The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-15
THE CHURCH FESTIVAL,

THE ]E1.E' CHURCH y:I1. FESTIVAL
Tho course Of church auAirs, like tn
courac Of true love, s,ema destined rot t
run smoothly at Willowbrook, A ney
complication has arisen since our memora
BILE donation party--a complication which
bids fair to end in the withdrawal Of III,
new minister, Mr.. Ormsby's successor,
staid bachelor Of doubtful age.
1t had been decided TINT tho churcl
needed painting, and to, this end peaci
festival was suggested and agreed upor
with great unanimiiy.
Much to my own regret, l was absen
from the village ut the time Of the festival
so 90 soon as possible after my return mn
over. to see Miss Melissa, feeling confidan,
that shonld End her, as usual, a faithful
chronicler, no: WIS disappointed. A few
questions 90 brought out Tho whole story
ut was tuu bad, as you say, Miss liar.
wood, that yon couldn't have been here
bnt law. the festival was q terrible disap.
pointment, niler MI, for we dida's make
anything to signify. I'could have told 'em
81 beforehand, for knew Just how /,
would turn out when those pirls took the
management instead OF le,tin Aunt Betsy
a1d mo be at the head, as we'd always been
uted 10 DOM. .',0I y
ITS no wonder we felt kinder hurt abou,
It, for | don't remember death or wed.
din or q chr:6!enin' in the village that we
hadn't had our say about in times past,aud
to see Ourselves made OF no account In that
way was enough 10 provoke q Faint.
20! course knew it was all done for Mr..
ALIENS sake-that comes Of having a bach.
elor for minister, Miss Harwood- though
why girls should want to get their cans ior
a man old enough 10 be their father i can't
understand. II Mr.. Allen wanted wife
land its my opinion that every minister
does want q wife to look after him) he
ought to have had chance to choose for
himself among those that WAS suitable, and
goodness knows there amt many to pick
from in this village! But inst;d Of lei;tin'
tho man alone those girls hayn actod
shameful from the very tirs.-goin' rec'lar
to suuday.achool and eiugiu' class and
what not, and s!oppin' every day to ask
about Miss Eruce'B sick child list because
the minister was boatdin' there-uo. 1
never saw s,ch forwarduess in my lie,
And he Omen is such foele) took It all for
pure goodness! Didn't hear him talk.
in one night at Deacon Stiles's about the
sympathies Of young hearts, and the sweet
mission Of tho lair comtorteIs, and all the
time waa sendin' jelly and soft custasd to
the house, and Miss Bruce too ungratelul
10 mention it again ~
"Bu! this amt neither here nor there, 80
! must jest git back to the peach festival.
It was mostly settled before you went away.
Mics HARDWOOD, that we was to hold Il n
theschoolhouse, because some of US thourht
that mebbe it wasn't solemn enough to
hold in the church, but afterwards We had
a mee!in', and agreed to take up the car.
pets and lake out tho peT cushions, and so
have it in the church after ali, = =,
ut was held on the last Thursday in
August, you know. and every one was TO
send cake or ice cteam or peaches, &C.
cordin' to their ability, and we kalkilated
to make considerable On the sellin', as VIC
should, il Aunt Bstsey and mo had been
let alone. {55.. - N
"But when I went over to tho church
that Thursday morniu' TO 20 to work there
was Sally Stiles, and Lyddy Hall, and ,he
two Davis girls, and TINT red.hsired 'MIiry
Jones and her cousin Mandy all there
ahead Of mo sweepin' and dustin. and
moyin' things round as il they was the
head Of the church themeelypa. When I
began to tell 'em what 10 do, Lyddy Hail
]sat laughs and says, says nhs: "You
needn't trouble yourself. Mies Melissa, we
young folks will take charge and let the
old folks rest a SPELL THAT girl thinks
everybody'a old but hcrsell'!) Sure enough.
they wouldn't let me have thing to say
about settin' the table, and they each had a
big rosette made to pin on their shoulders!
Great managia' they made, to be sure.
However, I made 'em know 1 wouldn't
give up the tea and coffee, so Lyddy saws:
We'll, theD,F you can help unpack the
dishes il you like, and Aunt Betsy may
dust 'em off, Thal'sto me!
""Just then Aun. Betsy come in. and II
can tell you, Miss narwood, i. was ali that
We could do TO heep1 things straight ind
get the cake cut even and the peaches Ill
peeled. l told Ralph that night when I
VAS eettin' his supper Tint / didn't know
as Ia ever dono harder days work in
my lie, but for all that buried and
dressed myself and was back to church in
time Z to light the lamps, for Knew we'll
enough that those girls would pring and
pink, and 80 they did. g57.I'.1 w. 5
swell, by, eight o'clock everybody'd cot
there, and the asliin' began very brisk. and
US said before, il Aunt Betsy and me had
been alone it would have gone on brisk to
tho end, yut law these six creatures JUS!
spoiled everything. js'j q
l"When Mr. Allen come in be walked
right over to where was a pouriu' ten and
coffee, and made as though he was poin' to
set there spell, and with that Sally STILES
and the two Davis girls jest crowded them
selves down into tie same corner and be.
gan to talk go fact that no one e!se could
get in word edgeways. But when Mandy
and 'Miry Jenea and Lyddy Hall lined il,
I Jest told 'em their room was better than
their company, thinkin' they'd take the
hint. Now you'd hardly guess what thew
did-they went and sol on the platform in
front Of the pulpit, takin' the minister with
'em OF course, and there they kept up euch
a laughin' and chatterin' as you never
saw, pre.erdin' to wait on Mr.. Allen,
bringin's him plates OF peaches and ice
cream, crumblin' up good slices OF cake and
wassin' 'em, until ] could have slapped
every one Of tho siS. 81
II got 60 nervous at last, wa.chin' their
doin's. that | poured tea and coffee into tha
same CUP. ard when our big dog, Growler,
came creepin' in and put his cold nose onto
my hand, l droprad q cup and cancer and
broke 1t into twenty pieces. I told Grow.
Ter to 30 cut, but instd Of mindin' mo lie
walked over and lay down OF Mr.. Allen's
feet, and in minute that Lyddy Hall
screams out: See there, Mr.. Allen! Miss
Mix hus sent Growler to tako care Of you,
aren't you obliged to he,? and felt my
lace clttin' as red ms fire, | was 80 morti.
fed. SglI n
II think the Minister was partly 10 blame