Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-06-25
POlly's Religion.

tucky
'sThere are Austruthers in the
United Presbyterian church," said
Grace. 81 hope Mary belongs tc
our membership"
"Oh, yes, certainly" said Joe, ca
gerly. 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?" ask
ed Isabella.
II think not. But she has one of
the sweetest voices-a low contralto.
And you ought to hear her laugh,
Belle. The merriest ring-oh, she'll
bring new life into this house"
The gi4is smiled. They were fond
of Joe and ready to welcome his wife.
EBut | hope she is ready to take a
leading place in the church" said
Grace after he had gone. "Joe will
some day fill his fathers place. and
his description of her does not give
me the idea of an energetic religious
woman
"We'll hope for the best,' said Is
abella. She was very busy making
an imitation stained glass window
for the Sunday school room and was
anxious to finish it before Mary ar
rived.
"Uncle Ben must be kept in his
own room when she comes, and Tom
can be sent to the country for a
months VISIT" Grace said, her deli
cate cheek flushing painfully.
For there were two skeletons in the
Demming household. The squire's
brother Ben, who was paralytic old
soldier and most cross-grained, ,pro-
fame old fellow, occupied one wing of
the mansion. He had a man to nurse
and read to him, for his oaths were
intolerable to his neices. Tom was
their brother, younger than Joe. Tom
Demming had disappeared for three
years after he left college, and came
back haggard, dissipated loafer.
Nobody in Balls Ferry knew what
he had done in that gap of time, but
was certain that he was under the
ban-a marked man. The family
treated him with gloomy patience.
They had taken up their cross and
bore it; but it was heavy, and he
knew they found it heavy. Tom was
never seen by visitors at the table or
in the parlor. At dusk he would
skulk out to meet some of his COM
rades at the village grog shops, and
occasionally, but not often, was bro't
home brutally intoxicated.
Joe's wife disappointed them all.
She was plump, merry little girl,
nothing more. GA very pleasant little
heather p sighed Grace, after two
days had passed.
Il named some of the best books
on religious fiction, but she never
heard of them and she did not know
of single one of our foreign mis-
sions.'
Good Mrs. Demming was uneasy
at this, and that very evening turned
the conversation on doctrinal sub
jects. Polly grew red.
81 am afraid" she said, 81 am
not clear in my ideas concerning
these difficult points. The truth is,
after mothers death | had charge of
my four brothers, and | had so little
''You will have more time now.
1 will mark out course of doctrinal
reading for you,'' said Isabella.
But Mary made slow progress with
her course of reading. As time pass
ed and she settled down into her place
in the household she proved to be
very busy little woman. She had
a positive talent for finding work ;
took her part of the family mending,
tossed up dainty little desserts, help
ed Joe with his accounts. When Joe
had gone to his office she took tre-
walks, advised mother Dem
ming about her fancy work, or copied
the squire's papers for him.
'What clerky hand you write,"
said Grace, one day. 81 often wish
that mine were not so delicate when
father is worrying over those papers.
But as for mothers embroidery, wo-
men of her age ought to give up that
useless work when their eyes are fail
ing"
cit does not seem useless to me-"
said Polly, gently. "She thinks you
all value it..
"Where can Mary go on those in
terminable walks p' said Isabella one
to her father. ssYou should
warn her about Black lane. She
might wander into it and bring home
typhoid fever"
"You ought to report that lane as
a nuisance, father" said his wife. cit
is perpetual sink of filth and vice."
"It is disgrace to Balls Ferry
that such wretches can find harbor in
it," added Isabella. ''They ought to
be driven beyond the borough linn
its p
"Well, well, my dear! 1t doesn't
do to be too energetic" said the
squire.
"They never had a chance"
s'He was aroused however, to men
ton Black lane at meeting of the
town burgesses that day.
"Something ought to be done, or