Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-24

petual calm, but deeply stirred, and aglt-
ated with uncomfortable emotion.
Jane :" exclaimed Phebe Morgan in
deep, significant, and rebuking tones
Thee forgets thyself."
Unfortunately, | remember was the
deep, passionate answer, and for single
instant there flashed into Jane Wilson's
eyes the spirit of rebellion that sometimes
sat on Patience's face. 1t was only an IN
stant She glanced around the room on
her children's wondering faces, and with
the habit of years upon her she put away
the new. strange mood, and sat with her
hands clasped over her Bible, the sad
eyed. Madonna faced woman.
Patience Wilson that night crumpled IN
her hand a note. 1t was John Duanes
old plea presented for the last time
Nothing in the world is single,
All things 10y = law divine
In one another's being minglc
Why not with thine ::
..Therefs mouse" Patience Wilson was
snyinr to herself | cannot grieve my
mother 50. After tonight there shall be
an end. After tonight =
She arose with determined air, put on
the simple drab bonnet and gray shawl
and went out At the gate she halted and
glanced ut the windows of the low farm
house. Through the half-parted curtains
OF the sitting-room she could see her Aunt
Phebe's rigid face and snowy cap, and Pa
tfence Wilson unconsciously crouched be-
hind the fence What she medltated
would bring on the vials of that good wo-
mans Indignation on her head. She CLAN
cod upward to her mothers bedchamber
where a low light burned Was that
mother praying for herr And was the
intent of her heart counter to that moth
ers prayers and teachings? She turned
for a moment as if TO retrace her steps.
The light OF her mothers chamber went
suddenly out and Patience debated with
herself She will never know, she said,
detcrminedly, after minute more of wav-
erinc. land must John Duanes music
once more She turned and took the di-
rection of St Johns.
Suddenly she stopped, for the door of
the farmhouse closed softly and bent fig
urc moved slowly down the narrow walk
and out of the little gate. She bent her
ear to listen, but there was no sound save
the ringing of the bell at St. Johns. That
bell brought up memory of John Duane
again. 1t was only my nerves that made
me think | heard footsteps, she said to
herself, re-assuringly. And | must hear
John Duane this once. She moved on
stealthily, half crouching by the roadside,
and little way behind, like a shadow of
her guilty self, stealthily crept another
half bent figure. 1t took the direction OF
St Johns also, sometimes wavering as Pa
tience had done, but always choosing fl
nally the road that lay toward the little
Episcopalian church.
Away in the back of St Johns, so far
back that she sat quite in the shadow, Pa
tience Wilson sat and listened to the or
gans music.
As the last notes died away another wo
man in the simple garb Of a Quakeress en-
tered the opposite side of St. Johns and
sat down in the shadow likewise. Studying
those two faces, one could not but be struck
with their resemblance. One had listened
to the music as if her heart and soul were
drinking in the strains. The other listen
ed to the sermon not less eagerly or intent
IL. On the faces of both was the meek
sadness of self-renunciation with this diff
fcrence-one was self-renunciatien Just be-
gun, the other was self-renunciation with
the stamp of age upon it.
After the sermon Patience Wilson arose
and went out. She longed to hear the
last chant, but she would not for the world
have John Duane see her there. At the
same time the plain woman in the opposite
shadow arose and went out. On the grav.
eled walk they came face to face.
Patience y exclaimed the elder woman
Mother . exclaimed the other.
They walked on in silence toward theil
home Phebe Morgan met them at the
door
"Where has thee been ? she asked, anx
iously.
TO st. Johns, answered Jane Wilson
calmly.
Not there And thee preacher! L
is contrary to the discipline p exclaimed
Phebe Morgan, in shocked tome
Jane Wilson smiled. That smile wa
full of dignified self-assertion.
1T is contrary to the discipline of m,
whole life, she answered. To-day hav
learned anew why men and women shoult
leave father and mother and cleave unt'
wife and husband. When twain are mad
one flesh time and distance can not divid
them. This night [ have listened to Har
old Crabbe-I who once gave him him VI
because his creed was unlike mine.
have listened to him with self-condemator
saying to myself, who art thou that judges
thy neighbor. His is pure heart and
self-sacrifcing life, whatever his creed ma
be. have sat and stood in the great cor
gregation tonight, in church with costl
glldings and heavy tapestry and pealln
organ, and [ have found there true wo
shippers of the true God whom we worship
As Jane Wilson spoke there had con
upon the porch and into the little hall tt