Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-06-04

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notchcd and carved with initials, were
full; Tor every body had heard that BiaI
Gillott and tho girl at Baldwin's were
going TO be married. ut the close of the
service. Lyman Baker and Louise Pin
nov sat together on front bench The
young man was flushed and iidgety; the
| girl snt motlonlcss She kept her hand.
Clasppd together under the rcd and black
shawl and she looked shrinkingly to-
wards the door; Biar Gillctt and Mandy
Sawyer had not yet arrived The table
on the small platform at the end of tho
room held lamp, and there was a
candle on the shelf, which contained the
watcr-pail with its long tin dippcr. A
map of the Unitod States hung on one
of the dingy walls, which was scrawlcd
over with chalk and lead pencil, and
stuck here and there was u paper wad.
| The blackboard above the platform con-
tanned humorous sketch, whose figures
had graduated circles for heads and
bodies, and straight lines for legs.
The minister, mild old man with
dim eyes and feeble voice, held the
lamp over his Bible while he read his
text. He had preached for half II CEN
tury, bullctcd about from post to post
and taking his buflctings mcckly. Now
he had found n comparative calm in
the little, sparscly attended, unorgan-
lied church; he had settled into pleas
ant pcaccfdlness, and fallen back into
the vcrnacular of his youth.
"For he clavc to tho Lord hain't
no idea" he said, setting down his
lamp and taking of his spcctaclcs
slowly, "that llczckiah got none o.
them teachings from his father; il amt
likely that Ahaz done nothing towards
leading him into the way o the Lord.
Ahaz had been one o. the worst o. the
kings o. Judah. He'd ben idolertrous;
he'd broke up the Temple and set up
altars in every corner of the land and
worshipped idols. There amt no sort
o. probability that Hczckiah got none o.
them teachings from him.
The door had opened and Biar Gillctt
had walked in, alone. His face took on
a darker tinge as he met the eyes of
the congregation upon him in Il frank
stare. He sat down in the nearest seat,
lingering the rim of his hat. Louise
Pinncy gave gasp. Her face grew
white and she pressed her hands tightly
together under her shawl to stop her
trembling. He alone; she was not with
him; she had not come That
was all she was conscious of.
She sat staring across at him;
she saw nothing else and the words
of the preacher were n vague murmur
in her ears. The discourse wandered
on to its end. The last hynn was
given out and sung through, Lyman
Baker prevented the benedicton by
striding up the room, mounting the
platform and slapping a folded paper
down on the table. He was red and cx-
cited and he was keeping an eye on
lilly Dillingham;.
''If you'll Jest do me the favor to en-
anime that paper" he said, with an of
hand air, which he had acquired at the
shoe store. Its license he added,
in explanation to the gaping assembly,
"and the name of the lady -
But Louis had stoodup clinging trem-
blingly to desk.
Il can't can't!' she cried family,
the blood rushing back to her white
face, and she sank down weakly on her
seat.
There was an excited hum, and then
the formality of the meeting melted
away. 1t became social gathering
sympathetic, inquiring and judicial. a
knot of women promptly surrounded
Louise. They had Immediately comprc-
hended the entire case and they were
ready to discuss and advise. LYMAN
Baker stood open-mouthed.
II wouldn't urge her. LYMAN" said
one of the women, putting into words
the popular conclusion. Il guess Louise
hadn't really made up her mind
wouldn't do any thing more about it
Just now."
Somebody brought the tin dipper with
some water to Louise, but she did not
take it. She got up and went to the
door aud Ri,r I.ilintt oftor , ,,,np,cnt