The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-07-02

and she was very busy among pie
of books and papers, preparing hard
questions intended for the annihila-
tion Of her Sunday school class on
the morrow, while little sixteen
year-old Bessie, with her pink and
white skin, brown curls and innO-
cent blue eyes, picked up her white
kitten and beat a retreat, ineXpress-
IDLY mortified at having'distracted'
her staid sister
81 suppose l shall learn better
some time," thought Bessie; "but,
oh, dear 1 am such silly little
goose"
She went on tiptoe past the door
where Mr. Leroy, the young minis
ter, was engaged in the revision of
his sermon, for Mr.. Leroy lodged at
Widow Elliott's, and Bessie felt
her youth and folly more painful
than ever in his dignified presence.
She stood a moment in the door
way, where the cheerful July sun
beams made a golden checker work
on the floor, quivering through the
morning glory vines, and a sweet
odOr crept subtly in, Of newl y-mown
clover field, and roses just blossom
ing along the garden wall.
81 know what I'll do" thought
Bessie, as her pet, the kitten, dart
ed away through the bushes. "Tll
have some of those cherries"
Bessie bounded down the garden
walk, and, deftly climbing the old
stone wall, swung herself into the
branches of the huge cherry tree,
like a white plumed little bird.
"Mother would be Mortified, and
Minerva would have fit" quietly
thought Bessie; "but it is SO nice
and shady up here, and the robins
are stealing all the cherries. l al
most wish l was a robin, 1t is such
a pleasant life up among the green
leaves with the blue sky peeping
through. Dear me, / hope that
isn't mamma"
Bessie crept a branch or two high
er up, as footsteps came down the
garden path
Alas her premonitiOns were but
too correct. Mrs. EllIott's cap
strings were Auttering below, and
Elliott's self had come out with a
bowl to pick currants, accompanied
by Aunt Sophia, her sister.
''NOw I'm caught" solilOquized
our little heroine. 81 hope they
won't be long. wonder what they
are talking about. Mr.. Leroy, as l
live"
And Bessie held her breath and
secretly laughed to see how utter
ly unconscious the two old danes
were of her near vicinage.
"Yes,' said MRS. Elliott, ,solemnly,
''he's a good young man, a very
good young man"
There amt no minister all the
country round gives such satisfac-
tionr' said Aunt Sophia. "Them
cabbages is coming on fine, Julia!"
"Oh, bother the cabbages" said
Mrs Elliott, tartly; "its about Mr..
Leroy I'm talking Sophia. But he
ought to marry and settle down. A
single minister can't do all the good
he could if he was marriedn'
That's true" assented Aunt So
phia; land Minerva would make a
capital minister's wife,
'She is the very wife he Isl
and if some one would just put the
idea into his head"
perhaps he doesn't mean to mar
ry."
Then he is doing very wrong
encouraging Minerva the way he
walking to Sunday school
with her, and talking about the
poor money, and picking out the
psalms and hymns with his head so
close to hers. OF all creatures"
went on Mrs. Elliott, energetically,
Il do hate a male coIuettep'
'Dear me, julia, said Aunt So
phia, with mild remOnstrance, 81
don't s'pose he ever thinks of such
a thing"
Then he ought to think of it.
Some one ought to speak to him.
Meek Aunt Sophia picked cur
rants in perplexed silence.
81 don't really think he ought to
tri1e with my poor Minerals feel
ings-and she is sensitive, too" re-
sumed the widow.
Il never did pretend 10 under
stand young folks, when love and
courtship were in the business"
said Aunt Sophia. "But it would
bc n fne thing for Minerva"
I'D he proud TO be the minister's
mOther-in law" said Mrs. Elliott,
exultant at the remote possibility.
"And Minerva Is a smart girl. You
ought to hear her talk about scrip
ture and theology! Why, Mr. Leroy
himself was astonished!'
Il should think very likely" said
Aunt Sophia, dryly.
Minerva had never been her fav
orite niecc--she had lectured Aunt
Sophia too often for sleeping IN
church, eating fennel seed, singing
out of time and many other venial
sins.
81 don't know what to do about
it." said Mrs. Elliott. 81 wish
somebody would speak to Mr.. Le-
roy and tell him plainly what his
| duty is
Haven't we picked most cur
rants enough?' hazarded Aunt So
phia.
81 s'pose so, said Mrs. Elliott,
sharply. "You never had the trials
of a family, Sophia, and they come
hard, though my girls are pretty
good girls, after all. Minerals
quite q model, and Bessie's well
enough if she would sober down a
little"
Don't be everlastingly finding
fault with Bessie" pleaded her
Aunt Sophia. ''She is nice,
sweet-tempered little girl, and if
you want her to put spectacles and
take to the doctrine of lost souls, l
don't. ] like her better just as
she is.'
And the two elderly ladies went
| in, with their bowl of sparkling red