The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-04-15
The Minister'S Choice.

It lltW llllllloCCI w NaS otCiiNiISo eiiN 'i
telnoon at Dea Osgood's. He came to
Lynton, a small town in Pennsylvania, in
February, and now 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 a tiny bouquet OF violets
at her throat, and Mrs. Osgood looked
very motherly and pleasant in her black
alpaca and ruffled white apron, and John
ME Osgood Gagged tive) tried to look as a
deacon's son should, and the minister
ought to have a very pleasant afternoon
there, but he did not.
The first Sunday he preached in l-yn-
ton, and every Sunday since, he had seen
some one in the deacon's pew whom he
did not see in the deacon's parlor. She
was young woman with sad eyes and a
face Whereon he had never seen a 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
enloved his visit as we'll 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. "Won't you
come here and see me?"
IL can see you from here" answered
Johnnie
Il hope you are good little boy"
sad the minister, smiling. You ought
to be, for you have good father and
mother Don't you think sop
"Oh, | don't know. | want to run
away, but they won't let me- My pap
talks as if he never was a little boy.
What do you think? This afternoon fore
you come. he told me il | said bully
while you was here he'd fog ne. Was
you ever a little boy?'
"Oh, yes,n answered the minister.
'Ain't my sister Della pretty, though ?''
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 do
one of 'em do you b'lieve. | made Me-
lisSa do 'am"
"Who is Melissa?0
"Why, she's our help. You've seen
her She sits in our seat in church, next
to pap. There's the bell, I'm going to
get" and Johnnie disappeared through
the open door, and was not seen again
until after the blessing was asked at the
well-filled table.
After tea the deacon turned to the Min
ister and said:
MIR Ridgely, it is our custom to have
family worship Immediately after tea.
shall be glad to have you conduct it to-
night"
The minister assented, and the deacon
raised his voice and called:
"Melssa ?"
Just then Johnnie was seen going slyly
to the window.
"Johnnie." said his mother, reprov-
ingly.
John" said his father, sternly, "where
are you going, sir?"
''I'm a going to get" answered John
ME- as he slid quickly out Of the window,
and rolled over on the fresh. green grass
Then Melissa entered, and the deacon
introduced her to the minister.
"Mr. Ridgely," he said, ''this is our
ahem this is Miss Melissa Perry, Me
lissa, this is Mr. Ridgely"
The minister held the little hard brown
hand in his moment and looked at the
sweet. pale tace, meek, like the Masters
and as clearly pale as white morning
glory, and into the sad, blue eyes. Their
he motioned her to chair next to him
and opened the Bible. He read few
verses of one of the ''sweet old chapters,
and then they sang hymn. Melissa die
not sing. She sat very still and listened
but she only heard two lines:
s.Breathe, oh, breathe thy living spirit
Into every troubled breast"
Then the minister prayed, and wher
they rose from their knees, the room was
dusky with shadows. but he was certain
that there were tears on Melissa's cheeks
and somehow his heart ached for her.
Surely they treat her kindly?" hi
thought, as they went from the dining
room to the parlor !. "they are Christian
family" He was puzzled, and when {
few moments later he heard the rattline
of china and glass in the next room, ht
involuntarily glanced at Della's hands
they were too white too soft, to be pretty
he thought.
Melissa cleared the table in the dark
and wept quietly all the while. Poo
child she was SO disappointed. She hae
been in little tremor OF happiness al
the morning, for she thought Mrs. Os
| good would certainly invite her into thu
parlor few moments to get acquainted
with the minister, and after dinner She
went to her room and put on delicate
| lilac muslin dress, with a tiny lace frill il
the neck and sleeves, but at three O'CLOCK
Mrs. Osgood came into the kitchen ant
Il Lo>, nd If 6orL, "a llan
for she must mix biscuits for supper, an(
she would spoil the muslin. Of course
there was no parlor for her after that
and she was rather surprised when they
called her in to prayers.
While she was washing the dishe:
Johnnie came stealing into the kitchel
on tiptoe.
Are they through praying, Melissa
What you crying bout? Did you break
dish?"
Johnnie sympathized with any one wh'
| was so unfortunate as to break a dish
He had broken one or two himself
| mo, Johnnie" she answered
"Did you burn your finger, then ?' hi
asked anxiously, with his little fat fac'
upturned to hers. ''It you did III wasl
the dishes, every one of 'em, and you car
wipe 'em, Melissa
She declined his offer of help, but h.
staid with her until the minister wen
away, and by steady coaxing found ou
the reason why she wept
Mr.. Ridgely walked slowly home from
the deacon's He boarded with an aget
widow, and he knew by the dim ligh
burning in the parlor when he reache'
there, that she had retired. He was to-
restless to study or to sleep, so he walked
up and down the little garden in the star
light. with his hands clasped behind hin
in the style peculiar to ministers il
thought There were a great many rose
| hIooro;nr in tho widows Garden Ih,