The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-05-31
A LITTLE SERMON

There .erc ,en ladies in Mrs Wayne
spacious psfiou by special invitation
They vcre waiting. With moe, dslishiiu
sniicipsiioa. The ser,ing Of i've o'clool
tes, Tor their hostess ~ss an adept 10 get
,ibs no deligh,ial reireshmenis. i, lack
ei .bon, ten minutes OF five when Mr..
Wayne, With charming smile, said =
have saoiher guest. spd before briog he
down | have brisi story TO tell concern
log her aud myself | bsye ne'iber tint
nor inclinstiou TO ~ iato details, but
waui to say that there vas time in N,
life when was lcii q poor. frieudies'
child, sna Mss Dorothy Harris, my gues
nov upstairs. proved my friend 10 time
Of need She was not in the least related
but out Of pure. sweet charity offered me
many cup OF cold water. which. car
sssnre you'll drank gladly end thankfully
| have not seen her before for fifteen years,
and it WAS complete surprise 10 me when
she arrived this afternoon. She told me
ct once that II it we're not convenient for
me TO receive her she bad snother friend
10 the city someS here thst abe could visit.
| OF course | assured her that 1t was con
veniept, and l was delighted to see her.
She has never been 10 city home before,
and want her TO have the best time she
has ever had Ia her life. She is odd and
old fashioned. aud murders the king 8
Euglish. rs Dick says. but she is dear
old creature and has one OF the kindest
hearts that ever beat 10 womaD's breast
| know you are all ladies and Christians,
aud so, although Miss Harris is not like
you. l am quite sure that for my sake
and" her voice dropping. "for Christs,
you will make her one with you.
Mrs. Wayne excused herself for mo :
ment and soon returned with tall wo
man, with shoulders slightly bent, whom
Mrs. Wayne introduced as Miss Harris.
Notwithstar ding Mrs. Wayne's little story
about her, the ladies were hardly prepar-
cd to mingle familiarly with one evidently
30 inferior to themselves. There was no
denying the fact that Miss Harris was eI
oeedingly commonplace" and they were
"highly cultured" according to common
verdict. Miss Harris face was sallow and
wrinkled, her blue eyes pale and weak,
her gray hair thin and drawn back tightly
from her high forehead, with not the least
attempt to make it ornamental. Her
large hands were rough from hard work,
and at first she acted as il she did not
know What to do with them. She wore q
coarse, grey serge dress, made perfectly
plain, aud a long white apron with large
pocket, out OF which peeped the ends OF
some shining knitting needles.
"Miss Harris. ladies, said Mrs. Wayne,
introducing her apparently with as much
pleasure as II she were the most cultured
lady In the land zone Of my dearest and
most valued friends"
The deprecatory look with which Miss
Harris first regarded the ladies, as II fear
ing their adverse criticism, died cut OF
her face as those reassuring words, zone
OF my dearest and most valued friends,
reached her ear. She had feared that her
friend might be ashamed OF her, and she
would not have blamed her If she had
been, she was so different" from those
other friends.
Her small eyes. under the silver rimmed
"specs, we're exceedingly obseryant, and
she noted appreciatively the grace and
ease, the winsomeness, the charming flow
OF cultivated language and the tasteful
and elegant apparel Of those other friends.
When tea was served Miss Harris pour
ed hers into the saucer. No one smiled
the ladies we're too well bred for that =
and then, for fear that Miss Harris might
ba mortift il she should discover that
no one else poured tea out, pretty Mrs.
Wayne kept her company. Miss Harris
naturally made many mistakes, the most
pronounced OF which was TO eat the small
piece OF lemon that fosted on the water
Of er fuger bowl. No one seemed to
notice them. however. That little SER
mon" Mrs. Wayne had preached In her
earnest bu. winsome way, acknowledging
her loyalty to the tried aud true" friend
OF other days. bad so impressed them.
that .sch aud all did their best to be as
agreeable as possible
Miss Harris WAS perfectly charmed, not
only With Mr.. Wsyae, but with her
guests, her home and oil ber surround
ngs. Tue lovely face OF the hostess often
sought her eye with fond, reassuring
smile. The laughing and happy flow OF
ak among the guests. the neatly dressed
md attentive waters, the sparkle Of bright
silver and cut-glass. the crystal chandelier
sending down upon the bright faces, bril-
liant, rainbow hued light, The beautiful
roses sending forth sweetness. the sweet
but sublued strains OF music VISITED to
hem from trio OF musicians 10 the dis
sni library, sounding like bird songs at
It dawn. snd then like clear water trick
log down mountain side, changing of
% a mothers lullaby, followed by paon
II pr.ise all these things taken together
q ade ber feel Is il she had suddenly been
to a new world, besutifu
world. where hard work bad no part, for
his Was altogether new to her She had
never before been 10 city home She
vas accustomed to eat her meals in the
little back kitchen. served on small table
against the wall. She vas used TO bard
york, to struggles to make both ends
meet. to weariness aud sorrow, used TOO
- l...a .n..l AaIlr saSr,ca IN iha :.