New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-07-07
WHOLE NUMBER 1922

lips should never open to explain. A
commonplace martyrdom enough, and
less than sanity, because so much of
human pride and self-will mingled in
its suffering, yet honesty and upright
ness are so scarce in these days as to
make even such sturdy witness for
them respectable, and many woman
who counts herself model of sane
tity might shrink from like daily Or
deal. But Aunt Beulah set her face "a
q flint, and pursued her way in silence.
June came and went, and with it went
Sarah to her eXpectant bridegroom in
Chicago. from whence apaper with due
notice of her marriage presently re-
turned. Aunt Beulah strove hard to
make both ends meet in her house.
keeping, and being close manager.
succeeded.
But while Aunt Beulah toiled and
moiled, and filled her wide measure of
charity toward these widowed and
fatherless with generous hand, the
church, nightly scandalized at her alb
sence from its services, was preparing
to throw shell into her premises. it
was allvery we'll to say to Miss Beers
that she was not afraid of such vista
ton, but trouble at hand is of quite
another aspect than trouble afar off;
her heart quailed and tluttered when,
one July afternoon, Nanny ushcred into
the dark cool parlor Deacon Morse and
Deacon Flint, come to ask her why she
had not attended church since the MIDI
die of last May, when she was in usual
health and exercise of her faculties,
Miss Beulah, however, was equal to tho
occasion. She faced the deacons stern.
ly. but calmly.
ut is so,'' she said, when they had
finished their accusation. IL hain't
ben to meetin'. for good cause. You
can't say I've did anything that's give
occasion to the enemy more'n this.
I've attended reg lar to prayer-meetin's
and SEWN circle; I've give as usual to
home missions; you cam tsay I've made
any scandal, or done nothin' out O. rule,
save an except stayin' at home Sabbath
days; and my family has attended pune
locally"
But this did not satisfy the deacons;
they pressed for a reason.
eff you would free your mind, Sister
Larkm, it would be for the good of the
said Deacon Morse.
"Mabbe 'twouldn't be altogether to
your likin'. deacon, if I did free my
mind. Seems as though stayin' at
home from meetin' want no worse IN
sandin' sugar an watcrin' rum, and l
never heerd you was deslt with for
them things"
Deacon Morse was dumb, but Deacon
Flint took up the discourse.
"Well, Sister Larkin, we didn't
know but what you was troubled in
your mind"
II ain't!' snapped Miss Beulah.
4" Or perhaps was gettin' a mite
doubtful about doctrines or s,lthin."
mo, l amt. 60 by the 'Scmbly's
Catcchism, and believe in every word
ont, questions and all.''
"Well, you seem to be q lcetlc con-
Sister Larkin, so to speak;
if you had a good reason, why, of course
you'd be willin' to tell it,
This little syllogism caught Miss Beu-
Ian.
'Wcll, if you must know, l hain't
got no bunnitn
The deacons stared mutually, and
Deacon Morse, forgetful of his defeat,
and curious, Us men naturally are,
asked, abruptly, "Why not?''
"'Cause Miss Blake sot on it,
The two men looked at each other III
blank amazcment, and shook their
heads. Here was 4 pitfall. Was it
proper, dignitied, possible, to investi-
gate this truly feminine tanglc? They
were dying to enter into particulars,
but ashamed to do so: nothing was left
but retreat. Miss Bculah perceived the
emergency, and chuckled grimly. This
was the last straw. The deacons ros0
as one man, and said, GOOd-day,"
with an accent of reprobation, going
their ways in deep doubt as to what
they should report to the church, which
certainly would not receive with proper
gravity the announcement that Miss
Beulah Larkin could not come to church
because the minister's wife had sat on
her Sunday bonnet. The strife of
tongues, however, did not spare Aunt
Beulah, if the deacons did, and for Il
long time Miss Beers, who had the key
to the situation, did not hear any of the
gossip, partly because she had been i'll
Of low fever, and then gone to her Sis
ters in hartford for change of air, and
partly that during July and August the
sewing circle was temporarily suspend
ed. But it renewed it's sessions in Sep
TENDER, and Miss Beers was an active
member, sure to be at the first meet
ing. It was then and there she heard
the scorn and jeers and unfounded
stories come on like a tidal@ wave to
overwhelm her friends character. She
listened few minutes in silence, grow
ing more and more indignant. Then
for she was a little woman, as far as
stature went-shc mounted into chair,
and demanded the floor in her own
fashion.
"Look-a-herc!' said she, her shrill
voice soaring above the busy clapper Of
tongues below. 'It's burnin' shame
to say a hard word about Beulah
Larkin. She's as good q woman as
breathes the breath of life, and know
the hull why and wherefore she hain't
ben to meetin'. She bain't had no bum
nit. I made her as tasty a bunnit IS
ever you see last spring, and that
jackanapes Of a boy he chuckcd it I'M
ucI Vic EOChcI CuSti!Oll Jcst ~ )liguc
her, and Miss Blake she come in and
sot right down on it, not knowin', of
course, that twas there, and rs if that
want enough to spoil it, Gan involun-
tary litter seemed to express the sense
of the audience that it was) that
other sprig she took and upset
pitcher of milk onto the cushion, and
you'd better believe that bunnit was
sight
'sWhy didn't she get anothcr:''
severely asked Deacon Morse's wife.
"Why? Why, becos she's a most
saint. Her dividends some on 'em
did't come in, and she'd promised that
biggest girl fifteen dollars to help her
get out to her felIer at Chicago, for Sary
told me ont herself; and then she gives
five dollars to hum missions every year,
and she done it this year jest the same,
and she's took that wilder and them
orphans bone all summer, and nigh
about worked her head off for 'em, and
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