The Mineral argus., 1884-06-12

cushions, were pretty expensive affairs
for the small farmers thereabouts, but
thew had come forward manfully with
their coin money and their word money,
and bought the privilege for themselves
and their families of a more luxurious
seat in the Lords house than they had
ever had in their own And it was lit
erallv money given to the Lord, too,
for the parish was so small, and the
debt so heavy. that there would in all
probability be no chance of disposing OF
apew in time of need, or even OF renting
it. Nearly every householder sat IN
his own pew, and his two or three hun
dred hard-earned dollars, except for
the privilege of sitting once week IN
solemn state in his best clothes and lis
tening to the Word, was sunken from
his sight forever.
Aunt Rhoda's husband had bought a
pew with the rest, and paid $500 for 1t,
the year before his death.
1t was to this pew that Aunt Rhoda
severely walked up the church aisle the
next morning. 1t vas rather late, and
the congregation were nearly all assem-
bled.
They all stared wonderingly at her;
not that they were unused to seeing her
walk up the aisle; she was as regular
about that as the minister. but she car
ried to-day large carpet-bag, and that
was certainly unusual.
People nudged each other and whis-
pered and Uttered quite a little breeze
of excitement spread over the church,
and heads twisted backwards and side
ways, and craned forward toward
Aunt Rhoda's pew; but she sat there
quietly and listened to the singing,
with her carpet-bag on the seat beside
her.
After the benediction Aunt Rhoda
seated herself again, and did not go out
with the rest of the congregation. Peo-
pie turned around and stared at her sit
ting there, as they went down the aisle.
If it had not been for the carpet-bag, |
they would not have thought there was
singular in her proceeding, for |
there was an afternoon service, and the |
people often stayed over, and ate their |
lunch they had brought with them ia !
the church; but they certainly never |
brought their doughnuts and cheese in a
large sized carpet-dag.
There were a few, from a distance, |
who were going to remain till after
noon meeting to-day. They got to-
gether and covertly eyed Aunt Rhoda |
after the rest had left the church. She |
coolly opened her carpet bag, and took
out some crackers and cheese and be-
gan to eat They whispered and queried
while they ate their own lunch, and
finally some of them went over and in
terviewed Aunt Rhoda, but they found
out nothing their hints and indirect
questions were alike unavailing, and not
One of them dared ask her directly what
she had brought her carpet-bag for. To
tell the truth they began to suspect
that Aunt Rhoda's troubles had affected
her mind, and they had, naturally, a
little delicacy about asking her if she
were crazy.
When she sat compOsedly down again
beside her carpet bag, after the after
noon service, their was a commOtiOn.
People collected around the church
loors and talked the matter over. Some
thing ought to be done, they agreed.
So they stopped the minister and con-
suited him, and finally he went back to
speak to Aunt Rhoda
"Well, Mrs Carpenter, he said,
when hereached the pew where she sat,
her black straw with it's purple roses
tipped back at an angle of defiance. |
'how do you do?"
Aunt Rhoda cautiously reached out |
her hand in its wrinkly glove to meet his |
proffered one. Nicely, thanky," re-
piled she.
1--WE been meaning to come and see
YOU all last week" the minister went
on, "and thought to myself, when [
looked around and saw you still seated
here, that would come back and speak
to you, and then we could walk home
together"
al amt goin' home, 3" said Aunt Rhoda.
She set her thin lips, and her spectacles
glared deiantly.
"Not going home, repeated the min
lister in helpless amazement.
"No, l amt got any home to go to.
As for my livin any longer in a home
that amt mine, l won't; but this pew is
mine, an my husband bought an paid
for it, an here I'm goin' to set"
"But, dear Mrs. Carpenter, how can
you? How long"
I'm a-goin' to set here till my crack
ers an cheese give out that carpet-bags
pretty near full of 'em, an by that time
think the Lord will send me deliver
ance. I'm goin' to set right here in
this house an pray for it. think He'll
send Annie Carpenter Mather."
but you can't stay here all alone;