The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-22

two years, wears on me night an day
And Deacon Bradlaw he's gettin' MAJ
at some of the trustees, and saws he'll
never put another dollar into the churcl
till they come forward and head a papel
with fifty dollars q piece subscription
[ know 'em all too well to think they'l
ever do that, and Deacon Bradlaw 6e'
a lar mule. So the first we know
our church, II be in stew that will sen,
half its members over to the riya
church that's started up at JonesviIle
with one O. them sensation preacher,
that draws crowd like circus" ant
Deacon Somers sighed.
isn't there something that can b.
done to raise the money!" asked Mothel
Somers, anxiously. Cant we get III
entertainments ?'
"That's old, and faint strawberry
season." sighed the deacon. "We
couldn't charge more'n fifteen or TWEEN.
ty cents at the door, and that wouldn't
| bring in much fer one entertainments.
and nobody would turn out to second
There don't seem to be no ingenuity
among the young folks here bout get
tin up anything entertainin'. Our
strawberry festival was just a dead
.failure-barely paid expenses.
Dawes wife, sitting with her pale
face, which had grown very thin and
wan of late, bent over a bit of sewinc.
suddenly looked up. Her listless ex-
preston gave place to one of animated
interest. Father Somers," she began.
timidly, ''do you suppose-do you
! think-I could get up a reading9nfc =
"A WHAT" and Deacon Somers
turned surprised and puzzled face
upon his daughter-in-law. TWAS so
new for her to betray any interest in
anything.
"a reading. You know 1 5ook the
prize for elocution when l graduated.
| know ever so many things could re-
cite, and it might draw crowd just
from its being something new. We
could charge twenty-five celts admis-
sion, and it would give theimpression
of something good at least. After they
had heard me once they ,ould decide
for themselves if | am wrth hearing
again
Deacon Somers lookel upon the
glowing face and animated mien of
Dave wife with increasing wonder.
Was this the listless girl he had seen a
few minutes before?
"'Pon my soul" he calculated, 81
don't know but it might lraw a crowd,
just from curiosity Everybody would
go to see Dawes wife. lot that l hev
much of opinion of re,din's; never
heard any but once, andthen / went
to sleep. But it might Draw, seem
it's you. You can try if ypu want to-"
Dawes wife did try it. 1t was an
nounced before service Sunday morn
ing that Mrs. David Somers would give
a reading in the church edifice on
Thursday evening; admission twenty
five cents. Proceeds to beapplied to-
ward the church debt.
Again there was breezy sir in the
congregation, and scores of ives were
turned upon Dawes wife, whosat in her
silent, white composure, with her dark
eyes lifted to the face of the clergy
man.
But Sarah Jane Graves could not
help noticing as she had not before the
marked change in the young wifes
face since the day she entered that
church bride.
Chow she is fading! l wonder if she
is unhappy" she thought.
Thursday night came fair and clear.
As Deacon Somers had predicted, the
announcement that Dawes wife was
to give reading had drawn a house;
the church was literally packed. Dawes
wife rose before her audience with no
words of apology or introduction, and
began the recitation Of the old, hack
neyed, yet ever beautiful
''Curfew shall not ring tonight"
1t was new to most of the audience,
and certainly the manner of its delivery
was new to them. They forgot them
selves, they forgot their surroundings,
they forgot that it was Dave S wife who
stood before them. They were alone
in the belfry tower clinging with bleed
ing hands to the brazen tongue of the
bell as it swung to and fro above the
deaf old janitor's head. When the
recitation was finished two or three of
the audience found themselves on their
feet. How they came there they never
knew, and they sat down with shame
faced expression.
Sarah Jane Graves was in tears, and
one OF two others wiped their eyes fur
lively, and then the old church walls
rang with cheers. So soon as they sub
sided Dawes wife arose, and. with a
sudden change of expression and voice.
began to give recital of "An Evening
at the Quarters. 1t was negro dia-
lect, and introduced one or two snatches
of song and q violin air To the as
constituent of her audience Dawes wife
picked up u violin at the appropriate
time, and played the air through in
perfect time and tune; and then the
house rcsounded to another round of
cheers, and the entire audience was
convulsed with laughter Everything
which followed, grave or gay, pathetic
or absurd, was met with mods of an
proval, or the clapping of hands and
the drumming of feet. Somerville had
never known such an entertainment be-
fore. The receipts for the evening
proved to be over forty dollars.
During the next three months Dawes
wife gave two more readings, the pro-
ceeds of which paid half. the church
debt, and this so encouraged the mem
bers that old grudges and quarrels
were forgotten, and Deacon Bradlaw
and the elders made up the remaining
half, and SomerVille Church waS frao