New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-19

| door closed behind them; she went up to
him with little caress and said, "Samuel,
| KISS and forgive me and Hi go to work and
ravel It out. / truly will 4" and she laughed
! again with the thought of what she had
been guilty of, till the deacon kissed her,
and laughed too, in spite Of himself Then
he walked to the window and looked out.
You're not going to let them clothes hsup
out there all day, are you, Martha Flint?'
"Of course l am; you don't suppose, now
I've got them out Gods going to grudge
me the sunshine to dry them with, because
IT'S sunday, do youi Why, it would be
| wicked to bring them in before shutdown
But see here, MIR. Deacon, it's about time
| called you to account / think. How came
| you TO be travelling tO-day3 Guess there's
there9" ''-A
The deacon turned slowly around and
sat down. Then, perohing herself on his
knee, she took his honest brown face in her
hands, and said, 'Be good boy, now, and
tell me all the truth. Remember George
washington, dear" The deacon smiled
just trace of trouble in his smile. and
taking the hand that held him captive in
his own, said, "Well, little woman. | had
everything up last night, ready to start for
home on the five O'clock train Somehow /
must have been uncommon tired, or else it
was the heat; leastways / dropped asleep
IA tAO Nppuby anu ulsS0u BQG JfHlU. linen L
thought I'd take the nine o'clock train, and
get home at midnight, so you wouldn't be
lonesome Sundays but we broke down, and
just got here half an hour ago. Then, to
think, after walking through town from the
cars, and folks a looking at me on their
way to church"
ITO think, Samuel, she broke in, "after
that dreadful trial, you should walk in at
your front gate and find your wife hanging
out clothes in your front yard, and you a
deacon of good standing in the church?
Dear! dear what do you suppose the Lord
will do to me for thinking it was washing
day. don't think, abe added, "heIl be
very hard with me, because Yesterday was
my Sunday, though had such a sick head
ache 1t seems didn't know much about the
day. III tell you what, Samuel I'll STAY
at home with the babies tonight. and YOU
can go to meeting, and then piece out your
Sunday 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 reverently behind !
him this Sunday wayl, slowly and solemnly |
he walked out to 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 hum |
ming to himself, "Have pity, Lord o Lord, |
forgive"
Mrs. Flint was washing dishes, and |
nearly dropped her best glass dish when
the deacon walked in with the clean clothes.
81 could not stand it, Martha" he said in
explanation.
"Guess l must sprinkle and iron them to-
day, Samuel-wOuld you ?" she said archly. +
The deacon merely calculated disap-
proving "My dear" and went into the
other room to read his Sunday paper
By and by the people began to come from
IL II
they seemed TO have taken in his household
premises they gazed, they stared and
looked back, and gazed again, but the dea-
con was an humble man, it did not fatter
him, he read his paper and sighed opened
his Bible to read, and sighed again, and
then fell to thinking. A little while after
two arms stole around his neck, and dear
voice said, Forget all about it, dear, and |
Ill knock at the door interrupted, and |
she went TO open it.
She had brushed her brown, wayy hair
and dressed in a cool white muslin dress,
with far-between dOttings of pink, and
looked not bit like the guilty little washer !
woman she was. She opened the door, and
Deacon Frost and Elder Cummins intro !
iuced themselves and walked in with
tately BOWS. Deacon Flint rose from his l
pen Bible, and more intrOductiOns fol I
owed, whereupon Elder Cummins cleared
is throat, and, in piping voice, said:
"HOu must excuse, Deacon Flint, our
Oming on such day, but we thought it ,
est that some explanations should be made
efOre our people again gather for evening =
ervice."
ooh, know what you mean, guess. :
,lder Cummins; you want to know why I
ept yesterday for Sunday, instead Of to-
ay, don't you? Well, the fact was, the :.
eaoOn was away, and l made a miscount Il
the days somehow, and was so busy !,
sitting, and so yesterday was my Sunday, :!
lOugh l was in bed all day with a sick Il
eadache, and so didn't find out my mistake u
all. Then wasn't it funny9 / got up at X
We O'Clock this morning and went to wash e
g, thinking it was Monday, and I'd got all r
trough before the deacon came home; | u
eclare l have laughed so about it that / n
irly ache and the little feminine offender ~
ughed again, and 80 cOntagiOusly that the g.
rec laughed with her. 81
GIVE been so good, Elder, the rest of the 10
", I'm sure the Lord has forgiven me for p
and she smiled so sweetly, they both =:
ere completely won. When they rose to III
Deacon Frost said to Deacon Flint sit
our missionary meeting, tonight brother, eli
d little explanation from you there will
the matter right 1 guess" al
Up spoke the feminineagain. "Oh. YES. o. o.
sacOn Frost, Samuel was intending to ex- r-
ain, tonight only wish / could be ;7n
ere, but | can't leave the babies" -;
y you have no objections, Mrs. Flint" III
Piled the deacon. my Susie will come
d stay with them, and let you 60, she 81
'uld be so delighted" On
'Oh, thank you, that would be so NICE Pr
u are very kndW and she bowed them ~
t of the door "
Amt you glad you married me, Samuel, Al
stead of Abigail Howe r. said the small E.,
man, smiling up to him. No matter what Lel
; deacon said and did. Sat
As she was setting the tea-tabIe, that 20
Int, she broke into another merry laugh. ~ ~
What's the matter now, dearW said the 4 9
aeon. IN
%, Samuel, I was thinking how YOU must
ye looked, coming up the street with -
II Sunday walk, your hands oIasped. Ro
EMMY behind you. till you got to the IL,
e and saw me hanging up your shirt in ~
front yard, then how suddenly Won aI I
Ike into your weekday stride Ha! ha ~ D.
they laughed together until the tears ne ne
ne. "a.
upper over, dishes washed, baby asleep. me
ne telling stories to the twins, the deacon ~
his wife started for church. Don't be Do Do
humble, Samuel" she whispered at the ~ ~
n. work in a little spice, if you can, u a;r
Ill tread on your cOrns when it's time - e.
stop" TO
he meeting was opened as usual; then az
'ther Dean was called upon for a report f fllo
m India. IOr
little wiry, blaok-eyed man rose and cal
d: Brethren, it's not much use report
from heather countries, when right in I I%u
midst deacOns travel on Sunday, and Gu gu
looms wives wash and hang out CLOTHES one On
OLe our very eyes as we walk to the &C
1se Oh God! call for an explanation"
IescOn Fint tried to rise, but somebody esIo
IGu MIN down, and the next minute the G M
OIe congregation was electrified bv the eng
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