Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-02-07
ON PROBATION.

ON PROBATION.
Mr.. Lindsay was preaching in the
Iennox parish on probation; chat is
he had been engaged fora year.
After that time, if he suited Miss
Rich, who had the parish i'll charge
so to speak, who canvassed for
money to paint the church. looked
up poor children torchliSteninG and
Sunday school, cxIlorted the young
people to Join the confirmation
class, mapped ont work for the sew
ing society, and made the parish
her nobby-it, he shifted Miss Rich,
The WAS High Church enough fnl
Mr.. Grimm and Low enough foi
Mrs. Phelps, il he believed with
DR.. Slow in the doctrine of election
why. then, they were sure to set
tie him.
..What Il capital wife, Lrcretia
Shaw would make Mr.. Lindsay"
vouchSatcd Miss Rich, shortly after
lie adorned the Lcnnox pulpit
"She's Just the person for par
SONS wite-hlstIing and"
I'm afraid she'd take the parish
off your hands. Miss Rich" an
severed Mrs. Phelps, who having
no desire to do the hard work
which her neigllbor loved, yet
@rudScd her the credit oft.
'.Well. there's work enough for
two of us in the parish, Mrs. Phelps.
| wouldn't be Il bit afraid but I'l
get my Share.'
$40 be sure,' pursued Mrs.
Phelps, "Lucretia's smart, and |
don't believe in IL pastor with Il
doll of a wife who can't darn the
children's clot' eS, and is too feeble
to get along thout help"
yes" put i'll old Mrs. Smith,
shed be no end Ola stepmother
to Mr.. LindSay'S boy and If ever II
boy needed Il Stepmother, it's him.
Lucretia's powerful smart, as you
say, and she'd make him walk
Spanish"
Yes" was the reply of Miss
Rich; "a widowcr somehow needs a
wife more'n anybody, 70 Sympatliizn
with him in his loss. L should've
wander if Lucretia would bring the
boy up TO the ministry if she had
her way"
"Between you and me-" said Mrs.
Phelps, 81 think that the parSon
goes to the SllawS' rather more
than is necessary for the salvation
of their soulS.n
':You can't tell. Perhaps Lucre.
tia has doubts"
s.And perhaps" said DR.. Slow
''perhaps it's Miss SUSAN"
Every body linghe'l, and cried
"Aiiss Susan!" with fine irony in
their tones.
"Who ever heard of Susan hav-
ing attentions" asked Mrs. Phelps.
Eve engaged Lrcretia to en-
hroider a new atarcloth," eX-
claimed Miss Rich; III raised the
money for it last month fell you
it's like pulling teeth to get money
ont of this parisf-and | suppose
the parson has to advise her about
tine proper designs and things: Ln-
crctla amt very well drilled ill
symbols and such, You kuow."
In fact, everybodyin Lennox had
decided that Mr.. Lindsay should
marry Lncretia, and perhaps LII
crctla had decided so too, for she
was an everlasting time over that
altal.cloth, and needed no end OF
advice and instruction; her ignor-
ancc and interest were quite tonch
ing. Mr.. Lindsay seemed quite
willing to spend her leisure time
under the Shaw's roof. and watch
the sacred symbols growing under
the white and sbapely hands OF
Miss Lucretia.
1That hand of Lucretia'S will he
sure to do the business, somebody
had said. "Nlr. Lindsay;Sa man Of
taste, if he is a clergyman'-aS il
the two were not usuallyto be found
combined-''and l heard him say
it WAS fit for a duchess"
Miss Lucretia's hand was, indeed
her loveliest feature, so TO speak
white as tile SNOW, with the pref
test taper fingers, pink at the
ends. Once when Mr.. Lindsay hat
mentioned them tlatterlngly. Miss
Susan, who was doing the week.
mending near by, drew her OWL
hands under her work, lie noticed
Nobody ever took the trouble tt
tlalter Miss Susan. Lncretia sang
in the choir, although her voice
WAS thin as muslin, and she had NJ
ear; nobody ever cared if SHsal
sang like a seraph. She sat in Lll
cretia's shadow, and people almos
forgot she was there, till they need
ed her help. Mr.. Lindsay hat
taught the choir himself. and aite
the alt;lr-cloth could no longer b'
made a preteXt to cover amnltitud'
OF calls, there were the chants ant
iugueS to practice. One morning
as he drilled Lucretia for half al
hour Intellectually, he suddenl,
turned to Susan.
Come he said, "try this chan
with us. Miss SuSan;" and SuSal