Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-06-26
The Ministers Choice.

and this was the first afternoon he had !
spent with the deacon and his family
Della 0sgood looked very pretty in a
drab mohair with tiny bouquetof flow-
ers at her throat, and Mrs. OsgOOd look
ed very motherly and pleasant IN her
black alpaca and rufhed white apron,
and Johnnie Osgood (aged fve) tried to
look as deacon's son should, and the
minister ought to have had a very pleas
ant 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's pew whom he
did not see in the deacon's parlor. She
was young woman with sad eyes and
face whereon he had never seen smile.
He had tried all the afternoon to find
out who she was, without seeming curl
Gus (he was young and unmarried, you
know and had failed. This was why
he had not enjoyed 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 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 ?''
81 can see you from here" answered
Johnnie.
81 hope you are good little boy ?"
said the minister, smiling. "You ought
to be, for you have good father and
mother. Don't you think so ?'
40, don't know, want to run away,
but they won't let me. My pap talks
as if he never was boy. What do you
think This afternoon fore you come,
he told me If said bully while you
was here he'd fog me. Was you ever
bOy?"
"Oh, yes" answered the minister.
"Ain't my sister Della pretty, tho ?"
was his next question.
"Yery," said the minister
"But she's the dumbest thing The
other night 1 wanted her to do my sums
in division for me, and she couldn't do
one of 'em, do you believe. made Me-
lissa do EN-"
"Who is Melissa ?"
"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-flled table.
After tea the deacon turned to the
minister, and said;
"Mr. 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
melissa %
! Just then JOHNNIE was seen going sly
ly to the window.
J Johnnie p said his mother, rcprov
, ingly.
John" said his father, sternly
''where are you going, sir ?'
f "I'm going to get, answered John
, ME, as he slid quickly out of the win
dow and rolled over the fresh green grass
Then Melissa entered, and the deacon
introduced her to the minister.
!. "Mr. Rldgeley." he said, "this is on
a -a-hem-this is Miss Melissa Perry
u Melissa. this is Mr.. Ridgely."
The minister held the little hard
brown hand in his moment. and lOoker
{ at the sweet, pale face, meek, like tn
: masters, and as clearly pale as whit
e morning-glory, and into the sad, blu
IS eyes. Then he motioned her to chal
d next TO him. and opened the Bible. ID
read few verses of one of the ''swee
y old chapters and then they sang
= hymn. Melissa did not sing She So
). very still and listened, but she heard OIL
+ ly two lines:
D. Breathe oh, breathe thy living spirit
: Into every tronbled breast"
Then the minister prayed, and whe
= they rose from their knees the room wa
= dusky with shadows, but he was certai
ct there were tears on Melissa's cheek. an
he somehow his heart ached for her.
j. ''Surely. they treat her kindly ?"
" thought, as they went from the dininI
room to the parlor 'they are Chri
= tan family" He was puzzled, and wht
or few moments later he heard the ra
ly Ting Of china and glass in the next roo
al he invOluntarily glanced at Della's han
~ They we're too white, too soft. to be pre-
"a ty. he thought
Melissa cleared the table in the dar
of and wept quietly all the while. PO
I'd child she was disappointed She hi
&C. been in a little tremOr of happiness :
\ the morning. for she thought Mrs. 9
,g good would certainly invite her into t
Ov parlOr to get acquainted with the mill
az ter. and after dinner she went to b
room and put on delicate Lilac musl
dress, with tiny lace frill in the ne
ne and sleeves, but at three o'clock Nj