The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-04-15

4 verses OF one OF the -S ee fotu chap-
terss and then the hsmn.-
4 .....es sisc S'efy
still and listened, but She only heard
two lines:
Breathe, oh, breathe thy living spirit
Into every troubled breast" :,
Then the minister prayed, and
when they rose from their knees, the
room was dusky with shadows, but
he was certain that there were tears
on Melisst's cheeks, and somehow
his heart ached for her.
Surely they treat her kindly?' he
thought as they went from the din
ing-room to the parlor; "thcy are a
Christian family" He ewas puzzled,
and when few moments later he
heard the rattling of china and glass
in the next room, he inyoluntarily
glanced at Dclia's hands; they were
too white, too soft to be pretty, he
thought.
Melissa cleared the table in the
dairy and wept quietly all the while.
Poor child she was 50 disappointed.
She had been in a little tremor of
happiness all the morning, for she
thought Mrs. Osgood would certainly
invite her into the parlor few mo-
ments to get acquainted with the
minister, and after dinner she went
to her room and put on a delicate IL
lac muslin dress, with a tiny lace
frill, in the neck and sleeves; but at
three o'clock Mrs. 0sgood came into
the kitchen and told her to go and
put on dark calico, for she must
mix biscuits for supper, and she
tncre was no parlorfor ref3f course
and she was rather surprised rtlseitt
they called her into prayers.
While she was washing the dishes
Johnnie came stealing into the kitch- |
EN- on tiptoe.
".Are they through PRAYING, Melis-
sa? What are You crying bout
Did you break a dish?"
':No, Johnnie" she answered.
'Did you burn your finger, them"
he asked anxiously, with his fat lit
tie face upturned to hers. "1f you
did III wash the dishes, every one of
'em, and you can wipe 'em, Melissa"
She declined his offer of help, but
he staid 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 retir-
ed. He was too restless to study or
to sleep so he walked up and down
the little garden in the starlight,
with his hands clasped behind him
in the style peculiar to ministers in
thought. There were a great many
roses blooming in the widows gar
den. The soft night air was laden
with their perfume, and they made
him think of Melissa. Of course
there was no resemblance between
the flowers and Deacon Osgood S
'help," for she was white and droop-
ing like a lilly, 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 a
memory of what his old Aunt said to
him the night before he come to Lyn'
ton.
"Judson," she said in her broad
English, "you're going away with
the grace of God in your heart; you
have got the old Ridgely muscle, and
the marrow of the spirit is in youl
bones, and your feet are well shod
but you lack one thing you need 9
| helpmate. Aye, my boy you are MOI
complete. You'll find it out some
day, and when you do follow thC
lcadings of your heart, my boy, ant
it'll not lead you amiss."
Why did the roses make him thinl
of Melissa? Why did the thought o
her bring his Aunt's words to hi
mind? He certainly could not hav'
loved her when he had only spOkel
to her once did you say? No, l sup
pose not. I believe it isn't calle'
love in the beginning.
=, A. .,;~;,to, Lo,,,,