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

bed, anh seat the new bbh4uet W
Melissa by Johnnie, johnnie told
Inn the next day that she kissed II
after she thought he was out OF the
room, but 10 peeped through a crack
IN the door, and saw her do 1t, lie
went 10 the deaeonS often after that,
but he never could get chance to talk
10 her alone,
One night, when none Of tho family
was TO prayer meeting but her aud
the Deacon, hc undertook to 80 home
with her alone, hut before they had
gone two squares tho deacon came
putting up to them, aud talked new
pulpit until lhcy reached the gate.
by the last Of September the minis
ter, like everything else, had ceased to
be new. Martha Samson had tried TO
get him, but tailed Fannie Gauss haC
tried, and tailed Aramantha Peabod,
had tiled, aud iailed, and he was
looked upon as belonging TO the
church.
But lac was not the church's, liz
was not his own. Next to the Mas
ter hc loved aud served, he belonged
to Melissa Perry. But he did. not
know it then,
One bright October day the knowl
edge came to him with its burden o.
sweet hopes and trembling tears
Would Melissa take what belonged to
her hc wondered, How could he ever
find ont 2 The Lord, through the
mouth of Johnnie Osgood, told him
how.
One morning Johnnie went to the
Widows and stayed with the minister
until the clock struck twelve, when he
caught up his hat and started ior
home.
stay and eat dinner with me, John
me, said the minister,
i can't said Johnnie; Il have tc
get. | have to wipe the dinner dish
es for Melissa, shes goin' to the but
ter-woman's this afternoon, Why
don't you so and see her?
Il will, said the minister.
Johnnie meant the hutter.woman
but the minister meant Melissa.
He went to the butter womans (she
was a member of his church,, and had
been there about an hour when Melis-
so came. She wore q dark calico
dress and carried 4 bright tin pail on
her arm. On her way out to the
house Git was more than a mile out Of
town), she saw a little bunch Of scar.
let berries lying near the road. There
was 10 bush near them they were a
lone in their warm, bright beauty, and
she picked them up and fastened them
in her dress at the neck, wondering
where they came trom-just as the
minister had often wondered where
she had come from. The minister
saw the berries, and he to:got wheth
er her dress was calico or not.
After she purchased the butter she
took the tin pail on her arm again and
went out at the kitchen door, The
minister saw her 60, and he went out
at the front door and overlook her
and insisted on carrying the pail.
They talked in a general way until
they reached bit Of woods through
which they had to 60, and then he
persuaded her to sit down by him on
an old dlog and Observation-Disclosures
haps it was the bright day or the in
dependent autumn air-made her for
get that she was Deacon Osgood's
help and she talked unrestrainedly
with an intelligence that surprised
him. At last with delicate tact he led
her to talk about herself, and she told
him howl her parents were both
buried on one day. leaving her pennl-
lesr and friendless, and how she had
been bound to Deacon Osgood until
she was eighteen years old
They are kind to you, are they
no,?' he asked
'Yes. they are kind, but and she
stopped abruptly
But what Tell me all about it,
he said encouragingly.
'They do not care for me, she an
swered with great tears in her violet
eyes. They do not love me--and
nothing can live without care and
love- she added.
The minister's heart was swelling
under his coat, but he kept very calm.
How old are you? he asked quiet
ly.
i am nineteen.
why not leave them =! You are
not obliged to stay
U hove M homo. no place to 90 to,