The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-05
THE CHURCH FESTIVAL.

The course of church affairs, like
the course of true love, seems des'
tined not to run smoothly at Willow.
brook. A new complication has aris
en- since our memorable donation
party-a complication which bids
fair to end in the withdrawal of the
new minister, Mr.. Ormsby's success
sor, a staid bachelor of doubtful age,
1t had been decided that the church
needed painting, and to this end a
peach festival was suggested aud
agreed upon with great unanimity.
Much to my own regret, [ was alb
sent from the village at the time Of
the festival, so as soon as possible af
ter my return | run over to see Miss
Melissa, feeling confident that should
lind her, as usual, faithful chroni-
'cler. nor was I Disappointed. & fuG
questions, too, brought out the whole
story.
''It was too bad, as you say, Miss
HarWood, that you couldn't have
been here, but law! the festival was
a terrible disappointment, after all,
for we didn't make anything to Sig
nifty. / could have told 'em so be.
forehand, for l knew just how it
would turn out when those girls took
the management instead of lettin'
Aunt Betsy and me be at the head,
as we'd always been used to doin'.
Its no wonder we felt kinder
hurt about it, for | don't remember
a death or a weddin' or a christenin'
in the village that we hadn't had our
say about it in times past, and to see
ourselves made of no account in that
way was enough to provoke a saint
"Of course / knew it was all done
for Mr.. Aliens sake-that comes of
having a bachelor for minister. Miss
HarWood-thOugh why girls should
want to set their caps for a man old
enough to be their father I can't un-
derstand. If Mr.. Allen wanted a
wife (and it's my opinion that every
minister does want wife to look af-
ter him) he ought to have had a
chance to choose for himself among
those that was suitable, and goodness
knows there amt many to pick from
in this village! But instid of lettin'
the man alone those girls have acted
shameful from the very first-goin'
Ieg'lar to Sunday school and singin'
class and what not. and stoppin'
every day to ask about Miss Bruce's
sick child jest because the minister
was boardin' there-no, [ never saw
sech forWardness in my life. And
he (men is such fOols) took it oil for
pure goodness Didn't I hear him a
talkin' one night at Deacon Stiles
about the sympathies of young
hearts, and 'the sweet mission of the
fair comforters,' and all the time |
was sendin' jelly and soft custard to
the house, and Miss Bruce too un-
grateful to mention it again
but this amt neither here nor
there, so l must jest git back to the
peach festival. 1t was mostly settled
before you went away, Miss Har-
wood, that we was to hold it in the
schOo!house, because some of us
thought that mabbe it wasn't solemn
enough to hold in TIE church, but af-
terWards we had meetin', and
agreed to take up the carpets and
take out the pew cushions. and so
have it in the church after all.
"It Was held on the last Thursday
in August. you know, and every one
was to send cake or ice cream or
peaches, accordIn' to their ability,
and we kalkiated to make consider
able on the sellin', as we should, if
Aunt Betsey aud me had been let
alone.
'But when L went over to the
church that Thursday mornin' to go
to work, there was Sally Stiles, and
Lyddy Hall, and the two Davis girls,
and that red-haired 'Miry Jones and
her cousin Mandy all there ahead OF
me sWeepin' and dustin, and movin'
things round as if they was the head
of the church themselves. When /
began to tell 'em what to do. Lyddy
Hall jest laughs and says. says she :
"You needn't trouble yourself, Miss
Melissa, we young folks will take
charge and let the old folks rest a
SPELL (That girl thinks everybody's
old but herselfD Sure enough, they
wouldn't let me have a thing to say
about Bettin' the table, and they each
had a big rosette made to pin on their
shoulders Great managin' they
made, to be sure. However, made
'em know l wouldn't give up the tea
and coffee, so Lyddy says: We'll
then, you can help unpack the dishe'
you like, and Aunt Betsy may dus
'em Off That's to me