The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-29


room to the parlor, they are a chris
tian family" He was puzzled, anC
when a few minutes later he hearG
the rafting of china and glass il
the next room he involitarily glanc
ed at Della's hands they were tot
white, too soft, to be pretty h
thought.
Melissa cleared the ia bic in tht
dark, and wept quietly all the time
Poor child, she was so disappointed
She had been in little tremor o
happiness all the morning, for she
thought Mrs. Osgood would certain
ly invite her into the parlor few
moments to get acquainted with the
minister, and after dinner she went
to her room and put on delicate
lilac muslin dress with a tiny lace
frill in the neck and sleeves. But
at 3 o'clock Mrs. Osgood came into
the kitchen and told her to go and
put on a dark calico, for she must
mix biscuits for supper, and she
would spoil the muslin. OF course
there was no parlor for her after
that, and she was rather surprised
when they called her to prayers.
While she was washing the dishes
Johnnie came stealing into the
kitchen on tip toe.
''Are they through praying Melis-
sa ?-What are you crying bout
Did you break a dish ?"
Johnny sympathized with any
one who was so unfortunate as to
break dish. He had broken one
or two himself.
"No Johnnie" she said.
"Did you burn your finger, then ?''
he asked, anxiously, with his little
fat face upturned to hers. IF you
did, I'll wash the dishes, every one
of 'em, and you can wipe 'em, Mel
iasa."
She declined his offer of help, but
he stayed with her until the minis
ter went away, and by steady coax
ing found out the reason why she
wept.
Mr.. Ridgely walked slowly home
from the deaeon's. He boarded
with an aged widow, and he knew
by the dim light burning in the par
lor when he reached there that she
had retired. He was too restless
to study or to sleep, so he walked
up and down the little garden in
the star light, with his hands clasp
ed behind him in the style peculiar
to ministers in deep thought. There
were a great many roses blooming in
the widows garden. The soft night
air was laden wi.h their perfume,
and made him think of Melissa
OF course there was no resemblance
between the flowers and Deacon Os-
goods "help, for she was white
and dropping like a lily, and they
were in full rich bloom; but she
was pure like them, and sweet, like
their breath, and they made him
think of her. With the thought of
her came memory of what his old
aunt had said to him the night be-
lore he came to Lynton.
"Judson," she said in her broad
English, "you are going away with
The Grace of God in your heart
you've got the old Ridgely muscle
md the marrow of the spirit in your
bones, and your feet are well shod,
but you lack one thing, you need a
nelpmate. And. my boy, you're
not complete. You'll find it out
some day, and when you do, follow
he leadings of your heart. You've
got an honest Ridgely heart, my
ooy and it'll not lead you amiss."
Why did the roses make him
.hink of Melissa? Why did the
.hought of her bring his aunt's
words to his mind? He certainly
,ould not have loved her when he
lad only spoken to her once, did
YOU say? No, / suppose not. l
believe it isn't called love in the be-
ginning.
Johnnie and the minister became
very intimate after that night.
Johnnie liked him because he had
onee been little boy, and he often
went to the widows to visit him.
He told him about Melissa's crying
he night he was at their house to
tea, and he told him that she had a
ot of books in her bed room that
used to belong to her father-he
guessed there was as many as five
altogether.
One day the minister plucked
Two or three posies, rose and a few
yeranium leaves from the widows
iower bed, and sent the new boquet
10 Melissa, by Johnnie. Johnnie
old him the next day that she had
kissed it after she thought he was
out of the room, but he peeped
a crack in the door, and
saw her do it. He went to the dea-
cons often after that, but he never
could get a chance to talk to her
alone.
One night, when none of the fam
ly was to prayer meeting but the
deacon and her, he undertook to
70 home with her alone, but before
hey had gone two squares the dea-
con came putting up to them, and
5alked new pulpit" until they
home.
By the last ofSeptember the min
ster like everything else, had ceas-
I'd to be new. Martha Simpson
had tried to get him, and failed
Fannie Goss had tried, and failed,
md he was looked upon as belong
ng to ''the church"
But he was not the church's. He
was not his own. Next to the Mas
Ter he loved and served, he belong
I'd to Melissa Perry, but he did not
know it then.
One bright October day the
knowledge came to him, with Its
burden of sweet hopes and trembling
fears. Would Melissa take what
belonged to her, he wondered. How
could he ever find out? The Lord,
through the mouth of Johnnie Os-
good told him how.
One morning Johnnie went to the
widows and stayed " til the minis
Ter until the clock struck twelve.