Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-25
CHATTER III.-MRs. ARDORY's SENSIBLE

chAPTER nI.-MRs. ARDoRY's sENsIBILI-
l. find that the last chapter must be
given to the sensibilities of Mrs Ardory.
Ii was Christmas Day. Even on this
olessed day, that tender-hearted lady
couio not lay aside her sensibilities and
enjoy herself For, lust think. will You.
now many poor there are! How could a
tender-hearted woman enioy a feast when
50 many were hungrye It was not in the
good Woman's heart, I am sure. to be for
minute obllvious to the sorrows OF the
poor.
ohe had also another anxiety. The
oihner-hour was approaching, and she
was 20 have several friends. Among 9TH
efs, the rector and his wife were to dine
Win Mrs. Ardory on this day. All the
company, the rector's wife included, were
there-the rector only being absent. he
having been called to see sick person on
ms way. He would come presently.
MIS- Ardory was just explaining to the
clergyman's wife, how awful thing pa
rochlal duty must be; she never could
slana the tax on her sensibilities if she
were a clergyman. But what Mrs. Ar
dory was thinking about while she was
saying this was something very different,
indeed. She was thinking that her faith
er-ln-law had been out all night on q
Christmas spree, and that he might come
IN at any moment, and shock her sensi-
bllltles by his disgraceful appearance.
But, to her surprise, the old man came
nome sober; and, what was more curious
came IN company with the rector. AID
the rector was showing him every atten-
uon! Was the like ever seen before?
lie didn't want to come" SAID the rec
tor with ex citement, leading thc old ran
IN But l brought him by force, |
must tell you what he did. Found a
poor, slos1 woman, with halfa-dozen chill
dfen, on the street last night The woman's
husband was dead. Landlord TUNED
taem out. Mr.. Ardory, senior, here, went
and got truck, pushed his way through
the rude crowd that stood about, ard lift.
ed the poor thing up off the sidewalk and
carried her to the truck. Then he took
her'to his little old house and laid her on
the bed, and got neigabor-woman for
nurse, and went for doctor, and got sup
PEI for the hungry children, and he's been
with them ever since, doing everything he
coald for them. Only he went this morn
Ing and shook his fist in the landlords
lace, and threatened to punish him if he
cant give the woman back the last ten
dollars he had exacted. He's q brave old
man. You ought to be proud of him"
Why, indeed, we are" said the young
lcr Ardory, proud as we can be Of you,
I father"
He can do such things, yeu know
said Mrs. Ardory, aside, to the rector's
wife; "he hasn't any sensibilities"
"lfyou could only have heard that poor
woman tell It," cried the rector, as they
went down to dinner ''If you could
have seen her kiss Mr. Ardory's hand as
we came away. It did my heart good
more good than any Christmas service l
ever attended.
Come, father, you mUsts:t at the head
| OF the table," said the younger ArdOry.
"Oh! no, can't carve" soammered the
| old man.
well enough, well enough; God bless
you!" said the rector. II vote for YOU tc
| preside today
And then the rector sa;G grace before
| meat; and the cid truckraan cut up the
| turkey as best he could, g8wing red in
the face, half from difEdence and halt
| from modesty, foC the recter did not inter
NIT his praises o. the old mans benevo
| lence and of his carving.
and what dc you Think" continued
TIC CtcIg} lldE- Hat poo Creature lOIt
| me she sent last night to tie most init
mate friend she had in her better days
| and begged shelter for the night, and
was refused. It was absolutely outrage
| Gus. 1t would have heen the death OF
| the poor creature but fcr Mr.. ArdOry
| here"
| The rector said this under difficulties
| for his wife was treading on his corns Wig
| orously all the time. But gentlemen
never see anything; and low should he
notice that this incident powerfully affect
| ed the sensibilities of the lady at the Other
end of the table? But if his eyes were
not sharp, his ears, at least, were Away
| open to a theological question, and ht
now turned to answer a question put tc
| him by Miss Crabbe, whether he though
an unregenerate person could do thing
| pleasing to Christ?
Every good thing a man does-every
thing that has likeness tc Christ's OWL
selfsacrifice, draws him nearer to Christ
| don't doubt that Christ is pleased witt
| a good act, by whOmBoever done, anC
| loves the man that does it, toe"
The old truckman, whose selfrespect
| had grown visibly, refused az invitation
to the " House of Lords that evening
started lis truck the next week, went tC
church after that merry Christmas, and
dined every now and then at the house OF
the rector.
Mrs Ardory was quite IL after her
Christmas dinner, [ believe. aEer sensi
bilities had been SO shocked by the har
rowing things she had heard.