American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18
DEACON RAHKIN's DAUGaTER.

sIrss dreadful curious that ministers
noas and deacons' daughters should al
Ways be greater trials than other folks
children wouldn't have believed wher
6ylvy was Q child that she would hav,
grown up to be such thorn in your side
Sister Sarah. But you'll have to bear it
- The. Lord's will, and trust that she'll b.
brought some time to see the error of hel
wayR"
Aunt Dorcas rocked vigorously, anG
made her knitting -needles click with q
will, - she always did when she talked Of
9yl's shortcomings. Syl, who was in the
kitchen making preparations for dinner
heaEa every word through the halfopen
door-ee il was very likely that Aunt
Dorcas meant that she should; and Syl
sighed heavily, for Aunt Dorcas was q
power In the family, and now that she had
taken sides against her Syl foresaw
yet encountered.
Syl's trouble was that oldest and most
common among maidens-the course OF
her ru love would not be persuaded to
run smooth. IB current was RULED in the
1Boot com1hon way, too, by her fathers
stern displeasuFe and her mothers cease
less freftinG and coaxing.
YeAzs before, when they were both little
more than children, she and Will Everett
had fallen in love with each other and the
love had grown and strengthened as they
Qew . manhood and womanhood. But
al0f VIM was poor, being only clerk in
the one dry-goods store that Plympton.
villa toestek He had his mother and lit
tie sister to support, too, and, as Plymp-
tonville people declared, had enough on
his hands Without thinking of marrying.
Deacon Rankin did not object to him
1Dcsuse he was poor. o no! the deacon
wns mot % worldly as that-according to
his own statement. In other respects
WIN did not come up TO his idea of what
his son-in-law should be. He belonged to
secret societies. Silas Daggett, the pro-
pristor Of he dry goods store, agreed with
him perfeclly he even had serious doubts
- to the propriety Of keeping the young
man in his store, and used to 90 to the
deacon's house to ask his advice and talk
the matter over two or three evenings in
. veek when he first came to Plimpton-
vile and opened the store.
WIN smoked, too. Silas Daggett did
mot smoke. He shook his head sadly over
that shortcoming of Wills and told the
warning thrown away upon the head
sfronR young man.
via dressed 100 we'll, also; he was
running himasH by exfrsvagance. Mr..
Sill BaxRea was of the opinion that
fully h1fo OF his salary was spent in that
way. Countless other accusations of a
like nature were brought against poor
Win, and from twice week Silas Dag
gett's visits increased to every night, and
wore Intended for Syl, and the delight of
Deacon Rankin and his wife knew no
bounds.
But Syl, ungrateful, unreasonable grill
frowned upon the suit Of Mr.. Daggett;
she even went 30 fAr q 10 1eaye the room
when he called, and she had been caught
walking with Win Everett after her
father had forbidden her speaking to the
misguided young man.
Now matters were at their very worst !;
6ilas Daggett had proposed, and her
him. All her tears and entYeaties had
awaited nothing, and at last she had got
her spirit up, and stoufly declared that
she would never marry him. Aunt Dor
Gas was sent for in haste; il anybody
could conquer Syl's rebellious spirit she
could. But even Aunt Dorcas failed the
u1mosf concession that could be obtained
from 6yI was promise THAI she would
never marry Will without her fathers
sc or speak 10 Will, Is they tried TO make
her. s -
Silas Daggett was established in the
deacon's house a. q boarder, that he might
have all possible opportunity for prose
cutting his suit, and Syl was tormented be-
yond endurance.
The clicking of Aunt Dorcas' needles
went on, and Aunt Dorcas' sharp voice
kept company with il, ringing over the
changes upon Syl's ingratitude and hard
ness Of heart Syl began to think she
should go wild listening to il.
Her patience gave out at last. She shut
the pantry-door forcibly--yery forcibly; /
might as well own that she slammed is.
for Syl was not an angel by any meant,
She hardly dared to go out TO put the bis
cults she had made into the oven. for she
felt 80 angry that she was not at all sure
that she should not say something imperti-
nent 10 Aunt Dorcas. But it had to be
done, 50 she ran out and whisked them
into the oven, hoping that they might be
o. heavy as her heart since Aunt Dorcas
was TO eat them.
When she went back there was face at
the pantry window Wills face-but
looking 20 white and haggard that she
hardly knew It.
What is it, wills What makes you
look sof And oh, how did you dare To
come here? Father may come home to
dinner Mt any minutel"
LET him comet He needn't grudge
me minute with you. I shant come
again very soon, Syl," said the young
man, In bitter, reckless tone.