Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-06-15

Hepsev were making gingerbread and
raised cake. and all sorts Of pies that
Won can think of-mipce and apple anu
custard and Canada plumb can't re-
member half.
LANDS sake and who's going,
Lucy :"
Mrs. Robbins and the Squire and
the girls, and James and his wife, and
Aunt Mirey, and here the happy,
o1rlish voice sank little, just little
only close observer would have no.
ced the nfection-"an Kane"
"Elkanah I 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 wealth
er's splendid. l guess we're gong TO
have a good week. :,
This camp meeting, about which all
Ammonoosuc was in stir, was a yearly
affair, planned for and anticipated with
inyariable pleasure. 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 "boarders" to
their city homes-came, in the beautl-
full September weather, this holiday
which, half picnic, half religious ex-
ercise, brought neighbors together.
frightened the links of church brother
hood and old friendships, and gave
soul and body alike refreshment. But
oh, what different thing IL was to the
different people who were looking for
ward to it
Mrs. Wilder aud other good matrons
of her stamp, viewed it as species OF
sober jollitication, combining much
good cheer with some comfortable
preaching and praying. A time, too,
for the exhibition of notable house
keeping-of pie crust and fatted fowls,
which fully partaken of, might impart
to the occasion certain toothsome sol
emnity.
Brother Parker, of Pemigewasset
conference. on the contrary, regarded
it as q crucible in which souls should
be melted and changed-afour days OPP
portunity, during which the doors OF
heaven should stand open for whomso-
ever pleased. In his thoughts he saw
them enter, some stained and shrunken
with sin, some pure and spotless as
Lucy Wilder's: for Brother Parker
thought much of Lucy's soul. Had it
been contained in body less fair, 1t
had perchance occupied less OF his at
tention; but he was a man, though a
good one, and having twice tasted the
sweets of welded life, he was naturally
ready to try it again. Only-here ne
was firm--a minister's wife must be
known to be of one mind with himself.
She must belong to his church and no
temptation should induce lin to lay
such snare and scandal in the path
of his people as to marry woman
without religion. SO Brother Parker
looked forward eagerly to the coming
week
Elkanah Robbins was equally eager
A strong, brown, handsome fellow. de
had been wild boy, but OF late had
grown steady, and so attentive to has
| farm that folks said, Kane must be
thinking OF settiin';' only where, or
with whom, nobody knew.
To Lucy and other girls the camp
meeting was invested with a delightful
vagueness, in which merry meals, rust
ling tree boughs, sleeping under can
vass, whispers, laughter, good times
generally, mingled. In more than one
young heart another and more secret
element of bliss was consciously or I'M
consciously recognized. In Lucy's 1t
was--kane.
The brown. fearless boy and the fair
girl had grown up together as play
mates till that day when, : for his bad
ness" the neighbors said, Kane was
sent away to Uncle Elkanah's at Swift
Water for "a year, which year had
| heightened into five. 1t was three now
since lie came back-tall, bronzed,
strange yet famlliar-and during those
! three womanhood had crept unaware
/ 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 heave the heavy
timber MP which her brother Nathan
avoided, of the skill that could tame
the widest coll. She was sure he
would always be good hereafter The
four days dwelling in grove with him
was dehghS so great that it almost
frightened her.
So the day came. All Monday the
committees were at work arranging the
tents in the form of hollow square,
beneath the shelter of the trees. A
bright little stream curved around two
sides uf the encampment In its cen
ter arose covered platform, to which
was affixed derrick painted pea green,
whose top supported sharp-toned
iron bell. Ranks of rough benches
confronted this stand, in the midst o.
which and directly under the platform
was small benched inclosure for tn,