Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-11

went to her room and put on delicate
lilac muslin dress with q tiny
lace frill in the neck and sleeves;
but at three o'clock Mrs. Osgood
came into the kitchen and told her to 90
and put on dark calico, for she must
mix biscuits for supper and she would
spoil the muslin. OF course there was
no parior for her after that and she was
rather surprised when they called her in
to prayers.
While she was washing the dishes
Johnnie came stealing into the kitchen
on tiptoe
Are they through praying, Melissas
What you crying bout! Did you break
dish!"
Johnnie sympathized with anyone who
was SO unfortunate as to break dish.
He had broken one or two himself.
mo, Johnnie" she answered
did you burn your finger, them" he
asked anxiously, with his fat little face
upturned to hers. !" If you did I'll wash
the dishes, every one Of 'em, and YOU
can wipe 'em, Melissa"
She declined his offer Of help, but he
stayed with her until the minister went
away and by steady coaxing found out
the reason why she wept.
Mr.. Ridgely walked slowly home from
the Deacon's. He boarded with an aged
widow, and he knew by the dim light
burning in the parlor when he reached
there that she had retired. He was too
restless to study or to sleep, SO he walked
| up and down the little garden in the ar
light with his hands clasped behiad him
| in the style peculiar to ministers in
thought. There were great many roses
blooming in the widows garden. The
soft night air was laden with their per-
fume, and they made him think Of
Melissa. Of course there was no re-
semblance between the flowers and
Deacon Osgood's "help," for she was
white and dropping like lily, and they
were in full, rich bloom; but she was
pure like them, and sweet like their
breath, and they made him think of her.
With the thought of her came memory
Of whatshis old aunt said to him the
night before he came to Lynton.
"Judson, "she said in her broad English,
you're going away with the grace of God
in your heart; you've got the old Ridgely
muscle, and the marrow Of the spirit is
in your bones, and your feet are well
shod, but you lack one thing, you need
a helpmate. Aye, my boy, you're not
complete. You'll find it out some day,
and when you do, follow the leadings of
your heart. You've got an honest
Ridgely heart, my boy, and it'll not lead
yor amiss."
Why did the roses make him think of
Melissa? Why did the thought of her
bring his aunt's words to his minds He
certainly could not have loved her when
he had only spoken to her once, did you
say? No, / suppose not. ! believe it
isn't called love in the beginning.
Johnnie and the minister became very
intimate after that night. Johnnie liked
him because he had once been little
boy, and he often went to the widows to
visit him. He told him about Melissas
crying the night he was at their house to
tea, and he also told him that she had
lot of books in her bedroom that used to
belong to her father-he guessed there
was as many as 500, altogether.
One day the minister plucked two or
three posies, a rose and a few geranium
leaves from the widows fiower-bed, and
| sent the wee bouquet to Melissa by John
ME. Johnnie told him the next day that
she kissed it after she thought he was
out of the room, but he peeped through
crack in the door, and saw her do it.
He went to the Deacon's often after that,
but he never could get chance TO talk
to her alone. ..
One night, when none of the family
was to prayer-meeting but her and the
Deacon, he undertook to go home with
her alone, but before they had gone two
squares the Deacon came putting up to
them, and talked "new pulpit" until
they reached the gate.
BY the last of September the minister,
like everything else, had ceased to be new.
Martha Jamson had tried to get him, but
failed; Amarantha Peabody had tried,
and failed; Fannie Gauss had tried,
| and failed, and he was looked upon as
belonging to "the church"
But he was not the churchs. He was
not his own. Next to the Master he
| loved and served, he belonged to Melissa
Perry. But lie did not know it then.
One bright October day the
knowledge came to him with its
burden of sweet hopes and tremb-
ling fears. Would Melissa take what
belongs to her? he wondered. How
could he ever find out? The Lord
through the mouth of Johnnie Osgood
told him how.
! OUG WSh1 w eAS W. -
and stayed with the minister until the
clock struck twelve, when he caught up
ais hat and started for home.
"Stay and eat dinner with me, John
ME" said the minister
al can't" said Johnnie; have to get.
have to wipe the dinner dishes for Me-
LISA she's goin' to the butter-woman's
this afternoon. Why don't you 60 and
see herr"
Il WILL" said the minister. -.
Johnnie meant the butter-woman, but
the minister meant Melissa.
He went to the butter-woman's (she
was member Of his church),
and had been there an hour when
| Melissa came She wore dark
calico dress and carried bright
tin nail on her arm. On her way out 10
the house lit was more than mile
from the town. she saw little bunch OF
scarlet berries lying in the road. There
was no bush near them; they were alone
in their warm, bright beauty, and she
picked them up and fastened them IN
her dress at the neck, wondering where
thew came from-just as the minister
had often wondered where she came
from The minister saw the berries ana
L II M a