The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-03
Hasty Judgment.

The large congregation attending DIR.
Preston's church had Just been dis
missed, and its members were thought
fully walking toward their respective
homes. The sermon had been drawn
from the commandment, " Remember
the Sabbath day to keep it holy" and
the admonitions of the preacher, affec-
Tomato, yet intensely serious, had so
impressed his hearers that they were
all too busy with their own meditations
to enter into extended converse with
their neighbors. But among the num-
Der was one woman who evidently had
not enjoyed the discourse. She seemed
to be discontinued with something; in
fact, you would believe that she had
grown weary of her very existence and
had resolved to take no enjoyment
whatever in this mundane sphere. Per-
haps she felt guilty, perhaps the words
of the sermon had struck home too
forcibly. Be that as it may, she was not
an agreeable person to contemplate,
and her society was sought by few on
that Sabbath morn.
Behind this woman was q fair Young
girl who moved along slowly, now and
then turning to glance toward the
church door. She appeared to be ex-
pecting some one to emerge therefrom,
but the last person had left the sanctu-
airy, for the sexton had come to lock
the doors. Then she walked steadily
onward, her countenance evincing sad
disappointment. In few moments
she was joined by another girl, about
her own age.
g Harry is not here this morning, is
he?' whispered the latter. " Do you
suppose he can be sick? / know he is
not away, for l saw him in the village
hardly an hour before church time"
"The dominic needn't talk" was
now heard from the disconnected crea-
ture in advance. He can preach to
us on keeping the Sabbath day holy
and not going visiting, and so on, but
he'd better begin with that nephew of
his'n.n
"Why, what can you mean?" asked
her companion. Harry Gardner is
considered a very exemplary young
man."
eff riding around the country with
wildcat of gal when he ought to be in
church is exemplary, 1 don't want any
of that kind around me-
The two girls had been listening anx-
iously TO the conversation. When the
last remarks were uttered, the one who
had been watching the church door
grew exceedingly pale
There, Josie, that accounts for his
absence from church," said her friend.
LISTEN" was all Josie said in reply.
Can you prove your assertion?' in
CURED gentleman, who happened to
be near the disconnected woman.
Why, l seen him with my own two
eyes as l was coming to the church.
There he sot, as gay as you please, in
his ph@ton with Katie Moore, taking a
pleasure ride on the Sabbath day.
Leaning over, too, and speaking low, so
/ wouldn't hear. If that's keeping the
day holy, I'd like to know. He went
up the west road, so he wasn't going to
no other church, as they amt none
there"
"With Katie Moore" Josie said,
softly.
Yes, with Katie Moore" repeated
her friend. Well, it was sinful
enough for him to be riding when he
ought to be in church, without taking
girl who scorns anything religious. How
can we ever expect to win Katie over
to the cause when one of our own church
members not only encourages but helps
her break the Sabbath?"
{" l don't feel as if l could ever 90
out with him again." sighed Josie.
4" No, / should think not. Just let
him take Katie hereafter Let him see
that there are other young men in this
town besides Harry Gardner. If you
encourage him, you'll be encouraging
misunderstanding. No, my dear, be in
dependent, even though the offender is
handsome young man who has the
honor of being nephew to the most elo-
quent preacher in the county,"
Josie said nothing further on the sub
ject, but she went home with a fixed
resolution in her curly head and a sore
place in her loving heart. She had be-
lieved in Harry, oh! how firmly and
now how shattered was that belief.
AT evening service the young man in
question was again missing from his
accustomed seat. The disconnected
woman glanced around at some of her
acquaintance, and shook her head in
manner which they promptly compre-
hended. Josie noticed the action, and
tried to appear indifferent, but the pain
in her heart was growing more acute,
and she was glad when the final
"Amen" had been said, leaving her
free to hasten away with her parents.
For the last year Harry Gardner had
been Josie's escort from church. That
prerogative he had claimed to be his I;
but now she felt in duty bound to forego
in future the pleasure of having his
company. They had not been g en-
gagged" but their friends felt that there
was between the two an understanding,
which would soon terminate in pub
]icly announced betrothal.
The following evening, at a suitable
hour, a young gentleman walked briskly
up the steps of the Silverthorpe resi-
dence, and, upon gaining admittance,
inquired for Miss Josie. He was in
formed that the lady was at home, but
desired to be excused from seeing him.
"Ohl there must be some mistake u
he said, in establishment. Did she know
who it was? Yes? Then would she
explain why she refused to see him?
The messenger returned, saying that
Miss Josie did not consider an eXplana
ton necessary; and the would-be caller
retraced his steps, sadly wondering
what he had done to incur the displeas
ure of one whom he loved so dearly.