Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-28
Nevertheless, church eople at l.

cordially treated, and her friends. wher
she made them, were very true to her
and always defended her when she rar
the gauntlet of soeie:y's tongue.
TIE picnic seems 4 success general
ly; everybody was having "sucb &
splendid time" and the mosquitoes had
voted picnic, beautiful invention, aud
we're singing anthems of praise at the
prospect Of "good square meal, =
when suddenly there WAS splash and
suff eating cries, and two little forms
disappeared under the gliding surface
of the stream that wound like huge
serpent through the woods.
There we're shrill sore ans of genuine
terror, and white faces stared ut the
rush of waters in au agony as the awful
peril of the children seemed to paral, e
them. Mrs. Evans, whose little, dark
haired boy bad loosened the canoe
from its fastening, to take Winnie Mer-
ton for ride. hal, while rocking it.
rocked too far and tipped it over; and
now, while her boy was almost drown
ing, was lying in a helpless heap on the
bank of the river. Some were begin
uing to recover their self-posses>ion aud
| we're calling fer ropes, when Mrs. Mer
ton. stepping out of Ler slippers
poised beraeif moment oM the bank
then the slender figure, clad in a Won
deIful array OF Swiss muslin and pale
blue ribbons. dropped like an arrow
into the water. and struck out with the
move of an expert to where little + mer
Evans was battling with the cnrrent,
and holding him so that his head wa.
above water. swami easily to shore,
where many hands lifted him to the
bank; and then, swimming back to her
febellious little step-,laugh,er. she car
ried her, hslf-suff1cated with waves
back to terra irma
Winnie, by general advice from with
out, had managed to keep an almost
continual warfare at home, although
she was naturally generous-hearted
child; and when she recovered from her
fright, and made sure she had not
swallowed al! the water in the river
she looked gravely at her stepmother's
soiled gsrmsu ta an said slowly
eff you don't care, Mrs. Merton,
I'll cali you mamma now"
After that day Mrs. Merton had many
friend.; for yen Can always reach q
mothers heart through her children
and every woman seems q mother to
any child in the hour of danger.
"Sse was brave and self-possessel,
and she saved my Elmer, and l don't
mean to ever say another word against
her if she never goes with the church" I"
That was what Mrs. Evans said at the
next meeting, and as she seldom ex
pressed an opinion for herself, the
ladies for the most part agreed with
h~r. except Mrs. Hezekiah Winters, who
said:
Well, I dunno; she may be all right.
but woman that coull entrap man
of forty. and he minister, kind of
looks to me as though she was Airt."
Aud Miss Sophrona Dobbs nodded
her false frizzes emphaticslly as she
said.-
81 agree with You, Mrs. Winters
We musn't all be taken in by one good
act."
Well. to tell the truth, FOLKS cid.
generally speaking. keep an eye on her;
but everything seemed satisfactory
She did nothing that scandalized their
ideas Of proprieiy. and they had almos,
made up their minds that with proper
advice she might do for ministers
| wife after ell.
| But the town OF l. was visited
one day by travelling theater troupe,
and every boiy was going who wasn't q
pillar in the church, ard wouldn't
encourage no such institution OF Satan
Mrs. Winters was especially bitter
against them. TIE theater, long time
ago, had led her one son from his home,
and the only sweet, sacred epot in Mrs.
Winters hard, religious life was her
love for the boy. her baby, as she
called him. although he was slmost q
man when be went away.
The day the troupe arrived Mrs
Winters was at home alone. and the
faint sound of distant music was arous.
ing to utterance the grief she had kept
buried So long.
"I'll jast 60 to the sewing circle and
forget my sorrow by listening to some.
thing or Other" A1d away truIged
Mrs. Winters to Mrs. Richfield's, whose
turn it was to epter;aio the society.
Every body was busy and gossipy. and
Mrs. Winters was listening to the re-
port OF tho bad behavior of the girl of
the period when Miss Arimintha White
cane bustling in.
"Law me! ladies, have you heard 2"
and without waiting for answer, she
continued, "Oh, the dreadful, awful
actions OF Imogene Merton! Sarah
Halcomb, that lives next door, seen it
with her own eyes, and she told me ell
about it. And poor, dear Mr.. Merton
away on church business!
"What is it?" "Do tell" $50
on, Ariminthar. and explain" were the
words from all sides.
swell, to begin with, my feelings is
awfully riled up; but you all know
that them theater feIlars come to dav.
Well, one of 'em-I know he was one
because he got off the train with them !
come to Mrs. Merton's today, and
aha xroa a SATIN in that room of hora