Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-05-10
WHOLE NO. $50.


Most Of the clothes were dry. III
the sun was very hot, and one by
one he dropped the snowy things
into the basket unconsciously hum
ming TO himself, "Have pity, Lordl
Q Lord, forgive"
Mrs. Flint was washing dishes.
and nearly dropped her best glass
dish, when the deacon walked in
with the clean CLOTHES. II could
not stand it, Martha" he said in
explanation.
"Guess must sprinkle and iron
them today, SamueI-would your"
she said archly.
The deacon merely calculated
disappearing "My dear!'' and went
into the other room to read his Sun
day paper.
By and by the people began to
come from church. What a sud-
den, surprised interest they seemedl
to have taken in his household
premises; they gazed, and stare.
and looked back, and gazed agai(
but the deacon was humble ma
it did not fiatter him; he read hiy
paper and sighed, opened his bible
to read, and sighed again, and then
fell to thinking. A little while after
two arms stole softly around his
neck, and a dear voice said, ~For-
get all about it, dear and I'll-" q
knock at the door interrupted and
she went to open it.
She had brushed her brown. wavy
hair, and dressed in q cool white
muslin dress, with far-between
dPttings Of pink, and looked not !
BIT like the guilty little washer
woman she was. She .opened the
door, aud Deacon Frost and Elder
Cummins introduced themselves
and walked in with stately bows.
Deacon Flint rose from his open
Bible, and more introductiOns fol.
lowed, whereupon Elder Cummins
cleared his throat, and in q piping
voice said:
"You must excuse, Deacon Flint,
our coming on such day, but we
thought it best that some explana-
tions should be made before our
people again gather for evening
servlce!"
"Oh, I know what you mean, 1
guess, Elder Cummins, you want to
know why ! kept yesterday for Sum
day instead Of to-day, don't you!
Well, the fact was, the deacon was
away, and ] made miscount of the
days somehow, and / was SO busy
settling and so yesterday was my
Sunday, though / was in bed all day
with sick headache, and so didn't
find out my mistake at all. Then
wasn't it funny? I got up at FIVE
this morning, and went to washing,
thinking it was Monday, and ia
get all through before the deacon
came home; I declare I've laughed
SO about it that I fairly ache" and
the little feminine offender laughed
again and SO contagiously that the
three laughed with her.
"1ve been SO good, though, elder,
the rest ofthe day, I'm sure the
Lord has forgiven me for it," and
she smiled SO sweetly, they both
were completely won. When the
rose to go Deacon Frost said to
Deacon Flint, SIT is our missionary
meeting tonight brother, and q
little explanation from you there
will set the matter right, /
guess"
Up spoke the feminine again esOh,
yes, deacon Frost, Samuel was in
tending to explain tonight. l only
wish l could be there, but / cant
leave the babies"
''If You have no objections, Mrs.
Flint" replied the deacon, ssmy
Susie will come and stay with them
and let you so, she would be so de-
lighted"
'Oh, thank you, that would be so
nice, you are very kind!" and she
bowed them ont Of the door.
Saint you glad you married me
Samuel, instead Of Abigail Hover"
said the small woman, smiling up
to him. No matter what the dea-
con said and did.
AS she was setting the tea-table
that night, she broke into another
merry laugh.
"What's the matter now. dear?n
said the deacon.
20 Samuel, l was thinking how
you must have looked, coming up
the street with your Sunday walk,
your hands claspcd solemnly be-
hind you,, till you got to the gate
and saw me hanging up your shirt
in the front yard, then how suddenly
you broke into your weekday stride!
Ha! ha" and they laughed together
till the tears came.
Supper over, dishes washed, baby
asleep, Susie telling stories to the
twins, the deacon and his wife.
started for church. "Don't be too
humble, Samuel" /" she whispered at
the door, "work in a little spice, if
you can, and I'll tread on your
corns when it's time to stop"
The meeting was opened as usual;
then Brother Dean was called upon
for report from India.
ga little wiry, black.eyed man
rose and said, Brethren, it's not
much use reporting from heather
countries, when right in our midst
deacons travel on Sunday, and dea-
cons wives wash and hang out
clothes before our very eyes as We
walk to the house Of God! / call
for an explanation"
Deacon Flint tried to rise, but
somebody pulled him down, and the
next minute the whole congregation
was electrified by the sound Of :
sweet, womanly voice, saying:
Snow, 0 Lord, stablish thy word
unto thy servant, SO shall I. have
wherewith to answer him that re-
proacheth me, for I trust in Thy
word" Then turning to him she
said: ssMy brother, you shall have
an explanation" }" and in : simple,
almost child-like way, she told the
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