Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-10-04
A Converted Clergyman.

hC AACNs OOonNAA AAOAA0h0 9Ab aAShC
IN his study. The room, which, though
small. had been digniied with the name
of the study, was the best and pleasant
est room in the house, and In it were
drawn together all the best that the
house afforded-here was the prettiest
paper aud the best carpet, the only
lounge, the easiest rocking chair, the
gayest table.cover, the best lamp. and
the prettiest ornaments, all gathered
aere by his young wife's unselfsh devo-
tion, and her husbands devoted selfish
ness.
A tall, stout, well-made. ford young
man, never intended by nature for any
sedentary life, one whose broad should
ers and strong arms would have made
better and healthier man of him in the
field or workshop one who as farmer
or machinist might have made something
of his muscular inheritance, but who
had been thrust into a profession he was
wholly untitled for by the weak ambi-
tiOn of a dOting mother and the vanity
| and self-indolence of his own character.
A gentle step, tlmid, deprecating
tap at the study door. "Eyes right
attention !'' In one moment, like SOL
dier on drill, the reverend gentleman
had wheeled into position at the table,
snatched up a pen. dipped it in the ink,
and held it suspended over the paper, as
he said, in the half annoyed tones of a
person suddenly disturbed in some alb
sorbing train of thought, 'You can come
in."
! Softly the door was pushed ajar, and
a sweet young face, fair and fresh as an
apple blossom, and framed in braids of
soft brown hair, peeped timidly in.
"Quite alone, dear ?' she asked,
glancing around the apartment; and
then satisfied that he was so, the wife
came in-a girlish figure, though one
arm clasped her sleeping baby to her
bosom in the other hand she bore a
small tray with snowy white cloth.
Pausing moment on her way to depos-
1t the child among the cushions of the
lounge, she came to her husbands side
"What have you got there, Lucy p
he said, in half-reproachful tones, though
his eager eyes contradicted his assumed
Indifference.
"Only little lunch for you, dear.
said the little wife, cOaxingly, and she
removed the desk and set the little tray
before him.
"You silly child what is it ?' Lucy
raised the cover, and revealed a small
juicy beefsteak, temptingly cooked, ;
biscuit and glass of foaming beer.
"0h, 1 have not any appetite ] dom
want it" said the husband, making
very faint demonstration of pushing i
: from him.
"Yes, you do, dear know best. Di,
you not tell me so yourself that brain
7 needed food, and that mental labor wa
more exhausting than any other? Tax
little sip of the beer first, dear, an
a maybe that will bring an appetite >
e "You are little goose, Lucy" sal
the Reverend Boswell, as he took th
n glass from her hand; and so, just
c please the affeetionate little thing,
} ate and drank all she had provided
and he did it, too, just as if he relishe
. every mouthful. You would never hay
d guessed he did not relish it Oh, he W;
d such good man And Lucy sat by. d
lighted that her idol had eondescende
;, to accept her meat and drink offerings.
7 There now these poor, dear, tire
" brains will feel all the better" she sal
d laying her soft hand caressingly on h
low brow. "lt is too bad fer you
IT have to sit here, hard at work all tn
II lovely day but, tell me, have you bee
- = very hard at work this mOrning?"
: well, no, not very" said the Sc
ot convicted idler. at is too warm to
much"
is "Warm here, dear ?' said Mrs. HI
y land, glancing around the cool, fres
a orderly little room, and contrasting
d with the kitchen, the heated scenes
ut her own labors. "Then it must be |
cause you feel weak do You p
lg 81 thought you would come up a
ne M read for me. Lucy have been expe
r. ing you
a. "But could not come to-day. '
?" know" said the wife, deprecatingly.
pm is washing day p
"Well, what if it is You do
WASH, 4 presume.
80 % "No, dear, not exactly; but Ka
rst does
bis "But you are not Katie ?"
The Il beg your pardon, but am
ith ~ washing and ironing days"
- ".What do you mean p
led ''Only, of course, that when Katie
washing, have her daily work to Dc
pen Il do not see what great amount
ns. work there can be to do in such a ia
: ly as ours"
4.That is because it is not in y
dis line. Boswell. If it was you would s
pl. find out that there is work to be don
hat .,, .vnII ,,anaoad family hows