The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-04-15
went to the widows to visit him.

the night ne vas aI thelr mouse u
tea, andh also told him that she
had a lot Of books in her bedroom,
that used. to bolong to her father-he
guessed there vas as many as five
hundred, altogether.
s one:day the minister plucked two
or three posies, a rose and a few ger
anium leaves from the widows gar
den and sent tbe wee boquct to Ne
LISA by Johnnie. Johnnie told him
the next day that she kissed it after
she thought he was out of the room
but he peeped through a crack in
the door, and saw her do it. He
went to the Deaeon's often,after that
but he never could get to talk to her
alone.
One night when none OF the taml'
ly were at prayer meeting but her.
self and the Deacon came putting up
to them and talked new pulpit IN,
til they reached the.gute.
BY the last Of September the min,
lister, like everything else, had ccas.
ed to be new. Martha Janson had
tried to get him, but failed; Amaran-
tina 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 church's. He
was not his own. Next to the Mas
ter he loved and served, he belonged
to Melissa Perry. But he did not
know it then.
One bright October day the knowl-
edge came to him with its burden Of
sweet hopes and trembling fears
Would Melissa take what belongs to
her, he wondered. How could he ev-
er find out? The Lord through the
mouth of Johnnie 0sgood told him
now. One morning he went to the
widows and stayed with the minis
ter until the clock struck twelve,
when he caught up his hat and start
cd for home.
"stay and eat dinner with me,
Johnnie" said the minister.
q can't" said Johnnie; a have to
get, have to wipe the dinner dishes
for Melissa's, she's goin' to the but
ter woman's this afternoon. Why
don't you goandses -her2s ...E.s;s.
a WILL" said the minister.
Johnnie meant the butter-woman,
but the minister meant Melissa.
He went to the butter-womdn's
(she was member of his church),
and had been there an hour when
Melissa came. She wore a dark cali
co dress and carrieda bright tin pail
on her arm. On her way out to the
house Git was more than a mile from
the town.! She saw a 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 they came
from-just as the minister had often,
ed wondered where she came FROM
The minister saw the berries, and he
forgot whether her dress was cali
co one or not.
After she purchased the butter she
took the tin pail on her arm again
and went out at the kitchen door
The minister saw her goand he went
out at the front door and soon over
took her and insisted on carrying
her pail. They talked in a general
way until they reached a bit of a
woods through which they had to go.
and then he persuaded her to sit
down by him on IN old log and rest
Something-perh twas the bright
day or the independent autumn ali
made her forget that she was Dea'
con Osgood's 'help" and she talked
unrestrainedly and with an intelli-
gcncc that surprised him. At last
with delicate tact he led her to talk
about herself and she told him how
her parents were both buried in one
day leaving her penniless and friend
less, and how she had been bound tc
Deacon osgood until she was eighteen
years old.
"Thcy are kind to you are they
not?" he asked.
eyes, they are kind, but" and
che stonned abruptly.