Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-14

little one said at bedtime, mamma, sing!'
But the voice was too tremulous to lull
the child to rest with the customary song,
and she answered:
Birdie, you sing to-night-sing some
thing Mrs. Rogers taught you in the Sun
day school,"
Eyes, mamma, me sing wee bit prayer ;
| she say God love US to sing Him prayer
sometime" and two tiny hands were
clasped, two white lids closed, and the
clear voice sang softly:
Saviour, bless little child,
Teach my heart the way to Thee;
Make me gentle, pure and mild,
Loving Savior, care for me-"
"Birdie, Birdie, darling, sing that ecery
day to mamma, will your"
| And as the mother watched the sweet
sleep of the little one, the evening air
seemed to whisper of peace all strange
and new, and the tones of the lisping voice,
"pure and mild" made music in her soul
that should echo through her whole life.
Had she not once learned something about
first pure and then peaceable," where
was ity She was going to the parsonage
tomorrow, and Mrs. Rogers could tell
| her.
Whatever Mrs. Lester did was done ear
nestly; but the night before she had en-
| ployed her energy in attempting to mis-
judge her neighbor, now her heart was
opened to her sin, and she would confess
in the minister's home all the evil she
had thought. She had talked only to Mrs.
| Pratt, but with that recollection came the
fearful knowledge of the rapidity with
which the news, evil or good, spread
through the village Mrs Lester was bit
terly humbled as she remembered all the
past and unnumbered words she had
spoken against one and another, not mean
ing harm at the time-oh! no. But the
harm had been done; it was too late to
undo it now. Edith Lester was changed
woman that night, and she determined
to use her whole influence hereafter to
check, if might be to kill, this deadly
| sim
| The morrow dawned, and over the par
sonage hung cloud. There was tremor
in the little wife's voice as she said good
bye to her husband when he started for
the study then it rose clear and steady
while the hand detained him Harry,
my husband, in our joy last night we
said, 'all things worked together for
good in our sorrow we believe it, too"
Mrs. Rogers was busting the parlor
when Mrs. Lester came in with Birdie.
The minister's wife looked wearied, and
perhaps Brides loving kiss and clinging
arms were too much for her. for she laid
her head down on the table and wept.
Then came the story, for Mrs. Lester was
sweetly fitted to be the comforter now,
and she must know the cause of such sor-
row.
81 could bear it, Mrs. Lester, but to
have Harry wronged! Harry, SO gener,
Gus, so true! kept up before him, but |
must talk to somebody. Whatd mean
| Why, we have only been here three
months, and last night, as Harry was lock
ing the house, he found this under the front
door. He is perfectly innocent as to its
purport--he has expended nothing here
because the people have given us so
much. His first payment is up in my
drawer, excepting the sum he always
sends to his old mother, and oh he is not
extravagant, Mrs. Lester, only SO self
~sacrificing; he wanted to go without a
commentary he needed that he might get
lame Teddy Burns chair, but he did not
tell any one about that, and even Teddy
was not to know where the gift came
from What does it mean? My head is
So"
'Let me see the note Mrs. Rogers
Birdie,yun out and ask Tony to drive you
home, and you can get basket of fresh
eggs for your dear teacher"
| Only two days! and yet the little word
from her lips had spread, and here was
the result:
"REvEREND SIR: II is commonly reported
| in our village that you are growing extremely
| extravagant. That you minister OF the Cos
pei should indulge in making understandable
gifts, when we find it difficult to collect your
salary, is beyond consistency. Evidences are
against you, and this is but warning that
your congregation highly dsapproye Of your
| procedures. Knowing your character to have
been heretofore rreproachable j consider 1t
my duty, as interested IN your 1nJd1e to
inform you Of the public opinion, that you
may prevent further talk
| "a FRIEND"
Edith Lester had been humbled the
night before and had asked to be kept SO,
but in this way? She deserved it, though
the punishment was severe, and did not
spare herself; at the last, Mrs. Rogers
face frightened, and she actually laughed
amid all the tears. Oh! it was the vase,
then, and / showed it to every lady who
called yesterday! | wanted to tell where
it came from, but shrank from saying so
much about myself / saved the fife of a
poor Outcast once tSOmctlme you sDali
know how, and she has never ceased be-
ing grateful. When we came to house
keeping she sent me the only thing she
had kept from being pawned during all
her wanderings-that old vase, an heir
loom in their once respectable family.
She is a happy woman now, and married
to Swiss, who carves beautifully; he
made the bracket. And the card you
saw dear Harry laid it on my plate with
only bunch Of violets, because-because
violets led us TO know each other.
flushed to think / had left his sacred
words where stranger eyes might see
them"
The minister could not study that morn
ing, consequently the call from two ladies
did not interrupt his usual busy hours.
And after the long talk, as the three walk
ed to the parsonage, Mrs. Rogers repeated
Glowly:
"All things work together for good to
them that love Him."
"Ohl yes said Mrs. Lester; "for if it
were not so, might have gone on in my
old way, and ruined myself as well as
others. But / have not yet made full