The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1871-11-30
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ties arose ia respect II Zsniia's religious
training. She was lameutahly deficient
IN The organ of yenemtion, aud ss she had
never seen church, or perhaps never
heard Of one, until she came to Oakland.
Il was difficult 10 teach her any sort Of
reverence for tbe holy building,
Why is Il naughty to laugh ID church,
auutys She would say 10 my lecture on
good behavior In the sacred edihce.
Because It Is the house Of God, and you
ought 10 behave respectfully in It,
Il. God there?
Yes, be dwclls therein.
Mamms told me no one had ever seen
God. Why didn't he have a house in the
vallcyt
No no one has ever seen Him, for hc Is
spirit, aud invisible to human eyes.
But be has promised that when even two
or three assemble together IN His name
be will be amongst them
o, then its for tie people, cried Zanila
jumping at once at the Quaker principle
Of q meeting house, Why doesn't God
come here, then, when you and /. aud the
professor and Martha, say our prayers2
lie does.
Then suppose, She remarked, with a
merry twinkle Of her elfn eyes, He
wouldn't like me to laugh here; but
must laugh somewhere perhaps, then, in
the stable would be best.
She suddenly assumed grave, anxious
expression, as though she was really
earnestly wishful to accommodate the
Almighty. could not keep my counten-
ance, and was obliged to change the sub
iect.
Not having been brought mp to go to
church, she conld never be made to un-
derstand its Importance and the gravity Of
the matter; and her keen aud pertinent
observations made itexccedingly difficult
to incnlcatc the formalities Of religion.
But climax Of all arrived shortly,
when the clergyman himself was Obliged
to take her in hand.
There was a little boy, neighbor's
child, with whom Zlnita would take il
into her head to play for a week together,
and then drop him, and take up with
little girl on the other side Of the street.
lie was chubby, sturdy little fellow,
with innocent blue eyes that never knew
CLINT of mischief. Being two years
younger than Zanila, she made COM
plete cat's-paw Of him, compelling him to
become the particeps criminis in all her
mischief and then, as with Cozy, made
him the scapegoat, Tommy did it, was
always her defence for every misdemean-
or.
One Sunday morning--I shall never
forget 1t, as it witnessed one of the most
absurd notifications of my life--I had
made her quite neat, and succeeded in
keeping her clean until church time.
o, aunty, Tommy and want to walk
to church together, and his mother says
we may.
Very well, | said; take him by the
hand and walk straight, and don't touch
anything by tie way.
She started of She wore a scarlet
merino dress handsomely braided and
trimmed, and soft white velvet hat
with feathers,--she looked dazzlngly
beautiful; and people could not help re-
garding her admiringly when she went
out in this costume.
The professor and myself walked on to
church, which was not two hundred
yards distant. Zanita was not there when
we arrived Presently the Dicksons,
Tommy's parents came in. had arrang-
ed the books, and found the Sunday of
the month, when ] became aware of u
strange rustling, and something which
sounded like a litter through the congre-
CATION. The minister had just entered,
and fixed bis large gray eyes on some OBJ
ject in questioning surprise. | hastily
turned, and there were the children walk
ing slowly down the aisle, hand in hand,
as though duly impressed with the solem-
nifty Of the moment; but they had chang
ed costumes. Tommy was arrayed in
Zauitas scarlet dress; and she in Tom
my's kuickerbockers aud jacket, covered
with n formidable arrayoi bright buttons;
his little hat set jauutily on her hair, and
the poor little fellow completely over
powered by the velvet and plumes.
Two such ridiculous little mummers
never before lckled the fancy OF pious
congregation, Tommy'S dress was much
too long for him, aud Zanita's pants in
decorously short. Ilc wal ed on in good
faith but she was acting splendidly, and
no one could have told from her counte-
nance that she was conscious Of her gro
lesqueness.
The congregation bad 10 bury their
faces in their pews, as at the first payer
Mrs. Dickson aud myself made Il rush
each to our metamorphosed brats, and
bore them rapidly ont Of the church .
Mrs. Dickson who was a portly woman,
becoming purple IN the face with shame
and horror, and the shaking Of poor
Tommy until he was The color Of bis
dress. And both bid fair to have fit Of
ap0plcXr.
Zanita said severely, whom we were
outside The church, am ashamed Of you.
Toumy, she began, assuming A scan
daiized air, Tommy wanted
No, ! interrupted, don't attempt to put
the blame on Tommy; you know per-
feeily well yon alone arc responsible for