The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-06-08

ow Brooks 10 Miss Ennice Fell. a. they y
together q, fancrAl. 10 the pause ,h
followed the religious services. aud ailo
"a The neighhors 10 file silently by ii
cofiin and look At the stern features Of q
dead. sttled nov into that dumb aud VOL
derful repose unknown 10 life or sleep.
Well. erpec. she he'd. said Miss y
nice. nodding her rusty black bonnet
the widows
She Was master hand TO tell her iedg
! ments all abroad. too; she didn't make .
! bones about ssyin what she thought
; folks; he they who they may. ~
Well, dono As that's what meant
was thinkin about her faculty for hous'
work and sech. You never see no poo
bread. nor no soft pickles. nor no worke
preserves TO her house; seemed as thong
she knew just the identical minute crear
had r.z all il would, or bread had rose ies
right
There would have been more than on,
echo to Eunice's Characterization OF th,
departed Mrs. Weeks, il the unspokeI
had viewed the corpse" as country
phrase had it, and wondered in themselves
what sort Of atmosphere IN the idea o
Heaven would suit the out gone soul, ol
which OF the many mansions" would be q
congenial nome for the rigid spirit earthly
companions had never suited. Let us re.
cord one of her judgments.
When Mary Prince married Augustus
Barber had settled down 10 her life in Bar.
ton, she knew just what she was coming
to; her husband was u poor man, just be-
ginning life as dealer in o small way in
flour and feed. Her preparations had
been simple and inexpensive, for she was
able to spend money freely, for she was
poor ministers daughter Augustus had
meant to study for the ministry. but his
health failed him, and in the clear air OF
Barton he had become well again and com.
paratiYely strong, Both he and Mary
took an active part in the Sunday school,
aud made friends as naturally and easily
as two bright. kindly young people will in
an ordinary New England village
Mrs. Deacon Weeks was widow, her
patient, excellent husband had been dead
five years. But she was woman of dom.
inant temper and critical disposition, mag
nified her husbands office, even after he
had laid it down, into needful supervis-
ion of her neighbors and their affairs, par.
iicularly if they were members of the
church.
Now, Mary Barber had relations who
we're wealthy and generous, and often gave
Ter presents OF articles they knew very
veil she could not buy, and she accepted
hem with the meekness and gratitude
necessarily educated into the children OF
hose laborers in the ministry who are
lever paid their due hire, and so have to
AXE gifts OF charity. But Mrs. Weeks
new nothing about Mr.. or Mrs Barber ex
ept that they were poor. When a cousin.
nst going into mourning for her father
ent to Mary the pretty silks, soft cash
,eres and black lace hat wreathed with
ansies for which she had no further use,
hey came tolthe little woman AS u real
Oh, Gus! she said, Look I
ere! see what Georgy has sent mel Now |
shall not have to buy new dress for q
wo years at the least. can Just shorten {
II the dresses, for we could always wear s
ach others things but for their length,
nd have not even q summer bonnet to 8
NY, my last years straw hat will do nice S
' for common wear. !,
Mr.. Barber, like most men, liked to see L
is Dpretty wife well dressed; they had u
cen married two years now; the trousseau
as getting worn and little dingy; the
lack silk needed trimming again. for its u
heap fringe was already rusty, and Mary .
new very well that there was no spare o
loney to renew even the ornaments y '.
her scanty wardrobe, much less the d
owns themselves; but here. on a quiet
ray silk, was black lace enough laid over IL
ie knife plaitings to trim all her old silk q
'resh, and the plating satisfied her taste !"
ithout lace above them and very fair III
Id elegant she looked in that gay dress,
ting her perfectly. as it did, with gloves ~
I'd parasol to match it, and the little ~
rench bonnet set on her waves OF gold ?
'own hair.
But Mrs Weeks glared at her across the =,
d meeting. house with indignant eyes and :,
the noon-spell prayer meeting made "
ng and loud petition that the young m
ember might be rebuked and convinced 70
the sin Of pampering the Inst OF the AZ
es and hepride OF life that they might n,
my themselves Of such extravaganza and A,
,ery in regard to the poor, perishing !,
,dy as made scandal ia the church, and u,
me out and be seperate from sinful
orld. Mary Barber, Just invited to join N
is select assembly which always met .o
lring intermission at Widow Brooks sh
,use, wondered who Mrs. Weeks was an
aging at for that her petition bad tr,
rsonsl.application was only too evident; he
YER her first serene satisfaction OF being in
addressed once more, and her shy JOY In "a
r husbands admiration, Mary had not ca
ought again Of her dress. To tell truth ha
was far less 10 her mind than the frayed Ba
nge OF her black silk would have been, an
the faded aspect OF her lilac muslin. ful
II she asked no question, and went her da
y home to get her husband his piece OF in
., the substitute fora IL o'clock dinner fire
at made Sunday day Of rest Mrs. ye
ooks, however, was not 30 incurioua,
while three or four women fingered to sp
, their lunch in the kitchen, one Of them pr
IA L.. Il l