Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-11
DEACON OSGOOD'S HELP.
BY MARY Il. COLBY.

The new minister was spending the al
noon at Deacon Osgood's. He came to
LINTON, a small town in Pennsylvania,
in February, and nosy it was June, and
this was the first afternoon he had spent
with the Deacon and his family.
Della Osgood looked very pretty in a
drab mohair with tiny bouquet of vio-
let's at her throat, and Mrs. Osgood
looked very motherly and pleasant in her
black alpaca and ruffied white apron,
and Johnnie Osgood (aged ive) tried to
look as a Deacon's son should, and the
minister ought to have passed very
pleasant afternoon there, but he did not.
The first Sunday he preached in Lyn-
ton and every Sunday since he had seen
some one in the Deacon pew whom he did
not see in the Deacons parlor. She was
a young woman with sad eyes and a face
wherein he had never seen smile. He
had tried all the afternoon to find out
who she was without seeming curious
Che was young and unmarried, you know,
and had failed This was why he had
not enjoyed his visit as well as he ought
to have done.
At five O'Clock Mrs. Osgood left the
room and soon after called Della out to
help her get tea, and the minister was
alone with Johnnie.
$50 you are Johnnie Osgood, are you?'
said the minister to him. wont you
come here and see me?"
q can see you from here" answered
Johnnie.
81 hope you are good little boyf''
said the minister, smiling. You ought
to be, for you have good father and
mother. Don't YOU think so?"
sob, l don't know. want to run
away, but they won't let me. My pap
talks as if he never was little boy
What do you think? This afternoon
fore you come he told me if | said
bully while you was here he'd'tlog me
Was you ever little boyS"
"Oh, yes" answered the minister.
"Ain't my sister Della pretty,
thought" was his next question.
Very" said the minister.
But she's the dumbest thing! The
other night wanted her to do my sums
in division for me, and she couldn't dc
one of 'em, do you b'lieve. made Melis
sa do 'em."
"Who is Melissag"
"Why, she's our help. You've seer
her. She sits In our seat in church, mex
to pap. There's the bell, I'm agoing u
get" and Johnnie disappeared through
the open door, and was not seen again
until after the blessing was asked at thu
well-flled taEle.
After tea the Deacon turned to the min
lister and said:
"Mr. Ridgely, it is our custom to hav
family worship Immediately after tea.
shall be glad to have you conduct IL 10
night"
The minister assented, and the Deacon
raised his voice and called:
Melissa =,
Just then Johnnie was seen going slyl
to the window.
Johnniel" said his mother, reproV
ingly
John" said his father, sternly
where are you going, sir!' :.
''I'm going to get" answered johnnie
as he slid quickly out of the window an
rolled over on the fresh, green grass
Then Melissa entered, and the Deaco
introduced her to the minister.
"Mr. Ridgely," he said, "this is our.
aheml-t this is Miss Melissa Perry; Meli'
sa, this is Mr.. Ridgely."
The minister held the little, hard, brow
hand in his a moment and looked al IN
sweet, pale fase, meek, like the Master
and as clearly pale as white norma NM
glory, and into the sad blue eyes Inc
he motioned her to chair next 10 mn
and opened the Bible. He read Ie'
verses of one of the sweet Ola cIal
ters," and then they sang hymn; M'
LISA did not sing. She satvery stu an
listened, but she only heard two lines;
Breathe. oh, breathe Thy living spirit
Into every troubled breast.
Then the minister prayed, ana "ne
they rose from their knees the room W.
dusky with shadows, but he was cerlai
that there were tears on Melissas cheek
and somehow his heart ached for net
Surely they treat her klndiy.
thought as they went from the dinlh
room to the parlor; they are ChrisIia
family" He was puzzled, and wnen
few moments later he heard the ralliil /,
of china and glass in the next room
involuntarily glanced at Della's manu- lra
they were too white, too soft, TO DC pre-
ty. he thought. - ao,
Melissa cleared the table in the nai
and wept quietly all the while. ro'