Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-10-18

later. He reached their pow and held the
basket toward them for forms sake evident
ly expecting nothing. What was his aston
ishnent when Jack, rising in his cagemess,
inquired gravely
"lIow much is it r.
II don't understand you,' .oid tli, puzzled
aeon.
tNlul 5l snu cHare. ="
fho Han.ss suddenly yaush d from the
thiuy, clean facg. tn. deacon looked down
at the honest little questioner. his eyes full Of
an amused pity. Ills lip twitched.
''N1.hiug for you, my lad. Come as often
as you like: the oftoner the better
Jack put his ten cents in his pocket and
Annie settled herself back upon the cushion
with an air Of great satisfaction.
The sermon was long. At first Jack thought
he liked it, then ha thought he didn't. FINAL
ly he gave up tying to think about it, and
went TO sleep.
Annie tried her very best to avert this ca
lAmity, for Jack had a way of snoring some
times which was not pleasant Finding all
her efforts powerless she at length reconciled
herself to the situation, and might have fol-
lowed her brother to the Land of Nod had
not these words of the preacher attracted her
attention -
"when began the work of the ministry l
was greatly exercised if any one went to sleep
under my preaching; but now this passage
always comes home 10 my mind, Having
ears they hear not Brethren and sisters"
he added. with deep solemnity there's great
many people in the world who have no hear
ing ears"
Annie was much distressed. "He means
Jack" she thought to herself. "He thinks
Jack isn't smart enough to understand him /;
but he Is if he wouldn't say such queer things.
Wake up Jack" and she gave the young
sleeper a gentle shake.
But doubt if the recroant little cars would
have heard" until the end Of the long dis
course, lad it not been suddenly dis
covered that the book-rack needed attention.
Jack was the imam for the times" then. He
reused himself at once, and he and Annie de
voted all their energies to the management Of
the screws, and the adjusting of the refracto-
ry little strip of wood. How eagerly the chill
dren bent to their self-appointed task. How
the small hands worked unscrewing, screw
| ing, pulling, pushing, and 'fussing" general
! ly, until having in an unguarded moment
! both let 90 their hold, down came the uufor-
! tuEat. rack. with terrible slam bang, and
| down sank two little figures overwhelmed
with confusion, upon the floor of the pew.
Ii happened to be n very affecting part Of
the sermon, but neither Of them knew it.
| They only knew that the minister's voice had
fallcu from an intensely high to a tremulous-
| lylow tone. and that the awful crash had been
| the more noticeable and appalling on that ac-
| count.
| When Annie had little recovered from her
fright, the righteousness of her position made
! itself evident Lets get up, Jack" said
She II don't believe anybody is looking
now"
| Hell begin TO scream again. pretty soon. -
| said more cautious Jack. wait a minute.
And, as the minister's voice was gradually
raised i'll earnest eutreaty, the two children
popped up, to use Jacks expressive phrase,
| and seated themselves dcmurey as if nothing
| had happened.
The congregation was either very devout
or very indulgent. No one looked at them
| but the boy in front, and his merry black
! eyes seemed quite as expressive of sympathy
! as of disapproval. They were comforted.
But after church, as the still, shiny, clean
/ man" stood talking with n friend, he felt a
gentle touch upon his arm. Looking down
he saw Jack, whom he recognized at once.
viii you please come here a moment. sir
l want to show you something"
The something was the ruins Of the un-
lucky book-rack. I'VE tried to mend it, sir,
but We made it worse. We want to pay foI
it. We've got ten cents apiece, and
The deacon's face was shiny, now Il
shonc with the brightness of n warm heart,
which overiowed with love for Gods little
ones"
Keep your money, my children, said he,
with compassionate glance at the faded,
though perfectly neat garments. Keep yOuI
money. That little matter shall be attended
to. Well have another rack for you before
another Sunday. Drop in again, whenever
you feel like it, Come INTO our Sunday school
next Sabbath and see how you like us"
Il like you,' said Annie, with a grateful
look, which warmed the deacon's tender
heart.
| marked Jack, as they walked toward home
IT'S the Methodist Episcopal"
"Who told you:'
Nobody. l thought it out myself. In
going to join that church"
Il didn't like that preacher so very much
said Annie, with sudden recollection.
Il don't care anything about him. replied
Jack, in a tone which implied that the minis
ter was the last item to be taken into consid
Grafton Besides, he isn't the reg'lar Het
an exchange. l heard a man say so."
But, Jack exclaimed Annie, earnestly,
"how can you join the Methodist E-p'sco
pal-church, when you're an Orthodox"
who cares for that 2" cried irreveren
Jack, not wishing to discuss the demands o
Orthodoxy Just then. The NJ. L. churcl
is the church for me, me, he added, conclu
svely Don't you see."
1t is doubtful if the claims of the Metho
dist Episcopal church were ever more tri
umphantly set forth. Annie, certainly, wa!
not the one to gainsay them.
"Well go there next Sunday, anyway
Jack" said she Il want to see that new
book k-rack. ."-ChristiGH Register.