The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-05-03

out"
And off went Sammy, regardless of
his kite, and burst breathless, into his
fathers study.
"You amt goin' to amarry Miss
Brewster and her old green parrot that
swears, and have her always clearin' up
and dustin and losin' your papers, are
yerw demanded Sammy.
The minister turned from his sermon
writing and regarded Sam.
amazement. Gradually his expression
changed to one of perplexity. He re-
moved his spectacles from his eyes to
the top of his head and then he tapped
his forehead with the tips of his fin
gers. as il to summon forth some stray
ing recollection
"That must be the very thing 1 was
trying to rememberl Wait q moment.
l must have set il down somewhere"
And Parson Greeley drew from one of
the pigeon holes of his desk some loose
sheets of foolscap paper which had evil
IDENTIFY been used es a diary. Several
pages were devoted to memoranda;
these the minister read aloud:
"' Mem.-To confute the infidel ped
dler's argument by st. Paul, and
Mem,-To tell Deborah, mildly
but firmly, that so much saleratus is
not conducive to health.
Mem.-To punish Joseph and
Samuel for unseemly conduct at prayer
time.
Mem.-To admonish Brother Bates
gently that he is becoming unsound
In doStrine.
Mem.-To endeavor so far as lies
in me to restore peace to the singing
seats.
Mem.-To endeavor to exercise
such q measure of wholesome restraint
over Moses and Samuel that they may
not become cause of scandal to the
neighborhood.
Mem.-To devote greater meas
.ure of attention to worldly matters,
such as applying blacking to my boots,
and brushing my raiment-
Mem.-To consider prayerfully
whether the use of hair-dye is incom-
patihle with the principles of the Christ
.ian reliSion or the duties of the Christ
ian ministry.
Mem.-That the singing eeats are
in the hands of God, and that He causes
even the wrath of man to praise Him.
Mem.-To consider prayerfuliy
the subject of contracting a matrimo-
nial alliance with Miss Cordelia Brew
ster.'
"That's it 1 knew was not mis-
taken and felt that I 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 erring mortal that 1 am.
But it may not yet be too late" And
the minister seized his hat, giving it q
hasty brush with his sleeve, and hur-
ried to the door, turning, however, to
lay his hand with unwonted tenderness
upon his sons head, saying. solemniy
samuel, thank YOU for this sugges
tion, and would that could perceive
in you as lively signs of the workings
of grace as do of wisdom and discern
ment beyond your years"
Samuel, left alone, looked after hil
father with most lugubrious face.
" For feller to go and do it himself
that's the worst of it, hadn't better
let on to Nose and the rest that die
it No more fun if she comes here
she'll want a feller not TO tear hi
clothes and have his hair brushed
every minute, and no pie or cake be
tween meals. Well make it lively fo
her, though-Mose and Hose and j
and /"
All unconscious of what was in stor,
for her Miss Cordelia Brewster was en-
gagged in inspecting and admiring he
| green silk dress, which had just beer
sent home fiom the dressmaker's. Mis-
| Cordelia was a plump little woman
with a pinkish bloom still lingering
upon her cheeks, and no trace of time'
! frosting upon her chestnut locks. VIII,
she had never married was a mystery
For ten years after her father, the vii
lage doctor, had died, leaving her {
modest competence, the gossips hat
been on the lookout for signs of matri
monial intentions on her part. WheI
she had passed thirty and was still Mis-
Oordelia, people gradually ceased Il
speculate about her. For some inscrut
able reason they decided that Miss Cor
della meant to be an old maid to the enc
of the chapter. 1t was observed that ever
John Parmenter, who had somewha
indefinitely chung round" her fol
years, "kind o. dropped off," he nj
longer sat in the singing seats, wher,
Miss Cordelia still serenely kept he
place, despite the rivalry of younger
choristers SO they were not so FIRE
quently thrown together, and he wal
seldom seen to walk home with he
from the weekly prayer meeting hi
old sorrel mare WAS very rarely seer
fastened to the hitching-post befor'
Miss Cordelia's door of Sunday night
and only once or twice had he beer
seen shyly to offer her q nosegay o
southernwOod and cinnamon pinks
which grew to great perfection in hi
garden, and of which, in her girlhood
Miss Oordelia had been very fond.
Many other admirers had Miss Cor
della, but she had turned a cold shoul
der upon all, and seemed perfectly con