Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-08-14

oiSy C4asu III WOuO0rIu1 array Oh SWISS
muslin and pale-blue ribbons, dropped
like an arrow into the water, and struck
out with the move of an expert to where
little Elmer Evans was battling with
the current, and holding him so that his
head was above water, swan easily to
shore, where many hands lifted him to
the bank, and then, swimming back to
her rebellious little step-daughter, she
carried her, half-sufocated with waves,
back to terra frma.
Winnie, by general advice from with
out. had managed to keep an almost
continual warfare at home, although she
was naturally generous-hearted child,
and when she had recovered from her
fright, and made sure she had not swal-
lowed all the water In the river, she
looked grayely at her stepmother's soiled
garments and said slowly:
g If you don't care, Mrs. Merton, I'll
call you mamma now"
After that day Mrs. Merton had many
trends; for you can always reach a
mothers heart through her children.
and every woman seems a mother to any
child in the hour of danger.
h1AAO was OIdfO 6611-DOSSSSS6Q.
and she saved my Elmer, and I don't
mean to ever say another word against
her if she never goes with the church. :"
That was what Mrs. Evans said at the
next meeting, and, as she seldom ex-
pressed an opinion for herself, the ladies
for the most part agreed with her, ex-
cept Mrs. Hezekiah Winters, who said ::
" Well, I dunno; she may be all right.
but woman that could intrap man of
forty, and he minister, kind of looks to
me as though she was firt."
And Miss Sophrona Dobbs nodded her
false frizzes emphatically as she said:
81 agree with you, Mrs. Winters.
We mustn't all be taken in by one good
act"
Well, to tell the truth, folks did, gen
orally speaking, keep an eve on her; but
everything seemed satisfactory. She
did nothing that scandalized their ideas
OF propriety, and they had almost made
up their minds that with proper advice
she might do for minister's wife after
all.
But the town of l.. was visited one
day by travelling theater troupe, and
everyday was going who wasn't a pillar
IL the church, and wouldn't encourage
no such institution of Satan" Mrs.
Winters was especially bitter against
them. The theater, long time ago,
had led her one son from his home, and
the only sweet sacred spot in Mrs. Win
ters' hard, religious life was her love for
her boy-her baby, as she called him
although he was almost man when he
went away.
The day the troupe arrived Mrs. Win
tiers was at home alone, and the faint
sound of distant music was arousing to
utterance the grief she had kept buried
SO long.
"I'll just go to the sewing circle and
forget my sorrow by listening to some
thing or other"
And away trudged Mrs. Winters to
Mrs. Richfield's, whose turn it was to
entertain the society.
Everybody was busy and gossipy, and
Mrs. Winters was listening to the report
Of the bad behavior of the girl of the Pc
riod, when Miss Arimintha White came
bustling in.
" Law me- ladies, have you heard y"
and without waiting for an answer she
continued sob, the dreadful, awful &C
tons of Imogene Merton Sarah Hal
comb, that lives next door, seen it with
her own eyes, and she told me all about
1t. And poor, dear Mr.. Merton away on
church business !"
"What is it?" EDO tell |" eco on,
Ariminthar, and explain" were the
words from all sides.
We'll, to begin with, my feelings is
awfully riled up but you oil know that
them theater felers come to-day. Well,
one of 'em-I know he was one because
he got off the train with them-come to
Mrs. Merton's to-day, and she was a
settin' In that room of hers with them
windows that swings out, and he, in
stead of going to the front door or ring
ing the bell like man. why, when he
saw her a-sittin' in that room, with her
back to the window, he just slipped up
sly and sneaking-like and stepped in
through the window, and then jumped
clear across the room, and such huggin'
an kissin' was never seen In minister's
house afore Now, ladies, I know this
Is so, cause Sarah Halcomb told it for q
solemn truth, and that amt the worst of
it. After he had stayed an hour or so
he went to the hotel and got another
fellar, and them two walked straight to
the minister's house, and she opened
the door, fixed up fit to kill. Now, I say
Il is the duty of every member of this
society to look into this matter. The
minister is gone. and we have got the
responsibility of the church to sustain.
We should go Immediately and hear
what that dreadful creature has to say
for herself"
"Law me Who'd have thought
it?" "The most scandalous thing I
ever heerd |"
MAYBE there is some mistake" put
in Mrs. Evans, who hadn't forgotten
the brave swimmer the day of the
picnic.
It was solemn-visaged group that
filed into the minister's sitting-room.
Mrs. Hezekiah was to be spokeswoman,
as she generally was on all church occa-
sions. Mrs. Merton greeted them, her
face all smiles.
81 had just sent for you, Mrs. Win
tiers; I have such pleasant surprise for
you y and she actually kissed the old
lady's withered cheek, while Miss So
phrona Dobbs muttered "Judas !" under
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