The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-30
NUMBER 10.


1t was Easter IN Mumpvile. The Ia
dies Of Calvary Church had decided up
on more than ordinary decorations, and
the general oversight of affairs was
placed in the capable hands of Mrs. El-
kanah Peck. That good lady set about
her somewhat difficult task with her ac-
customed alacrity. She flew about and
set her house id apple-pie order; then
she Oversaw the cooking of immense
quantities of provisions, sufficient for
the needs of Mr.. Elkanah and the child
rem during the ensuing week. Then she
made requisition for horse and buggy
in which she drove to the ,'hurch where
she had agreed to meet with her fellow.
workers on the scene of her labors.
Eight ladies had been appointed on the
committee, but only two of them met
Mrs. Ekanah Peck in Calvary Church
that Monday afternoon. Mrs. Lille was
Obliged to go out of town. Mrs. Prout's
Johnny had developed case of measles.
Miss Perry had received tidings of the
illness of married sister and had de-
parted to the rescue. Mrr. Grimm had
bad neuralgia headache. Mrs. Hardy
had severe cold. So that only the anx.
ious brow of Mrs, Simpson, and Amelia
Turner's irresolute smile met the eye of
the chairwoman on the decorating COM
mittee.
Mrs, Simpson was too wrapped up in
her own housewifely cares to be of much
assistance in the matter on hand; and
Amelia Turner, after suggesting that if
they had some evergreens they might
wreathe the clock and have festoons on
the chandeliers, lapsed into the silence
of utter vacuity. Then Mrs. Elkanah
rose equal to the emergency. She sug-
gested that the whole space between the
choir and the preachers desk should be
filled in with blooming plants, Mump-
vile boasted no greenhouses except
few private ones of small size, but win
dow-g gardening was reduced almost to
science. Care-encumbered Mrs. Stimp-
son and the incapable Amelia at once
agreed to let her follow out her idea and
do all the work; then, feeling that they
had done good thing, they separated
to meet again and arrange the floral dis
play on the next Saturday afternoon.
All that week Mrs. Elkanah Peck was
very busy. Neither she nor the red.
roam steed nor the side-spring buggy OBJ
tanned any rest Back and forth she
went from West Mumpville to Timbuc-
too, from South Mumpvlle to Sharon.
dale.
Easter was very early that year, so
that Mother Nature lent no aid to the
decorating of Calvary Church; but the
lively Mrs. Elkanah, all undaunted by
the forbiddng aspect of the frozen
ground, went blthely skimming along,
intent upon her errand.
All the ladies volunteered their finest
geraniums, callas and fuchsias. Capt.
Prescott's daughters lent their szileas,
magnificent IN rose color and white.
Eccentric old Bachelor Ben Higgins lent
his tea-roses, six varieties, rich in foliage
and rich in perfume.
Away out over the marshes in Tim
buctoo lived Aunt Emily Wayne. When
Mrs. Elkanah solicited the loan of her
oleanders she gazed at her pets and
sighed. "Yes, you may have them"
she said. Il wouldn't have anything
happen to them for the world, but you
will take good care of them. Tom root.
ed 'em and got them well started before
he went on his last voyage"
Poor Aunt Emily ! For gay, yourg,
sailor Tom went down in a grea. storm
off Hatteras, and would never more root
oleanders and 'get EN- well started" for
the plain, little, elder sister, whose Joy
and pride he was.
Sc Mrs. Elkanah bore off in triumph
the great, splendid bushes fully four
feet high and covered with hundreds of
fragrant pink blossoms. What back
ground they made for the other plants
when Saturday came and the decorating
committee assembled The last days Of
the week had been mild and warm, very
favorable for the transportation of Mrs.
Elkanah's prizes; and at the last mo-
ment she received happy inspiration.
If singing birds were placed among the
flowers how pleasing the effect would be!
So once more the side-spring buggy rat
tied over the road toward West Mump-
vile. She drew rein before the gate of
the last house in the town. A sad voiced
woman dressed in black answered her
into the sunny room where her work
basket stood piled high with sewing
She heard her visitors errand with a
troubled face, then took down the cana
ry's cage and set 1t on the table.
Dick is a little beauty" she said,
land he's splendid singer, but like
him best because poor Alice used to
think so much of him. He knew her
voice as well as did, and he would sit
on her little finger and sing-oh, how he
would sing !!
The te irs in the mothers eyes had
crept into her voice, and she paused to
control it. Then she said, But it
seems as if might do 80 much to help.
Yes, indeed, take him and welcome" "
SO Mrs. Elkanah took him, and five 9th.
ers, as well, ere she reached home.
All the ladies except Mrs. PrUut were
present on Saturday afternoon to help
arrange for the morrow, and very taste
fully it was done before they went
home,
An unusually large congregation gath
cred in Calvary Church that Easter
morning, Bachelor Ben came for the
express purpose of admiring his own
tea-roses, and Aunt Emily walked in
from Timbuctoo, a distance OF four
miles, to see her oleanders. The Rev.
James Graceworthy preached a most
excellent sermon from the text, Con
slider the lillies," and all the ladies who
had sent callas felt that they had dis
play ed profound wisdom. The flowers
scented the whole room and the birds
sang with might and main, through
hymns and sermon, through prayers
and responses.
After the service the birds were car
ried home by their owners, except Mrs.
Severns who lived too far away to come.
Mrs. Peck bore Dick to her own home
with great care. Then, in the gladness
of her heart, the side-spring buggy and
and red-road steed were placed at the
service of Aunt Emily to take her small
self and great oleanders out to Timbuc-
too; and the offer was accepted. With
the exception of Bachelor Ben's tea-roses
all the other plants were left in the
church, to be taken to the several houses
l