Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-06-20
GaIts ano Sketfkts.
rnE NEW AIsIsfER
CONTINUED from vesterdsy.)


thought of such thing. They didn't say
a word about it, exclaimed Mrs. Hewitt,
and in her establishment and dismay she
utterly ignored the Outstretched hand.
The young lady had strong and
reselute face. but Mrs. Hewitt suddenly
became aware that the corners of her
mouth were dropping. and there was q
hurt as well as weary look in her eyes.
and all her motherly compassion was
aroused.
s.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 a woman
preacher anywhere about here, so it took
me by surprise. We believe in giving
women fair chance, here in Scragg End.
/ can tell You"
IL 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,
I've 10 doubt-affer 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 cup of
tea, for expect you've had hard jour-
ney."
Before escorting her guest to her room
Mrs. Hewitt managed to slip upstairs and
slyly abstract Lysander's new shaving set
from the toilet table, where she had
placed it for the convenience of the new
minister.
1t is undeniable that at the first receipt
of the news general dismay overspread
Scragg End. The older people were dis
posed to consider that a trick had been
played upon them, and were angry accord
ingly, 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 few courageous spirits who
openly avowed that they saw no reason
why woman should not preach, and were
glad to have one for minister. Many
complained OF Miss Barton's youth, but
acknowledged that they would not have
objected on that score to "A young man of
&c or %, which was her age.
There were some who thought her too
handsome for minister, and others who
thought that since she was going to set
herself up for everybody to look at, twas
a pity that she was not handsomer; some
one who thought that women ought not to
preach at all, and others who thought
some women might be allowed to. but
that 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 con-
quered Scragg End, except few of the
most preiudiced, who would never own
themselves conquered. She was so SIM
| pie, so earnest, so sympathetic. There
were no long words, no far-fetched analo-
gies, such as Mr.. Ericsson used; there was
no rafting of the dry bones of theology !;
she touched the chords that vibrated in
their everyday life.
"She comes right home to you, that's a
fact" said Joshua Ring. ''She's Scrip
tooral too, and she makes as feein' a
PRAYER as ever | heard. I don't like to
see woman in the pulpit. and | amt a
goin' to say do. but she's ediyin', and
no mistake"
II never went to meetin' before when
didn't have terrible hard work to keep
from poddin'. but somehow her talk is
kind of plain and sensible, and keeps me
awake said Luke Pettingill, who was
wont to disturb the congregation by audi
BILE breathing.
People focked to Scragg End from far
| and near to hear the new minister, at first
with much the same curiosity that they
would have shown to see white elephant
but soon for the sake OF the preaching.
Nobody could quite explain Miss Barton's
| popularity. Perhaps old Mrs. Simmons
came as near to the truth as anybody when
she said "she wasn't any smarter than any
body else, but someway she seemed just
like your own folks. And she knew Just
| how folks felt without being told"
Ponkapawket was scandalized. 1t was
disgrace to the whole town to have a
woman preacher holding forth every Sun
| dav. and drawing such crowds-drawing
half the congregation way from the Ponka-
| pawket church. too! The deacons re-
quested Mr.. Ericsson to preach sermon
from the text, 'Let your women keep
silence in the churches" Mr.. Ericsson
was known to hold the woman's rights
movement in contempt; but he had been
twice to hear Miss Barton preach. when
| there were no services in his own church,
| and he had also called upon her several
times, and when the deacons conferred
with him about preaching that sermon
| 4
| isfaction; he was very polite, and he did
| not say he would not, but 'he smiling put
| the question by"
One day he surprised Mis- Barton by in
| viting her to an exchange of pulpits for
the following Sunday: but that was in
harvest time, and she had come to Scragg
End in June. Even Ponkapawket had be-
come accustomed to the idea of a woman
preacher, if they did not approve of it.
He had found her sitting on the piazza
on warm afternoon in late September.
She had large basketful of stockings be-
side her, and was darning them diligently.
Some were her own, some were Adonram
Hewitt's and Lysander's, for Roxy had
gone away on visit. and Mrs. Hewitt's
hands were more than full. She looked
as housewifely as if she had never aimed
at any wider sphere. The shadow OF a
smile flickered about Mr.. Ericson's mouth
AS he observed her employment. AL
/ though Miss Barton looked up only as
much as politeness required, she saw the
smile. and it brought a flush to her cheek.
Tho ugh she looked so strong and resolute,
it was evident that Miss Barton was keen
lv sens;tive He sat down beside her.