Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-05-19

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pair of preternaturally solemn and inno-
csnt-looking eyes. In spite of his eyes,
Sammy was generally regarded as a
limb" and he and his three brothers.
Moses, Hosea and Joseph, caused the old
proverb concerning ministers sons to be
often repeated with solemn head-shakings
by the townspeople.
Sammy, is your father goin' to be mar
ried?' asked Mrs. Davis, with her hand
affectionately placed on Sammy's shout
der.
''Ths old gent? He couldn't remember
to. Nobody would have him, either. He's
as bald as door-knob, and he asks q
blessing anywhere along between the meat
and the puddin'. And Joe and me would
fix her, anyhow" -,
wouldn't you like to have him marry
nice, kind lady like Miss Cordilly Brew
ster? She would teach you how to be-
have
Know how good enough now, and I'd
wiring her old parrots neck! T don't be-
lleve it, anyhow, but Pm goin' to find
out'
And off went Sammy, regardless Of his
kite, and burst, breathless, into his faith
er's study.
You amt going to marry Miss Brew
ster and her old green parrot that swears,
and have her always clearin' up and dust
in and losin' your papers, are yer?" de-
manded Sammy.
The minister turned from his sermon
writing and regarded Sam with amaze
ment. Gradually his expression changed
to one of perplexity. He removed his
spectacles from his eyes to the top Of his
head and then he tapped his forehead with
the tips of his fingers as if to summon
forth some straying recollection.
''That must be the very thing was try
ing to remember! Wait moment. l must
have set it down somewhere. -
Aud Parson Greeley drew from one Of
the pigeon holes of his desk some loose
sheets of foolseap paper which had evil
IDENTIFY been used as diary. Several pages
were devoted to memoranda; these the
minister read aloud:
'Mem.-To confute the infidel psddler 5
argument by st. Paul, and
'Mem.-To tell Deborah, mildly but
firmly, that so much salaratus is not con-
ducive to health
'Mem.-To punish Joseph and Samu-
ell for unssemly conduct at prayer time.
'Mem.-To admonish Brother Bates
gently that he is becoming unsound in
doctrine.
'Mem.-To enaeavor so far as lies in
. me to restore peace to the singing seats.
"Mem.-To endeavor to exercise such
measure of wholesome restraint over
Moses and Samuel that they may not be-
come cause of scandal to the neighbor-
hood.
"Mem.-To devote greater measure
of attention to worldly matters, such as
applying blacking to my boots, and brush
ing my raiment.
'Mem.--To consider prayerfully wheth-
sr the use of bair.dye is Incompatible with
the principles Of the Christian religion or
the duties of the Christian ministry.
'Mem.-That the singing seats are in
the hands of God, and that he causes even
the wrath Of man to praise Him.
'Mem.-Te consider prayerfully the
subject of contracting matrimonial ALI
ance with Miss Cordelia Brewster
That's it! knew 1 was not mistaken;
and felt that had leadings from the
Lord in that direction; and yet, in the
midst Of manifold cares and distractions,
it wholly slipped my mind, weak and er-
ring mortal that am. Bat it may not
yet be too late.'' And the minister seized
his hat, giving it hasty brush with his
sleeve, and hurried to the door, turning,
however. to lay his hand with unwonted
tenderness upon his son 3 head, saying sol
EMMY: samuel. thank you for this sug-
gestion, and would that I could perceive
in you as lively signs of the workings of
grace as do of wisdom and discernment
beyond your years.
Samuel, left alone, looked after his faith
ar with most lugubrious face.
For Teller to go and do it himself,
that's the worst of It'll hadn't better let
on to Nose and the rest that did it! No
more fun if she comes here; she'll want a
Teller to have his clothes and hair brushed
every minute, and no pie or cake between
meals. Wen make it lively for her, though
Nose and Hose and 10 and IL
All unconscious of what was in store
for her Miss Cordelia Brewster was en-
gagged in inspecting and admiring her green
silk dress, which had just been sent home
from the dressmaker's. Miss Cordelia was
bloom still lingering upon her cheeks, and
no trace Of times fresting upon her chest
nut locks. Why she had never married
was mystery. For ten years after her
father, the village doctor, had died, leav-
ing her modest competence, the gossips
had been on the lookout for matrimonial
intentions on her part. When she had
passed thirty and was still Miss Cordelia,
people ceased to speculate about her. For
some inscrutable reason they decided that
Miss Cordelia meant to be an old maid to
the end of the chapter. 1t was observed
that even John Parmenter, who had some
what indefinitely chung round" her for
years, 'kiud O. dropped off," he no longer
sat in the singing seats, where Miss Cor
della still serenely kept her place, despite
the rivalry of younger choristers; so they
were not so frequently thrown together,
and he was seldom seen to walk home with
her from the weekly prayer-meeting; his
old sorrel mare was very rarely seen fasten-
ed to the hitching- post before Miss Cordes
lia's door of Sunday night; and only
once or twice had he been seen shyly to
offer her nosegay OF southernwoed and
cinnamon pinks. which grew to great per-
lection in his garden, and of which, in her
girlhood, Miss Cordelia had been very
fond.