Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-03-08

/
Sister Hawke
! 'Oh, no offence to you. I'm certain
sure that Brother Allworth is nightly
! pleased with his home, but-wel, you know
1t would be only too natural for him to make
his home with his wife's relations"
"Oh, yes now know what you mean,
Sister Smith Was in here minute ago and
she limited as much herself Well, Pa
tience is nice gal, but l should think she
was a little too old for our brother-but
that's a good fault"
Sister Smith! Patience! Marry =
Brother Allworth ~ gasped sister Jones,
scarcely able to speak for her astonishment
why, what an awful--'' and here
she stopped short, either from prudential
motives, or want of breath. Possibly it
flashed through her mind that sister Hawke
was not safe person to express her opin
ion to concerning the truthfulness of an
other sister, and she did not care TO be
called up before the church for accusing
one of the members of direct falsehood
so, gaining little composure, she pro-
ceeded:
''Sister Smith may think what she says,
but | know that brother Allworth only goes
there as his duty calls him, and he comes to
my house on different business. Every
body can see-if they choose to .rse their
eyes-that it's my Sally he's looking after.
But time will prove who is right l hope
you won't speak of this to anybody
Sister Hawke, of course, promised to be
very quiet, and gained from her sister the
same with regard to what she had told her
about Patience Smith, and as a testimony
thereof, before night all Eastvile were busy
considering this important question.
The delegates returned. SIS brother
Allworth coming back p was the universal
inquiry.
Yes, and then the worthy brothers
eyes grew sad, faces long, and shaking their
heads ia a very omnous manner, said
They feared that they had all made
very grave mistake; brother Allworth was
not what he should be-"
But he is all he need be for US, and good
enough for US" said sister Hawke.
''Ah, so we all thought, But now-oh
dear, dear, what wicke edness there is in this
world Who can be true? Listen, while
| whisper what | know, what my own eyes
have Witnessed" and Brother Jones whis-
pered in the various sisters ears the story,
but in voice so low and deep, that we
could not catch it, my dear reader, aud will
have to wait patiently tcr while to hear
the charge.
a deep groan escaped from the lips of the
listeners And then some one ventured to
suggest there must be some mistake.
No, II was too true. Brother Jones
cen1d and ,conld prove it.
"Oh!" groaned forth Sister Smith,
What a deceiving ,asn How we all
loved him /! and only think, sister, he has
christened our children--"
Thank heaven, We can have them chris
tened over again u" said Sister Bright
thought.
"Baried our dead, resumed Sister Smith.
That cant be undune," answered au-
other sister.
Married our daaghters-"
NO, not QulCG, allHOuSu IL you OuClSi HIii
a good chance aud great inducements.
And you ought to thank him for resist
ing your attempts" said Sister Hawke,
spitefully, and darting an angry look toward
both Sister Smith and Brother Jones. She
was very fond Of the young minister, and
held slight hope (despite all the seeming
truth of the CHARGE that he would prove
all things right in the end.
The minister returned, and very soon dis
covered that something was wrong. Every
body looked dark and gloomy. The sun
even did not seem to shine as brightly, or
the sky so blue as it was The whole atmos-
phere was chilled. Merry Sally Jones
ringing laugh was hushed; Patience Smith
relaxed into deeper gloom than ever, aud
his cordial, kind and attentive hostess was
quiet, and looked at him so sad, and wore a
look of such disappointment whenever he
was near her. What could it mean He
never was so happy in his life before
Well, WE'LL he must wait for time to tell the
trouble, and appear not to notice 1t, he
thought.
Many secret meetings we're held-prayers
at various sisters houses, which he was not
invited to attend.
My time has come at last | might
have known that it would come some time.
/ could not expect SO much better luck than
all my predecessors. But what on earth
have done to occasion all this change ?"
At last the deacoLs of the church called
a public meeting, and requested the pres
ence of the minister The usual prelimi
naries gone through with, one of the dea
| cons arose and stated that
With the deepest regret they had felt 1t
their duty to request their brother pres
/ ence on that occasion to answer charge
made against him of the gravest character.
He trusted that this charge could be met
. and dealt with In such a manner by then
hitherto much respected and beloved
brother, that it would not only satisfy the
brethren and prove his innocence, but re
store their brother to his former high posi-.
ton in their esteem. 1t had been charged