The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-05-04

that Miss Hepsy was not "a professor"
though she had such zeal in the mat
ter of county conferences.
Adoniram Hewitt's house presented
a holiday appearance on that summer
afternoon when Lysander drove over
to Ponkapawket station to bring back
the minister. The best room was
thrown open, there were flowers
everywhere. Mrs. Hewitt had on her
best cap, and the pantry shelves were
lined with good things to eat, in such
quantities as to lead one to the belief
that Miss Hepsy Jackson's words had
had their weight. All Scragg End
was at its windows and doors. Mrs.
Hewitt stood on her door-steps, her cap
strings fluttering in the breeze.
81 do hope Lysander ha7n't forgot
ten to get a new box of blacking. Of
course the minister will want his
boots very shiny" she said to herself.
Just at that moment Lysander
drove up-with only a girl beside him.
What could be the reason that the
minister had not come ? The young
lady was a stranger. She had probably
come to visit somebody at Scragg End,
and as there was nobody to meet her
at the station, Lysander had brought
her over. But he was helping her to
alight at their own gate. She was
walking up the path. Mrs. Hewitt
adjusted her glasses, and satisfied her
self that the face was unfamiliar.
She was a grave and dignified young
woman, with a self-posSessed manner,
but with a bright flush on her face.
Why didn't Lysander come up and in
troduce her, in,tead of attending to
the horse?
81 suppose you were expecting me-"
said the young lady, extending her
hand in a friendly way. 81 am the
new minister-Miss Barton"
AS Mrs. Hewitt afterward declared,
"you could have knocked her down
with Il feather" And her overwhelm-
ing establishment was so plainly
shown that the new minister became
very much embarrassed.
"Of course you knew-certainly
you ought to have been told that-that
L was a woman" she said.
1--WE didn't know. Why, we never
thought of such a thing. They didn't
say a word about it," exclaimed Mrs.
Hewitt, and in her establishment and
dismay she utterly ignored the out
stretched hand.
The young lady had a strong and
resolute face, but Mrs. Hewitt sud
denly became aware that the corners
of her mouth were ~droooping, and
there was a hurt as we'll as a weary
look in her eyes, and all her motherly
compassion was aroused.
"But it don't make any difference,
child mean ma'am. I've no doubt
you can preach as well as half the
men. We know what is going on in
the world, if we do live a good ways
out Of it; only there never did happen
to be Il woman preacher anywhere
about here, so it took me by surprise.
We believe in giving women a fair
chance, here in Scragg End, L can tel
you"
81 was afraid you might have OBJ
jections," said the young lady, a smile
chasing the WEAKNESS out Of her face.
"Oh, we shall think everything of
you, Eve no doubt-after a while. You
don't know what it is to be without
regular preaching as long as we have.
Come right in and get rested, and have
Il cup of tea, for l expect you've had a
hard journey"
Before escorting her guest to her
room Mrs. Hewitt managed to slip up
stairs and slyly abstract Lysander's
new shaving set from the toilet table,
where she had placed it for the con-
venience of the new minister.
1t is undenia5le that at the first re-
ceipt of the news a general dismay
overspread Scragg End. The older
people were disposed to consider that
a trick had been played upon them,
and were angry accordingly, some
even going so far as to wish to have
Miss Barton told that her services
could be dispensed with. But nobody
seemed willing to tell her, and there
was a great curiosity to hear her
preach. There were a few courageous
spirits who openly avowed that they
saw no reason why a woman should
not preach, and were glad to have one
for a minister. Many complained of
Miss Barton's youth, but acknowledged
that they would not have objected on
that score to a young man of twenty
six or twenty-seven, which was her
age.
There were some who thought she
vas too handsome for a minister, and
others who thought that since she was
going to set herself up for everybody
to look at, it was "a pity that she
was not handsomer; some who thought
,somen ought not to preach at all, and
OTHERS who thought some women
might be allowed to. but chat Miss
Barton was not of the right kind. 1t
was tacitly agreed that she should be
given hearing, but woman minister
as a stated supply was not what was
wanted.
But in two Sundays Miss Barton
conquered Scragg End, except a few
Of the most prejudiced, who would
never own themselves conquered.