National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-03-29

~ Tree from WTelCUcu HetuuCHC eHc nat
the day before. "Now for the washing,
she said to herself 81 want to have i
all done, the kitchen cleaned up and my
dress changed before Samuel comes a
, noon"
Quietly dressing so as not to waken Tho
children, she slipped out into the kitchen
built a fire, and commenced operations
How she did work every step told Of some
thing done, and at half past ten, spite o
all her bindrances from baby, who was
cross, she was hanging out the clothes so
snowy white they dazzled her eyes as TIE
sun shone on them. One end OF the clothes
Inc ran nearly out TO the front fence
througl, the side yard, and the whitest,
incest clothes were hung there, OF course.
"IIow many people are passine,n she
thought to herself "and how they all
stare at me; guess it must be the clothes
though, instead Of me-" and she tcnderly
pinned tue rear Of one OF the Deacon's
shirts to the line. "Ilark was that the
front gate ?" Before she had time to turn
around, the Deacon's energetic strides had
brought him close to her but what was
the matter
Martha-Pendeton /" be ex-
claimed, what in the world are you doing7
Come straight into the house!'
With look that dcfes description.
the little body 4traightened itself up as
high as it would go, as she said, "Not till
you speak to me different from that and
tell me why" her lip quivering.
don't you see the people all goin' to
meeting, and you hangin out shirts
It's Sunday morning!'
Such a laugh as rarg out then on the
Sunday air Pm sure the good people of c.,
never heard before. "0h, Samuel she
sad, holdia. her sides, " it's so funny ! no
wonder the folks stared at me and my
clothes. "Oh ho, no !" and she sank
down on the grass In aconvulsion OF laugh
ter.
The poor Deacon was scandalized
Martha !" he said in such a sadly anx.
ious tone she only laughed the more, and
it was not till she looked up in his face
that she realized how he was touched
then she stood up soberly and walked in
to the house with him.
The door closed behind them She went
up to him with a little caress. and said,
" Samuel, kiss and forgive me, and III
go to work and ravel 1t all out. truly
will" and she laughed again with the
thought of what she had been guilty of,
till the Deacon kissed her ana laughed
too, In spite Of himself Then he walked
to the window and looked out.
You're not going to let them clothes
hang out there all day, are you.. Martha
Flintni
"Of course I am you don't suppose,
now I've got them out, Gods going to {
yrudge me the sunshine to dry them with,
because It's Sunday, do you7 Why, il {
would be wicked to bring them in before
'undown. But see here, Mr.. Deacon, it's
lbout time / called you to account, |
hlnk. How came you to be travelling |
o-day ? Guess there's little Sunday '
breaking on both sides, isn't there ~ S
The Deacon turned slowly around, and
at down. Then perchlng herself on his ]
,nee, she took his honest brown face in a
er hands, and said. "Be a good coy, t
ow, and tell me all the truth remember 5
ieorge Washington, dear" e
The Deacon smiled, Just a trace Of C
rouble in his smile, and taking the hands n
hat held him captive, in his own, said e
Well, little woman, | had everything u
nished up last night, ready to start for ;,
ONE on the five o'clock train. Somehow =
must have been uncommon tired, or else VI
was the heat, leastways, dropped to u
eep in the depot and missed the train. ~
hen | thought I'd take the nine O'Clock n
ain, and get home at midnight, sos you
ouldn't be SO lonesome Sunday, but we i'
roke down, and just got here halt hour n'
20. Then to think, after walking through ~ ~
,wn, from the cars, and folks lookin 81
me on their way to church 2" u
" To think, Samuel" she broke in ''after L.
lat dreadful trial, you should walk into
z out clothes in your front yard, and III IN
~ a deacon Of good standing in the NJ nj
urch dear! What do you suppose the ia'
ord will do to me tor thinking this was co
ashdayl | don't think she added, IN
he'll be very hard on me, because yes 10
rday was my Sunday, though had such up
sick headache it seems | didn't know -.
uch about the day. III tell you what, ilt
muel, I'll stay at home with the babies as
night and you can 90 to meeting, and w
en- piece out your Sunday tomorrow; CO.. "
mt that do ?" me
But the deacon couldn't get over it :,
: heart was heavy; and while his wife a.
IS busy in the kitchen he put on his hat, 80.
d with his hands clasped reverently be. w,
I'd him (hls Sunday walk slowly and =,
Nv ""i">' W '"> e'0'ie9 me
Most of the clothes were dry, for the 49,,
l was very hot, and one by one he drop ~
the snowy things into the basket, un. f,u ,nu
humming to himself, "Have on,
y, Lord; o Lord, forgive" W. W.
Mrs. Flint was washing dishes, and near ~
dropped her best glass dish, when the g
aeon walked in with the clean clothes.
couldn't stand it, MARTHA he said, isIp iiap
explanation. aii an
Guess | must sprinkle and iron them al, "m
day, Samuel, would you ?" she SAID Of =
hly. !.
he Deacon merely CALCULATED disap % =,
wing, "My dear3' and went into the r,e,
er room to read his Sunday paper. p'II \
BY and by the people began to come $
II church. What sudaen surprising nigl
crest they seemed TO have taken in his and
sehold premises; they gazed and stared, dav
looked back and eazed again. But Il
Deacon was humble man, It didn't thin
ter him; he read his paper and sighed, you
ned his Bible to read and sighed again inte
then "fell to thinking" the,
| little while after two arms stole softly :"
ind his neck, and dear voice said, clos,
oreet all about it. dear, and I'll" a trod
ok at the door interrupted, and she call
Il to open it. whe
be had brushed her brown wavy hair, iron
dressed in a cool white muslin dress, Sc
b far hefMeen dnftinrs Of pink. and inst