Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-04-19
9 glrasaut Story,
TILE SIX RESOLUTIONS.

ne hect0ry was tue most cOmiart-
able house within the parish of Hipping
Mead. The Rector, the Rev. Elan
Martyr, was a widower with seven
daughters, the eldest six-and-twenty,
the youngest fourteen years old-he
had been a widower some thirteen years.
The shackles of matrmory had fallen
from his rather light nature, without
leaving permanent regret Not that his
had been an unhappy married life, but
his wife had been-and no detriment to
his maniness, either-the stronger will
of the two. Still he felt the yoke in a
quiescent sort Of way, and so when it fell
from of him. unknown to himself, I'M
acknowledged in his heart, the relief was
sensible
1t came then, that at the age of thir-
teen, Gerty, the eldest daughter, took
upon herself. with premature womanli-
ness, the ordering of the household. and
bad remained ever since, as her father
said, prime minister born admins
traitor she was, and her father knew it,.
Never, from household DISCRIMINATION,
had the Rector been tempted, these thir-
teen years of widowhood to cast thought
on second wedlock, and the very posi-
bility of such thing had never entered
his daughters heads.
The sisters lived in affection with each
other, and peace with the neighbors
The village watched over their Rector
daughters with vigilant interest, knew
their different dispositions and inclina-
tons, and priced them accordingly d
Mothers of young girls intended for
service eagerly sought to have them
trained by Miss Gerty, whose efficiency
in all domestic matters was well known
and respected; but if anyone were sick
it was Miss Sophie who was in demand.
If, however, sorer trouble than sick
ness on Observation-Disclosures poverty, but
disgrace through some near member then
it was Miss Nelly. her fathers pet, who
wos appealed to. "a sign" said her
father with dry humor, ''that your owa
morals are rather lax, my girl" But
Nellie argued that this was disease,
and might be cured by medicine, not
surgery merely
Again, if poverty visited a family,
Mary the open-handed, soft plying
Mary, was called to the rescue. That
money was needed was all that Mary
cared to know, the why and the where
fore were after considerations.
But if Tipping Mead had backward
swain or coqucttish damsel, Miss
Emmy was the one appealed to For
one short summer, when still in her
teens, Emmy lived her idyl Of happy
love, but when harvest time had been
and gone. her lover was on the wide sea,
and had babe her no farewell, so she had
ever plantive, pleading voice. that
brought together often, sundered lovers !;
winning smile that had power with
wavering swain. And lastly when
Tipping Mead would be en- fete, Gracey
was in request. She it was who decked
the May Queen. presided at tea feasts,
joined heartiest in the rural games, and
gave the prizes.
The seventh daughter. Amy, the last
Of the flock, was an invalid-the tender
and special care Of each Of her loving
sisters, and her father also.
Il was the first geek in October, and
Mr.. Martyr went TO Harrington, a neigh
boring parish, 10 indulge on 0 friends
acres in some unclerical sport, and TO
take Sundays duty.
As he was to be absent ten days, Gcrty
inaucurated house cleaning, her usual
escape" for represscd energies. A
week bad elapsed since his departure.
the actual cleaning process was over.
but tho things had not been replaced in
their respective localities, orderly con-
fusion reigDed supreme-eyen confusion
was orderly with Gerry.