The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-03-31

tlsl and Methodist, While = handful .
unilariaus gathered occasionally Al th'
. town ball and few Ad.entists vent 70 ib'
next village. hve miles distant, 20 worship
I The three frst mentioned societies wsr'
a. disiinc, from each other as black y
, from white. Not only were they not "
visiting terms with each other. but thres
stores showed that thsy did no, ever trade
together The oldest inhabitant could
not remember when this was not 50. bn,
the time had come for a revolution, and
with this our story has 10 do,
Mas Beisey Bailey, an elderly maiden
lady, was sitting alone in her quiet home
when all at once she broke out with:
Well, do deelarel Here We bs living
along in this heaihenish way year after
year, and We consider ourselves Christians.
It's ashame that FIVE hundred people can I
live together in harmony, when 80 many
OF as are church members,
The cat which was sleeping quietly in
Betsey's lap, jumped down and ran to the
further end Of 1.-THE room, for Miss Bet
ssy has gesticulated in that direction in
such manner as to inhict quite rap
upon the sleeping tabby.
Wei, declare, said Miss Betsey, il
didn't get so eloquent that scared the
cat think must have been born for
female orator.
After this she sat back in her chair, APP
parantly asleep. but she was not her mind
was busy over a plan which she meant to
put in immediate operation. 1t was very
late that night when she came to a final
decision, and OF course she must wait till
morning before she could begin. So ex-
cited had she become over the matter that
it was long past midnight before she re.
tired, and then it was not to sleep.
Early next morning she called on her
most intimate neighbor and acquaintance,
Miss Sarah jenkins.
Sarah, I've got notion, and it is so sell
dom that am ever trubled with such
thing that / had to come right over and
I III you before | lost it.
Do you feel able this morning to grasp
one OF the grandest, noblest and brightest
ideas the world has ever pondered on?
Why, Betsey for land sake don't scare
a body to death You are not going to set
the river afire, are you?
Not quite so bad as that, / hope, but if
we don't turn this town upside down in
three months, my name isn't Betsey.
We7 ! hope you don't intend to include
me in this grand scheme.
But / do. You are the very one l want
for my right band man.
The idea that an old maid like me lend
ing aid to the grandest, noblest-
Hold on, Sarah, don't repeat that SON
tence, please; the very walls have ears,
and / would not have a word Of this get
out for the world. All you've got to do is
to listen to me, and when you've heard my
story you will agree with me to the letter;
il you don't, l won't ask you to help me a
bit Hand me your knitting and I'll knit
and talk; | was in such hurry to get here
this morning that forgot my work. /
cant talk, though, unless am doing some
thing.
Betsey then proceeded to lay the scheme
before her friend, who, when she had con-
cludsd, not only agreed to help her, but
offered some very valuable suggestions
which were grasped by Betsey. So eager
were they with their plans that the noon
hour slipped by, and three o'clock came
before either Of them thought Of dinner
Next morning Betsey and Sarah were
again together, this time prepared for a
walk. Both these ladies were Congrega- !
tionalists, and many OF their nsighbors .
were surprised TO see them stop at the s
house Of Eliza Simmons, one Of the ,
ssaunchest sisters of the.Mcthodist persua- g
sion. 1t couldn't have been over on hour 7
before the town was alive with the news d
The Orthodox we're shocked, the Metho- I
dists opened their eyes in wonder. while
the Baptists stood aloof in dignifed ST. d
lence. For one whole day they talked OF a
nothing but this breach Of sectarian eti- s
quette. The next day they had something I
else TO talk about These three ladies, in I
company with Margaret Stiles, another b
sister, called upon the West sis o
ters, Mary and Martha, two OF the leading 8
ladies OF the Baptist society. They not
only called but they stayed all the forenoon Il
and took dinner. v
This was on Saturday. On Sunday these Ii
six ladies occupied Miss Bailey's pew in I,
the Congregational church. The little "
aock were SO astonished that they paid e
little attention TO the sermon, and the min. A
ster went home with the feeling that not v
. dozen in the whole congregation could h
ell what his text was.
Bosworth was now in state Of intense Il
excitement. Such thing had never hap Ii
oened before. Many ofth Congregation II
Ilists called on Miss Betsey and on Miss h
sarah. but all they could find ont was that q
he ladies went with them by special iuvi. T.
alton. 5;
On Thursday night the six ladies attend. d
,d class meeting in the Methodist vestrr. Il
Not only that, but Miss Jenkins and Miss 81
Martha Stiles took part 10 the meeting. "
What was TO be done, Something. Ger "a
ainly, for this state Of thing. could not q,
'ris, long. The Bsptists visited the Miss 81
's Stiles, but all the information they "
'ould gel was that they went to both 70
places by invitation. snd that Martha fels Al
moved to speak at The latter place, and did q