Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-01-10
BARTON. VERMONT FRIDAY, JANUARY TO- 1868.
ing critter shan't never know a. lisp

on t. aac.
aWell, then, if you must know it,
slept with one Of the likeliest OF
your church members half the way
upr' esa aa.s1z9, l4a,i
Aunt Lizzy drew long breath
shut up her snuff box, and put it In
her pocket, muttering to herself:
aThe likeliest of our church mem
bers-I thought it was Susey b
Likeliest! this comes of being fatter-
ed-a trollope. Well, one thing |
know, the way of the transgressor IS
hard but | hope you'll never tell no
body ont, Squire; for, sartin as the
world, if such thing should be known,
our church would be scattered abroad,
like sheep without shepherd.
In few minutes Aunt Lizzy took
her departure, giving the Squire ON
other caution, and a sly wink as she
said good bye-let me alone for the
secret. ..s. a.-
IL was not many days before Squire
p. received a very polite note from
Parson G., requesting him to attend a
meeting of the church and many Of
the parish, at South Conference room,
in order to settle some difficulties
with one of the church members, who,
in order to clear her character, re-
quested Squire P. to be present.
The parson, who was very worthy
man, knew the frailty of some of the
weak sisters, as Aunt Lizzy called
them, and, as he was particular
friend of Squire P.'s, requested him
in his note to say nothing of it to his
wife. But the Squire took the hint,
and telling his wife that there would
be parish meeting, requested her TO
be ready at two clock, and he would
call for her.
Accordingly the hour Of meeting
came the whole village flocked to the
room, which could not hold half of
them. All eyes were alternately on
the Squire and Susey B. Mrs. P
stared and Susev looked as if she had
been crying fortnight. The parson
with softened tone and in as delicate
a manner as possible, stated the story
about Susey B., which he observed
was in everybody's mouth, and which
he did not himself believe a word Of
and Squire P. being called on to stand
as witness-after painting IN lively
colors the evils of slander, with which
the village had been infested and par
ticularly the church, called on Aunt
Lizzie, in presence of che meeting, anC
before the church, to come out anC
make acknowledgement for violating {
Bible oath! Aunt Li1zy's apology
was, that she told Deacon Snipe's wife
on't-and she took an oath that SHE
wouldn't tell nobody else ont. Dea
con Snipe's wife had, it appears, sworn
Roger Toothaker's sister never to tel
nobody else on't-and so it went thro
the whole church, and thence through
the village.
The Squire then acknowledged be
fore the whole meeting, that he had, al
he told Lizzie, slept with a churcl
member half way up to Boston, anC
that he believed her to be one of tn,
likeliest of their members, inasmucl
as she never would hear or retail Sian
der. All eyes were alternately on Su
sey B. and Squire P.s wife. Aun
Lizzy enjoyed kind of diabolical tri
umph, which the squire no sooner per
ceived than he finished the sentence by
declaring that the church member tt
whom he alluded was his own Lawful
wife.
Aunt Lizzie drew her head under
her huge bonnet as turtle does undel
his shell, and marched away into on,
corner of the room, like dog tina
had been killing sheep. The Squire
as usual, burst into an uncomfortable
fit of laughter, from which his wife
Susey B., and even the parson coul(
not refrain from joining, and Parsol
G. alterward acknowledged t h a
Squire P. had given death blow t.
scandal in the village, which all hi
preaching could not have done.
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