Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-27
more than ever. 1t seemed that every
thing had combined to kill her.
CHAPTER III.
MRS. ARDoRY'S SEEsIBILITIEs.

MRS. ARDoRYs sENsIBIL1rIEs.
I find that the last chapter must be
given to the sensiblities of Mrs. Ar
dory.
It was Christmas Day. Even on this
blessed day, that tender hearted lady
could not lay aside her sensibilities and
enjoy herself. For, just think, will
you, how many poor there are How
could q tender hearted woman enjoy a
feast when so many were hungry? It
was not in the good woman's heart, I
am sure, to be for minute Obvious to
the sorrows of the poor.
She had also another aniexty. The
dinner hour was approaching, and she
was TO have several friends. Among
others, the rector and his wife we're to
dine with Mrs. Ardory on this day. All
the company, the rector's wife included,
were there-the rector only being alb
sent, he having called to see sick per-
son on his way. He would come
presently. Mrs. Ardory was just ex-
planning to the cIergyman's wife how
awful thing parochial duty must be;
she never could stand the tax on
her sensibilities if she we're q clergy
man. But what Mrs. Ardory was think
ing about while she was saying this was
something very different indeed. She
was thinking that her father-in-law had
been out all night on Christmas spree,
and that he might come in at any mo-
ment and shock her sensibilities by his
disgraceful appearance. But, to her
surprise, the old man came home sober;
and, what was more curious, came in
company with the rector himself. And
the rector was showing him every at
tention Was the like ever seen?
"de didn't want to come," said the
rector with excitement, leading the old
man in. ''But brought him BY force.
must tell you what he did. Found a
poor, sick woman, with half dozen
children, on the street last night. The
woman's husband was dead. Land
lord turned them out. Mr.. Ardory,
senior, here, went and got truck,
pushed his way through the rude
crowd that stood about and lifted the
poor thing up off the sidewalk, and
carried her to the truck. Then he took
her to his little old home and laid her
on the bed, and got neighbor woman
for nurse, and went for doctor, and
got supper for the hungry children,
and he's been with them ever since,
doing everything he could for them.
Only he went this morning and shook
his fist in the landlords face, and
threatened to punish him if he didn't
give the woman back the last ten dollar
bill he exacted. He's brave old man.
You ought to be proud of him."
"Why, indeed, we are," said the
younger Ardory, "proud as we can be
of you, father"
"He can do such things, you know"
said Mrs. Ardory, aside, to the rector 8
wife; he hasn't any sensibilities."
eff you could only have heard that
poor woman tell it, replied the rector,
as they went down to dinner. "If you
could have seen her kiss Mr.. Ardory' s
hand as we came away. It did my heart
good-more good than any Christmas
service ever attended"
"Come, father, you must sit at the
head of the table," said the younger
Ardory.
sob no, can't carve,'' stammered
the old man.
"Well enough, we'll enough; God
bless you'll" said the rector. CT vote
for you to preside to-day"
And then the rector said grace before
meat; and the old truckman cut up the
turkey as best he could, growing red in
the face, half from diffidence and half
from modesty, for the rector did not in
termit his praises of the old mans be-
nevolence and of his carving.
"And what do you think /" continued
the clergyman. THAT poor creature
told me she sent last night to the most
intimate friend she had in her better
days, and begged shelter for the night
and was refused. It was absolutely
outrageous. It would have been the
death of the poor creature but for Mr..
Ardory here"
The rector said this under difficulties,
for his wife was treading on his corn
vigorously all the time. But gentlemen
never see anything; and should he no.
tice that this incident powerfully affect
ed the sensibllities of the lady at the
other end of the table? But if his
eyes were not sharp, his ears, at least,
we're always open to a theological ques-
ton, and he now turned to answer a
question put to him by Miss Crabbe,
whether he thought an unregenerate
person could do things pleasing to
Christ -?
"Every good thing a man does
everything that has a likeness to
Christ's own selfsacrifice, draws him
nearer to Christ. / don't doubt that
Christ is pleased with a good act, by
whomsoever done, and loves the man
that does it, too"
The old truckman, whose self-respect
had grown visibly, refused an invita-
ton to the "House of LORDS that
evening, started his truck the next
week, went to church after that merry
Christmas, and dined every now and
then at the house of the rector.
Mrs. Ardory was quite i'll after her
Christmas dinner, I belive. Her SEN
sibilities had been SO shocked by the
narrowing things she had heard.
SAYS the Vicksburg Herald: eve
have been shown beautiful sample
of cotton which was raised on the
Yucatan plantation in this county.
There ia nothing remarkable about the