The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-29
THE MINISTER'S CHOICE.

The new minister was spending
the afternoon at Deacon 0sgood's.
He came to Lynton, q small town
in Pennsylvania, in February, and
now it was June, and this was the
first afternoon he had spent with
the Deacon and his family.
Della 0sgood looked very pretty
in drab mohair, with a tiny bou-
quet at her throat, and Mrs. Osgood
looked very motherly and pleasant
in her black alpaca and rufiied
white apron, and Johnnie Osgood
(aged iive) tried to look as a deacon's
son should. The minister ought to
have had a very pleasant afternoon
there, but he did not.
The first Sunday he preached in
Lvnton, and every Sundy since, he
had seen some one in the dea-
cons pew whom he did not see in
the ,leacon's parlor. She was a
Young woman with sad eyes and a
face W hereupon he had never seen a
smile. He had tried all the after
noon to- find out who she was, with
out seel ming curious he was young
and un married, you see), and had
failed. This is why he did not en-
ioy his risit as much as he ought.
At five o'clock Mrs. Osgood left
the parlt " to get tea, and the minis
ter was lone with Johnnie.
so YOU are Johnnie 0sgood, are
you?p said the minister. Wont
YOU come here and see me?"
Il cans ee you from here" answer
ed Johnnie
''Ihope you are a good little boy ?"
said the minister, smiling. You
ought to be, for you have a good
father and mother. Don't you think
SOP"
"Oh, / don't know. / want to
run away but they won't let me.
My pap t alks as if he never was
little boy. What do you think ?
This aftern oon, fore you came, he
told me if said bully while you
was here he would fog me. Was
you ever little boy ?"
"0h, yes" answered the minis
ter.
"Ain't my sister Della pretty
though ?" was his next question.
"Very," said the minister
"But she's the dumbest thing
The other night | wanted her to do
my sums in division for me, and
she couldn't do one of 'em, do you
believe. l made Melissa do 'em."
"Who IS Melissa?"
"Why, she's our help. You've
seen her. She sits in our seat in
church, next to pap. There's the
bell, I'm going to get. F"
And Johnnie disappeared through
the open door, and was not seen
again until after the blessing was
asked at the well-filled table.
After tea the deacon turned TO the
minister and said:
sMr. Ridgely, it is our custom to
have family worship Immediately
after tea. / shall be glad to have
YOU conduct it tonight"
The minister assented and the
deacon raised his voice and called
"Melissa?"
Just then Johnny was seen going
slvly to the window.
'sJohnniel' said his mother re-
provingly.
"Johnr' said his father sternly,
"where are you going, sir?"
."I'm a-going to get" answered
Johnnie, as he slid quietly out of
the window, and rolled over on the
green grass.
Then Melissa entered, and the dea-
con introduced her TO the minister.
@Mr. Ridgely," he said, this is
our-ahem this is Miss Melissa
Perry. Melissa this is Mr.. Ridgely."
The minister held the little, hard
brown hand in his moment, and
looked at the sweet, pale face, meek,
( like the Masters and as clearly pale
as a white morning-glory, and into
the sad blue eyes. Then he mo-
toned her to chair next to him,
and opened the Bible. He read a
few verses of one of the ''sweet. old
chapters and then they sang a
HYMN. Melissa did not sing. She
sat very still and listened, but she
only heard two lines:
Breathe, oh, breathe t..y living spirit,
Into every troubled brcas'."
Then the minister prayed, and
when they arose from their knees
the room was dusky with shadows,