The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1881-08-12

ligious influence, and they scarcely
ever reached the minister, or appre-
ciably affected his work. They were
on the wings Of tobacco smoke in the
vicarage of bak-rooh stoves, or were
retailed by some "Ovid Bolus" Of
the village. e
But at last the sacred country was
Invaded, and the cause of the invader
found supporters among those who
sat at the Lords table.
Jeremiah Van Riper-a descendant
ola Jersey Dutch family, had "thorn
in the flesh" in the shape of his wife.
Jeremiah was man about five fee,
seven inches in height, and a trife
less than that in width, or thickness.
His head was as bald as Dombey's-
his face as red as June rose, and
his abdominal proportions were enor-
nous. When he moved up towards
a person, he came slowly like an old
Dutch lugger fighting with a head
wind. And yet when he arrived, you
found that there was no fight IN
him. He was a kind and CHEEKY
soul. He was a member of the Con.
gregational Church, and concerning
religious matters he never had doubt.
He slept a good deal of the time, and
did good, old fashioned, honest snor-
ing which would not only awaken
everybody in the house, but would
arouse Van Ripper himself. Very of.
ten, he would start up soon enough
to hear the latter half of one of his
shores .i .'tH
His wife was as thin as a wafer-a
regular wind-cutter, a cross-cut saw
She never slept any, and this chiefly
because her husband slept a good
deal. 5f ir ''I.a e..
She had a friend-Miss Samantha
Perkins, spinster, who was a good
deal like her. Samantha boosted of
some twenty-five "offers," and also
boasted of their contemptuous rejec.
ton. "rhe man amt born, that I'D
have /" she was accustomed to say.
Some of the wags remarked that they
guessed English was not born ;" for
old Samantha although ten or fifteen
years his senior, was seen more than
once to put herself in his way, and
remind him of the trials of the minis
terial vocation, and how it stood in
need Of special and peculiar sympa-
thy. "a
But as time wore on, and the "dear
pastor as Perkins had been wont to
call him, had seemed to consider it
more in the way of either his duty or
inclination to visit other houses than
hers,--she lost the kindness of her
tone, and began to give vent to Ian.
guage more natural to her. Birds of
evil omen flew from her mouth, and
she ran at once to Mrs. Martha Van
Ripper with her suspicious and sugges
tions. Martha was always ready and
"Ganson was the one that was
anxious to get him here, said Saman-
tha, sand he's the one that's anxious
10 keep him here, SO he can have
for him and that proud hus-
~ of daughter of his, to associate
With I! And they've got him He goes
here ten times where he goes any.
where else once! Yes, the poor can
90, and the sick can 60, and the un-
protected can go, giving an uncon.
cious emphasis to the word 'unpro.
ected, but as for Charles English,
lie can spend his time counting up to
|
EYES," answered Mrs. Van Ripper,
'and that tn, when there's a CROWN
eelin on the subject of religion
Pretty time for a man to be lookin
.fter wife, when the blessin's just
going to be poured out There amt
much savin and sanctifyin grace, in
ookin forard to a weddin I've been
on it, a long time !"
"And III bet YOU" added Saman-
ha, as soon as mother Van Ripper
,aused for breath, "that that Georgi-
ma isn't any better than she ought to
'e, either!"
The Deacon who sat a little way off
n an arm chair; and who had not got
airly started for Nod, stirred a little
t the last remark, and without open.
ng his eyes, sluggishly said {: "Don't
'e III hasty women"
eyes, don't be tn hasty!" retorted
lis swift tongued spouse. "There
int no danger of you bein tn hasty
that's good gospel for you tn preach!
there can't nobody accuse you of not
i'll"
But Van Ripper had got all ready
Or his trip, and would not be de.
aimed by the fiery. criticism of his
,ife. He had gone1tp-sleep.
Miss Perkins, thinking that possibly !
e might yet be awake launched a
lub at him. Looking straight at his
rife, with terrible appearance of un-
of his presence, she
aid, II do think it's kind of natural
Or men to favor mean folks-specially
1ean women -
Mrs. Van Riper's chin visited her
ose, and as it withdrew, she said,
nd sighed as she said it. Experience
as been an awful powerful teacher
q my case !" ~, -'iH
Now if there was one thing in the