Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-10
A CAMP MEETING IDYL,

Vow. Miss Wilder. bout them Chickcns?'
just let me Knit 10 the middle of my needle,
DTaNy.7
DTaNy waited, her busy hands finding some
thing 20 90 in the little pause. The things on
The table were siraightened -the daguerrotypcs
tIt was the best rc"m) tilted more accurately on
their open covers. a Minute sieck of dust dis
lodge from the InantelpieCe-all before the Z IL
te ''click click of the needles ceased and Nj IS
Wilder Land down her stocking.
"The chiCkenS-lCt me see. IL was those six
httlc br0ilS of thespeckled hens was a-thinking
Of and the ,PcPper-anstsalt roasters." tMrs;;
Wilder viewed CHECKERS from purely practical
stand-pOiIt.) "ThatH be enough, won't it?'
al don't knOw'-doubtfully-fo eat heap
at camp IneCtin''
So they 10. Wen, then, Kill three Of the
black hens, and bake pie. They'll make
plenty.
al guess 80" Business thus DISPOSED Of
Draxy assumed chair and waxed eOnfidcntial.
How many OF our folks is goin," Miss
Wilder
..You and me and Nr. Wilder and Nathan and
Ellen, ulat's fiye, ard Lucy's six"
"Lucyi"
eyes. Mr.. Wilder said he guessed she'd bet
ter, and Brother Parker plead hard about il. He
thinks she's old enough TO get religion, and
ought to have IL, and her pa says there's no
harm tTyin." only he won't have her Mustered
don't know what 10 say bout il myself, but
guess pas right" And Mrs Wilder ended with
sigh.
Mr.. Parker" There was concentrated and
conspicuous sniif in Draws voice. She said no
more, and in another minute got up and left the
room, her GRAND accomplished There were
few waste places in Draws life. Satan might
have dodge round her for months without find
ing one idle oLink ia which 10 practice his
faTiOus acts.
Pretty soon the door opened and Lucy came
ia girl q seventeen, with the shy beauty Of q
Wild GOe in her hazel eyes. The delicate, cameo
like outline of her face fun Of an eNpTess On
or appeal Net that there was anything tO ap-
peal against n her life. the psttedOniy daughter
Of this honest home. Some women possess that
look naturally. ami before il. when combined
with Youth and lcycliUcSs. the hearts at men 70
down ike nIue-TiHS. Lacy a. vi knew not The
value Of her dover, bur such knowledge never
niger long.
.sVLsr, have Won been ,-ar""
over - E>thcr'S. mother. They're begin
niIS tLe eamI-Inecting cake, ana | stayed 10
hslf heat eggs
DO tell / suppose thcy're making a great
fUsS. ike al The EtSJ Of Tie ioIks.''
-' tT yes r. Robbins has Killed turkey
ami icnt pairs OF chickens. ami had tao pieces
Of beef boiled. and Esther and HeV~"y were
making gingerbread and raised cake. and all sorts
al pie that You can thin ar-miure and apYIe
and gu>tard and Canada-plJiIu--I can't TGmgHI-
Lands sake: And who's going. Iucy?''
- NTs. Robbins and the squire and the girls
ard James ami HI vile. and Aunt Aircy. and
ftrs the hdppy. eiTilsh voice sank little, just
a little; only "a close observer would have noticed
the inf CtiuIF-.'and Kane
ElkaHah! want to knowi Wen, it's time
he GOT hold Gf something good. You'll have 10
help Draxy make cur pies tomorrow, dear. The
"ea'hers splendid guess were going to have
q good week
This camp meeting about which all Ammo
EoO>uc vas in a stir, was yearly affair, planned
fCr and anticipated with invaTiable pleasure AZ
t,T the heat OF the summer and the toll Of har-
vest, when the hay Was in, the potatoes stored.
the corn and corn-chucks safely hOused-when
the rye ana wheat had gone % the mill and the
'bOaTdeTs" 20 their city hOmes-came, in the
beautiful September weather, this holiday
brought neighbOrs together. Frightened the links
Of church brotherhood and old friendships, and
gave soul and body alike refreshment. But Oh
what different thing 10 was 10 the different
people who were looking forward to It'll
MT Wilder and other good matrOns OF her
stamp viewed il as aspecies OF sober jOlihcation,
combining much good cheer with some cOmfor-
table preaching and praying. A time, too. for
the exhibition of notable hOuSekeeping-Of pie
crust and fatted fowls, which, duly partaken OF,
might imPart 10 the occasion certain tooth
some sOlemnity.
Brother Parker, OF Pemigewasset conference,
on the contrary, regarded 10 as n crucible IN
which souls should be melted and ehanged-a
four DAYS opportunity, during which the doors
Of heaven should stand Open for whOmSOever
pleased In his thoughts he saw them ente
hcme stained and shrunken with sin, some pure
and spOtless as Lucy Wilder's; for Brother Par
keT thought much OF Lucy'S soul. Had il been
contained IN body less fair, il had perchanoe
occupied les OF his attention. but he was man,
though = good one, and having twice tasted the
sweetness or married life, lie was naturally ready
Ia try il again. Only-here he was fTm-a min
iSter's wife must be known to be Of one mind
with himself. She must belong 10 his church;
and no temptation should induce him % Law such
a snare and scandal in the path OF his people "a
10 marry woman without religion. So Brother
Parker looked forward eagerly 70 the coming
week.
Elkanah Robbins was equally eager. A strong
brown. handsome fellow. He had been a wild
boy. but of late had grown steady, and 80 atten-
tive To his farm that folks said, " Kane must be
thinkin' Of settin:' only where, or with whom,
nobody knew.
To Lucy and other girls the camp meeting was
invested with n delightful vagueness, in which
merry meals, rustling trea-boughs, sleeping IN
der canvas, whispers, laughterj good times"
generally, mingled, in more than one young
heart another and more secret element OF bliss
was consciously or unconseiously recognized. In
Lucys 10 WaS-ksne.
TIE brown. fearless boy and the fair girl had
grown up together ss playnafes till that dark
day when, 'sfOr his badness" the neighbors
said: Kane was sent away 70 Uncle EIksnah's at
ened into i've. IL was three now since no came
back-tall, bronzed, strange yet familiar-and
during those three vomanhood had crept IN
aware over the little maid who had shared his
baby sports. Playmate no longer Lucy was very
shy, but in her secret heart she was proud OF
him. proud Of the strength that could heaye the
heavy timber up which her brother Nathan
avoided, OF the skill that could tame the widest
colt She was sure he would always be good
hereafter. The four days dwelling in grove
With him was a delight 30 great that it almost
so the day come All Monday the committees
were at work arranging the tents In the form Of
a hollow square, beneath the shelter OF tho trees
A bright little stream curved around two sides OF
the encampment- In its center arose a covered
platform, TO which was affixed a derrick painted
pea green, whose top supported o sharp-toned
iron bell. Ranks Of rough benches confronted
this stand in the midst Of which and directly
under the platform, wa q small benehed In
closure for the use OF the anxious" who were
expected 10 resort thither NJ the close Of ever
service, TO listen 10 the prayers and appeals OF
The brethren. Nortwas the eernal man forgot
ten: Besides the eating saloon, open to al,
each tent bore = long table, duly spread three
times day with the amplest provision. These
tents represented each a village, and sheltered
by night and by day whole neighbOrboOd- The
name Of the place" Pemigewasset," ~" Stowe"
q" LacOn"-was letteTed upon the front, accom-
panied BY some floral device or text Of Scripture.
cpOn the AmmOnoosuc tent was the inappro-
pirate reconme ndatiOn TO " Watch and PRAY"
around which, by way Of antidOte, a wreath OF
fovery hOps was garlanded- The space within
vas gorgeous I'm it's appointments, and boosted,
besides a small bookcase Of religious reading, a