deacon Nat!
glossy chestnut horse fastened under UNI
brageouS horse-chestnut before the door.
Neither was it a matter for gossiping.
comment; for was he not in the way
OF his duty, to visit the widow in hel
atfllctlon ? But it did grow into mat
ter for comment, for rumor said thai
Deacon Nat was becoming weary of hi.
loneliness at home, impatient with hi.
grandchildren, complaining of neglec,
and indifference on the part of his child
ren, and that he had informed his son
that he had decided to take Aunt Patty
''tor better or worse,' to cheer up his
loneliness.
His son, of course, looked upon this
resolve as a piece of childish intatuation
on the part of his honored parent, who
arrived at the nature age Of eighty years,
but wisely torebore to oppose him. Ac-
cordlngly, upon the next Saturday after
noon, at about the hour of four o'clock,
Deacon Mats handsome chestnut drew
up to his accustomed tree, and Deacon
Nat, i'll a new summer suit, positively
jumped from his carriage and buoyantly
entered the house.
Patty did not, as in politeness she was
bound to do, arise and welcome him.
but told him to "walk along and take a
chair" 1t was a lovely atternoon-the
setting sun bathed all nature in his re-
fulgent beams. The tall white '.lay-
locks" las Aunt Patty called them), bv
the side OF the door, were covered with a
wealth of bloom-also the purple ones bv
the windows - and shed sweet odors
through the room. Patty's polished cop
per tea kettle sang on the top Of small
furnace in the Fireplace Her cat was
costly curled up on cushioned chair,
and the very few flies tina: she permitted
to remain in her presence were already
perched il the asparagus over the look
ing-glass. After short desultorv con-
versalion the deacon Informed Patty that
there were symptoms of an awakening
in the church that David Drum was
quite interested. Patty replied: wall,
| am glad David IS walked up, hope
he'll pray a new prayer now, for I'm
tired to death hearing him pray that old
one over and over again" With that
she folded her knitting, put it aside, and
prepared to lav her daHask. 1t was
not damask at all, but home-spun, with
her own hands, and woven in beauti-
full pattern called true-love knot.
Precisely at five O'Clock she told Dea-
con Nat TO set along up (meaning
that he should be seated at the table.
Patty had provided a bountiful supply OF
good things. The fragrant tea and
tempting light biscuit, and especially the
cold boiled fowl and custard, appealed
directly to Dea. Mats heart was very
young then, and did not know the ex,
act location of that organ in man; buI
a three year old ''man-child,' has since
taught me. lie had fashion of loving
people in different ways-some in hi:
''eye" and some in his 'hearts as he
said. Me he professed to love in his
heart. thought to puzzle him by ask
ing him where his heart was but, not 6
bit puzzled, he patted his little stomach,
and said it was there. | believed him,
for l had thought that he manifested
more affection for the fruit, nuts and
sugar-plums, with which | regaled him
when he visited me, than he did for my
self. treasure the knowledge that
gained from him, and take advantage o.
1t by providing something good to ca
whenever | wish to make an appeal tC
the heart of man. But | am DEPRESSING
sadly. Where was |? Oh
The deacon praised Patty's custard
Patty said "she always liked sinnermar
better'n any other spices. Have some
more tea, deacon p
"Part of dish, thank you," he said
The repast was finished, and the table
cleared away. Aunt Patty did not re-
sumo her knitting, for she always KEEP
Saturday night. l shall not invade the
sanctity of that little parlor to inform
any one how the good man plead hi:
cause, or how he popped the question
1t is enough that he did do it, and wa.
cruelty rejected. One who saw him g
out of Aunt Patty's house, about an hou1
after tea, said that bis disappointment
appeared to have fallen upon him like th'
weight Of long years; that his gait ane
bearing, so buoyant and hopeful as HI
entered, was changed to decided linn
as he departed: and, in fact, he wa
} obliged to ask assistance to help him int
the carriage. The next day the deacon
, was not in his accustomed seat in church
He had taken cold riding home in tn
2 falling dew the previous evening, whicl
brought on so bad an attack of rheuma
tism that he did not 60 out for many
, day. And when the autumn came will
its chilling blasts he entered into his res
t where the wicked cease from troubling
and where sorrow and disappointment
> never come. Yet no one said that h
e died of broken heart.
: | saw Aunt Patty the evening afte
A his funeral. She was in tears. Sh
4 said 'she believed that disappointment
, had cut short Deacon MATS days."
e had wished to know why she rejecte
4 him, and bluntly asked her why she di
: not marry him she said: "Because
= knew his children would like me bette
and do more for me if refused him tha
s they would if | married him." AnC
S with one of her deepest sighs. she con
t tinued: "Ah Louisa, there's few sue
t men as Deacon Nat Acres"
Al Al.