Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-02-02
NgnlDgranee,
- :. a,-------l--l-1----
ONE CRUSADER.

Mrs. Avery's visitor was taking
her leave, but at the door she paused
for last word. 1t had been stor-
my day, and now the late sunshine
poured through breaking clouds, and
illuminated both faces; one strong,
sweet, but sad in its plain Quaker
setting, the other fair, sensitive, and
even girlish, in spite OF the white
hair that was like the finest floss in
It's glistening beauty.
"My dear" sail the visitor, II
will not urge thee; the Spirit will
be thy teacher; only | will pray Tue
Father to show thee thy dnty."
Mrs. Avery gave little gasp.
80, Aunt Rachel, don't! II
couldn't bear it if He should show
me that duty know l could not
take it up"
'But if it be duty there is the
promise of strength
sit is not; it cannot be. | have
so hated all this crusading it seems
so useless, so senseless. Prayer is
to God if He is to do these miracles
what does it matter where we ask
him? Why not here in my home, as
we'll as on the street, or in those vile
saloons? p
"Prayer is to God, but it is also
for men, sad Aunt Rachel at is
wholesome that our adversares
should be compelled to COME into
court when we present thelr cases to
the Judge
''If the wrong and the sorrow had
ever touched me personally, perhaps
1 should feel differently
"God Forbid said Aunt Rachel,
fervently, ''but oh, my dear, it has
touched me-
She turned quickly away, and Mrs.
Avery closed the door, and went back
to her pleasant room with a troubled
face. She knew very little of Aunt
Rachel's history, and could not guess
what sorrow might be hidden in her
heart. She was warmly attached to
the lonely woman whom the whole
town seemed to have taken into rela-
tionship, but she felt angry with her
for thrusting into the pleasant quiet
of her life anything so distastcful AS
this temperance agitation which had
just swept into the little town, a
wave from the deeper disturbance of
the city.
'I'll have nothing to do with it
it is not in my line" she said decid-
eddy, picking up the bit of needle
work she had laid down.
By the window young girl in
deep mourning bent silently over the
machine she was feeding with yards
upon yards of dainty material. Hel
busy fingers never faltered in he
task, but presently Mrs. Aver,
caught faint sob, and looking NJ
to see the tears dropping from thu
seamstress's eyes. Her sympathetic
heart was touched at once, ant
springing up she swept the worI
from the machine.
"Now see here, my child,' sh
said gently, Il might have know
you were sick, with those pale cheeks
go right home and rest you; nc
another stitch shall you sew to-day.
so, Mrs. Avery" said the seam
stress, sit is not that; please let m
sew, it keeps me from thinking
'What is it, Nary" she aske
gently, ''can you tell me about it I:
The girl broke at the question int
a perfect passion of grief.
"It's Rob, Mrs. Avery; I've a
ways been afraid for him, but l.,
prayed for him so. Oh, l couldn
think God would let such troub
come TO me, but the craze was bel
in him and now they've got him.
''Rob, your brother?' question:
Mrs. Avery, drawing the poor girl
head 10 her bosom, and gent
smoothing her dark hair.
eyes, he is such a good brothe
and loves me SO much: you see
brought him up, Mrs. Avery, he WI
only three when mother died, al
there were just we two. He's on
seventeen now and | felt SO prof
when he got the place in Wolfort
drug store. | thought he'd be
2SuueMdu, anu nc > 81 Siudll WI
Avery, and so handsome. | new
supposed they sold liquor at dir
stores. Rob didn't tell me at frs
he knew | wouldn't like it, but
found it out. It's worse than S
loon, Mrs. Avery gentlemen can
in there and nobody suspects. VIII
there are men who 60 there just rt
ularly, Rob says. and you wouldr
believe it if should tell you-"
Mary stopped, and Mrs. Avery
heart gave Il wild throb-of fca
she knew her husband too well. 5
trusted him too fully but did Il
these other wives trust? Ii only b.
were older she might peIhaps
anxmus.
And boys too, younger even til
Rob, seems AS if it ought lo he son
body's business to tell their mother
sometimes Eve thought would, /
I've been so worried and llouil
about Rob, it didn't seem II, If
could take up others folks troubi,
You see it was pretty bad before
knew it, and did 90 to Mr.. Wolf,