Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-09-20
Mr.. Reed was sitting before his

went to his side at once, and lait
her hand on his head.
"Papa," she said, is your neu
ralgia worse Yn
Every much worse, Theo," b,
said, lifting his pain-glazed eyes t,
her eager, questioning young face
I"I do not believe that can preach
tomorrow / do cot believe that
can ever prepare a sermon"
Theodore looked aghast.
"But papa," she said, "what Cal
you dot Old DR.. Denton is out o
town, and
my DEAR" said the poor clergy
man, pressing hishands to his throb
bing temples, "you must send a nott
to Mr.. Hervey, and to officiate in my
place, as a special favor"
| "Who is Mr.. Herveyf" asked
Theodore.
II don't know" said Mr.. Reed,
81 only know that he was to be a,
Winfield this week. Most probably
he will be at the Star hotel"
Every well, papa" said Theodore,
feigning cheerfulness that she was
very far from feeling. "Drink your
chocolate now, there's darling, and
don't fret yourself the least bit in
the world, and l will see that all ar
rangements are made"
So she ran down stairs and set
herself to think.
A substitute must be found for
the pulpit, and here it was twelve
o'clock on Saturday!
She sat down and wrote little
note, consulting the dictionary more
than once to make sure of no errors,
and carefully copying the whole,
because of a scattering little blot
which fell, as if"of malice aforesaid"
directly across the second line.
"DEAR Mr.. HERvEY viii you
grant us the great favor of preach.
ing in papa's place tomorrow He
is very i'll Of neuralgia, and is unable
even to prepare sermon. We shall
be greatly obliged if you will dine
with us to morrow after church.
THEODORE REED.
And after satisfying herself that
1t was all quite right, she carried it
herself to the Star hotel.
Mr.. Hervey was not IN, hadn't
been in since morning.
But they would give him the
note on his arrival; so Theodore
hurried home again, and in the
course of the afternoon, a colored
boy from the hotel brought card,
on one side Of which was engraved,
"Henry Hervey," while upon the
other was written the words, "with
the greatest pleasure"
And the minister's daughter, "on
hospitable thought INTENT" roasted
a pair of chickens, collected the in
gredients for salad, made a peach.
pie and baked loafof bread, which
was light and white as foam.
"I'll show him that the country
girls understand good housekeep.
ing" said Theo to herself.
Mr.. Reed was not able to leave
his sofa the next morning, so Theo
put on her pretty blue-and white
muslin dress and the gypsy hat with
the roses that became her delicate
complexion SO perfectly, and went to
church, after first seeing that the
table was all spread for the cold
dinner, and the coffee-pot simmer.
ing on the stove.
The church was full.
Mr.. Hervey was a rising luminary
in the theological horizon, and almost
every one in Winfield had heard of
him, so there was no lack of an audi
ence.
But to Theodora's ineffable dis.
may, the tall young man who walked
so composedly out on the platform
was no other than the frank faced
person who had stood on her kitch.
en- threshold, only the day before,
and overheard her diatribe on the
subject of undesired guests.
Under the shadow of the roses she
turned redder still.
ooh, my tongue-my unlucky
tongue !" she said frantically, to her
self. 81 always knew it would lead
me into trouble! What mnst he
have thoughts"
And, as may be inferred, Theo-
dora's devotions-albelt, she was in
reality sweet, sincere little christi
an-did not DO her much good that
morning.
Mr.. Hervey came across into the
parsonage when the sermon was
over, and he held ont his hand to
Theodore.
"We meet again." said he, with a
smile.
81 can't help it," burst out Theo-
dora, in desperation. Il meant
overy word l said, Mr.. Hervey; it