Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-04-01
The Deacon's Daughter.

AAO -0OeVSSA0 0VVSASoAuNAs
Dora Maxwell was the prettiest girl in
Dacre-a village which produced crops
of pretty girls, just as naturally as it did
big rocks, shaded roads, cool glens, and
picturesque and highly dangerous water
falls.
Everyone liked Doral The young men,
because she was handsome and unaffected /;
the girls, because she was amiable, and
always had the prettiest patterns Of any
one in the village, and was quite ready
to lend them; and the mammas, on ac-
count of her substantial charms-such
broad meadows, such goodly cattle, such
stores of linen made up by the hands of
the thrifty Dora, such wealth of massive
silver and old-fashioned china as be-
Ionged to Deacon Maxwell, and goodly
portion of which must go to his eldest
and handsomest daughter, would have
made even squint, red hair, and bad
temper endurable in their eyes.
So all the village regarded her as sort
of personal property, and every mother
who had manageable son watched
over her with vigilance and interest
truly surprising, and which ought
utterly to confound those who
don't believe in the natural goodness and
purity of human nature. Spite of which,
in her twenty third year, Dora was Dora
Maxwell still-a fact which she didn't
take at all to heart, though some of the
envious had commenced to whisper,
'sold maid"
1t was the first Sunday in June, warm,
balmy, smiling, fragrant morning, just
deepening into noon, as the deacon and
his family came home from church. Mrs.
Maxwell had on her loose dress, and was
tanning herself by the window, while
Dora and her two sisters, having laid
away their hats and parasols, were getting
dinner, when their mother exclaimed: +:
Dear me, if there amt Eph Schenck
comm up the walk" The girls giggled,
and Dora Redeemed.
Eph Schenck was long, tall, sham
bling, freckied, red-haired youth, who
had disagreeable way Of driving over
to church from his fathers farm (ten
miles distant), and then concluding to
axe dinner with Deacon Maxwell. She
knew just how it would be. He would
ut there, in that corner, by the eight-day
clock, his chair tipped back, his huge
mouth open and his eyes fastened on her
in stupid admiration. He would choke
himself at dinner, and break out in
. perspiration, trying to say something
Iender in her ear. He would go with
hem to church, and tumble up the
steps; he would tread on her dress and
iear it; he would insist on singing out Of
The same book with her, and to dole
.ul tune of his own imagining; he would
are at her during the sermon, and wipe
1is shining forehead, alternately, till he
had all the younger portion of the con-
gregation engaged in doing their best
not to giggle. He would go back and
choke himself again at tea, and after
tea father would 60 out to look at the
chickens, and mother and the girls to
'ee about the work, and then who could
tell if be wouldn't take it into his stupid
head to ask her to be Mrs. Eph Schenck.
Down went the cloth from Dora's hand
As this last dreadful possibility presented
! Itself to her mind, and away she ran.
ike startled deer, across the garden
md out Of little back gate into the
broad meadow, where in her haste she
almost rushed into the arms of James
Van Buskirk, the clear headed son of a
good-for-nothing father, who bade fair to
retrieve the position which his father had
lost, but being only half way up the hill.
was only partially countenanced by all
those prudent and worthy people who will
nearly shake your hand off when you are
safely at the top.
Dora was about to pass him with a
aignifed bow, but the young man. whose
dark eyes were dancing with mischief.
stopped her, by gravely inquiring: If she
had the dyspepsia, and was running for
exercise2
No, sir, I am in a hurry tartly
answered Dora, who thought that it was
none of his business.
"Ohp' indeed, don't let me detain you
then, and turning, he coolly walked on
beside her
Dora bit her lip. James Van Buskirk
was the smartest, the worthiest, and the
most agreeable young man Of her.
acquaintance; but she was a Maxwell.
she would not be nncivil to Mr.. Van
Buskirk, but Of course she could not en-
courage him; and holding her head at 4
much loftier angle thun usual, she
marched on erect, and in silence.
81 think saw Mr. Schenck drive By