The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-01-25

not lay aside her sensibilities and enioy her
self. For, just think, will you, how many
poor there are 7. How could tender
hearted woman enjoy feast when 30 many
were hungry? 1t was not in the good
woman's heart, am sure, to be for min
ute oblivious to the sorrows of the poor.
She had also another anxiety. The din
ner hour was approaching, and she was to
have several friends. Among Others, the
rector and his wife were to dine with Mrs.
Ardory on this day. All the company, the
rector's wife included, were there--the rec
tor only being absent, he having called to
see sick person on his way. He would
come presently. Mrs. Ardory was just ex-
planning to the clergyman's wife, how awful
a thing parochial duty must be; she never
could stand the tax on her sensibilities il
she were a clergyman. But what Mrs Ar
dory was thinking about while she was say
ing this was something very different, indeed.
She was thinking that her fsther-in-law had
been out all night on Christmas spree, and
that he might come in at any moment, and
shock her sensibilities by his disgraceful ap-
pearance. But, to her surprise, the old man
came home sober; and. what is more curl
ous, came in company with the rector him
self. And the rector was showing him
every attention Was the like ever seen
before?
He didn't want to come" said the rec
tor, with excitement, leading the old man
in. But brought him by force. must
tell you what he did. Found poor, sick
woman, with a halfa-dozen children, on the
street last night. The womans husband
was dead. Landlord turned them out. Mr.
Ardory, senior, here, went and got truck
pushed his way through the rude crowd that
stood about, and lifted the poor thing up of
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 neighbor wo-
man for nurse, and went for doctor, and
got supper for the hungry children, and he's
been with them ever since, doing everything
he could for them. Only he went this morn
ing and shook his fist in the landlord s face
and threatened to publish him if he didn't
give the woman back the last ten dollars he
had exacted. He's brave old man. You
ought to be proud of him.
Why, indeed, we are," said the younger
Ardory, proud as we can be of you, father. .
a" He can do such things, you know" said
Mrs. Ardory, aside to the rectors wife; "he
hasn't any sensibiities."
If you could 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. 1t
did my heart good-more good than any
Christmas service | ever attended,
Come, father, you must sit at the head
OF the table, said the younger Ardory.
r"Ohl no, l can't carve" stammered the
old man. to H1a1 eAgtH =
"Well enough, well enough God bless
you !" said the rector. Il vote for you to
preside to-day" 80
And then the rector said grace before
meat; and the old truckman cut up the tur.
key as best he could, growing red in the
face, halffrom diffidence and half from mod
esty, for the rector did not intermit his
praises of the old mans benevolence and OF
his carving.
"And what do you Think" continued
the clergyman. THAT poor creature told
me she sent last night to the most intimate
friend she had in her better days, and beg
ged shelter for the night, and was refus-
ed. 1t was absolutely outrageous. 1t would
have. been the death of the poor creature
but for Mr.. Ardory here"
The rector said this under difficulties, for
his wife was treading on his corns vigorously
all the time. But gentlemen never see any
thing; and how should he notice that this
incident powerfully affected the sensibilities
of the lady at the other end Of the table I
But 1t his eyes were not sharp, his ears, at
least, were always open to theological
question, and he now turned to answer a
question put to him by Miss Crabbe. wheth-
er he thought an ungenerste person could do
things pleasing to Christi
Every good thing man does-every-
thing that has likeness to Chrst's own
self-sacriice, draws him nearer to Christ.
don't doubt that Christ is pleased with a
good act, by whomsoever done, and loves
the man that does it too"
The old truckman, whose selfrespect had
grown visibly, refused an invitation to the
" House of Lords that evening. started his
truck the next week, went to church after
that merry Christmas and dined every now
and then at the house Of the rector.
Mrs. Ardory was quite i'll after her Christ
mas dinner, | believe. Her sensibilities had
been so shocked by the narrowing things
she had heard. Union.