Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-01-23
The Minister'S Party.


Smartown is thriving manufacturing
village about twenty miles from Boston. II
is very much like a score Of other towns in
that locality-half city and half village. II
has main street with tall brick blocks upon
| it. two b"ick school-houses. half dozen
handsome churches, few back lanes with
licensed eating-saloons dpon the corners, two
large cotton mills aud the usual mixture of
| good and bad, rich and poor, among its in
| habitants.
The pastor of one of these churches, at
the time of which write, was Rev. Ernest
Noble. He was young man, full of zeal
for his work, and accounted among the
young ladies of his flock a model of per-
lection, until one day he requested that the
unused parsonage be put in order, and soon
after brought from Boston bright little
woman to rule over it. From that time
much of the special interest in regard to him
began to wane, and he was no longer over
whelmed with slippers, pen-wipers, paper.
weights, etc.
And the poor man, dazzled by the bright
eyes of his merry little wife, seemed never
to notice the change, but pursued the even
tenor of his way, preaching, if possible, with
greater fervor than before
Thus six months passed, aud the holidays
drew near. One day in the sewing circle it
was announced that the minister was going
to have party. There could be no mis-
take, for Sister Grundy's niece, Sarah
Brown, the seamstress, while sewing at the
parsonage, had overheard the minister and
his wife talking in his study. She was in
the next room, but, sitting near the crack
of the door, could not help hearing the
words "invite," refreshments "games,"
emusic" and something about dancing"
and she guessed they were going to have
high time.
"You don't say so !" cried the horrified sis
ters in concert.
"Just as expected - said one.
81 told you so p said another. It's all
the doings of that Boston wife of hisn.
Why couldn't he have been contented to
have taken a good pious sister from his own
church, instead OF going way to Boston
after such doll
Z" shan't be surprised at anything after
this. never but here the Christian con-
versaton was interrupted by the summons
to tea, and the unexpected appearance in
their midst of the pastor and his Bos-
ton wife,
You may be sure that after this the par
sonage was closely watched. No sentinel in
time of war ever kept closer guard over
unsuspectin g enemy than did these faithful
sisters over the movements of the clergy
mans family.
Little Mrs. Noble wondered twenty times
day what had so suddenly interested the
sisters in her behalf; for during the next
two weeks she received more calls than dur
ing her previous six months stay with this
people. But never hint did they gain from
her of what was going on in her domains.
Yet, certainly, preparations or sumo SORT
were steadily progressing, and it was sus-
pected that the time" was coming OFF
Christmas day.
Christmas came on Friday. Monday,
watchful eyes had seen a load of evergreens
deposited in the ministers cellar Tuesday.
Mr. Noble was very busy all day, hut what
was the nature of his business no one could
learn; for when Squire Cheatum's daughter
had stopped her sleigh on purpose to invite
his wife to ride with her on Christmas day,
he politely Informed her that she had previ-
ous engagement, and hastened away to over
take little boot-back
Their conversation evidently had an ex-
hilarating effect on the little fellow, for as
soon as Mr.. Noble had turned the corner, he
turned several somersaults and pirouetted
up and down the icy pavement on his hands,
his feet suspended in the air.
| Wednesday. the piano-tuner for two long
hours vexed the peaceful air in the vicinity
of the parsonage with most unearthly sounds
Thursday, the eXpressman LETT mysterious
box at the door. Some one, entirely disin-
terested asked him what he supposed it con-
tanned he replied curtly, Cut flowers, OF
course y
And so the wonder grew But what was
the most mysterious of all, it was impossible
to fnd out who were invited. squire
Cheatum, who paid the most towards the
preachers salary, knew nothing about it !;
Mr. License, who kept the finest eating-sa-
loon in the city, and only few choice
liquors for certain of his guests, you know ;
Judge Sentence, who always tIled and de-
cided his worst cases while lntently listen
ing to the sermon Sabbath afternoon; Dea-
con Smith, Sarah Brown, the seamstress,
and her elderly relative, Mrs. Grundy, were
alike excluded from the invitations, II, IN
fact, any had been issued
Friday morning broke cloudless and bright,
lighting up with myriads OF sparkling gems
the freshly-fallen snow
d" How beautiful how delightful !" ex
claimed Mrs Noble, as she peeped through
the frosty pane "Dont you like to see
fresh snow upon the ground Christmas
morning, Ernest 7"
Yes, dear, it seems fitting emblem OF
him whose advent we celebrate to-day He
found the world full of misery, wickedness
and strife; he brought to it religion OF
love and peace. He finds our souls full OF
all uncleanness; he washes them whittier
than snow, and clothes them with the pure
} robe of righteousness. May all that we dc
to-day be done to his glory, my dear"
"Amen J" whispered May and the pastor
went to his study where, uninterrupted, he
always passed a hall hour before break last
, 'Tis ten o'clock, and Mrs May Noble
stands in her pretty parlor, taking hna
! survey OF herself aud her apartments beior'
! the arrival OF her guests The gossips have
I guessed right for once, and there is to be I
J dinner.party at the parsonage this Christina