Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-01-01

WIN huhS'. ~ was NV III WIZ
good woman's heart, l am sure, to be
for a minute oblivous to the sorrows
of the poor.
She had also another anxiety. The
dinner-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 in
cluded, were there-the rector only
being absent, he having been called to
see a sick person on his way. He
would come presently. Mrs. Ardory
was Just explaining to the clergyman's
wife, how awful a thing parochial
duty must be; she never could stand
the tax on her sensibIlities if she were
clergyman. But what Mrs. Ardory
was thinking about while she was say
ing this was something very different,
indeed. She was thinking that her
father-in-law had been out all night on
a 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
was more curious, come in company
with the rector. And the rector was
showing him every attention! Was
the like ever seen before?
HE didn't want to come" said the
rector with excitement, leading the
old man in. 'But | brought HIM by
force l must tell you what he did.
Found poor, sick woman, with half
adozon children, on the street last
night. The woman'e 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 off the side,
walk, and carried her to the truck.
Then he took her to his little old
house and laid her on the bed, and
got neighbor-woman for nurse, and
went for a doctor, and got supper for
the hungry children, and he's been
with them ever since, doing every
thing he could for them. Only he
went this morning and shook his fist
in the landlords face, and threatened
to punish him ifhe 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"
''He can do such things, you know, -
said Mrs. Ardory, aside, to the rectors
wife; ''he hasn't any sensibilities."
eff you 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. Ar
dory'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.
"Oh! no, | can't carve stammered
the old man.
"Well enough, we'll enough God
bless you sad the rector. Il vote
for you to preside to-day"
And then the rector said grace be-
fore meat; and the old truckman cut
up the turkey as best he could, grow
ing red in the face, half from diffidence
and half from modesty, for the rector
did not intermit his praises of the old
mans benevolence and of his carving.
"And what do you think p continu-
ed the clergyman. THAT poor crea-
ture told me she sent last night to the
most intimate friend she had in her
better days, and begged shelter for
the night, and was refused. 1t was
absolutely outrageous. 1t would have
been the death of the poor creature
but for Mr.. Ardory here"
The rector said this under difficult
ties, for his wife was treading on his
corns vigorously all the time. But
gentlemen never see anything; and
how should he notice that this Incl
dent powerfully affected the sensi-
bilities of the lady at the other end of
the table? But if his eyes were not
sharp, bis ears, at least, were always
open to theological question, and he
now turned to answer question put
to him by Miss Crabbe, whether he
thought an unregenerate person could
do things pleasing to Christ?
every good thing a man does
everything that has likeness to