The Republican journal., 1871-03-16
Camp-Meetinq.


Camp Meeting.
"Now, Miss Wilder, bout them chick
ems ~
Just let me knit to the middle of my
needle, Draxy.'
Draxy waited, her busy hands finding
something to do in the little pause. The
things on the table were straightened-
the daguerreotypes Git was the best room)
tilted more accurately on their open
covers, Il minute speck OF dust dislodged
| from the mantlepiece-all before the
gentle ''click, click of the needles ceased,
and Mrs. Wilder laid down her stocking.
The chickens-let me see 1t was
those six little broils of the speckled hens
| was a thinking of, and the pepper-and-
salt roosters" (Mrs. Wilder viewed
chickens from purely practical stand.
''That'll be enough, won't it ?"
II don't know"-doubtfully -"folks eat
heap at campmeetin."
$50 they do. Well. then, kill three Of
the black hens. and bake pie. They'll
make plenty"
of, Draxy assumed chair and waxed
confidential
"How many of our folks is a-goin',
Miss Wilder?n
"You and me and Mr.. Wilder and
Nathan and Ellen, that's five, and Lucy's
six"
"Lucyn'
"Yes, Mr.. Wilder said he guessed she'd
better, and Brother Parker pied hard
about it, He thinks she's old enough to
get religion, and ought to have it, and
her pa says there's no harm tryin'. only
he won't have her tlustered. | don't
know what to say myself, but guess pas
right" And Mrs. Wilder ended with a
sigh.
''AIr Parkerw There was Il con-
centrated and conspicuous sniff in DraNys
voice. She said no more, and in another
minute got up and left the room, her
errand accomplished. There were few
waste places in Draxy's life. Satan might
have lodged round her for months with
out finding one idle chink in which to
practice his netarious arts.
Pretty soon the door opened and Lucy
came ina girl of seventeen, with the shy
, beauty of IL wild doe in her hazel eyes.
| The delicate cameo-like outline of her
face was iull OF an expression of appeal.
! Not that there was anything to appeal
against in her life, the petted only
| daughter OF this honest home Some
women possess that look naturally, and
before it, when combined with youth and
| loveliness, the hearts of men 90 down
like nine pins. Lucy rs yet knew not the
value of her dover, but such knowledge
never fingers long.
.tWhere have Won been dear Pn
cover to Esther's, mother. They're
beginning the camp-meeting cake, and l
staid to help beat eggs"
''Do tell! | suppose they're making y
great fuss, like all the rest of the folks ?"
''Oh yes, Mrs Robbins has killed a
turkey and eight pairs of chickens and
had two pieces of beef boiled, and Esther
and Hepsy were making gingerbread and
raised cake, and all sorts of pies that you
can think of-mince and apple and custard
and Canada-p -plum--I can't remember
half"
Lands sake! And who's going Lucy I"
"NIrs Robbins, and the Squire and the
girls, and James and his wife, and Aunt
Mirey, and" Here the happy, girlish
voice sank a little, just little, only 4
close observer would have noticed the in
utCllOn-- dIll NdLe
g Elkanah | want to know! Well,
it's time he got hold of something good.
You'll have to help Draxy make our pies
tomorrow, dear. The weather's splendid.
guess we're going to have good
week"
This camp-mecting, about which all
Mount Holly was in 4 stir. was a yearly
affair, planned for and anticipated with
eager and invariable pleasures. After
the heat of the summer and the toll OF
harvest, when the hay was in, the potatoes
stored, the corn and corn-shucks safely
housed-when the rye and wheat had
gone to the mill, and the 'sboarders" to
their city homes-came, in the beautiful
September weather, this holiday, which
half religious exercises. brought neighbors
together, frightened the links of church
brotherhood and old friendships, and gave
soul and body alike refreshment. But
oh, what q different thing it was to the
; different people who were looking for
ward to it
Mrs Wilder, and other good nlatrons OF
her stamp, viewed it as a species of sober
: jolliiication, combining much good cheer
) with some comfortable preaching and
praying A time, too, for the exhibition
of notable housekeeping-ofp pie crust anG
} fatted fouls, which, duly partaken Of
, might impart to the occasion certain
; toothsome solemnity
Brother Parker, of the Windham Con
ference, on the contrary, regarded it as 8
crucible in which souls should be melted
and changed-a four days opportunity
, during which the doors of heaven shouIC
5 stand open for whomsoever pleased. In
} his thoughts he saw them enter, some
, stained and sunken with sin, some pure
and spotless as Lucy Wilder's; for Brother
Parker thought much of Lucy's soul
Had it been contained in a body less fair
l it had perchance occupied less of~his at
) tention; but he was man, though gooC
one, having twice tasted the sweetness o
married life, he was naturally ready t(
l try it again. Only-here he was firm
, minister's wife must be known to be o
one mind with himself. She must belong
to his church; and no temptations SHOULD
} induce him to lay such a snare and scan
dal in the path of his people as to marry
a woman without religion. So Brothe
: Parker looked forward eagerly to thu
coming week.
Elkanah Robbins was equally eager
, A strong, brown, handsome fellow HI
1 had been wild boy, but of late ha'
+ grown steady, and so attentive to his farm
, that folks said, "Kane must be thinkin!
4 of settlin';" only where, or with whom
nobody knew.
To Lucy and other girls the camp-meet
: ing was invested with delightful vague
f ness, in which merry meals, rustling tree
l boughs, sleeping under canvas, whispers
| Ian t.rond times', genera 1lv