The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-08-28
POlly's Religion.

home. None OF the family had eve
seen her. They knew she was one O
the Austruthers of Kentucky.
There are Austruthers in the United
Presbyterian Church., said Grace. 6,
hope Mary belongs to our membership.
'Oh, yes, certainly said Joe, eager
ly. He was just starting to be married
and he was very anxious that they should
all love Polly in advance.
'Does she sing in the choir?' asked
Isabella.
Il think not. But she has one of the
sweetest voices-a low contralto. AnC
you ought to hear her laugh, Bella
The merriest ring-oh, she'll bring new
life into this house,!
The girls smiled. They were fone
of Joe and ready to welcome his wife.
'But l hope she is ready to take {
leading place in the church, said Grace
after he had gone. Joe will some day
fill fathers place, and his description
of her does not give me the idea of al
energetically religious woman
well hope for the best,' said Isa
bella. She was very busy making ar
imitation stained glass window for th'
Sunday school room and was anxious tt
finish it before Mary arrived.
Uncle Ben must be kept in his owr
room when she comes, and Tom can b.
sent to the country for months visit,
Grace said, her delicate cheek flushing
painfully.
For there were two skeletons in the
Demming household. The Squire
brother Ben, who was paralytic ole
soldier, and most cross. grained, pro
fame old fellow, occupied one wing o
the mansion. He had man to nurse
and read to him, for his oaths were in
tolerable to his nieces. Tom was thei
brother, younger than Joe. Tom Dem
ming had disappeared for three year.
after he left college and came back ;
haggard, dissipated loafer.
Nobody in Balls Ferry knew what hi
had done in that gap of time, but wa
..stesa ,eip that laath he was under the banmiii n.iii
with gloomy patience. They had taken
up their cross and borne it, but it wa
heavy, and he knew it was heavy. Ton
was never seen by visitors at the table
or in the parlor. At dusk he woule
skulk out to join some of his comrades
at the village grog shops and occasion
ally, but not often, was brought home
brutally intoxicated.
Joe's wife disappointed them all. Sht
was a plump, merry, little girl, nothing
more. "A very pleasant little heather !
sighed Grace, after two days had passed
Il named some of the best books or
religious fiction, but she never heard o.
them and she did not know of a single
one of our foreign missions.
Good Mrs. Demmlng was uneasy a
this and that very evening turned th'
conversation on doctrinal subjects
Polly grew red.
4 am afraid she said, 4 am not clea
in my ideas concerning these difficul
points. The truth is, after mother
death l had charge of my four brothers
and I had so little time
you will have more time now, salt
Isabella. Il will mark out course o
doctrinal reading for you.'
But Mary made slow progress will
her course of reading. AS time passe'
and she settled down into her place il
the household she proved to be a YER
busy little woman. She had positiv
talent for finding work; took her par
of the family mending, tossed up daint
little desserts and helped Joe with hi
accounts. When Joe had gone to hi
office she took tremendous walks, ad
vised Mother Demming about her fanc
work, or copied the 'Squire's papers TO
him.
'What a clerky hand you write! SAT-
Grace, one day. 4 often wish min
were not so delicate when father worrie
over those papers. But as for mother
embroidery, women of her age ought t
give up that useless work when thei
eyes are falling
1T doesn't seem useless to me-, sal
Polly, gently. 'She thinks you all valu
it,
where can Mary go on those intel
minable walks?' said Isabella one morr
ing to her father. 'You should war
her about Black lane. She might wal
der into it and bring home typhoi
fever
you ought to report that lane as
nuisance, father said his wife. 1t is
perpetual sink of filth and vice
1T is disgrace to Balls Ferry tn;
such wretches can find harbor in it
added Isabella. 'They ought to |
driven beyond the borough limits!'
well, we'll, my dear 1t doesn't {
to be too energetic said the 'Squir
'They never had chance.
He was reused, however, to mentic
Black lane at a meeting of the tow
burgesses that day.
Something ought to be done or v
will have typhus among us, he said.
Something has been done, said Judt
Paule. Il came through the lane tn
morning and hardly knew it. The
has been a general draining and cleal
ing, the cabins are white washed, Il
women some of them-had actual
washed their faces
what has happened?' asked Il
Squire.
Il heard the sound of children's voic
singing in one of the cabins and t
men told me it was miss Marys clas:
Some good woman has been at work,
suspect
Miss Mary?'-the 'Squire's face gre
red, his eyes flushed, but he said not
ing more.
Going home he met Polly coming