Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-06-03
The Lost Letter;
OR, A LESSON ron BORN PASTOR AND PEOPLE.

The Lost Letter:
on, Lrssoy ron noru PASTOR AND PEOPLE
"Whon my dress shall be turned for the
last time to behold the sun in the heavens,
may it not fall on the broken aud dishon-
ored fragments Of a once glorious union"
said little Ruth Rogers, country minis
tcr's wife, as she ripped away at the old
black silk dress, which she was remodelling
for the third time.
Mr.. Rogers laid down the pen he was
using, came along by her side, laid his hand
on her forehead, turned her sweet, cheerful
face up so he could look into her eyes, and
sighed, as he said Poor darling, this is
what comes Of your living with me. Before
you came to be my blessing, you had new
dresses and everything to make life pleas-
ant. You shall have new dress if have
to stay at home from the convention"
"There, now, Parson Rogers, won't you
please stop We have heard that times
enough. Haven't | told you | take heaps
more comfort now than ever did before ?
have said 80 a hundred times, and I.mean
it, too. You are such a good old fellow,
the people are so kind, and God is so good,
she added, growing more earnest; then her
own CHEEKY way returning, she added :
" But | happened to feel so like Daniel
Webster, this morning that | broke out in
a strain Of ,eloquence, that's all. don't
need any new dress this spring. You will
see me come out bran new in few days,
like caterpillar turned into butterfly,
when get this dress fixed to my mind once
more When we 60 to the convention, next
week, you will look upon me with admira'
ton seeing mo so well dressed. | assure
you, l shall compare quite favorably with
the other Mrs. Ministers"
81 don't doubt that in the least, Ruthie.
"Oh, in dress, meant"
"Well, wen see about the dress" and
kissing her tenderly he went back to his
table, took fresh sheet of paper, wrote
rapidly few moments, put it in an envelope
enclosed twenty five dollars, and started for
the post-oifce, with the letter in his hand.
As he stepped out Of his door, he saw
Deacon Moody and his neighbor Bean rid
ing by, toward the village.
care you going to the office, Deacon 2
asked Mr.. Rogers.
"Yes, am" was the reply; "want tC
send2"
Yes, as am in something Of hurry
if you will mail this letter for me | shall b,
greatly obliged and please get it regis
tered, as there is little money in it."
"Just as well as not, going right by,
replied the good-hearted old Deacon.
As the old white horse logged on, tn,
Deacon fumbled with the reins, whip anC
letter, until finally he handed the letter t.
Mr.. Bean, saying Here, you just claI
this into your pocket
Mr.. Bean as honest an old codger as th'
very Deacon himself, on arriving at th
post.oiIice, drew from his pocket some hal
u dozen letters that the good country peo
pie On the way one and another, had hande'
him, each giving him three cents with whicI
to mail his letter, with the exception Of Mr.
Rogers, which had a stamp on it,
Now the postmaster was a good.natured
blundoring sort Of fellow, and as he wa
Just making up the mall took the letter
Mr.. Bean laid down, shuflled them over
selected the one Mr.. Rogers sent, stampe
it with the post.mark, and tossed it in tn
letter bag. Mr. Bean stood, meanwhile
fishing from his pocket the three cent
postage for the respective letters.
"Ilold on, said the Deacon, " one o
those letters we want registered"
(which one ?" asked the postmaster.
The one with the stamp on it, reptile
the Deacon.
BY that time, the busy postmaster, in
hurry stamping his letters, had forgotte
all about selecting the letter from the pill
{ Mr.. Bean had lain down, and, taking theI
again and looking them over, replied
f There's none here with stamp on it."
"Wbat! !" said the old Deacon, lookin
aghast at Mr.. Bean, Il guess you must
/ mistaken-had a white envelope on il; Il
rest were all yellow. Amt it there
/ The letters were turned over and over, fir
r by one and then the other. Mr.. Bei
/ searched his pockets, looked in the WACO
t on the floor, but all in vain; Mr.. Roger
letter wasn't to be found, because it W
safely slowed away in the mailbag
Now, that's too bad, l declare fort
said the Deacon, looking obviously at NJ
Bean, and from him to the postmasts
= What could have become Of itf"
Poor Mr.. Bean began to feel very u
: comfortable, for fear it might be thought
= had still got it, as he heard the minist
say there was money in il.
"Well, we must 20 back and tell hil
any way" said the Deacon "l hate
T awfully, but it must be done. wond
y how much there was in it, aud what he "
= going to get with it. lle mustn't lose
u !, I'm too poor to make it up if it's muC
II and so are YOU" he added, looking inter-
gatively at Mr.. Bean.
'e 1--WE may find it in the road" repli
. Mr.. Bean, catching at the last hope Il
sure put it in this pocket, and never P
u " my hand in it again, till | took the 9th
D letters out there in the office. don't 8
a. how it could have slipped out, just that
:, and none of the rest"
y "Well, may be we may find it by
y road, as you say; we'd better go RIG
b0Nhs lol ithi bohN bhN pa ~ u
n So, turning about the old horse, with dow
=, T. cast countenances they started homewal
> > scanning each pebble and blade Of grass, Il
70 the bemourped letter might not escape th
u notice, if It had fallen out by the way.
d, Three years before, Paul Rogers, po
Ut but talented young man, just gradual
'y from the Theological Seminary, had marr
Ruth Maxwell, the eldest daughter
wealthy parents, with their strongest d
in approval, and came to the little village
c. Linden, to guide and feed the little fc
he there. At the end Of one year, hayl
ny other and better pastorates offered him, \
n; Rogers thought to leave the little chul
py there for larger field of laborj and it IN
to be confessed thought of being able to
ty Ruthie better things, such as she had b.
IN accustomed to, influenced him little in
nd desire to change. For, though the q
"A ,annIn ~ ;n1on para lind sna iavin0