Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-05-06

know you had forgiven the past, and that
your religion meant something"
"When she comes to me and asks my
pardon for what she did ten years ago, I'll
think about helpin' her," said Mrs. Baker,
coldly, ill-pleased at her husbands criti-
cism. II do my duty as far as I see it, and
l flatter myself Pm as good as the general
run OF folks"
The entrance OF Madge prevented fur
ther conversation on the subject, and with
a heavy sigh John Baker took his seat at
the supper table. He noticed that his
daughters eyes were very red, but did not
question her about them, for he suspected
the cause of their condition. But was
more than usually kind in his manner to
her, and on rising from the table slipped a
silver dollar in her hand, whispering: Buy
yourself some little trinket, darling.'
The unexpected gift, coupled with the
tender words, proved too much for Madge
in the overstrained condition Of her nerves.
Throwing her arms about her fathers neck,
she laid her head on His breast and burst
into tempest Of sobs and tears. And the
eyes of the father were dim as he tried to
sooth her.
'eThis is perfectly ridiculous" said Mrs.
Baker, exasperated at the scene. Zone
would think the girl was seven years old
instead of seventeen. Leave the room,
Madge. and don't come back again until
you can behave yourself
YOU'RE too hard on the child, Sarah, ="
said John Baker, as Madge went cut, sob
bing wildly 'sShe's all we've got, and
we'd ought to make her home happy"
"And do you pretend to say that I make
it unhappy ?" demanded Mrs. Baker. ''You
just spoil her out of all reason. She don't
know what she really does want, and SO she
makes mountains out o. mole hills. If
she had to drudge as Lucy Cole does she'd
have room for complaint wish you
wouldn't put notions into her head. I
have work enough to manage her with
out your setting her up to think herself
abused"
John Baker said no more. He knew by
long experience that further argument
would be useless. Sarah called herself a
Christian and was one of the most active
members of the Calvery Church, every
Thursday evening her voice was heard in
prayer meeting, and she held prominent
positions on various committees appointed
by the elders. She was always ready to
join in plans to pay the church debt; she
was chief worker in every fair and sociable
her contributions to the poor-box and to
foreign missions were always large, and
the minister depended greatly upon her
enerov wac reon;rad Rrt bar roI;@;on
seemed to dron from, her heart lie . ciosL
from her shonIders when She enterad % ~ bar
own bouo Sho d;d ,,o+ .nno.. ~ +b;nl- -
necessary 70 exarcise # tbare at oil Tba
gentIa rcnroofr ofhor rood.no+nrod h,,eb.nJ
and The rehe1l;on of her yrattw dsunhtar M 'clr nr
iv irr;tsteJ bar -v;tbo,,t br;n b hsr to COO
wbera She arred Sha Voc 1erg o.rv now
and hanan toIc1e.rtba tah1e LII ,,r1sna1 Ian en,
erov Rnt as Gobn TOOK his hot and want
ont On some errand at the VILLAGE % nost.off;ce ,
and She was left alone she grew &C. ca1mer
and hv the t;me tbe dishes wsre al, 1Taoba5
and mt oSvav bor ;rr;tat;o, MO oI,nos+ for
aottan % an = -''''- "''' ''---'' W.
ct onass p,l rim ovor and coo Mrs Norsb
a min,te ), she said to herself as She took
off her hio oinebam a mon and hnno r. mn
ssI,ke as not that Tom told her all T said
He's one to enjoy maxine q fnss and
don't want hard FEELING So T,n inst stem
over and tell her myself wbv 7 ca,'t ait mn
With her mother .
Mrs Marsh and MRS Rakar vera varv
near neiphbors. and had always been very
intimate They were accustomed tn RIM.
ning into the house of each other at anv
hour without the ceremony of a ring or q
knock, and so Mrs. Baker went around to,
the hack of the bonse when She reached
Mrs Marsh,s. and. finding the kitchen
door omen. stenped in at once.
AS she did SO She heard the sonnd of
voices in the adjoining room. and the door
of which was a aiar.
She had now advanced halfway across
the kitchen. intending to make her pres
ence known when the sound of her own
name snoken hv a voice which she recoo-
nized as belonc;no to Mrs. LONG. another
neiobhor made her nanse.
"Mrs. Bakers religion amt the kind
that stands soap and Water this woman
was saving. s.It hasn't made a spark O.
dif'rence ;n her she's az stiff.neclyed as
ever. She NAV be good at rushin' round
to society meetin,s but as for maxim ner-
sonal sacrifices II amt in her.n
Mrs RaLer hoard and tremhled with in.
;nd;rn.+;on % ~ hut ,uo,sa mos 70 como 80
:sShe oert,;n1v %oasn du ~ NV ber religion
iii, ho,. ;n4a ~ J";1,- i;sa .; ;.a;J +bo ,o;oo
of Mrs Mash s.ond that,s the oniv trne
lind Of rel;n;on T th;nL She keens hers
fnr shoxn - for,,sa Tn to ono,ob
a. ha, sn' ho,,so soI 80 IL luoo uoo that,
.ssSha hott,os = omd tol,os tho cork ont
onl1 ON Sundons T s0 and ny at at nraverAmeet;ncs ~ y
and Mrs RaLor recoon;zed Tillv Marshes
b;rb @ s treble " "It,s a convenient kind of re-
1;g;on yo,, coo Rut It don,t imnose unon
anx ono b,t h.rself;,
seWben H nv nerson makes professions.
tbev,d onobter stand bv 'em every dav in
the vear 5 ss;d Mrs LONG ssMrs Baker
rne e.cbos yIa j s;~ht I hut She don't nractice
1n,,th an1tb;ne ,;
For moment Mrs Raker was temnted
to rusb into tha next room and frankly tell
her neiohbors "what she thought of them;'
h,,t ut M angrv % ss She was an instant's de1ibera-
t;on conv;nced her that such a course
wouid he hiohlv iniud1cious. and might
lead to a scandal which would afford the
village gossip for months to come. So,
without irving any intimation of her pres
enoe, she hurriedly left the house.
$50 this is how my neighbors talk of me
behind my backv' she murmured, as she
reached her own kitchen again, and threw
off her hat and shawl ''This is how am
traduced because | would not sit: up all
night with querulous old woman"
She was very, very angry; but gradually
she grew calm, and began to think over
quietly all she had heard. The longer she