St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-07-05
.efnr he Children.
Fanny's Sermon.
BY HOPE WAID.


1t was rainy spring day. Mrs,
Baker was sitting in a rocking chair
sewing, and Tommy was on the floor,
playing with his marbles, every now
and then throwing some into the all
just to hear them come down again.
Fanny was walking around brushing
the chairs with cloth, though they
had already been nicely busted; but
nimble fingers must have something to
do.
Fanny was not very old, but she was
older than Tommy, who had been put
into jacket and pants the day before,
and went strutting around to let every
one know he was a. man. ifsTTy
Fanny said her mother, "you and
Tommy must carry your playthings up
stairs, and amuse yourselves, for my
head aches; but don't get into any
mischief
So they gathered up their dolls and
went through the dining-room, out into
the hall, and upstairs to their room.
After awhile Fanny said, "Come, let's
play church )" and they were soon ar
ranging the chairs for pews.
so Tommy, we'd better go down into
the parlOr. It's ever so much more like
church there. You bring that pillow
and Maria Ann, and I'll take these
things. Don't make noise, for mama
wants us to be quiet"
They crept into the parlor. How
solemn and dark it looked, with the
stuffed chairs standing around and the
mirrors and long curtains looking at
them; but they went in and threw
down the pillows and dolls.
"Now,n said Fanny, "let's get lots OF
pillows; they'll do for folks. So they
kept stealing up and down, until they
had procured all the pillows, even those
from the spare-room. Then they brought
down mama's best shawl and many
other clothes, and threw them all around
the paIlor.
"Now, Tommy, I'll show you how
you can help"
"Pooh, can do as well as YOU" and
Tom put his hands in his pockets and
looked as if he owned Boston.
"Oh, you're only Il little boy" said
Fanny. "This can be Mrs. Blake
and she pinned her mothers shawl
around pillow-'but she mustn't come
fol- ever so long; she's always late
This will be the funny old man, and
this red tidy he can use for a handker-
chief. This is the lame girl, and all
these dolls are little boys and girls like
you. You can be sextunt, and show
the folks in. They'd ought to walk,
but they haven't any legs, so you must
carry them; but we'll play they walked.
I'm the minister; and when preach,
if there's any bad children, put them
out"
Tommy's eyes danced at the thought
of being sexton.
Fanny put the marble-top table be-
fore her for pulpit, and said, "We
will sing the page 81 )" and she started
"Hold the Fort" With that Tommy
began dragging the people in and put
ting them on the chairs, all the time
singing very loud.
At last they were all in. 'NOw Pm
going to PREACH" said the little minis
ter, and Tommy rushed up and down
the room, taking the children out for
bad conduct.
Fanny heard the bell ring, but she
was too busy to think that it might be
company and mama might bring them
into the parlOr. She stood with one
hand stretched out, saying, "Brevren,
| don't want you to he bad no more, y
when the door opened, and that sermon
never was finished. The young sexton,
who had just been boxing the old gen
tleman's ears, and was now dragging
out the old lady in one hand and the
lame girl in the other, stood with mouth
and eyes wide open, looking at mama
and the tall minister.
Mama was too shocked to speak.
"Well Well !" said the pastor, in
such a solemn tone that Tommy tried
to look as if he didn't care and Fanny
was just going to cry, when she caught
the merry twinkle in his eye, and they
all laughed instead. But think ma
mas sermon must have been preached
afterward, for the parlOr never was
used for Westinghouse again.