Connecticut western news., 1879-02-19
The DeacOn's Love Story.

Ine UeaCOnS Love SEOfy.
 |" wonder he didn t take the parson, unused the deacon's housekeeper as the deacon drove off alone to the Annual Conference. "He's commonly master thoughtful about lookin' out for folks. z What husband he was p
 Yes, Asa Phoenix had been good hus- band. All the neighbors agreed with Mrs. Dubbs in that particular. He had waited upon his fussy invalid wife by inches for thirty years, making her as happy as she would let him and when her summons came, he had closed her dying eyes tenderly, saying, even with tears, "Poor sufferer, she is better off p That he was better off he never hinted by word or look. He wore his widower's weeds with sad decorum he reared in memory of the departed Lucinda mon- ument which the most fastidious de- ceased might have envied he grieved faithfully for the full allotted year of mourning. If now, from the ashes of funeral pyre, like his feathered name sake of fable, he was springing up with renewed youth and freshness, was it not well?
 In truth, though he had not seen fit to ccnfde this fact to Mrs. Dubbs, Dea- con Phoenix had sighted the minister deliberately and with malice afore- thought. Nor was 1t of the Conference hewas thinking that fragrant June morn ing as he whirled away, tucking the lap robe well about his glossy new broad cloth. For once in his hitherto blame less life he was essaying to hide the secu- lar underneath the spiritual. He did notmean to go straight to meeting it was his willy intention to make wide circuit, and call on Miss Olive Wayne in the town of Chester. He had question to ask her, and did not want the parson with him he hoped he right want him later.
 Pretty, cheerful Olive How fond he had been of-her, years ago, when she at tended his school If he had not then been in love with Lucinda, he was sure he should have fallen in love with her, mere child though she was. He had never lost sight of her, and he thanked Providence that he had been enabled by money and influence to help her family over some hard places. Please God, the dear girl should henceforth have an easier life. Girl Why, little Olive must be ff.yl The good deacon laughed at the amusing recollections. We'll, she would always seem young to him. And as for himself, at sixty odd he was 6 hale man yet; he could jump fve-rail fence as well as ever he could-give him time. His thoughts continually reverted to Olive, so patiently devoted to her inva- lid father. She should bring the old gentleman to his house if she wished, or he would provide for his maintenance at her brother Reuben's. He was in- clined to consider that the better plan. The money would be an object to Reuben.
 In these cogitations the morning passed, and noon found Deacon Phoenix at the little hotel in Chester. Impatient of delay, after hasty dinner he set out almost immediately for the Wayne home stead. Arrived at the gate, lie spied Miss Olive at the window, and alighted with youthful agility not altogether prudent in man who had twinges oi sciatics. And yet-strange inconsistency of human nature !-he dallied at the hitching post, and afterward, with hii hand on the very knocker, he paused tc scan the distant horizon, as though ht had come mainly for view of the noun tains. Miss Olive opened the door, hel cheeks flushed like late October peaches She would not have been woman hat she not diyined the deacon's tender mis sicn, proclaimed by every detail of hi immaculate toilette, by the grasp of hi hand, by his nervous, expeetant air And, moreover, Miss Olive was an at tractiye woman, not unversed in lovers ways.
 Happy to see you, Mir. Phoenix Walk in, :" said she, furriedly, usherin him into the sitting-room, where he aged father dozed in his armchair.
 Who is it, Olive? ?" said the old ger tleman, waking with bewildered stare
 "Mr. Phoenix, father. You remembe MT. Phoenix, I'm sure."
 "I don't know as I do," said he, queru Iously, .fumbling with the guests out stretched hand. "What's he come fol Olive ?'
 The deacon looked as if he was sue denly feeling the hot weather; Mis Olive was positively feverish, but sI deftly eyaded the troublesome questio by diverting her fathers attention. H peppermint tea was ready-would 1 not drink it? As she hovered about tf invalid, straightening his footstool, a ranging his pillows, steadying the GU while he drank, Mr. Phoenix regardt her admiringly. How young she seem'
 still Not gray thread in her goldC
 hair scarcely a wrinkle in her fac
 That was because Of her excellent di position. He waited till she had sootht the old man into slumber, then in a c
 rect, manly way introduced the subje that lay next his heart.
 Miss Olive interrupted him by an el auent glance toward her father.