The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-05-02

sUdc- la3 brought him .ae a bg hul
what ws, the matter
MaHha-reu3ieion- lHuts hgezeisIm.
sd What ia tie uofd Sc SEN doing
Come tuight m,a la5 house
Witha look that 3ciles description. lbe
little body traighteued itself MP as Mgb
as il would 80, .he sail Not anita YOU
speak 70 mc different from thas samuel
and ten me why, hgf lip qulserIng.
Don't you ea .be people 40 going 10
meeting eud yon hanging out alir.ss
H's sunday mefuiug susll il laugh as
rang out on the sunday aif I'm sure tho
good people never beard heiore. Oh,
Samuel, She saij holding hcr sides, ils
SO funny! $40 wonder tbe FOLKS stared az
me and my clothes. Oh, Oh, Oh. and she
sank down on tbc grass 81 conyulsion
81 laughter
The poor deacon was eludaIized.
Martha, he said, iu such q sadly anxious
tone she only laughed the more, aud fl
was not tIl She looked mp in his face chat
She realized how DE was touched. then
she Stood up soberg aud walked into the
house, The door closed behind tIcm,
she went up 10 him with % little carcss,
and said samuel, kis, and forgive me,
aud I'm 60 20 work and ageI it out.
truly viii, and she laughed again with
the thought Of what She had been guilty
of, till the deacon kissed her, aud laughed
too, in spite Of himself. Then he walked
70 the window and looked out
You're not going TO let them clothes
hang ont there all doy are You, Martha
Flint
OF course | am; you don't suppose,
now I've got them ont, Gods going to
grudgc me the sunshine to dry them with
because It's Sunday, do you; Why, it
would be wicked to bring them in before
sundown But see here, Mr. Deacon, lis
about time | called you to account,
think. How came YOU to be travelling
to-day Guess there's a little Sunday
breaking on both sides, isn't thcrcs
The deacon turned slowly around, and
sat down. Then perching herself on his
knee She took his honest brown face in
her hands, and said, BE a good boy, now
aud tell me all the truth; remember Geo.
Washington, dear. The deacon smiled,
just trace oftrouble in bis smile, and
taking the bands that held him captive in
bis own, said Wen, little woman, had
everything up last night, ready to start
for home on the 5 o'clock train. Some
how must have been uncommon tired
or else it was the heat, leastways drop
ped asleep in the depot, and missed the
train, Then | thought I'd take the .
o'clock troin and get home at midnight,
SO you wouldn't be lonesome Sunday,
but we broke down, and just got here
half an hour ago. Then to think, after
walking through town from the cars, and
folks looking at me on their way to
church,
To think, Samuel, she broke in, after
that dreadful trial, you should walk in at
your front gate and find your wife hang
ing out clothes in your front yard, and
you q deacon Of good standing in the
church! dear! dear! what do you sup
pose the Lord will do to me for thinking
it was washing-day2 / don't think she
added, he'll be very hard with me, be-
cause yesterday was my Sunday, though
I.had such sick headache, 1t seems |
didn't know much about the day. I'll
tell You what, Samuel, III stay at home
with the babies tonight, and you can go
to meeting, and then piece out your Sun
day tomorrow; won't that do?
But the deacon couldn't get over IT,:
his heart was heavy; and while his wife
was busy in the kitchen he put on his
hat, and with his hands clasped reyerent-
ly behind him (his Sunday way) slowly
and solemnly he walked ont 10 the
clothes lines, Most Of the clothes were
dry, for the sun was very hot, and one
by one he dropped the snowy things into
the basket, unconsciously humming to
himself Have pity, Lord, O Lord, for
give.
Mrs. Flint was washing dishes, and
nearly dropped her best glass dish, when
the deacon walked in with the clean
clothes | could not stand it, Martha, he
said in explanation.
Gcess must sprinkle aud iron them,
to-day, Samuel, would youf she said
arehly
The deacon merely calculated a disap-
proving My dear! and went into the 9TH
er room to read bis Sunday paper.
BY and by the people began to come
from church. What a sudden, surprised
interest they seemed to have taken in bis
household premises; they gazed, and
stared, and looked back, and gazed again
but the deacon was humble man. II did
not aatter him; be read bis paper aud
sighed opened his Bible to read, aud
sighed again, aud then fell to thinking.
A little while after two arms stole softly
around bis neck, and dear voice said,
Forget ali about II dear and lll-- a knock
at The door interrupted, and She went to
opeu It,.
She bad brushed her brown wayoy
hair. and dressed in a cool white muslin
dress. with laf between j0ttings Of pink,
anl looked not d bii Iiko tie guilty little
washcr.woman She was, She opened the
door, and Deacon Frost and Elder Cum-
Minis introduced themselves and walked
In with stately bows Deacon Flint rose