The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-07-21

ment. They left the house, that little
band of stern men in whose veins the puri-
tan blood and puritan prejudices flowed
uncontaminated, and walked in solemn
procession toward the cottage.
They reached the gate of the cottage,
opened it and passed in, each wearing
sort of Mortified sancity, which would have
been singularly imposing to the common
herd of parishioners had they witnessed it.
Yet they did this thing in the honesty of
their hearts, acting up to the precepts of the
sect in which they had been reared, even
as their fathers before them.
The hall door was open, and Janet
Brown was sweeping away the rose-leaves
which had blown over the porch. She
paused in her occupation, and recognizing
the minister, dropped a low courtesy with
the true reverence of Scotch Presbyte-
rian.
"I wish, my good woman" said the
clergyman, in his hardest voice, while his
companions waited a little in the rear, one
old deacon absorbed in silent prayer "I
wish to speak with the man who resides
here"
"He is very sick, sir, and cannot be
fashod with seeing any one"
"Then the other person"
"Do you mean the lady9" interrupted
Janet, somewhat forgetting her respect in
the indignation she felt at hearing her mis-
tress styled person. "Then you can't
see her either, sir"
"Let me pass, woman," said the minis
ter, setting his stick firmly down ; "I
have come here in the exercise of my duty,
and must speak with the person who is
within"
"Indeed then, there's no person that
you'll need to meddle with,' returned
Janet, in louder voice, "and parson
though ye be, I'll just say good morning
to you and them that's in your company"
She would have closed the door in his
face, but he held it back with his stout
cane, while the little band of deacons fairly
groaned in pious horror.
81 tell you that will enter this is a
house of iniquity, and come to warn all
herein of the wrath, human and divine,
which is at hand"
"Good Lord % cried Janet, dropping her
broom, "the man is daft, clean daft-a
raigular Bedlamite."
"Peace, woman, and let us pass we
must speak with the female our village
shall no longer harbor the depraved and
sinful"
At this moment door at the farther end
of the passage opened and Catharine ap-
peared, reused by the unusual sound of
voices In spite Of their indignation, there
was something about her which moved the
clergyman and his followers.
"What is the matter, JanetP'' she said,
"did these gentlemen wish anything?"
"It's the parson," whispered Janet,
Sand yen never see March hare that's
madder as for them that's with him
they're only worse"
"I am the clergyman" said Mr.. Gray,
with all his former severity, "and come
to you, with these friends, upon a painful
errand, but one from which we do not
shrink"
"Excuse me, sir" Catharine said, cour-
teously 81 think there is some mistake"
"None, madam, none, do not attempt to
deceive me--but this letter will say ALL"
He thrust into her hand the letter which
he had that morning received. Catharine
recognized the writing, shuddering slightly
but very calm.
"Will you walk this way?" she said,
moving toward parlor at the front,
"there is sick man near here, and l
would not have him disturbed"
The minister and his companions follow
ed her, impressed by the simple majesty
of her words and manner. Janet Brown
looked after them with her scarce spent
wrath still shining in her eyes, picked up
her broom, and with some Scotch ejacula-
ton retreated to her own dominions.
Catharine stood and read the letter,
while those frowning men gathered about
her, silenced by the calm dignity of her de-
meanor. Its contents caused her no sur
prise, and as for the pain, it was so slight
in comparison with that which had lain at
her heart for years, that she scarcely heed
ed it. AS she had supposed, it was anoth-
er stab Of her implacable enemy. Mr..
James had traced their movements, and
written to the clergyman a tale we'll calcu-
lated to rouse his puritan blood. 1t called
upon him as father of the church to de-
nounce and drive forth the guilty pair who
had taken refuge in his village, after de-
serting dying wife and bringing lasting
disgrace upon all connected with their
name.