Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-11-29
THE DEACON'S FIX,

~ wonder ho didn't take Tho parson,
musCd the 6Oacou's houscseeper ~ tie
deacon drove on alone to tho annual
conference, Hos commonly master
thoughtful Rhou. looking out ior iolEs,
What husband ho WAS |"
Yes, A0a phguiS had been q good
huqbOnd, All tho nOlghboro agreed
with Mrs Dubbs in that particular, Hc
had waited on his fusSy invalid vito by
inches Tor thirty years, making hor On
happy as she would lot him aud whon
hor summons came, he had closed her
dying eyes tcndcrly, saying, even with
tears;
"Poor sufferer, she Ia better oifW
That no was better of ho never limited
by word or look. He wore his widow.
er's weeds with aad docorum he reared
in memory Of tho departed Lucinda q
monument which tho most fastidious
deceased might havo cnvied he grieycd
faithfully for tho full allotted ycar Of
mourning. II now, from the ashes oil
the funeral pyre, like his feathercd
namesoke OF fable, he was springing up
with reno0od youth and freshness, was
ii not wellp
In truth, though he had not seen fl.
to confide this fact to Mrs. Dubbs, Dea
con PhUnix had slighted the minister
deliberately, and with malice afore'
thought. Nor was il of tho conference
ho was thinking that fragrant June
morning as he whirled away, tucling 4
lap-robo well about his glossy new
broadcloth.
For once in his hitherto blameless life
he was eseaying to hide the secular
underneath the spiritual. He did not
mean to go straight to meeting 1t was
his willy intention to make wide cir
emit, and call on Miss Olive Wayne in
the town OF Chester. lc had question
to ask her, and did not want the parson
with him he hoped he might want him
little later.
Pretty, cheerful Olive How fond ho
had been OF her years ago, when she
attended his school II he had not
then been in love with Lucinda, he was
sure he should have fallen in love with
her, mere child though she WAS. He
had never lost sight Of her, and he
thanked Providence that he had been
enabled by money and influence to help
her family over some hard places. Please
God, the dear girl should henceforth
have an easy life Girl Why, little
Olive must be fifty!
The good deacon laughed at the
amusing recollection. Well, she would
always be young to him. And as for
himself, at sixty odd he was hale man
yet !; he could Jump five'rail fence
now as we'll US ever he could--give him
time. Ills thoughts continually reverted
to Olive, so patiently devoted to her
invalid father. She should bring the
old gentleman to his home if she
wished, or he would provide for his
maintenance at her brother Reuben's.
He was inclined to consider that the
better plan. The money would be an
object to Reuben, and Olive would be
relieved.
In these cogitations the morning
passed, and noon found Deactn Phoenix
at a little hotel in Chester. impatient
OF delay, after hasty dinner he set out
almost Immediately for tho Wayne
homestead. Arrived at the gate he
spied Miss Olive at the window, and
aiehtod with youthful! agility not alto.
ge,her prudent in q man who had
twinges OF scitica. And yet, strange
Inconsistency OF human uature-he dal
lied with the hitching post, and after
ward, with his hand on the very knock
er, he paused to scan the distant hori
zon, as though he had come mainly for
view of the mountains.
Miss Olive opened the door, hel
cheeks flushing like late October peach
es. She would not have been woman
had she not OWNED the doacon's tender
mission, proclaimed by every detail o1
his immaculate toilet, by tho grasp oi
his hand, by his nervous, expoctant air.
And, moreover, Miss Olive was an attrac
tive woman, not unv ersed in lovers
ways.
''Happy to see you, Mr.. Phoenix.
Walk in,' said she, hurriedy, usherine
him into the sitting-room, where hel
aged father dozed in his arm chair.
"Who is it, Olive p said the old gen.
tieman, waking with begiIdered stare.
"Mr. Phoenix, father. You remember
Mr.. Phunix, Pm sure"
al don't know as I do" said he, quer
ulonsly, fumbling with the guests out
stretched hand. "What's he come for,
Oliye% q
The deacon looked rs If he was sud
denly feeling the hot weather; Miss
Olive was positively feverish, but she
dcftly evaded the troublesome question
by divcrtiug her fathers attention. His
peppermint tea was ready-would he. mo-
drink it? As she hcvered about tho
invalid, Strengthening lis footstool. ar
ranging his pillows, oteadying the cuI
while hc drank, Mr.. Phenix regarded
her admiringly How young she
seemed still Not gray thread in hel
golden hair scarcely a wrinkle in hel
face. That was because Of her excellent
disposition. Ilo waited till she had
son,hed the old NAV into slumber ther
in ,Iirect, manly way introduced The
subject that lay next his heart.
Mss Olive interrupted hiih by M
eloquent glance toward her father.
He is very childish and dependent
lie cannos do without me-"
"Let me help you care for him, Olive
my house is large, my means are am
pie"
II couldn't, Mr.. Pi Gnix-it is lik'
ysur generosity to propose such thing
but couldn't have hin, burden upoI