Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-04-10

But what's the use OF taking ABOUT gu
san Who ever expects him 10 marry Susan
Shaw People usually do what's expected
of 'em, and the parish expects Mr.. Lindsay
TO marry Luoretia."
They want 10 settle Lucretia, eh 2" asked
DR.. Slow.
The Shaws had enough to keep the woli
from the door, but nothing TO spare they
owned their house. but kept no servant.
Help would be dreadfuly in their way,
Miss Rich declared. II wonder they don't
feel glad they can't afford any"
Susan always wore the simplest garments,
which she designed and executed herself,
while Lucretia-- "Well II there's cnythin0
that unhts Lucretia for her future position at
the head of the parish" confessed Mrs
Phelps, its her love Of fnery."
Lucretia always blossomed out in q pretty
spring bonnet-while Susan made her last
years one answer-and a smart new suit
made In the latest wrinkle.
''It's natural" Miss Rich explained "a
girl likes TO make the most of herself. Now
Susan looks as well in her old things as she
would in Indy cashmeres besides, Lucretia
earns her ribbons and laoes Amt she en-
broidering day and night"
Except when she's of skylarking with
the paison," said DIR. Slow.
I'm sure she's always chaperoned by Su-
san, returned Mrs. Grimm.
yes; there amt been no secession of Su-
sans going about with EN-" added MISS
Rich. 'She don't seem to have the smallest
idee she amt wanted. She amt used to low
ers, you see"
but II Lucretia embroiders night and
day." said Mrs. Grimm's sister-n-lsw-who
was only in Lennox on a visit. and had no
earthly concern with parish affairs, Mrs
Grimm thought-"who keeps house, and
does the house-oleaning, and the busting and
sweeping, cooks and mends, I'd like to
know? ?"
"Of course Susan does them little things" ="
confessed Miss Rich. Anybody can do em ;
there's nothing else she knows how to do.
Wouldn't 1t be q pity for Lucretia to waste
her time, now, washing dishes, keeping the
dodgers rooms in pimlico, spelling them
white hands of hers-pretty enough for a
parish to be proud of-when she can make
such lovely ferns and flowers as she does p
Who made all the evergreen trimmings
for the church last Christmas ?" asked DR..
Slow. 1T wasn't those pretty hands of Lu-
cretias 2"
"Welp she's Lucretia's sister and that
give her taste for decorations, 1 suppose, 1"
said Mrs. Phelps.
"Mr. Lindsay took Susan out in his boat
tother day." said Mrs. Grimm, a few weeks
later. 'Lucretia he'd one Of her sick head
aches That's what l call real sanity in
him, it must have been such bore. It's q
pity Lucretia's troubled with them headaches
If she's going to be at the head of the par
ish."
ooh, was that Susan ?" asked Mrs. Phelps
II thought of course it was Lucretia. saw
them come ashore after dusk, and they stood
at the gate and talked till all was blue"
Il suppose they was talking about Lucre-
tia, p" persisted Miss Rich q man always likes
to talk about his sweetheart, you know"
They must have had a heap to say. He
seemed as interested as when he's expound-
ing Scripture. They looked mighty afec-
tionate, too. don't believe Lucretia d have
liked the look Of it,"
There amt nothing jealous about Lucre-
tia parson's wife ought to set her face
agin such thing"
1t was about this time that the parish pic
mic occurred-an institution which everybody
believed in. Hadn't there been more matches
made at the last than during all the year be-
sides Aud wasn't it fine chance to test
Mrs. Phelps's recipes, Miss Rich's cream
pies, and Mrs. DIR. Slows tArts OF course
Lucretia went, and Mr.. Lindsay with her.
Susan happened to be making preserves and
pickles that day, and the berries wouldn't
keep, and 80 she stsid at home. At about
the middle Of the afternoon, when they had
had dinner and cleared away, and things were
little slow, and they wanted somebody to
start some music, Mr.. Lindsay WAS nowhere
to be found.
"Oh, he's gone of with Lucretia some.
where, said Miss Rich, who felt it her duty
to account for him.
mo; there's Lucretia now, talking about
free will with Dr. Slow"
"P'r'sps he's gone home to write his ser
mon," suggested somebody else, the picnic
grove being only half mile from town.
"Or he's finding tongues in trees and ser
mona in stones out here"
But at sunset Mr.. Lindsay strolled back,
with Susan on his arm, in time to Join them
at tea, and he and Susan made the coffee,
and pitched the tunes they sang before the
day was ended.
Now wasn't that real thoughtful in Mr.
Lindsay to go after Susan2 That's what
call real Christian, and a brother in la "
worth having" commented one old lady.
But when Mrs. Bishop, who had stad at
home with teething baby, reported that Mr.,
Lindsay had not gone home TO write his ser
mon, but had walked straight into Susan's
kitchen, and had helped her seal up the pre-.
serve jars and set them away, and had sat in
the front porch an hour or two afterward
with her-when he might have been with
Notwithstanding secular poetry, and not
DIR. Watts or Charles Wesley either, the par
ish rose in its wrath to a woman. This
would never do Lucretia must not be triAed
with. Mr.. Lindsay had inspired hope in her
gentle heart; he must marry Lucretia or
leave the parish.
"You see," explained Mr.. Phelps, 1--WE
want to settle you, Mr.. Lindsay. You suit
US TO o T, but il kinder seems as il you ought
to propose to Lucretia Shaw, you've been SO
attentive"
Propose to Lucretia Shaw !" repeated the
young man, with startled air. "What has
that to do with settling me Is every clergy
man who comes to Lennox obliged TO pro.
pose to Lucretia Snaw as preliminary prep
Aration?"
'well, no, not exactly" laughed Mr..
Phelps, mot unless he's give the parish res-
son to expect it. You know we don't want
the credit of settling a philAndering parson
who makes love right and left. I'd no idee
the thought would be new to you, but the
parish has set its heart on the match, you see,
and we wouldn't like to settle a man, if he
aodS eloquent in prayer, who'd trifed with
the affections of one of the flock, you know"
But, my dear SIR" said Mr.. Lindsay,
'Pm not in love with Lucretia Shaw. You
wouldn't have me perjure myself"
''Not in love with Lucretia The parish
won't believe its own eyes Agin, reckon"
"Well," said Mr.. Grimm, severely,
i've couldn't think of settling preacher that
hadn't no more principle than to throw over
Luoretia Shaw after taking 80 much tea to
her house, and raising her hopes, as it were."
Perhaps" said Mr.. Lindsay, after a
pause-''perhaps you will be able to forgive
me for not proposing to Luoretia when tell
you that 1 have already proposed to Susan.
You see, it would complicate matters little
il were to acoede 10 your wishes. Howev-
er, have lately received call from west
ern parish, and should feel obliged to decline
the LennoX parish, even if you had thought
me worthy Of it, as this other furnishes
wider field of usefulness"
"And larger salary, suppose" added Mr..
Grimm.
"And larger salary" allowed Mr.. Lindsay.
Double, in fact"
~ suppose, persisted Miss Rich after the
wedding-'I suppose Lucretia must have re-
fused him first. t."-Hdrper's Bdedr.
The Vision OF Abraham LIncOln.
APRIL 14TH, 1885.