Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-09-23
@rRANs1ENT B1LLs-eAsH.
thought you'd be minister, john. !"

thought you d be minister, John.
That's right" he said heartily. "Don't
go making me any body but John I'm the
same man you used to know, come back to
renew old friendship and do the work have
undertaken"
I'm getting ready for picnic, explained
Miss Payne, ''and Tn. busy just now, so
you'll you have to entertain yourself for an
hour or SO till set the things out of the
oven. Then I'll be at liberty, and we'll have
good, old-fashioned visit"
IN como into the kitchen aud We can
talk aud you can work at the same time"
said john and without waiting for any reply
he proceeded to do so, and put himself q
chair close to the table, where he could
watoE her to the hest advantage. For there
seemed to be something wonderfully attrao>
tive to him in her face.
How the morning few. Il was noon
before Miss Payne knew it. But then they
had talked so busily that they could keep no
note of time.
Susan from the kitchen door, far enough
back to be out of sight of John, aroused her
by making all sorts of mysterious signals,
pointing first at the minister and then to-
wards the road, to which she added series
of appalling performances by opening aud
shutting her mouth. which was afterwards
ascertained to be q representation in panto-
mime of the way that young women sup.
posed horses ate. Unable TO unders tand
what she wanted to communicate, Miss Peyne
went to ind out about it.
There's his poor old horse a>standin' at
the gate the whole mornin'," asserted Susan
with indignation. can he a-settin' here an
laughing. If he was horse now"
But Miss Payne didn't stop TO hear the
metaphysical argument Susan was about to
announce.
why, JOhn!' she said, coming back into
the kitchen; don't you know you've got n
horse out thercy I'd forgotten all about it ill
Susan spoke of it. just you take it around
and turn it out in the pasture, and I'll have
dinner by the time you're back"
She watched him be went down tho
path. with soft light in her eyes and =
strange happiness at her heart. She didn't
know why. Sho couIdn't have told if che
had tried to nDalyze it. 1t must be that she
felt the gladness near at hand Us the trees
know when spring is coming.
I'D like to know if that mans going to
stoy here forever2" said Susan to the old
brindIe COW that night. as she drove her up
from the pasture. Il should s'pOso he'd feel
it his duty to visit other folks Std o. that
he's a,settiu' round here. an Aunt Hester
an he's a.talkin' the whole eudurin' time,
an he amt said a word about any of them
things all the other ministers used to, as I've
heard 4"
But old brindle didu't seem to be able to
enliehteL Susan on any point, and that young
person went to bed feeling that ministers
weren't what they used to be.
The, minister and Miss Payne sat and
talked quietly in the still twilight. He told
her all about his life since she had known
him fifteen years ago. and how the change
had come into it which transformed him into
a minister. And thGn there fell little sic
lence about them which neither broke for
long time BY and by he spoke.
Il don't know why l catne here first Hes
ter, l suppose I ought to have gone to Saw
yer's. but couldn't get by hero. From tho
tune knew | was going TO be station over
this part I've been thinking of you aud long,
ing to talk over old times with you as have
done to-day. And some way it seemed to mo
as if God had plan to carry out in stations
ing me over here. l don't know what you
think about it, Hester, but believe | could
do better work in the world if you would
help me. We've been parted for good many
years, but I've never loved any one else and
never shall; and it seemed to mo to-day that 1
took up life just where We left it fifteen years
ago-in this old kitchen. I've always blamed
myself for what happened afterwards, and
want to confess II to you now whether you
think as do about what l have told you or
whether you don't"
"No. John, was the one to blame, she
said. Il was telling myself that this morp-
ing, not half an hour before you came. I
saw it all afterwards"
"Is it yes or no, Hester?" he asked, ten
dcrly. "We're old enough to know ourselves
better than we did thon. Can you help mo
in my liie.wOrk without: regret for what you
must give up?"
81 will help you ~ she cried, her whole
face aglow. Il shall give up nothing bus
loneliness. and shall gain-you 90
What a speech to make to a minister
1t Susan could bavo heard it she would
have become an immediate convert to the
theory of total depravity. And to come from
Miss Payne too!
''God bless you, Hester. and may you
never be sorry for this," he said, and kissed
her with long, lingering kiss, while the
moonlight fell about them like beuediction
from heaven.
To Preserve GREEN ToMAroEs-
Take two fresh lemons to every three pounds
of small preen tomatoes. mare the rinds verv