Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-07
Gales arro Skftfbts.
BY SOPHIE N. SWEET.
Continued from Yesterday

Il do hope it want to keep school. -
said Mis- Hosea Blodgett, recovering her
self suddenly, ''for she hain't a mite OF
faculty, everybody knows. Why. asked
her once If she understood mathematics,
and she said she could do addition if you
gave her time. NY ANGELA understands
mathematics, and besides beautiful
learnin' she's got real faculty for keepin'
SCHOOL,
'.Itwas not position as scho j teacher. -
said the minister.
She could kind Of get along with
Homework. though she hahn I any faculty
hope the folks amt very partickerler, !"
said Mis- 1chabod
"As she declined the position, it does
not seem to matter whether they are or
not.- said the minister.
IT Mis- Ichabod had not stood very
much in awe Of the minister. he would
have then and there received "a piece Of
her mind" as she afterwards declared !:
''for If there was anything that provoked
Der beyond endurance. it was close
mouthed person." But as he was the
minister. there was nothing tn do but to
take leave of him with coldness and
dignity which should give some token OF
their displeasure.
As il he couldn'ttell them Just as well as
not who wanted to hire Pamely to do
Homework But there was one comfort
the committee knew there was nothing
going on in Brimblecom that they couldn' t
find out.
And just after she had expressed that
opinion. Mis- Ichabod was so overcome by
some sudden thought that she fairly gasp
ed. and leaned for support against the
town pump, which providentially stood in
her way.
II heard that Joanna Leach wanted to
90 home because her sisters twins had
he measles. The minister wanted Pamely
to keep house for him ~ she gasped
well. MIS- Ichabod, if you hain't got
an nnderstandin' worth havin' And
though never breathed it to mortal be-
fore, I've had my suspicious that the min
lister want all he'd ought to be-" ex-
claimed Mis- Hosea Blodgett.
IL never knew man to have one white
eyebrow for nothing" said Miss Nancy
Perkins, darby.
Before night the report had spread all
over Brimblecom that the minister had
asked Pamela Semple to keep house for
him. Mr.. Stockbridge was certainly the
last person to be suspected Of an i'm
propriety. but appearances were deceitful.
He surely must know that he ought to
have housekeeper who was at least fifty,
and it was eminently proper tina. she
should be toothless. cross-eyed and d is
figured by smallpox, rs Joanna Leach
was. If Pamela were an especially cap
able person, the case would be somewhat
different but to he willing to bear with a
housckeeper who had no faculty, he must
have personal regard for her.
The oldest inhabitant could not remem-
Der such an excitement in Brimbecom
The Rev. Mr.. Caldwell's heresy had been
tame. and the report that DIR. Saunders
had another wife living. only mildly ex-
hilarating in comparison.
But several weeks went bv before any
sound Of it reached the minister's ears
Happily for him, Brimblecom had a
wholesome fear Of the minister But at
length, owing mainly to the efforts Of Mis-
Ichabod. Mis- Hosea Blodget. and Miss
Nancy Perkins. it was decided that at the
next church meeting one of the deacons
should question the minister concerning
the matter. Such a crying scandal should
no longer remain uninvestigated.
1t was a great day for Brimblecom.
There had not been such an attendance at
a church meeting since the Rev. Mr.. Cald-
wells trial for he,esy. Mrs. Deacon
Simmons said it seemed so much like
county conference that she got up at four
o'clock, and went to baking a great batch
of pumpkin pies before she remembered
what she was about.
If the minister had any idea of what it
all meant, he made no sign, and when
Deacon Simmons, with awful solemnity,
and with long preamble concerning the
duty of a minister to set an example to bis
flock in righteousness. asked him if he
thought it seemly and becoming to ask the
daughter of their late Deacon Semple to
become his housekeeper, the minister
quietly replied that he had never done
so.
The committee looked at each other
and everybody else looked at them. Miss
Nancy Perkins felt, as she afterward ex.
pressed it, as If she would like to &c
through to Chiny;" but Mis- Ichabod bore
up nobly. and Mis- Hosea Blodget relied
upon Mis- Ichabod.
''Didn' you tell committee consistin
of Mis- Ichabod Badger. Mis- Hoses
Blodget and Miss Nancy Perkins that YOU
had done SOP" pursued Deacon Sim
mons.
II did not" said the minister, with an
air OF bland and innocent surprise.
This was too much for Mis- Ichabod
She arose and shaking her forefinOer i'm,