The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-06-21

Hosea Blodgett, who was determined not tc
come away without saying anything; thai
would be so humiliating to tell of.
"Oh. hope not" said Pamela, sweetly.
'That was the very worst thing about
Deacon Semple-you never could make him
mad" said Miss Nancy Perkins, as she
opened the gate. And though the
other members of the committee wouldn't
acknowledge it, Pamela's resemblance
to her father in that respect was the
thing that they found most aggravating in
their interview with her.
Before they reached their homes they
repented that they had not said more, but
there was some thing in Pamels's manner
that made it seem an impossibility. The
committee could not explain it clearly
Pamela had been quite pleasant and polite,
but they didn't care to go again. However,
they quite agreed that the matter ought not
to rest there, and they were willing-even
anxlous-to go and confer with Mr.. Stock
bridge, the minister, upon the subject
i Perhaps he could be induced to advise her.
She would not dare to be so high and
mighty with the minister.
Rev. Mr.. Stockbridge was a grave and
dignifed man of nearly forty, who, when
he had first come 10 Brimblecom, ten years
before, had had the caps of half the young
ladies of his parish persistently set at him.
They had now, if they had not wholly
abandoned the cap-setting, learned to 'drsw
it mildly, lest it were in vain" for the min
lister had never shown the hghtest signs of
being caught. He seemed somewhat en-
barrassed when the committee visited him
and made known their errand. AS Mis-
Hosea Blodgeit said in describing the inter-
view to her friends:
"He kinder turned red, and then he
kinder turned white, and he looked all ways
for Sunday, Jest SIS if we'd said something
that want proper. And when he said any
thing, which want for as much as a minute,
he up and said jest as good as to say that be
didn't consider twas any of his business.
But Mis- Ichabod she jest tai ed and srger-
flied beautiful about how the town would
have to take care of her, and bein' her
father was a deacon, the Church ought TO
do its duty, advisin' and labOrin' with her
if she was headstrong and set up, and she
convinced him-with a few words that
let fall as twas given me to speak-and he
said he'd 90 and deal with Pamely sccordin'
! to the best wisdom and judgment that was
given him. When she sees him a-comin'
she'll dowse her peak. for there's nobody in
Brimblecom that amt afraid of the minis
ter"
Within week the committee waited
upon the minister to hear the result of his
advice to Pamela. 1t was very hard to find
him home; they tried four times before they
succeeded. If he had been anybody but
the minister, they could have avoided the
painful suspicion that he slipped out of the
back door when he saw them coming. And
when at last they did find him at home, his
report was not altogether satisfactory.
miss Semple did not care TO except the
position of housekeeper to Mr.. Hiram
Hutchinson" he said. as if Pamela were the
greatest lady in the land, and could pick
and choose positions. But then he was a
minister, and ministers couldn't be expected
to talk just like common people.
what is she a-goin' to do, then2" de.
manded Mis- Icbabod, severely. al don't
know of any other chance for her."
"I-I offered her a position, but she de-
clined that also" said the minister.
The committee looked thuRder. struck.
81 do hope it WANT to keep school," said
Mis- Hosea Blodgett, recovering herself
suddenly, "for she hain't mite of faculty,
everybody knows. Why, 1 asked her once
if she understood mathematics, and she said
she could do addition if you gave her time.
My ANGELA understands mathematics, and
besides beautiful lesrnin', she's got real
faculty for keepin' school,"
1T was not position as school teacher"
said the minister.
''She could kind of get along with house
work, though she hain't any faculty. 1
hope the folks amt very partickerler," said
Mis- Ichsbod.
"As she declined the position, it does not
seem to matter whether they are or not" said
the minister.
If Mis- Ichsbod had not stood very much
in awe of the minister, he would have then
and there received ga piece of her mind"
as she afterward declared; ''for if there was
anything that provoked her beyond indur-
ance, it was a close-nouthed person. But
as he was the minister, there was nothing 10
do but to take leave of him with coldness
and dignity which should give some t ken
of their displeasure-
As if he couldn tell them just as we'll "a
not who wanted to hire Pamely to do
house-worki But there was one comfort
the committee knew there was nothing go
ing on in B:imblecom that they couldn't
find out.
And Just after she had expressed that
opinion, Mis- IcAsbod was so overcome by
some sudden thought that she fairly gasped.
and leaned for support against the town
pump, which providentially stood in her
way.
Il heard that Joanna Leach wanted to
go home because her sisters twins had the
meas les. The minister wanted Pamely to
keep house for HIM" she gasped.
"Well. Mis- Ichabod, if YOU hsin't got an
understandin' worth havin'l And though
1 never breathed 1t to a mortal before, I've
had my suspicious that the minister want
all he'd ought to be-" exclaimed Mis- Hosea
Blodgett.
81 never knew a man to have one white
eyebrow for nothing said Miss Nancy
Perkins, darkly.
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 impropri-
ETY., bat appearances were deceitful. He
surely must know that he oughtto have a
housekeeper who was at least fifty, and it
was eminently proper that she should be
toothless, cross-eyed and disfgured by the
smallpox, as Joanna Leach was If Pa
mels were an especially capable person, the
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