Connecticut western news., 1871-12-22

anything about Him." interrupted Molly her fine eyes aglow with feeling. " Per. feet love casts cut all fear,' Deacon Johr these years, and not found that out?
 Then, you love the Lord, Molly 2" in- quired the deacon, his eyes filling in spite of himself.
 "Well, I guess I love Him." she an. swered; "and in all my life never loved as love thls morning."
 "The Lord, Molly?"
 Yes, of course the Lord; and you, and ma, and the dear boys-God bless them and Sister Belle, and Sue, and their dar- ling babies; and everybody in the whole world, that tormenting old Nancy Sykes included" ..'..
 Deacon Gilbert laughed-he couldn't help it but his face clouded again-he couldn't help that either-as he said:
 "You would never deceive your father and mother, Molly-never do anything te bring reproach upon the family. would you 2"
 "Why, father!" replied Molly, in open eyed astonishment and then, as if light had suddenly broken in upon her bewil dered brain, stopped short for moment with one little finger on her rosy lips, and while her eyes danced with fire, said in g whisper Nance is out there, isn't she ? pointing to the kitchen.
 "Yes, she is there,'' answered the dea- COD, with groan.
 "I thought os much, and she hasn't beeu hero long, cithcr-the old busybody I'll be blessed If l love her as much as thought did. Now, Deacon John Gilbert look your daughter Mary square in the face, and speak right straight in meeting and tell her truly whether she looks as Ii she had been doing anything that she ought to be ashamed of"
 "No, she does not" quickly responded the deacon. .-..
 "Well, then, will you trust her till to. morrow-and stop worrying ?"
 "Yes, I will; but your mother, child how shall manage her 2"
 "Tell her you are satisfied, and if that don't do, then she must fret--that's all never in my life have given either of you reason to think so meanly of me as this wish Nancy Sykes was walking the streets of New Jerusalem, the old marplotw
 Deacon Gilbert kissed the rosy uprurned cheek, aud made for the kitchen. Nancy was up to her elbows in pie-crust, while Mrs. Gilbert, looking moro forlorn than ever before in her life, threw stick after stick of crackling maple into the huge country oven.
 "There, mother" said the deacon, put ting his hand affectionatcly on her shoul- der, don't pile in any more. If you do, you'll have tho house on fire, certain. Molly's all right. I've just been talking with her, and Pm sure ont"
 "Who was the strange fellow she had down in the marsh p inquired Mrs. Gill bert, her face lighting up little.
 ;" Yes, who was he? that's the ques- tion," put in Nancy, very much to the deacon's disgust.
 "You'll find out soon enough" he re- piled, trying to be good-natured, and de- termined upon keeping the fact of his own ignorance to himself.
 II don't believe he knows any more about it than you do, Mrs. Gilbert" put in Nancy. l" If you'd seen what saw with my own eyes, you wouldn't be SC easy hoodwinked. Lord the blindness of these fathers is something terrible to think en-"
 "Naney Sykes, keep to your pies, and mind your own business. I am entirely competent to attend to my own house. hold. When I want any information oI advice from you, I'll ask for it," answered tho deacon, entirely forgetting what the Bible says about a soft answer turning away wrath, etc.
 Molly Gilbert was as gay as lark all day. She sang over her work, keeping out of Nancy Sykes's way as much as possible; and to tell the truth, she saw very little of her mother. Nancy's influence was potent, and notwithstanding the fact o the deacon's apparent satisfaction, the thought would make Mrs. Gilbert mis- cradle, that Nancy had seen this perform ance with her own eyes, and that the dea. con didn't contradict the story.
 Heavens and earth, Mrs. Gilbert, how can that gal sing 7'' inquired Nancy, at least half dozen times that day, as Molly. bird-like tones resounded through the old kitchen; and the miserable mother replied that she was sure she couldn't tell.
 Christmas dawncd, clear and cold. Long before daylight the inmates of the Gilbert mansion were astir-Nancy having re. mained over in order to be on hand early
 
 bring the sons and daughters, and theil little ones, Apme. A magnificent break fast was = .bared, and at the appointed time they came dropping in. Such shout ing and laughing, such capering, such yells of enthusiastic delight, never were heard in one Eouse-never!
 "All here but Tom!" said Mrs. Gil bert. with sigh.
 Tom was the youngest son, and hadn' been home for year.
 "Will he be here by the next train ma p they all shouted, in chorus ant the mother tried to appear like her olt self. The event of yesterday still weighed heavily on her mind, and the children al noticed thatAomething was the matter.
 Suddenly the strains of music wer heard in the front yard.
 "Oh 1! come hear, grandma and see thi poor old hand-organ man, and this littl girl playing the tambourine," said Minnie the oldest grandchild. And in momen every member of the household stood b, the window, listening to the entrancinj strains of " Yankee Doodle"
 "I'll bet five cents them two ragmuifin will be asked in to brcakfastm said Nanc, Co nerseii, WlLu Snake or ncr 1unny heau
 Sure enough, after few tunes had bee played, the deacon proceeded to tho yard and formally invited the musicians to th kitchen. They were immediately SUI rounded by gay group. Every imaginabl question was asked them but they wer so unmistakably foreign, that not the leas satisfaction could be derived.
 Let lem eat their breakfast!" sai the deacon in tone of authority. Sorn way, Mrs. Gilbert acted very strangely She seemed unable to take her eyes fror the old man, apparently so busy with hi bacon and eggs that he had .no thought of his surroundings. Every momer brought her step or two nearer, and by and-by everybody was astonished at seein the lady draw a chair to the side of tt hungry man, then, after one sharp glanc ~faar off tho fa lsa wh;ckors vuhinh had n,