The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-02-15
CHAPTER FOURTH.

Jime, lunch-time; place, Mrs. Goreout's
breakfast-room; persons, the angel and Miss
Nettire, Mrs. Goreout and her cousin Sue.
Mrs. Goreout was pretty woman, and
made the most of it. Her chesnut hair was
rolled becomnely from her arch face. A
light minded bit of lace perched jauntily
over her forehead. evidently setting up for a
breakfast-cap, though it could have no rea-
sonable expectations Of being taken for any
thing more than rusetts. In Miss Net
tires opinion this bit of lace was the key
note to Mrs. Goreout's character. 1t was
OF no possible use. 1t could not keep her
warm. She did not need it, for she was
not bald. 1t was just there to look pretty
Mrs. Goreouts highest aim and constant
endeavor, although she hypocritically pre-
tended to care about better things.
"Now," thought Miss Nettire. "if she
knew an angel was looking at her. I wonder
it she wouldn't wish herself in plain gray
dress instead of that ruffled wrapper, and
whether she would try to tuck her hair be-
hind her ears or not!"
But Mrs. s.Goreout evidently had no suspi-
cion Of the angel. She sat complacent in her
iniquitous gown, smiling as she dropped
Jumps Of sugar into cousin Sues coffee, and
talking in pleasant voice.
"Grievous things said against me? What
are they, Sue? ?"
Sue smiled, and coined a word on the
spot:
Nettires." .-...
"Ohl" Mrs. Goreout's white forehead
had contracted little.
You are member of the church, and vet
Miss Nettire says, you are absent half the
time from the prayer meetings, and from
the Mothers Flannel Society assemblies /;
and mere than that, she don't see, for her
part, how can you come founcing to the
communion and to prayers in silk and velvet
She should think you would be afraid"
Mrs. Goreout sighed, and looked down
for moment, and then flashed q bright
smile at Susan.
Foolish to care, is it not? / won't
care. 1t is true, / was not at the prayer
meeting last Wednesday. But there was
q reason for it. Old Lisba's complaint is
just now so bad that she keeps her bed.
could send her what she needs; but you
know there are plenty to attend the prayer
uiesfing, and there are not plenty who will
OdtuC LcO8 ROOt lfuiOS, duQ III ucu HcT
hair, and talk her into happier humor.
She told me once. that for years her heart
was as hard as a,stone, because she thought
that God had made one world for the rich
and another for the poor, and that the rich
threw aims to her, and such as her, as
they would to dog, to keep them from be-
ing too troublesome. But when ladies who
were rich and happy and fortunate left their
grand houses to sit down with her in her
smoky room. and talk to her about her
troubles, and waited on her with their own
hands for Jesus sake, then indeed she did
believe there was Jesus, and that Chris
tians did love one another. Now, Sue, I
would never dare to stay away when she
needed me, after that. Think Of the harm
1 might do any one already so sore at heart" /"
Miss Nettire WINGED. She felt the gaze
of the angel fixed on her with look of SOL
emn inquiry.
"And about the Flannel Society" con-
tinued Mrs. Goreout; I" | was absent from
that too. It was the only day in the week
on which could take old Mrs. Bathersby
and Miss Simcox to drive, and they have
grown to count SO on that weekly ride J
They have so little pleasure; and though
they pinch and save every cent just to llve,
they are so proud, it is the only thing dare
offer them. They like the change, and they
like, too, to have the carriage draw up in
front of their door. Their poor poverty
haunted souls shake off their bondage, and
you can feel that pleasant sense Of ease
and Importance is warming them through
every fibre, as they chat with me and lean
back on the cushions in an elegant manner.
1t is pure sel6shness. suppose, on my
part. These are good women, and if the
cup of cold water is not to be forgotten, I
suppose even such trife as this will bring
its blessing"
And the silk and velvet?" queried Su-
san. !" If meat makes my brother to offend,
i / will eat no meat while the world stands,
you know. And your dress does offend
Miss Nettire"
] Yes, / know; but how if eating no meat