Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-14


harm had been done; it was too late ia
ohoo 1t now. Edith Lester was changed
woman that night, and she determined
TO use her whole influence hereafter 70
sim '-i'' >'0''>''s
The morrow dawned, and over the mar
sonage hung cloud. There was tremor
In the little wife's voice as she said rood
bye to her husband when he started for
the study; then it rose clear and steady
While the hand detained him "Harrv.
my husband, in our joy last night we
SAID, all things worked together for
good; IN our sorrow we believe it, too.n
Mrs. Rogers was busting the parlor
when Mrs. Lester came in with Birdie.
Inc minister's wife looked wearied, and
perhaps Brides loving kiss and clinging
arms were too much for her, for she laid
ner 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 I
must talk to somebody What do | 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. lie is perfectly innocent as to its
purport-hc 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 90 without q
commentary he needed that he might get
lame Teddy Burns "a 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, run out and ask Tony to drive you
home, and you can get a 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: 1t is commonly reported
III our village that you are growing extremely
extravagant. That you a 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 a warning that
your congregation highly disapproye of your
procedures. knowing your character to have
been heretofore irreproachable, | consider it
my duty, as one interested in your acelfure, 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? Sac 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. l wanted to tell where
it came from, but shrank from saying 50
much about myself. | saved the life Of q
poor outcast once sometime you shall
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 III their once respectable family.
She is happy woman now, and married
to a 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
thcm.''
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
slowly:
All things work together for good to
them that love Him"
ooh, yes said Mrs Lester; ''tor if il
were not so, might have gone on in my
old way, and ruined myself as well as
others. But | have not yet made full
reparation."
The sewing society met at Mrs Testers
the minister's wife was not there, and
Mrs. Pratt looked across the table to Mrs.
Hill in most significant manner. The
hostess was so very still and white some
one questioned if She were i'll.
mo, thank you; but, ladies, | have a
statement-a confession to make, and a
resolution to offer"
Then she went over the whole story, i'm
plicating no one but herself and there
was more than one moist eye as the
usually naughty lady pleaded with her
sisters to aid her in her new resolve to be
first pure, then peaceable."
MIS-. JOnn Lester S money never Wlelu
ed such power in the society as did her
love that day.
Mr. Lester had been proud of his wife
of her beauty, her grace; but a new pride
was kindled in his breast when he listened
to all she had to say The wife he had
looked for and wanted so long had come
to his home Birdie sang her prayer to
both father and mother in the quiet twi-
light-the prayer that had been so quickly
answered.
The minister's book shelf did not stand
empty for new commentaries; nor did he
and his wife want for true friends. And
Teddy, poor Teddy in the tenement house
One morning he awoke to find the coveted
chair by his bedside, and On its cushioned
seat stood the old teapot, with pennies
tumbling out of the spout-hole, there were
so many: a wee slip of paper told him it
was all from Birdie" and when the
Birdie stopped to give him ride in her
Gown dear mammals carriage" he
thought an angel had surely come to take
him home
Yes, Teddy, Mrs Testers teapot was
full of pennies but, better than that, her
heart was filled with the love that ere
ioiceth not in iniquity, but rejolceth in
the truth. .'-Hearth and Home.
THE Scientific american is of the opinion