Middletown transcript., 1870-12-24
DELAWARE MORNING. a.

such belle as she had been r. And
every one who called re-echoing the same
story. quite furoye arose in the village
concerning "the young lady from New
York :" 1s a ss$a
1t was easy to charm Others George
had always found it 80; to charm herself
was harder. The old pain ached still, a
little duller, perhaps, but it was there. She
pcrsevered heroically, and threw herself
into all that was going forward. The
girls of Kinnicutt were bright. unaffect-
ed set, well-mannered and well informed,
a little more solicitous about their tfim-
ming and the patterns Of their gowns than
city girls, perhaps; but quite as nice and
capable in all respects. Such momentous
questions as 'eIs there any new way of
making sleeves?" !" Are skirts pleated
or gathered now n were often asked her
points which she had been in the habit
Of leaving SO entirely to the option of her
dress-maker that she hardly new what to
answer at first; but she was obliging.
suggested. advised. lent her patterns right
and left, as an authority Of fashion should,
and grew worry popular. As q fancy work
woman her assistance was invaluable
Half the Christmas surprises in the neigh
borhood owed their lustre to her. She
even, in pursuance of her resolve, inflicted
needless suffering upon herself by TAX
| ing in hand the slippers she had begun
for Allan to finish for her uncle. What
fun they two had taken over those slip
pers, with their graceful design of blue
bachelors buttons. and golden wheatears
on deep red ground! How Allan had
laughingly made her promise to work an
other pair next year, with device more
suitable for married man! Every stitch
she set in them was like stab Of memory
Her lips would press tightly together
sometimes with inward pain, but she
would not give in. If resolution could
do it she was bound to be cured.
Tho Rev. Alfred Latimer proved, as
she had guessed, an unmarried man.
J" An unmarried priest" was what he
would have called himself. Fresh from
High Church Seminary, Kinnicutt was
having the benefit of what might be
termed the g foliated Gothic" portion of
his career. An atmosphere of ornamental
detailed pervaded all his ministrations.
Carving, flowers. little symbolic designs,
decorated his old church at every possible
point The ancient choir had been dis
banded, and a chorus of Gregoran chan
ting Sunday school scholars, in white
dresses, replaced them His own words
Of mex perence were delivered from aloft
in snowy surplice. with the addition Of
an embroidered stole, and it was whis-
pered about that + intoning" would soon
be added to the attractions of the service.
For the rest, he was as good and we'll
meaning young fellow as could be found
any where, and when time and work had
ripened him, bade fair to make most ex-
cellent and useful parish clergyman
Meantime the young ladies' of his parish
thought him perfection, as he was--em-
brnidered his altar cloths, copied his gen.
ufexions, and entered heart and soul into
the design of making this Christmas fes-
tival the most beautiful and complete ever
known in tho place. The choristers were
drilled night and day, in the execution of
an elaborate anthem. The Sunday school
was to be delighted with Christmas-tree
and beauteous designs of every kind were
on foot for the transformation of the church
building into miracle of greenness and
beauty.
All hands were impressed into the SER
vice. George, with her educated taste
and def fingers, was most valuable re-
enforcement. She hardly knew holly from
hemlock; but that was no matter, tho.
girls said, and her g feeling for religious
art" was what the Rev. Alfred denomina-
ted as truly wonderful He was us much
charmed as others by the sweet face and
manner of the pretty stranger; but Geor-
gle had no heart to firt, and, with gentle
indifference, let opportunities escape her
which many village belle would have
grasped at with secret transport.
Christmas eve was upon them almost
before they were aware The slippers
were finished, and folded away. Hatty,
Houudering through bsr last preparations.
made loud complaints of the necessity of
giving up the afternoon to the church,
where much remained to be done in the
way of finishing touches She was not
quite as much a convert to the new order
Of things as some of her friends, perhaps
because her mind was preoccupied by
another image--no other than the " Jack
Somebody of the first evening" whose
Importance George had soon learned to
distinguish and recognize. But that is
neither here nor there in our story.
Only few scattered workers appeared
in the church as the girls opened the heavy
arched door. Evidently something was
wrong. Isn't ii too bad p more than
one eager voice began at once. . John
Mills has driven over to Kinnicut Hol-
low after some old college friend of his
who is coming up for Christmas ON the
Boston train, and Jack and Harry Wood
went with him / think it is horrid Of
them when there is all this to do. And
Kitty Myers has cold, and Annie VII
bert dres s-maker; and how we are ever
going to raise all these heavy wreatHs
without any gentlemen to help us, / can't
itna Uina -