Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-08-21

they sang a hymn Melissa dlh not
elng, She sat very still and listened
bnt she only heard two lines,
breathe, Oh, breathe Thy living spirit
Into every troubled bresi,'
Then the minislerprayed, and when
they rose from their knees, tho room
was dusky with shadows, but hc was
certain there was tears on Melissa's
cheeks, and somehow his heart ached
for her,
Surely they treat her kindly = no
thought, rs they went from the dining
room to the parlori they are Chris
tian family Ilo was puzzled, and
aud when "a few moments later no
heard tho rafting Of china and glass
In tho next room, he lnyoluntarily
glanced at Dellas hands they were
too white too soft 10 be pretty he
thought.
Melissa cleared the table In the dark,
and wept quitcly all the while Poor
child she was so disappointed. She
had been In u little tremor Of hap
pincss all tho morning for she thought
Mrs. Osgood would certainly invite
her into the paror few moments to
get acquainted with the minister, and
after dinner she went TO her room
and put on q delicate lilac muslin
dress, with tiny lace frill in the neck
aud sleeves, but At three o'clock Mrs.
IOsgood came into the kitchen and
told her to go aud put on u dark
calico, for she must mix biscuits for
supper, and she would spoil the muslin.
OF course there was no parlor for her
after that, and she was rather surprls-
ed when they called her into prayers.
While she was washing the dishes
Johnnie came stealing into the kitchen
on ,iptoe.
Are they through praying Melissa !
What you crying bout? Did you
break n dish 2
Johnnie sympathized with any one
who was so unfortunate rs to break a
dish.
No, Johnnie she answered.
Did you burn your finger, then 7
he asked anxiously, with his little fat
face upturned to hers. If you did
III wash the dishes, every one of 'em
and you can wipe EN- Melissa
She declined his offer OF help, but
he stayed with her until the minister
went away, and by steady coaxing
found out the reason why she wcpt.
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 retired.
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 garden. The soft night
air was laden with their perfume, and
they made him think of Melissa. Of
course there was no resemblance be-
tween the flowers and Deacon's Os-
goods 'help,' for she was white and
dropping like a lily, 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 thoughts of her came memory
of what his old aunt said to him the
night before he came to Lynton.
Judson, she said in her broad Eng
lish you're going away with the grace
of God in your heart; you've got the
old Ridgely muscle, and the marrow
of the spirit in your bones, and you're
feet are well shod, but ycu lack one
thing you need heipmate. Ay my
boy you're not complete. You'll find
it ont some day and when you do
follow the leadings of your heart.
You've got an honest Ridgely heart
my boy and it'll not lead you amiss'
Why did the roses make him think
of Melissa? Why did the thoughts
of her bring his aunt's words to his
mind He certainly could not have
loved her when he had only spoken
to her once, did you say' No. L
suppose not. believe it isn't called
love in the beginning
Johnnie and the minister became
very intimate after that night. John
ME liked him because he was once a
little boy, and he often went to the wild
ow's to visit him. He told him about
Melissa crying the night he was at
their house to tea, and he also told
him that she had lot of books in her