Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-14
Calls aud Sketthes.
WHY THEY DIDN'T SETTLE Mr.. LINDSAY.


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,
exhorted the young people to join the con-
firmation class, mapped out work for the
sewing society. planted the church Christ
mas tree. and made the parish her hobby
ii he suited Mss Rich, if he was high
church enough for Mr.. Grimm and low
enough for Mrs. Phelps. if he believed
with Dr. Slow 10 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 wife-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
grudged her the credit OF it.
well, there's work enough for two of
us in the parish. Mrs. Phelps. | wouldn't
be bit afraid but I'd git my share"
ITO be sure" pursued Mrs. Phelps.
"Lucretia's smart, and | don't believe in
pastor with doll of wife who can't
darn the children's clothes, and is too
feeble to get along without help"
Yes" put in old Mrs Smith; .'she'd
be no end of step mother to Mr.. Lind
says boy and if ever a boy needed step
mother it's him. Lucretia's powerful
smart. as you say. and she'd make him
walk Spanish
Yes" added Miss Rich; ga widower
somehow needs wife more'n anybody to
sympathize with him in his loss. shouldn't
wonder if Lucretia would bring the boy
up to the ministry. if she had her way"
Between you and me-" said Mrs.
Phelps, II think that the parson goes to
the Shaw's rather more than is necessary
for the salvation of their souls
You can't tell. Perhaps Lucretia has
doubts"
And perhaps said DR.. Slow-"per-
haps it's Miss Susan"
Everybody laughed, aud cried Miss
Susan !" with fine irony in their tones.
who ever heard of Susan having at
tention ?" asked Mrs. Phelps
I've engaged Lucrelia to embroider Il
new altar CLOTH" explained Miss Rich /:
II raised the money for it last MONTH
tell you it's like pulling teeth to get mon
ey 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 decid
ed that Mr.. Lindsay should marry Lucre-
tia, and perhaps Lucretia had decided so
too, for she was an everlasting time over
that altar cloth, and needed no end of in
struction and advice; her ignorance and
interest were quite touching, and Mr.
Lindsay seemed quite willing to spend his
leisure under the Shaw's root, and watch
the sacred symbols growing under the
white and shapely hands of Miss Lucre-
tia.
That hand of Lucretia's will be sure
to do the business" somebody had said
"Mr. Lindsay's man of taste. if he is a
clergyman''-as if the two were not usu-
ally found combined-"and | heard him
say it was fit for duchess"
Miss Lucretia's hand was. indeed, her
loveliest feature, so to speak-white as
snow. with the prettiest taper fingers.
pink at the ends. Once, when Mr.. Lind
say had mentioned them flatteringly, Miss
Susan, who was doing the weeks mend
ing near by, drew her own hands under
her work. he noticed. Nobody ever took
the trouble to flatter Miss Susan Lucre-
tia sang in the choir, although her voice
was as thin as muslin. and she had no ear
nobody dreamed or cared if Susan sang
like seraph; she sat in Lucretia's shad-
Ow, and people almost 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 a pretext to cover 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" be said. "try this chant with
us. Miss Susan" and Susan opened her
mouth and chanted as nobody in the choir
had ever chanted before.
Bravo" he cried. when did you
learn it ?"
"Why. have heard it all my life; why
shouldn't | know it couldn't help it,
1--WE must have you in the choir" he
said.
"Susan Shaw in the choir!' gasped
everybody on the way out of church. "Mr.
Lindsay is bringing her out"
shes Lucretia's sister, you know, Tex
planned Miss Rich.
"And her voice rather browns Lucre-
las" said DR.. Slow
Mr.. Lindsay was giving great satisfac-
ton. The Pensioners talked OF remodel
ing the old rectory. adding wing and
window. and even spoke of taking in
an adjoining field. so that "Lucretia might
have a flower garden. They even medi-
tated an increase of salary, as soon as he
should be settled in the parish, and Mr..
Grimm thought he should add codcil to
his will. in favor of the new pastor and
Lucretia's husband.
when they're married." reckoned
Miss Rich. with unchristian thrift, 1--WE
shall have all our church trappings en-
brCidered for nothing, suppose"
do you think Susan will live with
emp" asked Mrs. Phelps. "P'r'aps ne
won'tcare about marrying the whole fam
lily"
He's powerful kind to Susan, though"
He takes sight of notice of her.
'.You kinder forget she's Lucretia's sis
ter" put in Miss Rich, '.and all she's
got"
1t was surely plain that MIR. Lindsay
took pleasure in the society at the Shaw
homestead. At picnic. at prayer meet
ings or choir meetings. he was always
at hand TO take Lucretia and Susan home :;
he lent them his books. and directed their
reading he brought them flowers from