Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-26

time immemorial.
Moving with them were one or two
families we'll to do in the world
comfortable farmers, knowing which
side was gold, which glitter, aud who,
acting on the principle, had got to
themselves and their families good
.broad acres and spacious barns. With
these moved also the minister's family.
The second grade included that het-
erogeneous company Of the village,
each of whom thought himself or her.
self as good, if rot better, than his or
her next door neighbor. The third
gradation was the confessedly poor,
and knew its place; but those of the
second stratum" never exactly knew
where they were. One of their num-
Der, Jane Thompson, or "the ThOmp-
son girl" in country parlance, had
once been invited to "dancing So
cial" at Judge Fosters, and, like the
effects of the scarlet fever sometimes,
to this day had never gotten over it !
Report says that on the Sabbath there
after she appeared in church with a
brown bombaziDe bonnet, with large
red flannel dahlias all over it, in such
profusion and height as to seriously
interfere with the proper impression
the sermon should have made on the
minds of the congregation; and to the
time of this writing has never been
the plain. modest girl she was in the
Pre- Foster party" times. 1t was a
sinful thing, too; for jamie Thompson
had face like a ripe rosy apple, and
the lads for miles around thought it a
shame for her "to be taking to putting
on airs"
Now when Peggoty PIimpton took
it into her head to get up the choir,
her first thoughts were, Of course,
where to look for proper material
Peggoty was driving, active gO-ahead
girl of twenty-five. not blessed with
any too much good looks, but with an
honest CHEEKY face, blue-eyed, and
surrounded with sunny curling hair.
She had come home to her bleak O.
from a visit in Boston, and had
broached the subject Of the choir to
some Of the girls, who at once had
taken it up with gusto.
"Now | can sing second, and so can
Emma Sharp, and perhaps Jennie
Keycs can sing first, but if only Miss
Foster or Miss Faunce would help
u.s." she ended off her explanations
with. But Peggoty PIimpton belong
ed to that same second stratum, -
and that Miss Fosters or Miss
FaunceS serene maiestie5 could never
be approached by her with any hope
of success Pcggoty well knew. Be
sides, Judge Foster and Deacon
Faunce, by report at least, were op-
posed TO anything but the good old
round congregational music,and would
never consent to their daughters iOin-
ing this unrightcous scheme. So the
choir had been made up Of the best
material available, and on the morn
ing of the frsrSabbalh in March had
astonished minister and people with
the momentous change
And to say the truth, the choir had
sung remarkably well. To be sure
Jim Jackson, like the big bumpkin
that he was, mistook the time for him
to come in, and roared out. like a per
feet hurricane,
Now still and soft at eyentide,"
when little Jennie Kcyes should have
softly sung it in her clear low voice
and in the winding up of the fail swell
chorus Of the last hymn, Farmer
/ Squires seemed to forget his c0mpa.
ny altogether, and went on and on
up and down, up and down, quaycr.
ing away, with his eyes fixed on the
ceiling, until the next man seized him
by the coat tail and pulled him into
his seat. But these were only little
matters incidental to all great occa.
sions and only gave delight to such
people as were always picking flaws
and finding dust on other folks, door.
steps. Peggy PIimpton and choiI
were congratulated on the church
threshold that morning. and told tC
go on.
. And so matters flowed along fol
several weeks, some quite enraptured
with the new music. Others longing
for the days when Deacon Faunce haC
risen and in loud tones read, We are
, vile and sinful all"-"sing" all dowr
the lines of the long hymn-when sud
denly one Sabbath morning, just be
fore service, who should walk into
the choir gallery, to the amaze of tht
assembled choir and Peggety Plimp
: ton, but Miss Mildred Faunce!
Mildie Faunce was (for they have
} them still the "belle of the village.
; Slight and graceful in figure, and will
: a face of wonderful girlishness of beau
Z ty, for there was but little of the WON
} anly in it, it was so childlike anc
young, she ruled in the village like
| very queen. Her fathers position
t had spoiled her a little, and fear he
will at times was even at home hare
: to govern; but, unlike the Misses Eos
ter, Mildie often joined in the pleas
ant gatherings of the"second stratum.
5 and laughed right merrily at the vii
] lage romps, though woe to the coun
try lout who forgot himself before he
| at any of them! 1t was reported tha
5 young Henry Foster was "keepin.
;, company with her." but probably
g was mere village gossip. for the girl
e said she never seemed to care for an
: one.
But, not to diverge too much, a
n Miss Mildie entered the choir ther
8 was of course quite stir. Putin
n out her hand to Peggoty PlimptoI
0 she simply said:
!, "Peggoty, l hear you are going
S try a new anthem this morning, an
Y are little perplexed about solo
e it?"
t "Yes, little bothered, Miss Nj
" die" answered Peggoty.
: "If l can sing it l viii willingly,
continued Mildie. The two girls loo
= over the music together, and Mis-
/ Faunce at once volunteered to try i
: and quietly sat down. | wish 20
II cnnld haze snnr tho fnnnr nf thnt a,