Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-22

Z
to the Bunce pew; for, after beckoning
with his hand several times, and noddiDg
significantly, he went tip-toeing up the
broad aisle and motioncd the young man
TO seat. One other person alrea1y oc-
capied the head OF the pew, and as Hardy
seated himself by the door he threw q
careless glance in that direction. Per
haps his look expressed shade OF the
SURPRISE he felt, az he said to himself
"Csn this be the landlords daughter
.Drusillyp
Tnc stranger appeared TO be about
twenty, and had the unmistakabie air O1
lady. Hardy's critical eye noted ap.
provingly the pure rose-leaf complexion,
the gmnil firm mouth, the Low sweet fore.
head, and the wealth of soft brown hair,
ard pronounced her beauty also. Her
eyes were turned from him, but he felt
sure they were gray. Her dress. too,
suited perfectly his fastidicus taste. 1t
as all Of some soft gray material, fashion
able Ia arrangement, but studiously plain,
and everything, down TO the very shade Of
the fsul.lcss gloves, In perfect harmony.
| Hardy Sat wondering who she could be,
when he CHANGED TO notice green gauze
veil that lay on the seat besiGe Ter, and
Immediately recalled the passenger in the
stage-coach and his unSeen fellow~lodger
at the inn.
The service began with an invocation
4 longer than the sermon should have been,
which was, followed by the singing OF
thst sweet hymn Of Montgomery's, be-
| ginning:
!" Time grows not old with length OF years." etc.
The singing YVES congregational, a
method very beautiful in theory, but usu.
ally something fearful In practice. Good
Deacon Goldthwaite so1nded the first
note; it can hardly be said he led the
tune, for certainly no one followed hin.
The tune was Hebron" so sweetly sol
emn and, despite some jarring discords,
there YVES real music in the performance.
There were all kinds of voices-the dea-
cons cracked and trembling tenor, which
played him such odd tricks at some of the
high notes. the rough bass OF some of
the young farmers; the quavering treble
Of thin faced matrons, singing with more
OF pious fcrver than Of correctness; and
the loud, ringing tones OF the young girls,
sweet with the sweetness OF youth and
health.
When the hymn was given out, Hardy
had turned TO the page, and, as the pe0-
pie rose, he moved up the pew and held
the book tor the strspger, who, with q
gesture OF Acknowledgment, looked over
the page with him. The first verse was
not half finished when sweet, clear
voice took ap the strain, and seemed TO
fill the whole church with melody. When
1t first fell on his ear Hardy looked quick
ly down 1T the singer beside him but
ner eyes were fixed on the book. At the
second verse he too joined in, with voice
~ ~<v nd dnta f1d
ca the lady's. Ii was now her turn TO lit
her eyes TO see what manner OF man 1t
was with whom she was singing She
saw a pair of fine dark eyes looking down
into her own with q glance of undis-
guised, though respectful admiration. She
met his gaze steadily for an instant, and
then her eyes were calmly turned TO the
page again, her face still wearing Its 30.
renely unconscious look, as If she were
too well used TO being looked ut and ad-
m.red TO be disturbed In her quiet and
devotional frame OF mind. Sweetly the
two trained voices rose and fell with the
majestic measure; and unconsciously the
rest were led by them, until something
more like harmony prevailed than was
often heard in the little Westinghouse.
The "long prayer" was indeed long,
and the sermon longer; and then, with
one more hymn, the service CLOSED. marcy
stood holding open the pew door WINE
the lacy passed OUT nestowlrg upon him
grave DOW as snc aiu 90; ne ioloweu
with his eyes hcr graceiul ngure as sne
moved down tne alsl', anu n,a soi n,
to the tavern; but when he reached the
door she had disappeared.
~ ep.ns ~ 5S,' ~ ~ s III A ltrass A.
on .ho s,a's u0 IppT ,h;1E ;ns
.aar,., t 10 wh,a &c L;o dsrS .eved ab'
. .. w "n .far that col VI h;s
n n,l,, 1, a"d Icy "a a. The s,ors iii, he
, wu' 80. ,,,rr,,aa, t;ra,Iy s,esny AZ he
so" d ia nn, ~ ~. drn,u $1,000 M obnttaru
nee ,.an ha az ~ Io. nn;cs IN Tho neyt room
"a -. a-t of TIC hvr,n of the noorn.
ta ns p' - ''1', - - - '- '''
As s,r,nv oow,r, renew their rich ner,umc.
hnt ere another spring they ny;
Our ne is longer than .hoir bloom .'i, !,
/ o"' 0''o" Is '"o''''' ''' "'"'''
He listened intently, but there was no
more. "a maryelously sweet voice." he
said. ~ wonder who she is" ,ls48
The next morning he was awakened by
a great noise and confusion below, and,
looking out, saw the gathering stage