Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-01-02
THE PARSONS CHOICE.
Why the Lennox Church Didn't
Settle Mr.. Lindsay.

Mr.. Lindsay was preaching in the
Lcnnox parish on probation; that is. he
had been engaged for the year. After
that time, if he suited Miss Rich, who
had the parish in charge, so to speak,
who canvassed for money to paint the
church, looked up poor children for
christening and Sunday-school, cxhort-
ed the young people to join the con-
firmation class, mapped out work for
the sewing society, planted the church
Christmas tree, and made the parish
her hobby-if he suited Miss Rich, if he
was High Church enough for Mr..
Grimm and Low enough for Mrs.
Phelps, if he believed with DR.. Slow IN
the doctrine of election-why, then
they were sure to settle him.
What capital wife Lucretia Shaw
would make Mr.. Lindsay" vouchsafed
Miss Rich, shortly after he adorned the
Lennox pulpit. "She's just the person
for parsons wifc-bustling and"
I'm afraid she'd take the parish off
your hands, Miss Rich," answered Mrs.
Phelps, who, having no desire to do the
hard work which her neighbor loved,
yet rrudged her. the credit of it.
"Well, there's work enough for two
of us in the parish, Mrs. Phelps. L
wouldn't be bit afraid but I'd git my
share
80 be sure" pursued Mrs. Phelps,
'Iucretia's smart, and don't believe
in pastor with doll of n wife who
ca 1T darn the children's clothes, and
is too feeble to get along without
help. y
YES" put in old Mrs. Smith; "she'd
be no end of a stepmother to Mr.. Lind
says boy, and if ever a boy needed n
stepmother, it's him. Lucretia's pow
erful smart as you say, and she'd
make him walk Spanish"
(" Yes," added Miss Rich; "a
widower, somehow, needs wife
more'n anybody, to sympathize with
him in his loss. 1 shouldn't wonder if
Lucretia would bring the boy up to the
ministry, if she had her way"
Between you and me. J." said Mrs.
Phelps, 81 think that the parson goes
to the Shaws' rather more than is nee
essary for the salvation of their souls"
"You can't tell. Perhaps Lucretia
has doubts" -s sl-.. ..,s,.,-ss
:. And perhaps" said DIR. Slow
"perhaps it's-Miss Susan"
Everybody laughed and cried /" Miss
SusanI' with fine irony in their tones.
WHO ever heard of Susan having
attentionp'' asked Mrs. Phelps.
.'Ive engaged Lucretia to embroider
a new altar-cloth," explained Miss
Rich; " raised the money for it last
month"; tell you it's like pulling
teeth to get money out of this parish
and / suppose the parson has to advise
her about the proper designs and
things; Lucretia amt well drilled in
symbols and such, you know"
In fact, everybody in Lennox had de-
cided that Mr.. Lindsay would marry
Lucretia, and, perhaps. Lucretia had
decided so, too, for she was an ever
lasting time over that altar-cloth, and
needed no end of advice and instruc-
tiom her ignorance and interest were
quite touching. And Mr. Lindsay
seemed quite willing to spend his leis-
ure under the Shaws' roof, and watch
the sacred symbols growing under the
white, and shapely hands of Miss Lu-
cretia. ilfttjltlf var,
.@That hand of Lucretia's will be
sure to do the business" somebody
had said, 8. Mr.. Lindsay's man OF
taste, if he is a clergyman AS if the
two we're not usually found combined
=" and heard him say it was fit for a
duchesSnk Ya o. l{51 r.
Miss Lucretia's hand was, indeed, her
iovehest feature, SO to speak-white as
snow, with the prettiest taper fingers,
pink at the ends. Once when Mr.. Lind
say had mentioned them fatteringly,
Miss, Susan, who was doing the week s
mehding near by, drew her own hands
under her work, he noticed. Nobody
ever SteOk the trouble to flatter Miss
Susan. Lucretia sang in the choir, al
though her voice was thin as muslin,
and she had no ear; nobody dreamed or
cared if Susan sang like a seraph; she
sat in Lucretia's shadow, and people al
most forgot she was there, till they
needed her help. Mr.. Lindsay had
taught the choir himself, and after the
altar-cloth could no longer be made n
pretext to cover a multitude of calls,
there were the chants and fugues to
practice. One morning, as he drilled
Lucretia for half an hour Intellectually,
he suddenly turned to Susan.
Come he said, "ry this chant with
us, Miss SUSAN" and Susan opened her
mon h and chanted as nobody in the
choirhad ever chanted before.
''BraySp' he cried. when did you
why, have heard it all my life;
why shouldn't l know itp l couldn't
help it,"
I'VE must have you in the choir" he
HSusan Shaw in the choirl'' gasped
everybody on the way out of church.
"Mr. Lindsay is bringing her out"
'tShes Lucretia's sister, you know"
explained Miss Rich.
land her voice rather browns
Lucretias,n said DIR. Slow.
Mr.. Lindsay was giving great salts
faction.v The parishioners talked of re-
modelling the old rectory, adding wing
and bay-window, and even spoke o.
taking in an adjoining field, so thai
"Lucretia might have a flower garden
They even medtated an increase o
salary as soon as he should be settledi II
the parish, and Mr.. Grimm thought h,
should add-a codicil to his will, in favo
of the new pastor and Lucretia's hus
when they're married." reckone'
Miss Rich. with unchristian thrift, "w
shall have all our church trappings EN-
broidered for nothing. suppose.
"Do you think Susan will live wit
'emp" asked Mrs. Phelps. "P'r'aps b
won'tcare about marrying the Who'll
family.,, *ltf fef
,,alas Hes !, powerful kind to sasar
I lie takes sight of notice of her.
"You kinder forget she's Lucretia'
sister" put in Miss Rich. "an' all She
got"
1t was surely plain that Mr.. Lindsa
took pleasure In the society at the Sha'
homestead. AT picnic, at prayer NEE
ings or choir meetings, he was alway
at hand TO take Lucretia and Suss
home; he lent them his books. and q