Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-28
The Minister'S Wife.
HARRIET ESTHER WAINER.

HARRIET ESTHER wAGNER
mo s0G:?ii ever came OF it, nov
mind what tell you! Tho idea of IA
sober, respectable man of forty marry
ing Il chit Of girl like that! Blu, II
pears to me :hut the longer l live the
more convinced / am that men are
awfni fotls when it comes to love.
Whenever they git 'struck, as MY
nephew c.'l, it. it jast 'p-ars to knoch
all the sense cut OF 'em that they ever
did have" And Mrs. Hezakish WIN.
ters settled her spectaces firmly on her
n"se. as thongh she meant they should
always stay there. and then iammed her
needle energe:ica!ly through her sew,
ing.
You see Mrs. Hezekiah Winters was
prominent member of the sewing
society q. l.. atd was generally FIRST
sp0keswoman everywhere.
II agree wita you entirely" said
Mrs. Anthony Evans, a meek-faced
woman WHO seldom had an opinion OF
her own, but always agreed with some
body.
"And he being a minister Of the
G ,speI, too" put in Miss Scphrona
Dobbs.
II don't knos what the world is
coming to, I am sure" said Mrs. Eben
R.ckfeid; and there was q general sigh
of dissatisfaction frou all the members
of the sewing society.
II know that the duty OF every Nom
Der of this society is to couviEcs that
inexperienced child of her duty as o
minister's wife; and a morally sure
that something dreadful will happen to
those children Of his afore six months.
To thihk of the way she has started out
already-gots & new croques sst!' And
Miss Arimintha Wright tossed this re-
mark like bombshe!l in their midst.
The ladies dropped the precious gar
ments intended for the heathen amid
such ejaca!ations as "dreadfulI' y
Atrocious!" "Whas could he xpect
Of her?" did you ever?" AMI
again old Mrs. Ricafisld tried to imag-
inc What the world was coming to.
snow l don't think it looks very
well to see the whole society swoop
down on ore little person like Imogene,'
interrupted Mrs. Arthur Wilton, who
had not been q member of the sewing
circle very long.
"We had better wait until she is
here TO defend herself" said Mes
Henry Parsons, q meek second to Mes
Wilton.
81 see plainly. Mrs. Wilton, that
you aud Mira. Parsons are taken by her
silly. childish ways. But formed my
opinion # her thai Sunday when she
laughed right out IL meeting just be-
cause little poodle dog barkei at the
choir"
This awful evidence Of the total de-
p.avity Of the minister's new wife was
revealed by Mrs. Hezekiah Winters.
Almost every body laughed at thai" )"
responded Mrs. Parsons. "AnythiDg
seems SO much funnier if you hadn't
ought to laugh"
And Just to think of what she said
to me-" said tho owner of The afore-
mentioned poodle. "Why. when
sent and asked her to 'in our society
she said she had two little heathens at
home to sew for, and that they took the
most of her time; bat if we waited to
sew for the neglected children living
under the shadow of our own church
spires. she would spare time to help
rs. just IS if we wanted the lower
sra ia our church," And Miss So
phrona Dobbs shifted the air disdain-
fully.
"Now this is enough for one time.'
Interrupted Mrs. Wilton. "Wculd
mat ministers could have two wives,
20 We might divide the blame"
TIE ladies looked bswildered, and
some OF them laughed little; then
they launched into discussion on the
coming picnic.
1t was to be the regulation kind of
picnic for the ladies and children only.
snd they were to have such nice time,
WIN ham sandwiches, pressed chicken,
anu lemonade made on the grounds, and
"oes and mosquitoes oa in6aitum.
"hen the day Of the picnic arrived.
a'ts. Merton, the much -talked-of min
.s'efs wife. went. People had said
'nat they "didn't reckon Mrs. Merton
YOU'D go, as the church was at the
.o''om OF it," and when they saw her
.aefe they said it was "just like friv-
s:oos thing like her to go to every pic.