New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-19
WASHING ON SUNDAY.
Haw the DeacOn's wife Introduced the
Deacon.

Deacon.
Deacon Flint had decided to move had
decided to commence moving at precisely
I'VE o'clock Monday morning, July 10; and
so on that Identical Monday morning Won
might, had you been an early riser. have
seen the deacon, Invested of his coat and
his Sunday dignity, shaking the best room
carpet in tie back yard.
There is no need of saying what he did
next, or what Mrs. Flint was doing then.
They went through the tearing-up process
very much as other people do; and not be-
ing endowed with an Over-abundance of
this worlds goods, the last load of furni-
ture, consisting of the deacon's wife and
baby, the twins, and the best room looking
glass, was on its way to the depot at five
o'clock this evening.
BLESSED be nothingV exclaimed the
tired little woman, as the deacon helped
her ont of the wagon. 'If we had been
Squire Ransoms folks, Samuel, we shouldn't
have been more than a quarter through
now, would weR My how my poor bones
would have ached through this time tO-mOr-
row night. I'm glad the Lord knows what's
best for me-" she added, taking the baby
from the deacon, and looked around for the
twins.
1t was but few hours ride to c., and
Just IN the coolest dusk of the July twi-
light they walked up the street to their new
home, very tired, and thankful they were
not Squire RansOms folks, but lust them
selves, if they did have to work late that
night putting up the kitchen stove and un-
packing dishes and bedding
Tuesday was a day of many troubles,
The babies were tired and fretful; daylight
revealed a coating of dirt on doors and win
dows, the depth of which they knew not be-
fore, and the heat was intense. But the
deacon possessing untiring energy, and his
little wife the sunniest of tempers, they sue
ceeded so well that by Thursday night, as
he came into the kitchen with an armful of
wood, where his wife was washing dishes,
she commenced singings
The deacon thinks his work is almost done.
Bet feel as If mine had just begun"
''Did you hear that, Samuel" she said,
laughing and turning around to look at him
1t was prayer-meeting night, and the dea-
CON went to. prayer-meeting for the first
time IN C, took an active part, and after
meeting waited to shake hands with the |
minis ter and some of the brethren answer |
their inquiries and present their letters. He |
had the satisfaction of feeling, on his way |
home, that he had made good impression; |
it pleased hint wOuld have pleased US
and he told his little wife that night, in his /
grave way, that he chopped, coming as he
did in the midst of strange people, there
might never be any occasion Of remark /
against him while he remained among
them"
"Im sure / hope not, Samuel, i" she said,
locking innOcently up in his face, and add
ing, as she nestled up her little brown head
on his shoulder: II don't feel much alarmed
about it."
The next day, Friday, the deacon went
back to the old home, having some business
to make there. Cant tell GER
.ainly when / shall be back; probably not
6il Monday noon; guess there's wood
enough split to last till then. GOOd-by," he
laid, and he was gone,
The wee woman went singing back to
her half-washed dinner dishes, and with
Jne foot on the eradIe-rocker she secured !
he knives, while she told the story of
Jack and Gill" to the twins When the |
asst kettle was washed, the kitchen stove
md table brushed and secured to the usual
Ihade of black and white, the baby asleep
n her nest of a eradle-"bless her p'-she |
Washed the pretty twin faces till they
'lushed like red peppers, and settled them
n their trundle-bed for a nap. !
Dear little woman! she did look so tired
q she came ont from the bedroom, and '
topped to brush fly from under the mos
IuitO-net over the baby. 1t would have J
make your back ache to look at her But {
he CHEEKY heart in the weary body asserted
tself, and she smiled with the thought of all 1
he would do before the deacon came back. '
Il must slick my hair over a little, so if {
my one should come / wouldn't spoil the
lsaoon's reputation" she said to herself, I
.olng up to a little glass that hung between
ne kitchen windows. just then a gem of d
, sunbeam flashed in at the window, and
9emed to taugle itself up in her Wavy
iFown hair. "Oh, how pretty" she said, Y
gith blush and a laugh like a chilt's. s
Guess if somebody had been at home I'd q
,ad kiss thenp and off she flew to her d
york. h
How like magic the white curtains went a
- and the cObwebs came down; how the C
est room looking glass shOne after its
Olishing, and the old daguerreotype of S
Samuel in his best days" never sbone a
through so clean q surface as it did that +,
ay. So the time flew, bringing the deaeon's d
eturn nearer. a
One morning she awakened early, entire t,
= free from a wretched headache she had
be day before, 81 want it all done the B
itchen cleaned up and my dress changed f
efOre Samuel comes at noon" Quietly
ressing so as not to awaken the children, 81
be slipped out into the kitchen, built fire, il
nd commenced operations. How she did o
FORK; every step told of something done, d
nd at half-past ten, despite all her him b
angling out the clothes, so snowy white
ley dazzled her eyes as the sun p
hone on them. One end of the v
lOthes-line ran nearly out to 81
be front fence through the side yard, and il
he whitest, incest clothes were hung there, | u
course. How many people are passing" ! Il
be thought to herself, "and how they all | Il
tare at mel Guess it must be the clothes, 81
nough, instead of me-" and she tenderly e.
inned the rear of one of the deacOn's shirts Iii
D the line. Hark! Was that the front al
ate2 Before she had time to turn around bl
be deacOns energetic strides had brought Ill
Inn close to her. But what was the mat st
,rg al
Martha - Pendleton - Flint" = he ex- sc
aimed, ''what in the world are you doing?p al
ONE straight into the hOusep "
With a look that defies description, the pC
tile body Strengthened itself up as high as 81
would 90 as she said: Not until you al
Ieak to me different from that, Samuel, til
ld tell me why" her lip quivering. hi
Don't you see the people all going to tn
Getting, and you a hanging out shirts It's 10
nnday morningp Such laugh as rang L
1t then on the Sunday air, I'm sure the
nod people never heard before. "Oh Sam al
b." she said, holding her sides, "it's so OF
.nny no wonder the folks stared at me b.
I'd nv clothes. Oh, oh, oh" and she sank Is
own on the grass in q CONFUSION OF laugh W
r. at
The poor deacon was scandalized. "Mar- nj
IA, he said, in such a sadly anxious tone pi
le only laughed the more, and 1t was not
u abe locked up in his face that she real lit
cd how he was touched; then she stood ! as