The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-03-19
THE LITTLE SISTER.
How She Was Brought Back to
the Folks at Home"

the II OlES at Homo.
At 1890 on q certain Sunday morn
ing in the carly part Of December, the
congregation assembled in fashiona-
bic church on W place witnessed
an extraordinary scene. At that time
nearly every regular member Of the
church was seated, as was also the
greater part of the unfXed quantity,
the stranger element, and n decorous
hush had settled over every thing. Or
ganist and choir were in their places
and the minister was just coming out
of the vcshy, when there was a sudden
stir toward the door, and twenty peO-
pie, ignoring the proprieties, looked in
that direction. What they saw was an
usher coming down the aisle followed
by q man and q woman, evidently
strangers to the place. Nothing un-
common in that, of course; the incum-
bent of the church ON W place was
an eloquent man, and people came
from far and near to hear him. 1t was
the personality of the new corners that
caused such a fluttcr of amazemcnt as
they passed, and raised q cOmmotion in
the organ loft, sensitive as that pre-
cinct always is to untoward breezcs.
The man was tall, over six feet GER
tninly, and broad-shouldercd to match,
but of such excellent proportions that
one did not ut first glance realize his
superior height. His close-cut hair
showed a well-shaped head to advan-
tage, and his face, tanned by exposure
TO wind and sun, bore the impress of
efr in
found along the byways of life than
among heroes Of romance. A certain
air of superiority cnvelopcd this man,
and gave to the rustic cut of his gar
ments n sort of distinction over the
rows of elegant costumes through
which he made his way, and which he
did not even seem to see, as erect and
soldier-liko he walked to the pew held
open for him by the gentlemanly yet
agitated usher.
But If his appearance was calculated
TO stir the curiosity of a conventional
city audience conscious of being it its
best bib-and-tuCker, how much more
ought the woman by his side to excite
the wonder, nay, even the derision, of
such spectatOrs2 Sho was short in
comparison with her stalwart compan-
ion, almost diminutive, and in every
particular was in marked contrast to
him. Her dress, n faded blue serge.
hung in limp and scanty folds TO her
feet; over her right shoulder was
thrown cloak of coarse material, its
two sleeves dangling loosely as its
wearer, meeting the startled gaze of
those nearest her with a defiant stare,
marched brazingly along to her scat.
On her head was what had once been
a white plush hat, adorned in the DAYS
of its youth and innocence with a pro
fusion of white feathers. but now, in
the last stages of shabby frowziness,
Boiled past repair, and distigured by
dents suggestive of rough usage in
places not to be mentioned before
pure minded women, it was such a
wreck as no self-respecting rag-man
would have bargaincd for. A few
cheap and gaudy rings accumulated the
grimness of her ungloved hands, while
earrings of like value hung in her ears.
A tangled mass of brown hair half hid
her forehead, and struggled down her
back, added still more to the uncouth-
ness of her appearance. She seemed
totally unconscious of the sensation
she was creating, as with q cool, 6luSc
air she scanned the scene around her
Evidently it was an mwonted one to
her, yet the duh ewes expressed no
surprise as they rovcd from the grained
roof 10 the pillared aisles, and on from
window TO window, glowing with their
painted saints and martyrs. Not a
muscle of the stolid face relaxed, not
even when the first deep note Of the
organ tioated upward like an angel.
aud the word sof triumphant anthem
bore all hearts away on its melodious
wings.
l was seated Immediately behind this
strangely assorted pair, and l confess
TO having had an absorbing interest in
all their movements. OF course, my
first instructive wonder was how came
this evidently good and honorable man
in company with such a poor, lost
creature, but presently the tender Solic-
itude of his look and manner toward
her turned the current of my thoughts
into a wide, and, as / aftcrward knew
a somewhat wilder stream of coujcc-
ture. With what anxiety did he watch
her while the choir sang, and how pro-
tectingly he leaned toward her, hold
ing the prayer book open before her
nc the responses of the congregation
What unutterable pity shone in his
kind eyes as he sought to meet hers.
downcast after that first bold, in0uisi-
torial gaze, only when at intervals She
lifted them, half de6antlv TO his face.
IL was plain to the least curious that
one of life's saddest tragedies had a
representative in this woman, but tho
riddle was how TO account for her COM
panion. Appearances are often deceit
ful but the most hardened pcssimist
would have hardly dared TO drag him
through that moral miro. ! lost a
goodly portion of an excellent sermon
trying to make him out, and finally.
disguised with my own curiosity, !
was Just thinking: "Well, il is no con-
Germ Of mine, when all at once the
cloud parted, and I saw-whether ii
was some word of the preachers or m
echo from the music that gave me the
key I do not know-but i'm n flash all
was plain.
How could / have been so bhnds
There, under that battered hat, undeg
that tangled hair, and duh and coars-